One of the advantages of traveling with the netbook is that we were able to make Skype calls on a fairly regular basis. While we were in Dalat, my 90-year-old dad became ill and went into the hospital. After some conversations with Mom, and with my brother Dave (who was in Africa after just finishing his Kilimanjaro climb), we decided to head back to the US. We spent the evening and a good deal of the night arranging flights, and caught an early morning bus to Nha Trang on the coast. From there, we took an evening flight to Hanoi, spent the night, and flew next morning to LA. Picked up a a rental car at the airport, and we were (somewhat bleary-eyed) in Dad's room at the hospital by mid-afternoon.
The good news is that all my siblings were able to travel back to San Diego, and we were able to be with Dad and Mom while his eyes were still open and he was aware and able to feel the love and support. There were several periods when he was alert and we all could talk with him. The bad news is that his condition gradually deteriorated, and he passed on February 24th. We will hold a celebration of his life on March 6, and be heading back to Ashland after.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
on to Dalat
Photo note: A new picasa album is up, at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/econodan/SoutheastAsiaWinter2011Part3
It includes pics from the 4000 Islands area in Laos and onward from there.
The bus ride from Saigon up to Dalat provided more indications of the significant differences between Laos and Vietnam. Roads in Vietnam are much better, and the houses in rural areas much nicer (concrete or brick v. wood, hard roofs v. thatched, indications of indoor plumbing). When the bus stopped for a break, rather than the crowd of people selling grilled meats on skewers and other home-made items, there was an orderly US-style convenience store or restaurant.
After a pleasant trip, the bus dropped us in the center of Dalat, a small city and popular destination for Vietnamese tourists located in the south-central mountains. Dalat is like a Vietnamese Guanajuato. Both are popular tourist destinations, both are hilly and filled with small twisting streets and alleyways, even the pastel colors of buildings on the hillside are similar. There are also differences: French v. Spanish colonial architecture (there's even a replica of the Eiffel tower), swarms of motorbikes in Dalat, and, of course, it's Vietnam not Mexico.
After some wandering around we found a great place to stay convenient to the center of town, and with strong wifi in the room (which was to prove important--read on). We did a little exploring in the evening and had a great dinner at a market-side restaurant.
The next morning we set out to explore some of the nearby sights on foot. First stop was the Crazy House, an amazing Gaudi-esque construction in an otherwise conventional residential neighborhood. The rambling, multi-level structure incorporates many organic shapes, including large trees and animals. There are narrow and twisting staircases, narrow elevated ramps modeled on vines (and just as challenging to cross for the vertigo-challenged as if they were the real thing), rooms with built-in sculptures of bears, eagles, and other animals. After spending some time exploring the House, we continued on foot to the nearby Summer Palace of Vietnam's last king, Bao Dai. The palace was constructed in the 1930s and designed in art deco style. One of its attractions is a room where one can be dressed up in royal gowns and pose for pictures. How could we resist? After the palace, we walked back into town, had a late lunch, and set out to explore the narrow streets and alleyways. While Ellen was photographing an interesting gate along one street, the elderly resident came out and gestured us into her home for tea. It didn't take long to exhaust our few words of Vietnamese, so she brought in a young neighbor to translate and we spent some time chatting.
The next morning we'd arranged to hire a taxi and driver to take us around to see some of the more distant sights for the day. We started with a gondola ride to Tuyen Lam Lake, a beautiful reservoir with the even-more beautiful Truc Lam Pagoda on a hillside overlooking it. The gardens around the Pagoda are wonderfully designed and very peaceful. From there, we went on to Datanla Falls. While the waterfall itself is quite pretty, this is a very commercialized site. There's a bobsled ride (we passed); there are people with ponies and western attire: for a fee you can pose on the pony for a picture, wearing a cowboy hat and raising a six-shooter to the sky (we passed). We did ride a short gondola down the gorge below the waterfall, which took us to another waterfall where people were rappelling down into the water. We continue onward through the many flower farms outside of Dalat, over a ridge to another nearby valley, to visit Elephant Falls. This is a wide, Niagara-style waterfall, and there's a fun sort of trail (steps carved into rock, lots of scrambling) to the bottom. Next stop was a silk factory, which was fascinating. We saw the cocoons and how they are cultivated, the machines used to spin the silk thread from them, and a variety of processes and machines for weaving and dying the fabric. We continued on to a small distillery producing rice wine. We were able to taste the fermented rice mash, the un-aged wine (the proprietor touched a match to some poured in a saucer to demonstrate just how potent it is), and finally the finished product. It is quite smooth, with a tasted between sake and tequila. Back over the hill to Dalat, we stopped for lunch and then visited an art center with very fine work in production and for sale. A number of artists were producing silk embroidery which is truly amazing. The level of detail, and the three-dimensional aspects, are like nothing we'd ever seen before. Our final stop was at Dalat University, which is at the edge of the city. Ellen and I walked around the campus a bit, and chatted with a student and faculty member we met. The campus felt small and quiet, but there are over 12,000 students.
http://picasaweb.google.com/econodan/SoutheastAsiaWinter2011Part3
It includes pics from the 4000 Islands area in Laos and onward from there.
The bus ride from Saigon up to Dalat provided more indications of the significant differences between Laos and Vietnam. Roads in Vietnam are much better, and the houses in rural areas much nicer (concrete or brick v. wood, hard roofs v. thatched, indications of indoor plumbing). When the bus stopped for a break, rather than the crowd of people selling grilled meats on skewers and other home-made items, there was an orderly US-style convenience store or restaurant.
After a pleasant trip, the bus dropped us in the center of Dalat, a small city and popular destination for Vietnamese tourists located in the south-central mountains. Dalat is like a Vietnamese Guanajuato. Both are popular tourist destinations, both are hilly and filled with small twisting streets and alleyways, even the pastel colors of buildings on the hillside are similar. There are also differences: French v. Spanish colonial architecture (there's even a replica of the Eiffel tower), swarms of motorbikes in Dalat, and, of course, it's Vietnam not Mexico.
After some wandering around we found a great place to stay convenient to the center of town, and with strong wifi in the room (which was to prove important--read on). We did a little exploring in the evening and had a great dinner at a market-side restaurant.
The next morning we set out to explore some of the nearby sights on foot. First stop was the Crazy House, an amazing Gaudi-esque construction in an otherwise conventional residential neighborhood. The rambling, multi-level structure incorporates many organic shapes, including large trees and animals. There are narrow and twisting staircases, narrow elevated ramps modeled on vines (and just as challenging to cross for the vertigo-challenged as if they were the real thing), rooms with built-in sculptures of bears, eagles, and other animals. After spending some time exploring the House, we continued on foot to the nearby Summer Palace of Vietnam's last king, Bao Dai. The palace was constructed in the 1930s and designed in art deco style. One of its attractions is a room where one can be dressed up in royal gowns and pose for pictures. How could we resist? After the palace, we walked back into town, had a late lunch, and set out to explore the narrow streets and alleyways. While Ellen was photographing an interesting gate along one street, the elderly resident came out and gestured us into her home for tea. It didn't take long to exhaust our few words of Vietnamese, so she brought in a young neighbor to translate and we spent some time chatting.
The next morning we'd arranged to hire a taxi and driver to take us around to see some of the more distant sights for the day. We started with a gondola ride to Tuyen Lam Lake, a beautiful reservoir with the even-more beautiful Truc Lam Pagoda on a hillside overlooking it. The gardens around the Pagoda are wonderfully designed and very peaceful. From there, we went on to Datanla Falls. While the waterfall itself is quite pretty, this is a very commercialized site. There's a bobsled ride (we passed); there are people with ponies and western attire: for a fee you can pose on the pony for a picture, wearing a cowboy hat and raising a six-shooter to the sky (we passed). We did ride a short gondola down the gorge below the waterfall, which took us to another waterfall where people were rappelling down into the water. We continue onward through the many flower farms outside of Dalat, over a ridge to another nearby valley, to visit Elephant Falls. This is a wide, Niagara-style waterfall, and there's a fun sort of trail (steps carved into rock, lots of scrambling) to the bottom. Next stop was a silk factory, which was fascinating. We saw the cocoons and how they are cultivated, the machines used to spin the silk thread from them, and a variety of processes and machines for weaving and dying the fabric. We continued on to a small distillery producing rice wine. We were able to taste the fermented rice mash, the un-aged wine (the proprietor touched a match to some poured in a saucer to demonstrate just how potent it is), and finally the finished product. It is quite smooth, with a tasted between sake and tequila. Back over the hill to Dalat, we stopped for lunch and then visited an art center with very fine work in production and for sale. A number of artists were producing silk embroidery which is truly amazing. The level of detail, and the three-dimensional aspects, are like nothing we'd ever seen before. Our final stop was at Dalat University, which is at the edge of the city. Ellen and I walked around the campus a bit, and chatted with a student and faculty member we met. The campus felt small and quiet, but there are over 12,000 students.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Laos to Vietnam - time to catch up
I've fallen way behind in posting, time to catch up a bit....
Biking around Muang Khong was delightful. The bikes we rented were too small of course, and we didn't get going until mid-morning when it was already starting to heat up. We began by taking a road across the island to the village of Muang Saen on the other (western) side. We were expecting another very small one, but it turns out this is the main commercial center of the island. The commercial district was about three blocks of stores. There was a very active ferry landing with a steady stream of cargo boats (mostly overgrown canoes, but a couple larger) crossing to Cambodia on the other side of the Mekong. While walking around the ferry landing area taking pics, we were stopped by a man pushing cargo on a hand cart; he was anxious to share his few words of English with us and we were happy to oblige. After a brief chat, we went on our way; when we ran into him again about ten minutes later he was pushing a cargo that included two 5-gallon plastic gas cans filled with lao-lao, which he insisted we join him in sampling. Not even noon, and the first drink of the day. After some more exploring of the town, and a stop for a cool drink, we took the road south to explore more of the island. While exploring a small wat between the road and the river, we discovered a dirt path right along the shoreline. This made for much more pleasant riding than the roadway (cooler by the water and more shaded). We followed paths and roadway to the southern tip of the island, then headed back north along the eastern riverbank until we made it home in mid-afternoon.
While walking around the village taking pics before dinner we ran into Jerry and Sharon, the Australian couple with whom we'd been exploring a few days earlier. They'd just come over to the island that day, and we spent a long time chatting over beers and dinner. We also had a nice chat with an Israeli man, who is traveling with his family in a camper-converted small truck (which he'd brought to the island by ferry) from Thailand to Turkey.
Next morning we took the ferry and minibus back to Pakse. After much discussion, studying our travel books and maps, and worrying over the calendar, we decided to skip Cambodia (primary destination there: Angkor wat) and fly straight to Vietnam. We had a long list of places to visit and things to do there, and the days in Cambodia would have left it too tight. We bought air tickets to Saigon (officially Ho Chi Minh city, but everyone calls it Saigon), visited the consulate in Pakse to get our visas, and that was that. The flights from Pakse are only four times a week, so we had to wait a day to fly on Saturday. Spent the day walking around the city, and also (for Dan) doing a fair bit of work.
Saturday morning we caught the early plane to Saigon, and by late morning we were there (much easier than a 14-16 hour bus ride). We caught a bus into the center, and by lunchtime we had a great hotel in the backpacker district and were out to explore the city.
Saigon is a very busy and noisy place. The streets are filled with motorbikes, and crossing is an adventure. Because one can't simply wait for the light to change and then walk calmly across, the technique is to walk slowly out into the traffic, and then just continue across. The stream of bikes just moves around, like a school of fish moving around an obstacle in the river. It's a leap of faith the first couple of times to step off the curb into this mass of motorized traffic, but that's the way it's done here, and it works.
We walked up to the War Remnants Museum, which has very complete exhibits documenting the history of Vietnam's long struggle for independence (starting with the French and continuing through the US), and lots of (mostly US) armaments, tanks, and aircraft. There's also an exhibit of the tiger cages where political prisoners were kept, and the guillotine the French used on them. There's a large exhibit documenting the tremendous toll caused by Agent Orange, not just on the ecosystem but also on people and the birth defects that continue to this day in the descendants of those exposed. Another large and powerful exhibit area shows the work of the many photojournalists who covered the war, and yet another covers anti-war movements in Europe, the US, and other Asian countries during the 1960s and into the 70s. The whole things is well put together, and extremely sobering. It's difficult to look at the destruction and recognize it was done by one's own nation.
Early the next day (which would be yesterday) we boarded a bus for Dalat, a popular tourist destination for Vietnamese in the mountains north and east of Saigon. Details to follow in the next post.
Photo note: I've started a new Picasa album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/econodan/SoutheastAsiaWinter2011Part3.
It contains pics starting with the 4000 Island area and moving forward from there.
Biking around Muang Khong was delightful. The bikes we rented were too small of course, and we didn't get going until mid-morning when it was already starting to heat up. We began by taking a road across the island to the village of Muang Saen on the other (western) side. We were expecting another very small one, but it turns out this is the main commercial center of the island. The commercial district was about three blocks of stores. There was a very active ferry landing with a steady stream of cargo boats (mostly overgrown canoes, but a couple larger) crossing to Cambodia on the other side of the Mekong. While walking around the ferry landing area taking pics, we were stopped by a man pushing cargo on a hand cart; he was anxious to share his few words of English with us and we were happy to oblige. After a brief chat, we went on our way; when we ran into him again about ten minutes later he was pushing a cargo that included two 5-gallon plastic gas cans filled with lao-lao, which he insisted we join him in sampling. Not even noon, and the first drink of the day. After some more exploring of the town, and a stop for a cool drink, we took the road south to explore more of the island. While exploring a small wat between the road and the river, we discovered a dirt path right along the shoreline. This made for much more pleasant riding than the roadway (cooler by the water and more shaded). We followed paths and roadway to the southern tip of the island, then headed back north along the eastern riverbank until we made it home in mid-afternoon.
While walking around the village taking pics before dinner we ran into Jerry and Sharon, the Australian couple with whom we'd been exploring a few days earlier. They'd just come over to the island that day, and we spent a long time chatting over beers and dinner. We also had a nice chat with an Israeli man, who is traveling with his family in a camper-converted small truck (which he'd brought to the island by ferry) from Thailand to Turkey.
Next morning we took the ferry and minibus back to Pakse. After much discussion, studying our travel books and maps, and worrying over the calendar, we decided to skip Cambodia (primary destination there: Angkor wat) and fly straight to Vietnam. We had a long list of places to visit and things to do there, and the days in Cambodia would have left it too tight. We bought air tickets to Saigon (officially Ho Chi Minh city, but everyone calls it Saigon), visited the consulate in Pakse to get our visas, and that was that. The flights from Pakse are only four times a week, so we had to wait a day to fly on Saturday. Spent the day walking around the city, and also (for Dan) doing a fair bit of work.
Saturday morning we caught the early plane to Saigon, and by late morning we were there (much easier than a 14-16 hour bus ride). We caught a bus into the center, and by lunchtime we had a great hotel in the backpacker district and were out to explore the city.
Saigon is a very busy and noisy place. The streets are filled with motorbikes, and crossing is an adventure. Because one can't simply wait for the light to change and then walk calmly across, the technique is to walk slowly out into the traffic, and then just continue across. The stream of bikes just moves around, like a school of fish moving around an obstacle in the river. It's a leap of faith the first couple of times to step off the curb into this mass of motorized traffic, but that's the way it's done here, and it works.
We walked up to the War Remnants Museum, which has very complete exhibits documenting the history of Vietnam's long struggle for independence (starting with the French and continuing through the US), and lots of (mostly US) armaments, tanks, and aircraft. There's also an exhibit of the tiger cages where political prisoners were kept, and the guillotine the French used on them. There's a large exhibit documenting the tremendous toll caused by Agent Orange, not just on the ecosystem but also on people and the birth defects that continue to this day in the descendants of those exposed. Another large and powerful exhibit area shows the work of the many photojournalists who covered the war, and yet another covers anti-war movements in Europe, the US, and other Asian countries during the 1960s and into the 70s. The whole things is well put together, and extremely sobering. It's difficult to look at the destruction and recognize it was done by one's own nation.
Early the next day (which would be yesterday) we boarded a bus for Dalat, a popular tourist destination for Vietnamese in the mountains north and east of Saigon. Details to follow in the next post.
Photo note: I've started a new Picasa album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/econodan/SoutheastAsiaWinter2011Part3.
It contains pics starting with the 4000 Island area and moving forward from there.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
South to Ventiane, Tha Kaek, and the 4000 Islands
The bus ride from Luang Prabang to Ventiane was a full day: early morning until evening. First part of the ride passed through beautiful karst mountain scenery; it was a shame that we couldn’t stop to drink it in and take pics. We arrived in the capital city of Ventiane after dark, and after a little walking found a great hotel just a half block from the Mekong and in the center of town. We spent the next day walking around the city seeing sights, including the Haw Pha Kaeo museum of archaeological finds (almost all unlabeled so we didn’t need to waste time trying to understand what we were seeing) and the historic Wat Si Saket. The latter is notable for the thousands of small niches all around its perimeter, each containing small Buddha statues. At one wat, the Inpeng Temple, preparations were underway for a Buddhist holiday beginning that night. There were a couple of dozen women sitting outside and busily making decorative offerings out of sticky rice, banana leaves, and flowers.
Next morning I had a great long run along the Mekong. They are in the middle of sprucing up the waterfront area with walkways, but as it is mostly unfinished I was able to run several miles on very pleasant graded dirt. A little after noon we caught a tuk tuk to the bus, and headed south to Tha Kaek, another river town, again arriving after dark.
Tha Kaek is a small and sleepy river town, with a limited tourist infrastructure geared mostly toward outings and treks to the surrounding countryside. We joined up with some other travelers we’d met on the bus, an Australian couple and a French woman traveling solo, and made arrangements to charter a minibus the next morning to visit Tham Kong Lo, an amazing spot where a full-size river enters a large cavern, runs 7 km straight through under the mountain, and emerges on the other side. After a 2 ½ hour ride to the site, we boarded motorized dugout canoes run by the local cooperative for the ride through. Our canoes entered the cave, we switched on our headlamps, and we cruised upstream to a stopping point where we were able to walk a path among many illuminated stalactites and stalagmites. Back in the canoes, we continued for almost an hour before emerging from the other side of the mountain and into the sunlight. At several spots on our journey through the cave, we bottomed out in the shallow water and had to hop out and walk through the river until it became deep enough again. At the turnaround, there was a place to stop for a snack and beer before the return trip downstream through the cave. By the time we finished the return bus ride to Tha Kaek, it was once again after dark.
Next morning we boarded yet another bus for the full-day ride to Pakse. Although there a large number of wats to see there, and interesting treks into the surrounding countryside, for us this was only a stopping point before heading south again this morning. This time, it was only about 2 ½ hours on a crowded minibus to the Si Phan Don (4000 Islands) area of the Mekong. Here, the river splits into many channels, and in the dry season (now) thousands of little islands are exposed. We took a short ferry ride to the island of Don Khong, one of the larger islands and fully inhabited. Our plan: a couple of days not sitting on buses. The tiny village where we are staying on the island, Muang Khong, is delightfully sleepy. There are a few small guesthouses on the street facing the river (most of which have a small restaurant in front), and not much else. What a welcome break for weary travelers. Our plan for tomorrow is to rent bikes to explore the rest of the island.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Luang Prabang
We've just completed our couple of days exploring Luang Prabang, and today took a ten-hour bus ride south to Ventiane (capital city of Laos).
Luang Prabang is historic, beautiful, and peaceful; it's easy to see why it's so popular with travelers. The old part of the city is a wonderful combination of French colonial and Laotian. Like the centers of some other popular tourist destinations (Guanajuato, Patzcuaro, Ashland) it's chock full of charming lanes, enticing restaurants, and boutiques. As a former national capital and religious center, there is plenty of history and culture as well. The historic old city center sits on a peninsula where the Nam Khan River flows into the Mekong.
The first day there we walked and explored. There are several beautiful and historic wats here, including Xieng Thong, Wisunarat, Ho Pha Bang, Suwannaphumaham, and Phu Si. Took a stroll across a seasonal (dry season only) bamboo footbridge over the Nam Khan river to the village of Ban Xang Khong, which is home to numerous paper-making and fabric artists. We finished up the afternoon by climbing the many steps to Phu Si, a temple site on top of a high hill in the center of town. Along the path there are several caves crammed with Buddha statues, there are many Buddhas along the paths, and there is even a small cave with what is reputed to be a footprint of the Buddha in the rock (if true, he was much larger than an elephant). At the top, in addition to the small temple, there is a small gun emplacement left over from the war.
In the evening the main street through town is closed off to traffic and filled with a huge night market selling a full range of crafts and artwork, antiques, and t-shirts. On a side street are many informal street restaurants, where for 10,000 kip (about $1.25) you can fill a plate from a buffet of noodle and vegetable dishes. Grilled meats and fish (and of course beer) are also available.
Second day we continued exploring the city on foot. We walked around the grounds of the former royal palace (used as the king's residence into the 1960s). In late afternoon we took a cruise up the Mekong to watch the sunset. While strolling around the center later in the evening, we ran into one of our backpacking buddies from San Diego, Judd Westover, and spent a couple of hours catching up over beers.
Luang Prabang is historic, beautiful, and peaceful; it's easy to see why it's so popular with travelers. The old part of the city is a wonderful combination of French colonial and Laotian. Like the centers of some other popular tourist destinations (Guanajuato, Patzcuaro, Ashland) it's chock full of charming lanes, enticing restaurants, and boutiques. As a former national capital and religious center, there is plenty of history and culture as well. The historic old city center sits on a peninsula where the Nam Khan River flows into the Mekong.
The first day there we walked and explored. There are several beautiful and historic wats here, including Xieng Thong, Wisunarat, Ho Pha Bang, Suwannaphumaham, and Phu Si. Took a stroll across a seasonal (dry season only) bamboo footbridge over the Nam Khan river to the village of Ban Xang Khong, which is home to numerous paper-making and fabric artists. We finished up the afternoon by climbing the many steps to Phu Si, a temple site on top of a high hill in the center of town. Along the path there are several caves crammed with Buddha statues, there are many Buddhas along the paths, and there is even a small cave with what is reputed to be a footprint of the Buddha in the rock (if true, he was much larger than an elephant). At the top, in addition to the small temple, there is a small gun emplacement left over from the war.
In the evening the main street through town is closed off to traffic and filled with a huge night market selling a full range of crafts and artwork, antiques, and t-shirts. On a side street are many informal street restaurants, where for 10,000 kip (about $1.25) you can fill a plate from a buffet of noodle and vegetable dishes. Grilled meats and fish (and of course beer) are also available.
Second day we continued exploring the city on foot. We walked around the grounds of the former royal palace (used as the king's residence into the 1960s). In late afternoon we took a cruise up the Mekong to watch the sunset. While strolling around the center later in the evening, we ran into one of our backpacking buddies from San Diego, Judd Westover, and spent a couple of hours catching up over beers.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Around Luang Namtha on two wheels, and onward
We spent Saturday and Sunday exploring the area around Luang Namtha.
Saturday we rented bicycles (very basic mtn bikes) to explore some of the area around town. Luang Namtha sits in a broad and mostly flat valley, so it's easy riding. We first headed north out of town and out to a small waterfall a few kilometers away. The road to the waterfall is unpaved and quite bumpy, but we took plenty of photo breaks. After walking around the waterfall area, we headed south through farmland, mostly rice paddies. Visited a small and very unadorned temple in a small town, then turned onto another dirt road southwest through the farmland and past several small villages. As we rode by, people--especially children--would often call out sabaidee (hello) and wave. At one spot there were three men in a paddy next to the road harvesting rice plants by hand (virtually all the agriculture we've seen in Laos is non-mechanized). We stopped to take pictures, and one of them called out, and then beckoned to join them and help out. I rolled up my pants and waded out into the paddy (shin deep) and pulled rice plants with them for a little while. They seemed to find it hilarious; we all laughed a lot and they thanked me profusely for my help. They also helped me walk back along the very slippery and narrow berm between fields so I didn't end up on my ass in the mud. We continued a few more km through farmland and villages back to the main highway, stopped at a roadside stand for some oranges, and then rode the few km back to town.
Sunday we rented a motorbike so we could explore a little farther afield. After warming up and getting comfortable on the bike on the easy streets around town and up to a stupa at the edge of town, we headed south toward a Thai Lue village known for weaving. A few km of dirt road brought us to Ban Pieng Ngam, which is at the end of the road and surrounded by farmland. It's a very small village, maybe 20 families, and as soon as we stopped the bike we were approached by several women offering to sell us their hand-woven scarves and other items. Ellen of course obliged, and then gave them gifts of embroidery thread she'd brought along. One of the women took us to her home to show us how she weaves. Almost every house has a loom underneath, and many of them were in use as we walked around the village.
From there, we headed north to visit another stupa. This one dates to the 1600s, but was bombed and destroyed during the war. They have a new one right next to it. Another 10 km or so of dirt road brought us back to town. After lunch we did a little more exploring north of town, then returned the motor bike.
Today we took a minibus from Luang Namtha to Luang Prabang. The ride was about 8 hours almost entirely on rough unpaved roads (paved roads are scarce in Laos). Great scenery, though. On arrival here we took a tuk tuk from the bus station into town, and found a nice guesthouse conveniently located to the city historic center (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Had a great dinner in the market area and walked out some of the kinks from the bus ride.
Timing note: Mom was concerned that I'm posting to the blog and sending emails in the middle of the night. Not to worry. I've left my computer on Oregon time (in part so it's easy to see what time it is at home), and that's the time that records when items post. For those keeping track, Oregon is at GMT-8 hrs; here we're at GMT+7 hrs.
Saturday we rented bicycles (very basic mtn bikes) to explore some of the area around town. Luang Namtha sits in a broad and mostly flat valley, so it's easy riding. We first headed north out of town and out to a small waterfall a few kilometers away. The road to the waterfall is unpaved and quite bumpy, but we took plenty of photo breaks. After walking around the waterfall area, we headed south through farmland, mostly rice paddies. Visited a small and very unadorned temple in a small town, then turned onto another dirt road southwest through the farmland and past several small villages. As we rode by, people--especially children--would often call out sabaidee (hello) and wave. At one spot there were three men in a paddy next to the road harvesting rice plants by hand (virtually all the agriculture we've seen in Laos is non-mechanized). We stopped to take pictures, and one of them called out, and then beckoned to join them and help out. I rolled up my pants and waded out into the paddy (shin deep) and pulled rice plants with them for a little while. They seemed to find it hilarious; we all laughed a lot and they thanked me profusely for my help. They also helped me walk back along the very slippery and narrow berm between fields so I didn't end up on my ass in the mud. We continued a few more km through farmland and villages back to the main highway, stopped at a roadside stand for some oranges, and then rode the few km back to town.
Sunday we rented a motorbike so we could explore a little farther afield. After warming up and getting comfortable on the bike on the easy streets around town and up to a stupa at the edge of town, we headed south toward a Thai Lue village known for weaving. A few km of dirt road brought us to Ban Pieng Ngam, which is at the end of the road and surrounded by farmland. It's a very small village, maybe 20 families, and as soon as we stopped the bike we were approached by several women offering to sell us their hand-woven scarves and other items. Ellen of course obliged, and then gave them gifts of embroidery thread she'd brought along. One of the women took us to her home to show us how she weaves. Almost every house has a loom underneath, and many of them were in use as we walked around the village.
From there, we headed north to visit another stupa. This one dates to the 1600s, but was bombed and destroyed during the war. They have a new one right next to it. Another 10 km or so of dirt road brought us back to town. After lunch we did a little more exploring north of town, then returned the motor bike.
Today we took a minibus from Luang Namtha to Luang Prabang. The ride was about 8 hours almost entirely on rough unpaved roads (paved roads are scarce in Laos). Great scenery, though. On arrival here we took a tuk tuk from the bus station into town, and found a nice guesthouse conveniently located to the city historic center (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Had a great dinner in the market area and walked out some of the kinks from the bus ride.
Timing note: Mom was concerned that I'm posting to the blog and sending emails in the middle of the night. Not to worry. I've left my computer on Oregon time (in part so it's easy to see what time it is at home), and that's the time that records when items post. For those keeping track, Oregon is at GMT-8 hrs; here we're at GMT+7 hrs.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Trekking on the Ban Nalan trail
We returned yesterday from a two-day guided trek on the Ban Nalan trail, in the Nam Ha National Protected Area in northern Laos. In addition to two local guides, we were accompanied by a young couple from Germany and man from the Mont Blanc area of France.
After a short ride in a minibus to the village of Ban Chalemsouk, we started our trek by climbing steadily through the jungle toward the top of a ridge. Once there, we took a break for lunch. Our guides cut banana leaves and spread them out as an instant table. Then they piled on the food: sticky rice, a pork and vegetables dish, steamed cabbage and bok choy, other greens, a tomato-based sauce, and a noodle dish. We all ate with our fingers, Lao style. After lunch we continued through the forest, and eventually descended toward the Khmu village where we would spend the night. This village is currently only accessible by the very steep and rough trail we were on, but the residents are in the process of cutting a small road, just wide enough for motorbikes or small tractors, so that they have easier access to outside. A little before we reached the village, we encountered all the village men sitting in a clearing and passing the local homebrew, lao-lao. They were continuing the celebration from a wedding the day before. Of course they insisted we share some before we headed on down the trail. Once in the village, we dropped our gear in the room they have for visiting trekkers and went for a very refreshing swim in the river.
This is a fairly large village, with maybe 30-40 families. There are pigs (adults and many piglets), chickens, and dogs wandering everywhere and mostly coexisting well. Lots of kids, who all loved to be photographed and then see the pics on the camera screen. Every family has a house for living (with space underneath for their animals--the heat source), a small house nearby for their rice storage, and most seem to have a small garden plot as well. The rice fields are a bit away from the village and across the river.
After some pleasant wandering and way too many photos, we returned for a great dinner of pumpkin soup, a string bean dish, another tomato salsa, chicken, and of course sticky rice. Again, family style on banana leaves, and all digging in. We had spoons for the soup, but all shared from the same two large bowls. After dinner one of the villagers came over with a bottle of lao-lao, and we passed the glass around until we'd finished it off. Later in the evening we were invited to sit around the fire with one small group of villagers. They took turns singing, there was lots of laughing, and several beers were passed around. Around the edge of the fire were a couple of small packages wrapped in banana leaves: tadpoles cooking for a late night snack.
In the morning we had a hearty breakfast of sticky rice, green beans, and eggs and then hit the trail again. We walked downstream along the river for a while, then climbed steeply up and over a ridge. Lunch on top, then a descent to a Lanten village on the other side. The Lanten have started to move away from their traditional subsistence farming (mostly rice) toward cash crops: primarily rubber and cotton. They spin the cotton, weave cloth, dye it, and produce some clothing as well as selling the cloth. Most of the local ag production is exported to China, which is just a few kilometers north of here and seems to be Laos' main trading partner.
Photo note: To keep things manageable, I'm starting a new Picasa album for the pictures since crossing into Laos.
The album with Thailand pics is at http://picasaweb.google.com/econodan/SoutheastAsiaWinter2011Part1. New pics are going into http://picasaweb.google.com/econodan/SoutheastAsiaWinter2011Part2.
Not much there yet, but stay tuned.
After a short ride in a minibus to the village of Ban Chalemsouk, we started our trek by climbing steadily through the jungle toward the top of a ridge. Once there, we took a break for lunch. Our guides cut banana leaves and spread them out as an instant table. Then they piled on the food: sticky rice, a pork and vegetables dish, steamed cabbage and bok choy, other greens, a tomato-based sauce, and a noodle dish. We all ate with our fingers, Lao style. After lunch we continued through the forest, and eventually descended toward the Khmu village where we would spend the night. This village is currently only accessible by the very steep and rough trail we were on, but the residents are in the process of cutting a small road, just wide enough for motorbikes or small tractors, so that they have easier access to outside. A little before we reached the village, we encountered all the village men sitting in a clearing and passing the local homebrew, lao-lao. They were continuing the celebration from a wedding the day before. Of course they insisted we share some before we headed on down the trail. Once in the village, we dropped our gear in the room they have for visiting trekkers and went for a very refreshing swim in the river.
This is a fairly large village, with maybe 30-40 families. There are pigs (adults and many piglets), chickens, and dogs wandering everywhere and mostly coexisting well. Lots of kids, who all loved to be photographed and then see the pics on the camera screen. Every family has a house for living (with space underneath for their animals--the heat source), a small house nearby for their rice storage, and most seem to have a small garden plot as well. The rice fields are a bit away from the village and across the river.
After some pleasant wandering and way too many photos, we returned for a great dinner of pumpkin soup, a string bean dish, another tomato salsa, chicken, and of course sticky rice. Again, family style on banana leaves, and all digging in. We had spoons for the soup, but all shared from the same two large bowls. After dinner one of the villagers came over with a bottle of lao-lao, and we passed the glass around until we'd finished it off. Later in the evening we were invited to sit around the fire with one small group of villagers. They took turns singing, there was lots of laughing, and several beers were passed around. Around the edge of the fire were a couple of small packages wrapped in banana leaves: tadpoles cooking for a late night snack.
In the morning we had a hearty breakfast of sticky rice, green beans, and eggs and then hit the trail again. We walked downstream along the river for a while, then climbed steeply up and over a ridge. Lunch on top, then a descent to a Lanten village on the other side. The Lanten have started to move away from their traditional subsistence farming (mostly rice) toward cash crops: primarily rubber and cotton. They spin the cotton, weave cloth, dye it, and produce some clothing as well as selling the cloth. Most of the local ag production is exported to China, which is just a few kilometers north of here and seems to be Laos' main trading partner.
Photo note: To keep things manageable, I'm starting a new Picasa album for the pictures since crossing into Laos.
The album with Thailand pics is at http://picasaweb.google.com/econodan/SoutheastAsiaWinter2011Part1. New pics are going into http://picasaweb.google.com/econodan/SoutheastAsiaWinter2011Part2.
Not much there yet, but stay tuned.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Luang Namtha, Laos
We're just back in Luang Namtha after a two-day trek into the nearby mountains. Details on the trek to follow.
Luang Namtha is a very peaceful and friendly town in a broad valley, and a center for trekking into the surrounding mountainous area. A large number of hill tribes live in protected areas (like national parks) here, and several outfitters lead trips to visit their villages.
The differences so far between the areas we visited in Thailand and Laos are striking. Part of this is no doubt due to the fact that we were in heavily visited areas in Thailand, and are now in a fairly small town. The pace here is slower, and people are quite friendly and open to foreign visitors. Laughter comes easily, and interactions feel more genuine. We plan to spend the next couple of days exploring the town and surrounding area on rented bikes and motorbikes.
Luang Namtha is a very peaceful and friendly town in a broad valley, and a center for trekking into the surrounding mountainous area. A large number of hill tribes live in protected areas (like national parks) here, and several outfitters lead trips to visit their villages.
The differences so far between the areas we visited in Thailand and Laos are striking. Part of this is no doubt due to the fact that we were in heavily visited areas in Thailand, and are now in a fairly small town. The pace here is slower, and people are quite friendly and open to foreign visitors. Laughter comes easily, and interactions feel more genuine. We plan to spend the next couple of days exploring the town and surrounding area on rented bikes and motorbikes.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Continuing northward
After returning to Chiang Mai, we took a bus the next morning north to Chiang Rai. This much smaller city felt much more like being in Thailand: signs not all in English, not full of Western visitors (farang). We found a small guest house on a quiet street, and spent an enjoyable evening browsing and mostly eating in the night market. Next morning we walked back to the center of town and caught a bus north to Chiang Khong, on the Mekong River and the border to Laos.
The bus ride was fun but tiring. It was a small local bus with very narrow seats and without a/c. Many stops for people to get on or off. On arrival in Chiang Khong, we caught a tuk-tuk for a thrilling ride the 2 km to the river. Changed most of our currency, cleared Thai immigration, and took a fast boat across the river to Huay Xai in Laos. Visas and immigration went smoothly, and we found a great hotel in town overlooking the Mekong. Another language to learn, and another currency to manage. The Lao kip is about 8000 to a dollar, so after a trip to the atm we were millionaires (about $124).
In the morning (today) we'd planned to take another local bus north to Luang Namtha, a trip of about 5 hours. Luckily we were able to hook up with a minibus going the same route: a little more money but only three hours and much more comfortable. This town is very quiet and friendly, and there is much to see in the surrounding area. We've signed up for a two-day trek starting tomorrow morning into the highlands nearby. More after we return.
The bus ride was fun but tiring. It was a small local bus with very narrow seats and without a/c. Many stops for people to get on or off. On arrival in Chiang Khong, we caught a tuk-tuk for a thrilling ride the 2 km to the river. Changed most of our currency, cleared Thai immigration, and took a fast boat across the river to Huay Xai in Laos. Visas and immigration went smoothly, and we found a great hotel in town overlooking the Mekong. Another language to learn, and another currency to manage. The Lao kip is about 8000 to a dollar, so after a trip to the atm we were millionaires (about $124).
In the morning (today) we'd planned to take another local bus north to Luang Namtha, a trip of about 5 hours. Luckily we were able to hook up with a minibus going the same route: a little more money but only three hours and much more comfortable. This town is very quiet and friendly, and there is much to see in the surrounding area. We've signed up for a two-day trek starting tomorrow morning into the highlands nearby. More after we return.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Trekking in Phong Dueat Park
We signed up for a two-day trek into the mountains north of Chiang Mai. In addition to us, the group included a couple from Flagstaff Az and a young couple from Gdansk Poland. The trip goes up into Phong Dueat National Park, which is home to many hill tribe village communities. After about an hour of driving, first stop was the Mork Fa waterfall. We did a little wading, but it was too cold to swim at the base of the falls. Next we stopped at the Phong Dueat geyser, where water boils up out of the ground and flows into a series of bathing pools. After a great lunch of rice with chicken and veggies we had time for a little soak in the pools before starting our hike. We walked up and over a ridge to our first stop at a small Karen village (about 14 families). Two women were pounding rice with a foot-operated press. But, there are photovoltaic panels provided by the government, one for each two houses, to provide some electricity to the village. Then, up and over another ridge for a couple of hours to another, slightly larger, village where we spent the night.
We arrived just as it was starting to get dark, and took turns showering (cold water under a hose) by candlelight before dinner. Our guide, Doh, prepared a great meal of chicken and vegetables over rice, and we were able to buy beers (!). This village connects to the outside world by a large enough trail to accommodate small motor bikes, handy for carrying their crops out and bringing supplies in. We were housed in a large room in a community building, thin mattresses on the floor with mosquito nets over, and blankets to supplement our Dream Sacks (very light silk sleeping bag liners, which we brought from home). Even though we were quite hot hiking during the day, it was very cold over night. In the morning we could see our breath, and several families had small fires going next to their homes to warm up.
After a hearty breakfast we hiked about an hour to another village where we picked up elephants for the next leg of the trek. The elephants carried us downstream, crossing several times from one side of the river to the other, for about an hour. We sat side by side on a wooden bench on the elephant’s back while Doh rode on the elephant’s head in front of us. We ended up at another small river-side village where a bamboo raft was under construction and almost ready to carry us downstream for the remainder of the trip. The raft ride was mostly relaxing and occasionally exciting (several class 2 rapids). Doh stood on the front and used a long piece of bamboo to pole the bottom or push off rocks for steering. Our young Polish companion stood at the back with another pole to help; the rest of us just sat on the raft and enjoyed the ride. We finished rafting at the village of Sop Kai, which is at the end of the road and a starting point for several whitewater excursions that head further downstream. After lunch there, we had a two-hour ride in the truck back to town.
Although fun, the trek was a little unsatisfying because we had only minimal and superficial contact with the villagers. At each village, people were very friendly, and women were there to sell us jewelry and other items they’d made. But we didn’t come away with a complete and genuine sense of their lives. Two days just isn’t enough time; we look forward to longer treks as we head onward.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Chiang Mai
Hard to keep track of the days, hard to keep up...
Night train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai was fun. We shared a small compartment with two Danish twenty-somethings, delightful fellows both, who have been traveling around Thailand for several weeks. Spent a long time chatting, then they disappeared to the party in the dining car and we went to bed. Arrived here mid-morning.
Although smaller than Bangkok, this is still way too urban for us. It's very popular with western tourists (mostly Europeans), and chock full of small guest houses, bars (Irish, Belgian, German, you name it). Although the town's core is a UNESCO World Heritage site, it's hard to tell with all the commercial activity. The big attraction are the numerous historic and truly magnificent wats. Orange- robed monks are everywhere and in the wats we were able to hear them chanting.
We have not found the courage yet to rent a motor bike as the traffic is heavy, the lanes non-existent, and the driving is on the opposite side of the road. We will probably wait for a smaller place to try our hand at this. Fortunately most of the town is walkable, and we've been mostly fine on foot.
As befits a major tourist destination, there is plenty of shopping and plenty of eating. In addition to the ample tourist infrastructure of restaurants, shops, and tour outfits on every block, there is a large daytime market (mostly for locals) and a very large nighttime market area with all kinds of things to buy.
Today's big outing was to the wat at Doi Suthep, one of the holiest spots in the whole country, at the top of a hill just outside of town. We cruised up in a songthieaw (?), a small pickup with two benches down the back. Given the twisty road, not a trip for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. The wat itself is magnificent, especially if you go in for gold-coated everything and Buddha images by the score.
Tomorrow we head out on a two-day trek into the mountains north of here. Will try to catch up with picture posting after we return.
Night train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai was fun. We shared a small compartment with two Danish twenty-somethings, delightful fellows both, who have been traveling around Thailand for several weeks. Spent a long time chatting, then they disappeared to the party in the dining car and we went to bed. Arrived here mid-morning.
Although smaller than Bangkok, this is still way too urban for us. It's very popular with western tourists (mostly Europeans), and chock full of small guest houses, bars (Irish, Belgian, German, you name it). Although the town's core is a UNESCO World Heritage site, it's hard to tell with all the commercial activity. The big attraction are the numerous historic and truly magnificent wats. Orange- robed monks are everywhere and in the wats we were able to hear them chanting.
We have not found the courage yet to rent a motor bike as the traffic is heavy, the lanes non-existent, and the driving is on the opposite side of the road. We will probably wait for a smaller place to try our hand at this. Fortunately most of the town is walkable, and we've been mostly fine on foot.
As befits a major tourist destination, there is plenty of shopping and plenty of eating. In addition to the ample tourist infrastructure of restaurants, shops, and tour outfits on every block, there is a large daytime market (mostly for locals) and a very large nighttime market area with all kinds of things to buy.
Today's big outing was to the wat at Doi Suthep, one of the holiest spots in the whole country, at the top of a hill just outside of town. We cruised up in a songthieaw (?), a small pickup with two benches down the back. Given the twisty road, not a trip for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. The wat itself is magnificent, especially if you go in for gold-coated everything and Buddha images by the score.
Tomorrow we head out on a two-day trek into the mountains north of here. Will try to catch up with picture posting after we return.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Up the river in Bangkok
Today's big outing was a trip up the river, as far as the bus-boat goes, to Nonthanburi. Much more of an authentic Thai town feel than the tourist-heavy neighborhood where we've been staying. We found a very pretty small neighborhood temple, and spent some time strolling in the local market. Live turtles, eels, and fish of many varieties were on sale. Tonight the train to Chiang Mai, should be there in the morning.
Monday, January 17, 2011
blogging issues
Just looked at the last post, and it appears that some of the text is missing. I'll try to figure out what's going on and fix it...
The journey begins
After who knows how many hours of travel, we arrived in Bangkok around midnight on Saturday. Cab to the hotel, check in, head out for a beer. The area where we're staying, Banglamphu, is very popular with the backpacking set, and full of young people.
Sunday we walked over to the must-see Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo. Wow.
It seems easier at this point to post pics on Picasa rather than embed them in this blog, so for illustrations open a second tab and point it to http://picasaweb.google.com/econodan/SoutheastAsiaWinter2011#. Note that pictures are by both of us.
Monday (today) we took a cab to the train station to buy tickets for tomorrow, then walked down through Chinatown to the river, and took a boat (sort of a bus on the main river through the city) up to the Thonburi area. Walked through a large market, what must be one of the largest hospital complexes anywhere, and eventually to the Royal Barge Museum. After a lot of additional wandering and exploring we finally made it back to the hotel.
I'll try to add more, and write with more zip, soon. Until then, here's hoping the pictures speak for themselves.
Sunday we walked over to the must-see Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo. Wow.
It seems easier at this point to post pics on Picasa rather than embed them in this blog, so for illustrations open a second tab and point it to http://picasaweb.google.com/econodan/SoutheastAsiaWinter2011#. Note that pictures are by both of us.
Monday (today) we took a cab to the train station to buy tickets for tomorrow, then walked down through Chinatown to the river, and took a boat (sort of a bus on the main river through the city) up to the Thonburi area. Walked through a large market, what must be one of the largest hospital complexes anywhere, and eventually to the Royal Barge Museum. After a lot of additional wandering and exploring we finally made it back to the hotel.
I'll try to add more, and write with more zip, soon. Until then, here's hoping the pictures speak for themselves.
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