Burasari Hotel, Patong Beach
Bye-Bye Hanoi
We will not come back, and our experience at the airport put in the final bolt in the decision. The check in hall was more chaotic than the old quarters. People pushing their carts in all directions, ladies and children squatting in corners to eating down their vietnamese subs, and people waiting in lines that seemed to lead to nowhere. It was impossible to move from point A to point B without behaving like the locals, ie, pushing hard on our carts until the people around us felt uncomfortable enough to step out of our way. It was a miracle that the airport in this disorganized state and inefficiencies could operate. I would call it a world wonder, at least more so than the Halong Bay.
So many beaches, so little time.
Phuket, according to Sachin was supposed to be a highlight of the trip. We abandoned our money-saving practices used in our two previous trips, and got our accommodation in a luxurious boutique hotel for 5 nights. The package included a fanstastic buffet breakfast I had yet to see, dinner and lots of perks like free pick up from hotel to airport, free internet, complimentary mini bar, and very helpful staff, etc.
Our bedroom was lovely. It was named orchid, and smelt faintly of orchid. There were two sinks in the bathroom, and our bed was super king size, if there was such a thing.
It was late afternoon when we started out to venture around Patong Beach. It was a very commercialized place, but in comparison to Hanoi it was refreshing to be in a much cleaner area. A lot of hawkers, but by then we have become very used to saying no guiltlessly. We took a stroll along the Patong Beach. The beach was nice but it was not picture perfect, as expected. The sand was not white but it was quite fine. It was not the beach itself that we were going for anyways, but the convenience that the bustling area would bring to us. There were myraids of shops and restaurants catered to the travelers. And it would take days, if not weeks to visit all of them.
We went back to our hotel for our complimentary dinner, and it was our first time seeing a ladyboy. She was a very elegant looking lady, tall and a stunning slim body. Her face would be considered beautiful even with the strong jaw line. Her skin was silky smooth and every movement of hers told us that she was anything but masculine.
Then she started speaking and the adam apple and the voice gave it away. I supposed she was used to seeing shocked looks in travellers, because she continued serving us as if nothing happened.
After dinner we roamed around patong beach area, and came to Bangla Road. It was Roppongi on steroids. We saw a group of guys all wearing T-shirts saying "Same, same" taking a picture together, and we wondered what that meant. High heels, short skirts, long hair was everywhere, except in the darkness and with the skills of the beholders it was impossible to distinguish which were female and which were not, or does it matter? Maybe it was all "same, same" afterall?
Along many streets there were massage girls in sarongs asking "massa? anyone?", drivers with cigarettes hanging down from their lips touting "tuk tuk? my friend?". Then we saw these shops selling T-shirts saying "I dont want a tuk tuk, or a massage so please leave me alone". I started to say the words out loud, only to find that the shop owner completed the rest of it for me, of course adding a few of his own embellishments of coarse language to the verse. Commericalism aside, Phuket had all the potential to be a fun-filled place to be.
We gave in to a clean looking massage parlor. 200 Bhat for one hour full body mssage. Sounded like a good deal we thought. We got what we paid for. It was not a great massage, but not bad either, I fell asleep to mine.
We went back to our hotel very late that night and slept away like two tired babies in their mother's arms.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Halong Bay - Yet another dissappointing day.
Nam Hai 1 Hotel, Hanoi
We went back to the good old Nam Hai 1 hotel in the old quarters after the overnight train. When it was time for me to pick up the luggages left behind in the hotel, I insisted to take them up myself. I was so fed up with the place and its people that I did not want to give them the obligatory tip, which was exactly the reason why they wanted to carry them for me.
Halong Bay was 3 hour ride from Hanoi. It was supposed to be so beautiful that it would soon be made into a natural wonder of the world, according to our unmotivated, bored tour guide. The cruise was about 3-4 hours around the bay, and we boarded our boat realizing that there were only the two of us, the tour guide, a cook, the captain and his helper.
It would not take too many words to describe what we saw in the 3 hour ride, for we did not see much worth describing. The legend had it that at one of point in the past the Vietnamese were fighting against the chinese invadors over this bay, and a dragon came along and coughed up a bunch of pearls, which settled into the bay in the form of large rocks. The Chinese boats crashed into the rocks and lost the battle. That was how the Vietnamese regained its indepedence.
Maybe it was the way the place had been presented to us, but we certainly did not understand the raves about it, or why it should be considered as a world wonder. There were a lot of rocks, and I heard about beautiful views of the bay from the rocks. But our tour only included a visit in a cave, and did not include a climb up to a rock. Our boat was very slow, and it took short cuts compared to other boats beside us. The rocks all looked very similar and they looked as bored as we were. It was difficult to feel any charm.
We had lunch on the boat, seafood made by mediocre cooking skills. Maybe the crew felt the boredom of the bay too. Soon after lunch, with the exception of the captain, the crew and our tour guide decided to take an afternoon nap on the benches.
The lack of professionalism of this tour had been apparent everywhere. A tour guide who did not explain, and took a nap in his tour was unacceptable behaviour. We felt that there was no point to complain anymore. It was our last day in Vietnam, and probably our last time ever.
We took another 3 hour car ride back to Hanoi from Halong bay. We felt that we had wasted yet another day in Vietnam, and the least we could do was venture out into the dirty old old quarters and find ourselves some local food. Our stomachs had been acting up in this trip, even though we had only been sticking to the food provided by the tour. The truth is, even though we ate at a restaurant, not on the street, the kitchens here were always situated in outdoors, and with all the flies in the Hanoi air, any item left outdoor for longer than half a second would have already been touched by a few flies. We ended up having hotpot on the street along with other locals. It was as clean as to could get, with steam coming out from the boiling pot, no flies dared to come near. And as expected, both of us felt fine the next day.
We spent the rest of the night roaming carefully the old quarters. We tried some local sweets and bakeries and they were mouthwatering. Both of us love food, and often it is the one thing that would make or break our enjoyment in a trip. For that day, if it was not the sweets and the hotpot, we would have left Vietnam with a very sour note.
We went back to the good old Nam Hai 1 hotel in the old quarters after the overnight train. When it was time for me to pick up the luggages left behind in the hotel, I insisted to take them up myself. I was so fed up with the place and its people that I did not want to give them the obligatory tip, which was exactly the reason why they wanted to carry them for me.
Halong Bay was 3 hour ride from Hanoi. It was supposed to be so beautiful that it would soon be made into a natural wonder of the world, according to our unmotivated, bored tour guide. The cruise was about 3-4 hours around the bay, and we boarded our boat realizing that there were only the two of us, the tour guide, a cook, the captain and his helper.
It would not take too many words to describe what we saw in the 3 hour ride, for we did not see much worth describing. The legend had it that at one of point in the past the Vietnamese were fighting against the chinese invadors over this bay, and a dragon came along and coughed up a bunch of pearls, which settled into the bay in the form of large rocks. The Chinese boats crashed into the rocks and lost the battle. That was how the Vietnamese regained its indepedence.
Maybe it was the way the place had been presented to us, but we certainly did not understand the raves about it, or why it should be considered as a world wonder. There were a lot of rocks, and I heard about beautiful views of the bay from the rocks. But our tour only included a visit in a cave, and did not include a climb up to a rock. Our boat was very slow, and it took short cuts compared to other boats beside us. The rocks all looked very similar and they looked as bored as we were. It was difficult to feel any charm.
We had lunch on the boat, seafood made by mediocre cooking skills. Maybe the crew felt the boredom of the bay too. Soon after lunch, with the exception of the captain, the crew and our tour guide decided to take an afternoon nap on the benches.
The lack of professionalism of this tour had been apparent everywhere. A tour guide who did not explain, and took a nap in his tour was unacceptable behaviour. We felt that there was no point to complain anymore. It was our last day in Vietnam, and probably our last time ever.
We took another 3 hour car ride back to Hanoi from Halong bay. We felt that we had wasted yet another day in Vietnam, and the least we could do was venture out into the dirty old old quarters and find ourselves some local food. Our stomachs had been acting up in this trip, even though we had only been sticking to the food provided by the tour. The truth is, even though we ate at a restaurant, not on the street, the kitchens here were always situated in outdoors, and with all the flies in the Hanoi air, any item left outdoor for longer than half a second would have already been touched by a few flies. We ended up having hotpot on the street along with other locals. It was as clean as to could get, with steam coming out from the boiling pot, no flies dared to come near. And as expected, both of us felt fine the next day.
We spent the rest of the night roaming carefully the old quarters. We tried some local sweets and bakeries and they were mouthwatering. Both of us love food, and often it is the one thing that would make or break our enjoyment in a trip. For that day, if it was not the sweets and the hotpot, we would have left Vietnam with a very sour note.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
2 Days in Sapa was not enough
Internet Cafe at Sapa Town
We started out early for a trekking tour to Lao Chai Village and Ta Van Village. Our guide gave us two trekking options in the morning: one with great views, or one that would be very close to the fields. We took the obvious option for the great views, but it was not until an hour later that we realized it was a treacherous 8km trek ascending and descending a couple of mountains on some rather steep trails.
It was still early in the morning but the sky was very clear and sun was very strong. Each step became harder under the heat and the sweat. But every now and then we would stop at the top of a hill, or a small clearing to take a break, and we would see the breathtaking Sapa Valley hundreds of meters under our feet. We would then spread our welcome arms to the warm breezes that swept over us. It was a wonderful feeling realizing that every step had been worth the while, for if it wasnt for the labourous trekking, we would not have had the appreciation for the beauty and the magnificence of these scenaries.
The number of rice terraces was greater and the design was more complex than what we saw in on the previous day. According to the tour guide, each one step was created every year by a family. And what we saw that day was the result of the backbreaking work of many generations.
Very soon we saw Lao Chai Village before of us. We were still on top of last mountain, and we had to make our way down. The descending paths were always the hardest for us because they were rocky and steep. Many times we had to grab onto the tall grass and bushes around us to maintain our balance. The village on the other side of a shallow river. We crossed the river by stepping onto the protruding rocks.
We had lunch in a local hut. The meal was cooked by the tour guide with local ingredients, and the meal made with local ingredients, a simple stir fry noodles with pork. But the noodles were crunchy, and the pork was lean and tender. The meal was very satisfying. What we found so far in our south east asia trip was that local meats were a lot leaner those from North America and Japan, and in some cases even more flavorful.
In our trek through Lao Chai village, we observed that for the Mong Tribes, women did the majority of the work, from selling souvenirs, tending their farms, cooking and looking after children, while men were drinking away with their buddies in broad day light. We even came across a drunken men lying face down in the grass, and it was well after noon at that time.
Next stop was the Ta Van village where Dzao tribe lived. Although right next to the Black Mong Village, the Dzao villagers here dressed very differently. Their fashion was less "tribal" and resembles traditional chinese costumes. They also did not hard sell to us. They set up shops outside of their homes, and their work was much more refined and technical. From one of the shops we bought a stone carving, and bargained it down to the last dollar. In the end we bought it at less than half of the original price.
It was time to leave the villages, and we went back to the hotel on a jeep. It was relieving not being on our feet anymore. As the jeep rode along, the guitar opening of Hotel California started in the radio, setting the most appropriate mood for the romantic views. I could not take my eyes away from the Valley, and it was then I felt that the two days that we had spent here were not enough.
We left Sapa to return to Hanoi on the overnight train. There we were assigned with another couple from Australia. They were very friendly and easy going people, it felt like Australians and Canadians shared the same type of optimism and outlook, except that Australians get all the great weather, mandatory 4-week vacation, and we get all the snow and the measely 10 days. Our conversations lasted until we could hardly keep our eyes open, and with that we fell fast asleep.
We started out early for a trekking tour to Lao Chai Village and Ta Van Village. Our guide gave us two trekking options in the morning: one with great views, or one that would be very close to the fields. We took the obvious option for the great views, but it was not until an hour later that we realized it was a treacherous 8km trek ascending and descending a couple of mountains on some rather steep trails.
It was still early in the morning but the sky was very clear and sun was very strong. Each step became harder under the heat and the sweat. But every now and then we would stop at the top of a hill, or a small clearing to take a break, and we would see the breathtaking Sapa Valley hundreds of meters under our feet. We would then spread our welcome arms to the warm breezes that swept over us. It was a wonderful feeling realizing that every step had been worth the while, for if it wasnt for the labourous trekking, we would not have had the appreciation for the beauty and the magnificence of these scenaries.
The number of rice terraces was greater and the design was more complex than what we saw in on the previous day. According to the tour guide, each one step was created every year by a family. And what we saw that day was the result of the backbreaking work of many generations.
Very soon we saw Lao Chai Village before of us. We were still on top of last mountain, and we had to make our way down. The descending paths were always the hardest for us because they were rocky and steep. Many times we had to grab onto the tall grass and bushes around us to maintain our balance. The village on the other side of a shallow river. We crossed the river by stepping onto the protruding rocks.
We had lunch in a local hut. The meal was cooked by the tour guide with local ingredients, and the meal made with local ingredients, a simple stir fry noodles with pork. But the noodles were crunchy, and the pork was lean and tender. The meal was very satisfying. What we found so far in our south east asia trip was that local meats were a lot leaner those from North America and Japan, and in some cases even more flavorful.
In our trek through Lao Chai village, we observed that for the Mong Tribes, women did the majority of the work, from selling souvenirs, tending their farms, cooking and looking after children, while men were drinking away with their buddies in broad day light. We even came across a drunken men lying face down in the grass, and it was well after noon at that time.
Next stop was the Ta Van village where Dzao tribe lived. Although right next to the Black Mong Village, the Dzao villagers here dressed very differently. Their fashion was less "tribal" and resembles traditional chinese costumes. They also did not hard sell to us. They set up shops outside of their homes, and their work was much more refined and technical. From one of the shops we bought a stone carving, and bargained it down to the last dollar. In the end we bought it at less than half of the original price.
It was time to leave the villages, and we went back to the hotel on a jeep. It was relieving not being on our feet anymore. As the jeep rode along, the guitar opening of Hotel California started in the radio, setting the most appropriate mood for the romantic views. I could not take my eyes away from the Valley, and it was then I felt that the two days that we had spent here were not enough.
We left Sapa to return to Hanoi on the overnight train. There we were assigned with another couple from Australia. They were very friendly and easy going people, it felt like Australians and Canadians shared the same type of optimism and outlook, except that Australians get all the great weather, mandatory 4-week vacation, and we get all the snow and the measely 10 days. Our conversations lasted until we could hardly keep our eyes open, and with that we fell fast asleep.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
First day in Sapa
Royal View Hotel, Sapa Town
The train stopped at the Lao Chai terminal at 5am. It was before sunrise, and we were picked up by a car that took us to Sapa Valley in a 40 minute ride. The air was very humid and cold.After our shower and breakfast, we began our trek to the Cat Cat Village which was about 3km from the Sapa town.
Our tour guide had an energetic personality and he had been on this job for 3 years. Just like other Vietnamese here, he did not pronounce his ending consonants. Therefore he would say "ri" for rice, "langua" for language. It took a bit of adjusting on our part. After coming from Hanoi, we realized that a reasonable tour guide was a hit-and-miss. Therefore we were quite happy with this guy as once we got past the language barrier, it was evident that he was quite knowledgeable.
It was an easy stroll. We were surrounded by picturesque mountain scenaries. Looking down from the edge of the mountain we saw stepped rice terraces neatly lined up along the curve of the slopes. The air was still cool but we were blessed with a clear sky.On the streets we were followed by a group of locals dressed in traditional tribal clothing and were trying to sell us their arts and crafts. We later learned that these were the Black Hmong people who live in the Cat Cat Village.
The tour ended before lunch and for the rest of the day we roamed around Sapa town on a motorcycle. There was more in the town than what meets the eye. In fact, I thought the market/shopping area was larger and much more interesting than what I saw in Hanoi. We stopped by a stall that sold handbags with local embroidery. Actually we did not mean to buy as we just wanted to check the prices. But Sachin got into a bargaining mode and he managed to get the price very low. In the end, we left the stall without buying anything, and the village lady followed Sachin, gave him a slap in the head, and jokingly said "you bargained and did not buy from me!".
Sapa was a beautiful place. We were constantly chased after by local children who wanted to sell us things. Some came to me thinking that I was Japanese and would be more likely to buy from them. But even though we had to say no everytime, it was a joy to talk to them. Our visit to Vietnam here would have been a wonderful one if it was not because we felt cheated by our tour organizer.
The train stopped at the Lao Chai terminal at 5am. It was before sunrise, and we were picked up by a car that took us to Sapa Valley in a 40 minute ride. The air was very humid and cold.After our shower and breakfast, we began our trek to the Cat Cat Village which was about 3km from the Sapa town.
Our tour guide had an energetic personality and he had been on this job for 3 years. Just like other Vietnamese here, he did not pronounce his ending consonants. Therefore he would say "ri" for rice, "langua" for language. It took a bit of adjusting on our part. After coming from Hanoi, we realized that a reasonable tour guide was a hit-and-miss. Therefore we were quite happy with this guy as once we got past the language barrier, it was evident that he was quite knowledgeable.
It was an easy stroll. We were surrounded by picturesque mountain scenaries. Looking down from the edge of the mountain we saw stepped rice terraces neatly lined up along the curve of the slopes. The air was still cool but we were blessed with a clear sky.On the streets we were followed by a group of locals dressed in traditional tribal clothing and were trying to sell us their arts and crafts. We later learned that these were the Black Hmong people who live in the Cat Cat Village.
The tour ended before lunch and for the rest of the day we roamed around Sapa town on a motorcycle. There was more in the town than what meets the eye. In fact, I thought the market/shopping area was larger and much more interesting than what I saw in Hanoi. We stopped by a stall that sold handbags with local embroidery. Actually we did not mean to buy as we just wanted to check the prices. But Sachin got into a bargaining mode and he managed to get the price very low. In the end, we left the stall without buying anything, and the village lady followed Sachin, gave him a slap in the head, and jokingly said "you bargained and did not buy from me!".
Sapa was a beautiful place. We were constantly chased after by local children who wanted to sell us things. Some came to me thinking that I was Japanese and would be more likely to buy from them. But even though we had to say no everytime, it was a joy to talk to them. Our visit to Vietnam here would have been a wonderful one if it was not because we felt cheated by our tour organizer.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Terrible Day at Hanoi
Overnight Train to Sapa
Our first day of tour in Hanoi was an utter disappointment. We were put together with a group of 10 other tourists, and led by a tour guide who did not speak much English, and simply asked all the passengers to get off the bus at each site without offering a single explanation. We were really frustrated because we paid to have a private tour, not a group tour.
When we talked to the tour organizer himself in the evening, there was no question that he was scamming us. Our meals certainly did not cost $6 each, as he had told us. He even planned to send us to Sapa as part of a group trip. Both of us were really angry and in the end he agreed to stick to his promised itinerary. I was amazed by how openly dishonest he was. We hate to say it but our impression of Vietnam and its people had been tainted by this experience.
The organizer tried to make things up by introducing another tour guide to us for the rest of the evening. She was much better and for the first time of the day we enjoyed ourselves. She took us to one of the squatting stalls for a fruit desserts (for which I suffered a mild diarhea after).
But after having been to so many countries, in all honesty there was not much in Hanoi that was worth a visit. Monuments were poorly maintained, and the sense of culture in the city was lacking. Most people appeared to be discontent with life and unmotivated.
We were to take an overnight train to Sapa. The train station was a run-down, filthy building, and there were many locals sleeping in mats placed on the floor. Sachin and I were waiting there and we felt that we really stood out. We were relieved when it was our turn to board the train.
The train looked ancient. The interior was dimly lit, and there was only one hole-in-the-ground toilet with 50 other people on the car. The only available piece of handsoap beside the sink was darkened and cracked.
We were in a 4-person berth with two other french ladies, one of them used to live in Montreal for 5 years and did not even try to hide her dislike of the city. So much for self introduction. Our bunk beds felt somewhat clean, but we could hardly tell in the dim lighting.
The train started slowly. The ride was rocky and noisy, a far cry from the streamlined bullet train in Japan we have become used to. As it crawled through the Hanoi city, from our windows we peeked into the homes of the locals. After being in Cambodia, and now in Vietnam, we realized how much more a dollar means to people here.
The perpetual movement of the train rocked us all to sleep. We were awaken by a national anthem followed by violent bangs on our door as the conductor made his rounds repeatedly waking up the passengers. This was Vietnam, we thought, unwelcoming and cold. Sapa awaited us, and with less enthusiasm we hoped the next two days would be another disappointment.
Our first day of tour in Hanoi was an utter disappointment. We were put together with a group of 10 other tourists, and led by a tour guide who did not speak much English, and simply asked all the passengers to get off the bus at each site without offering a single explanation. We were really frustrated because we paid to have a private tour, not a group tour.
When we talked to the tour organizer himself in the evening, there was no question that he was scamming us. Our meals certainly did not cost $6 each, as he had told us. He even planned to send us to Sapa as part of a group trip. Both of us were really angry and in the end he agreed to stick to his promised itinerary. I was amazed by how openly dishonest he was. We hate to say it but our impression of Vietnam and its people had been tainted by this experience.
The organizer tried to make things up by introducing another tour guide to us for the rest of the evening. She was much better and for the first time of the day we enjoyed ourselves. She took us to one of the squatting stalls for a fruit desserts (for which I suffered a mild diarhea after).
But after having been to so many countries, in all honesty there was not much in Hanoi that was worth a visit. Monuments were poorly maintained, and the sense of culture in the city was lacking. Most people appeared to be discontent with life and unmotivated.
We were to take an overnight train to Sapa. The train station was a run-down, filthy building, and there were many locals sleeping in mats placed on the floor. Sachin and I were waiting there and we felt that we really stood out. We were relieved when it was our turn to board the train.
The train looked ancient. The interior was dimly lit, and there was only one hole-in-the-ground toilet with 50 other people on the car. The only available piece of handsoap beside the sink was darkened and cracked.
We were in a 4-person berth with two other french ladies, one of them used to live in Montreal for 5 years and did not even try to hide her dislike of the city. So much for self introduction. Our bunk beds felt somewhat clean, but we could hardly tell in the dim lighting.
The train started slowly. The ride was rocky and noisy, a far cry from the streamlined bullet train in Japan we have become used to. As it crawled through the Hanoi city, from our windows we peeked into the homes of the locals. After being in Cambodia, and now in Vietnam, we realized how much more a dollar means to people here.
The perpetual movement of the train rocked us all to sleep. We were awaken by a national anthem followed by violent bangs on our door as the conductor made his rounds repeatedly waking up the passengers. This was Vietnam, we thought, unwelcoming and cold. Sapa awaited us, and with less enthusiasm we hoped the next two days would be another disappointment.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Getting better at bargaining
Nam Hai 1 Hotel, Hanoi
For $5, of which $2 was spent on airport entrance tax, we managed to get the tuk tuk driver to pick us up from the hotel, drive us out for lunch, pick us up 2 hours later, stop by the hotel to pick up our luggage and take us to the airport.
For $5, of which $2 was spent on airport entrance tax, we managed to get the tuk tuk driver to pick us up from the hotel, drive us out for lunch, pick us up 2 hours later, stop by the hotel to pick up our luggage and take us to the airport.
Old Quarters, Old Old Quarters
Our first impression of Hanoi, or the Old Quarters part of it, was that it was very old and rundown. The quarter had been around for over 200 years, starting out as street markets. Over the years, with new constructions built over old ones, the criss-crossing streets that make up the quarters had transformed into a slump. The streets were lined with narrow shops with old paint. Messy electric wires bundled around wooden posts.
We came out of our taxi to be greeted by fleeting motorcycles, an odor that was of a mixture of raw and cooked food and garbage, and a sight of locals sitting on stools along the walkways consuming their dinners, with piles of garbage and buzzing flies beside them.
We had Pho for a quick dinner. Looking at the cost of things around us, we began to feel that doing a packaged tour for vietnam was a mistake. Our hotel was in the middle of the old quarters, it smelled of perfumed wood and the decor was tacky, but at least the bed was clean. After all, clean bed and bathroom, and a functional air conditioner was all we needed. All we could do was to hope that tomorrow would be a better day.
We came out of our taxi to be greeted by fleeting motorcycles, an odor that was of a mixture of raw and cooked food and garbage, and a sight of locals sitting on stools along the walkways consuming their dinners, with piles of garbage and buzzing flies beside them.
We had Pho for a quick dinner. Looking at the cost of things around us, we began to feel that doing a packaged tour for vietnam was a mistake. Our hotel was in the middle of the old quarters, it smelled of perfumed wood and the decor was tacky, but at least the bed was clean. After all, clean bed and bathroom, and a functional air conditioner was all we needed. All we could do was to hope that tomorrow would be a better day.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Ta Prohm and Phsa Chas
Cozyna Hotel, Siem Reap Cambodia
We thought we were pretty templed out from yesterday. But Ta Prohm was really something else. We visited early in the morning, and with the mist, the castle gave off a mystic feeling. It was in crumbling state partly because of the silk cotton trees of which the roots caused a lot of damage. But these were what made the place unique. It was as if the castle is haunted by a tree spirit, with its claw-like roots crawling under each and every stone.
We thought we were pretty templed out from yesterday. But Ta Prohm was really something else. We visited early in the morning, and with the mist, the castle gave off a mystic feeling. It was in crumbling state partly because of the silk cotton trees of which the roots caused a lot of damage. But these were what made the place unique. It was as if the castle is haunted by a tree spirit, with its claw-like roots crawling under each and every stone.
On our way leaving the temple we were followed by a number of children. Sachin gave them some candies, then they came back and asked for more! They wanted us to buy everything from them, from bracelets to flutes to bangles. 2 for one dollar went to 3 for one dollar then went to 4 for one dollar. Sachin tried to ward them off by pointing them to a group of Asians across the street. “Hey there are Japanese tourists there…. they will buy something!”, he said. But the kids were all too smart, they instantaneously recognized them as Chinese ., “No they are Chinese. They are cheap they wont buy!” was their reply. They continued to remain around us until our bus took off.
We then took a boat for a short ride to Tonle Sap Lake. It was a different sort of fishing village compared to Mekong River. And because this boat was a lot lower, we got to see the villages in much closer details.
We then took a boat for a short ride to Tonle Sap Lake. It was a different sort of fishing village compared to Mekong River. And because this boat was a lot lower, we got to see the villages in much closer details.
After lunch we parted from our tour group and we were now on our own. We took an adventurous tuk tuk ride to Old Market (Phas Cha) from our hotel. $6 was the asked price, and we lowered it to $5. But even then it was really too high. When we took the tuk tuk back that night, Sachin insisted to the tuk tuk driver that we previously spent only $2 going there, and with that it was settled that $2 was we had to pay.
When we arrived at Phas Cha, we knew what we would have missed had we followed the rest of the group back to Phnom Penh. We had a great time checking out the restaurant street. And for the first time we had the chance to try the $1 Angkor beer, and local food. We love the desserts there for their rich coconut tastes. We knew that we were paying a tourist price but at $12 we had a full dinner with drinks and desserts. Even after that we had left overs for the next day. We bargained even in shops that we didn’t mean to buy just to check whether we got a good price from the shops before. Most of the time we found ourselves bought things a few more dollars more expensive. We cannot remember the last time we enjoyed ourselves this much.
When we arrived at Phas Cha, we knew what we would have missed had we followed the rest of the group back to Phnom Penh. We had a great time checking out the restaurant street. And for the first time we had the chance to try the $1 Angkor beer, and local food. We love the desserts there for their rich coconut tastes. We knew that we were paying a tourist price but at $12 we had a full dinner with drinks and desserts. Even after that we had left overs for the next day. We bargained even in shops that we didn’t mean to buy just to check whether we got a good price from the shops before. Most of the time we found ourselves bought things a few more dollars more expensive. We cannot remember the last time we enjoyed ourselves this much.
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