journeywithmadonna

……same, same but different!   That’s what our day has been like, and it’s been great.    Touch base later.

…………….is a Thai restaurant in Halifax that Andrea and Andrew introduced us to that we’ve really enjoyed on several occasions.   Maybe that’s what drew us to the resort we are staying at which is just called ‘Chaba’ and of course we’re in Thailand.   We flew from Siem Reap to Phuket and because it was a late flight we decided to stay at an airport hotel……..and of course there’s nothing exciting to report about that!   Up early so we could plan the day and find a place we could hang out for a while so we didn’t want to rush things and end up somewhere that we would have to leave in a couple of days.  After  reviewing the Lonely Planet guide, and the Internet, we decided to check out Kata beach which is about 30km from Phuket.   It didn’t look  like as much of a tourist trap/party place as some of the others so we thought why not?   Good decision on our part because it’s a wonderful place and has been easy to settle into.  Chaba is a great resort that has friendly staff, great rooms, three swimming pools and garden………….and a white sandy beach which is a five minute walk away…………what’s not to like?  Well actually just one thing……..we might have to move as they are solidly booked next week…………but they seem to like us and have made note that we’re wanting to stay if there’s a cancellation……..we’ll check daily!  This is where the blog will get kind of boring because there won’t be too much to say except “another great day at the beach, weather is fabulous, food is great, working on our tan, fell asleep reading my book, went for a walk on the beautiful white sandy beach, went for a swim in the ocean and then went for a swim at the pool, had a cool one, then a nap, went for a Thai massage etc. etc. etc.”……..you get the drift and by now you’re probably asleep…..so I’ll quietly say “good night” and touch base in a few days if there’s anything to blog about…….take care.

……..is a drink you can have at a restaurant/bar called The Red Piano in Siem Reap and as you have probably already guessed it’s named after Angelina herself.  I was so tired the other day after returning from the temples of Angkor that I forgot to mention that the movie, The Tomb Raiders, starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Craft was filmed around the temples of Angkor so she is quite popular in these parts.   I think, but I’m not sure, that one of her children may have been adopted from here or maybe it’s the other Madonna that adopted a child from Cambodia……..something else we’ll have to google.

In any case this place has been quite lovely, totally enjoyable and relaxing…….so much so, it’s kind of hard to go…..but go we must!   Apparently in the 1960’s Siem Reap was extremely popular among the rich and famous and then for about thirty years plus it struggled.    You can certainly see the aftermath of their struggle represented by many disabled people on the streets(from land mines, partly) and also a great deal of poverty that does follow you, wherever you go.  In spite of this, however, it does seem to be coming back  in full force because of what Cambodians, and the guide books, refer to as the 8th wonder of the world………the temples of Angkor, and also no doubt because of the resilience of the human spirit.  

On a  lighter note their claim to fame was experienced this morning as we were sitting having coffee and all of a sudden these tuk tuks came racing in and people were scurrying about.  There was loads of excitement and we weren’t able to figure out what was going on….and then we noticed the cameras and I looked at one of the waitresses who said in crystal clear English “the amazing race”!  One after another a tuk tuk would pull in, young people would jump out and get their card stamped and off they went……….so for any of you who might be followers of that program keep an eye out for us in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Once that excitement was over Marilyn and I decided we needed to treat ourselves so she went for a reflexology treatment and I for a pedicure.  Jim, of course, already had seen Dr. Fish(that’s what the fish cleaning your feet are called) so he went for a swim.  After those treats it was time to leave and get our tuk tuk to the airport as the plan was to fly back to Thailand and see what might be awaiting us there.  Everything went according to plan which means the Cambodia “sim” card is no longer valid………we’ll touch base next from Thailand!

……..that’s what we had for supper as part of a Khmer barbeque that also included pork, chicken, beef and squid.    It was delicious as everyone was getting a little tired of rice, rice, rice…..and all that went with it so we branched out and glad we did.

Today was a day of ‘no plans’ and we all kind of slept in a little and then met for coffee and a late breakfast. We walked and basically window-shopped all about town for a couple of hours and by then Jim had enough and decided to go rent a bike to travel  on his own along the river.  Not for the faint of heart I might add, so Marilyn and I decided to continue walking because by now we’re experts at crossing the street on our own two legs………..on a bike was a whole new skill we weren’t ready to tackle.  So we decided to scout out a restaurant for supper that might add a little something different and that’s how we came across the Khmer Barbeque.

Jim was off for a couple of hours and when he returned he was soaking wet from the physical exertion as well as the heat and all he said was that he was glad he did not rent a bike in Vietnam because he would be dead!  Cambodia is much more civilized and manageable, but still a challenge when you’re not sure of the rules of the road, if there are any.  The people here seem to be happy for the most part and in this particular area, Siem Reap, they are quite forgiving of tourists.  In fact they mock you a little, but not in a nasty way at all, and you find yourself laughing with them at yourself.  They have a good sense of humor and if they are able to laugh after all they have been through, then why not laugh with them.  

We’re switching things up again tomorrow as we’re on the move so Madonna, the blogger, may be quiet for a few days……….but once we get settled I’ll be in touch……….and may even get Jim, and/or Marilyn, to put their fingers to work.  Take care!

……..and never thought I would be saying that after our kidnapping by a tuk tuk driver in Bangkok, remember that?  We hardly do as we have met so many neat ones since that time and the good thing is those bad memories get replaced by the good ones, thank the Lord.  The same is true for some of those nasty moments in Northern Vietnam……they seem so long ago that already they are a vague memory.  Marilyn says not that vague, at least the one where we were thrown off the bus…….Jim and I agree.  Today was great so we’ll pick it up from there.

The wake up call came at 4:30 a.m. when our tuk tuk driver arrived at the hotel to take us to the temples of Angkor for the day.  When we arrived downstairs shortly before five he was out shining up his tuk tuk and it was sparkling as we headed out.  The roads were very busy, mainly with tuk tuks and motos and bikes as watching the sun rise over Angkor wat is quite the tourist attraction.  It was only a ten-fifteen minute drive and without a coffee or a bit of bread and butter we were guided off toward the temple for a fifteen minute walk after we arrived.  From there we sat around what best can be described as a pond and watched while a few hundred other tourists arrived and set up their cameras for the 6:25 sunrise.

Many years ago I learned from a client that “you can plan the event, but you can’t plan the outcome” and that lesson has been very useful over the years, and it was again today.  As we sat there for over an  hour it became increasingly obvious that we were not going to have that ‘stunning moment’ because there was a cloud cover that was going to prevent us from actually seeing the sun.  We were persistent, however, and ‘people-watched’, as they watched us, and then saw a sliver of the sun rise up with the clouds”………..and then it was over.    Might sound like a waste of time, but actually it was quite pleasant and gave us an early start in the cool hours of the morning to do our exploring.

Back to the tuk tuk we went to be transported off for coffee/tea/breakfast before we began our day to discover the temples of Angkor.    There’s no way I can tell you about them that will do justice so I’ll quote the Lonely Planet guide again as they describe the temples as the heart and soul of Cambodia.  “The temples of Angkor are a source of inspiration and national pride to all Khmers as they struggle to build their lives after years of terror and trauma……..Angkor is one of the world’s foremost ancient sites………abandoned to the jungle for centuries, the magnificent temples are set amid the region’s oldest national park, with towering trees….” and the grounds are magnificent.  If you want to know more then google the temples of Angkor……the ones we explored were Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphuon, Terrace of Elephants and Phnom Bakheng.  Of special mention was Ta Prohm which has been swallowed up by the jungle and the roots of giant trees which are causing it to crumble.  And last, but not least, was Angkor Wat  itself which is described as the mother of all temples and it is believed that it is the largest religious building in the world.  The day was spectacular and my fingers are getting tired so get “googling” if you want/need to know more.

After a great day at the temple we returned to Siem Reap and went for a bite to eat, and a cool one as the temperature was in the mid-30’s and without the support of the tuk tuk driver I’m sure I would have passed out from the heat and the humidity.  Marilyn and I were interested in a foot massage from all the walking and thought our feet could use a break….but then thought we would save that for another day.  Jim was encouraging us to go see Dr. Fish!   It’s basically where you put your feet into a large fish tank and hundreds of little fish swim around and chew off all the dead skin…….while you sit there squirming/laughing because it’s so ticklish.  He tried it and loved it, but it really wasn’t for us…….we’re holding out for the more traditional variety.   Well must go as I’m pooped after what was another fabulous day in Southeast Asia…….hope all is well and spring is there to stay!

………to flashpacker!   Well I’m no Rex Murphy so I had to look up the meaning of flashpacker to see if we met the criteria and we do.   Basically my understanding of a flashpacker is someone with just about as much grey hair as Jim and I have(can’t speak for Marilyn) and who no longer are looking in the backpacker district for a place to stay but have upgraded their accommodation, and we have.   Flashpackers have a little more money than backpackers although they still carry a knapsack(which we are) but these few extra dollars allows them the luxury of riding on air conditioned buses, having their own private bathrooms, and not having to eat street food…..unless they want to.  They don’t have to eat in fancy restaurants, but they now have the option,  and they always drink bottled water…..which we are.    So I guess we’re flashpackers and we keep telling Jim if he wants to continue to be a backpacker then he has to travel with Yves because our backpacking days are over!

Currently we are in Siem Reap, Cambodia and it’s fabulous……the people, the food, the accommodation.    We arrived on an air conditioned bus from Phnom Penh which, for the most part, was uneventful except for the flash rainstorm that flooded the street and almost flooded Marilyn out of her seat……….she was in front of us and the bus sprung a leak.   She was sitting with a Cambodian business man and between the two of them they collected the rain water for a few minutes and then it all stopped……..and before too long we arrived in Siem Reap.    Today was spent exploring the town, the markets, and eating good food.    This blog will be the shortest ever because we have a wake up call for 4am so we can catch a tuk tuk to Angkor to see the sunrise which is supposed to be spectacular………….we will let you know later if it stands up to its reputation.

As a final note Marilyn says we’re not only flashpackers, we’re the three monketeers!!   Good night, sleep tight.

……..and the city of Phnom Penh with its population of 1.3 million.   It really was intended to be a stopover on our way to Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor but what a pleasant surprise it has been!   We’re staying at a hotel overlooking the Tonle Sap river and it is a pretty neat part of the city that was recommended by an Australian man Marilyn was sitting with on the bus.  One of the highlights of this city is the boardwalk on the river which goes on for miles. Apparently it was built with some help from the Japanese as a sign of friendship and it is very actively used by the local people and tourists alike.  The place was rocking with music and hundreds of people(in small-medium sized groups) doing aerobics.  Apparently at sunrise they offer tai chi on the Tonle Sap at one end and aerobics on the other…….no we did not attend!

One of the major tourist attractions of the Phnom Penh area is a museum which highlights the Khmer Rouge leadership.  This of course is known as the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek and as  one of Cambodia’s largest tragedies.  Many of you will recall the movie of the same name basically, and, for me, it was one of the toughest movies I’ve ever seen(remember that night George and Gerry!)   For the younger folks who don’t remember or never knew about it, it occurred between 1975 and 1978 and in the area of Phnom Penh it mean revisiting the torture and extermination of 17,000 men, woman and children………we just couldn’t do it but  are so aware of its importance to the people of Cambodia.

The people here are very friendly and hospitable and  when you  say “no, thank you” they, for the most part, listen.  It’s no surprise, of course, to see so much poverty and it very often is overwhelming especially  when it’s children, the aged or the disabled.     We had dinner at a wonderful restaurant recommended by lonely planet and our new friend from Australia, and it is setup to help street kids and keep them safe.  It’s called Friends and is a training restaurant to get kids into tourism…..they did a fine job and we had a great meal!  They also have a shop where they sell new and used products that have been donated and some that they made. While Jim was having a haircut Marilyn and I decided to shop around on our own and we agreed to meet back at the hotel in an hour.  We went to Friends’ shop but it was closed and we scouted out a couple of others and, as always, before you know it the time was up.  Not wanting to be too late we quickly headed back to the hotel and, unfortunately without Jim and his map in front of us, we got lost!!!  So we hired one of the tuk tuk drivers that had been pestering us every thirty seconds to get us back to the hotel……don’t tell Jim!

Later Jim and I were talking about his experiences walking around Phnom Penh and he mentioned that twice in the hour without us he had been approached by men in their mid-forties.  The first one was making small talk and asked Jim where he was from and Jim told him Canada, and then he said he had a sister who was moving to Montreal and very quickly called her, put her on the phone to talk with Jim.   She chatted for a moment about Canada and then asked Jim if he would come over and when he told her he was leaving on the bus, she said “maybe when you return”……and that was that.   A little later he asked a guy what time it was because he was to meet us and had lost track of time.   The guy told him and then said “where you from” and when Jim told him Canada he said “my daughter is moving to Vancouver….would you talk to her?”.   Jim’s a quick study and, as you know, he has a lovely wife so he said no and told the guy that Vancouver is a great city and he’s sure his daughter would make out quite fine……and they parted.

Guess the moral of the story is that Marilyn and I need to continue to protect Jim as he seems to run into strange people when he’s not with us. So from now on we’re just going to put a map in his hand and pretend  he is our tour guide……..which is really not that far from the truth!   Tune in tomorrow just in case I get to be a blogger, and don’t worry Kathleen and Andrea, Marilyn and I will take care of your Dad.

……and, must admit, leaving with mixed feelings about this country as we have had quite a variety of experiences here and those that were negative were mainly in the north.   However I can’t stop wondering what the people think of us because, for the most part, they just stare at us……..that’s if they are not harassing us to buy something or begging on the streets.  As I hope you know we’re not cold-hearted but there’s no end to it here and I find myself fluctuating emotionally between anger and despair…………much time is needed for reflection and enough said for now.  Quite relieved that Saigon. The Mekong Delta and its’people left a positive impression because it is with those that we leave.

Anyway as we leave Saigon today it’s not quite so humid but still very hot and we are currently sitting on an air conditioned bus (thank the lord) headed to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  While waiting for the bus this a.m. a very tall and attractive young Vietnamese woman crossed the street in a fitted, tight orange dress which was very short and she was wearing three inch high heels as well….all heads turned as she passed(except Jim’s of course!)   I watched as she headed towards her motorcycle and I thought to myself “how’s she going to handle this, I wonder?”  But of course, no problem, as she put on her helmet and a waist length white jacket, sat on the bike, pressed on the gas and she was off with all eyes following her.  I actually took a picture but she was driving faster than I could pull things together so who knows if I caught the image…….she was almost as  impressive as the egg man!

This bus trip has been great so far and I was pleased that I could update the blog without difficulty from time to time.   We just went through the   Cambodian border, bought our visa to enter the country and then had to have our picture taken, both thumbprints and handprints recorded and then checked in the quarantine area to ensure we did not have a temperature.    The only saving grace was that we did not have to go into a body x-ray machine like you do when you enter the U.S……..coming soon, I’m sure!   Too early yet to  fill you in on Cambodia so I’ll save that for tomorrow’s blog.   Take care and glad to hear that the first day of spring was actually ‘springlike’ in Nova Scotia…….enjoy!

……..we’ve had on the Mekong Delta!!!   We absolutely loved it and it was great from beginning to end.   We took Steve’s advice sent to the blog(thanks A & S) and went to Sinh Cafe to look at our options but we did not book with them because by  the time we booked into our hotel they were too far away………and we went with another tour group that was recommended and we were not disappointed.   The good news, of course, is that we now have two good tour companies to check with for the remainder of our trip.

We began the day with an excellent breakfast in our hotel and then were picked up by our driver and tour guide for a two hour drive outside of Saigon towards the Mekong Delta.   We had a delightful English-speaking guide(cute as a button, whatever that means) and absolutely wanting to please.  We went to Cai Be so that we could float through the floating markets where you could purchase all kinds of fruit, vegetables….and God knows what else in bulk and bring back to your village to re-sell to the local people……it wasn’t a Tourist market but really showed us the way people lived.   On the boat there was another English-speaking guide to tell us about the area and the lives of the local people……..quite informative and he was wonderful with a great sense of humor, you could tell, even though we missed half of his jokes.  

    From the floating markets we were led  to discover their rural way of life with local workshops where we saw them making coconut candy, rice paper, snake wine…….and of course, rice wine which was surprisingly not that bad, but I have to admit I preferred the coconut candy.  Needless to say, but I will, all the products were for sale……and we all bought some.   From there we continued in the boat up or down (not quite sure) the Mekong delta for about an hour as we headed to a local family’s house/restaurant for lunch.  However because the tide was out (much like where we live) there was quite the traffic jam on the Mekong as  large boats were stuck in the muck and smaller boats, like the one we were on, were struggling to get by and had to wait.   And lone behold along comes this family boat (mother, father, and what looked like a set of ten year old twin boys who were running the motor) and they were determined to get through because they communicated that they had been on the river for quite some time.  Everyone worked together, they got through as did several smaller boats like ours…….it was quite interesting to watch and a real sense of community……….it was certainly the highlight of the day and I cannot do it justice here.

    Once we broke through all the larger boats we were headed for lunch which, as always, was fabulous.  From there we toured a bonsai and fruit garden and because the weather was changing we started back for shore….and I might add just in time.    The wind was coming up and on our way back to Saigon(which is what they prefer to call HCMC here) it started to pour rain and we were very thankful we were off the water. Unfortunately for the six million motorcyclists they were caught in the rain and this was a sight to behold.  Some were pulling off the road to cover themselves, and sometimes their family, with those plastic dollar store ponchos which were flapping in the wind and many others were just driving through hoping it would stop soon.   What was most amazing, and I saw it twice today, was what I can only call the  ‘egg delivery man’.    Picture this:    he’s on his bike and driving just as crazy as everyone else.  Behind him, on what I assume might be considered the passenger seat, are egg carton/flats.   Each flat is 8 eggs by 8 eggs and they are piled 14 flats high and if you’re doing the math that’s about 900 eggs but that’s not the best of it.   In front of him, ie. between him and the handlebars, there’s another six flats, ie. about 380 more eggs so in total he’s carrying approx. 1400 eggs on a motor bike.    This of course led me to ponder why sometimes I cannot manage to get from the Superstore to Tidnish in  a subaru without cracking one egg out of the dozen!!    I think I will sleep on it because it’s getting late and my fingers are tired…….it’s been a great day and good night, or good morning depending on where you are.

…….as Hanoi, but so far we’re enjoying it more!  Crossing the street continues to be a challenge but it’s becoming kind of fun because those motorcyclists, in particular, are unbelievably good at just swerving past you and you’re left feeling amazed that you are still standing.   We’ve also figured out where it’s best to cross, ie. not on a corner especially if there’s eight corners, and also just to follow some Vietnamese people because, of course, they’ve got it down pat.  Even when you are with local people, or lagging behind them, you’ve got to be using 150% of your senses because those motos come out of nowhere and you never know when someone’s high heel might slip and step on the gas!   So much for that soapbox, let’s see what else is knew?

We’ve upped our accommodation standard for the next couple of nights and are staying in the heart of Saigon.  Today we were tourists and followed Jim around with his map……….he was in his ‘glee’ and Marilyn and I just strolled behind and would have been oblivious if we had gotten lost, which we did not.  He was a great tour guide on our walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City and I’ll tell you about a few of the sites we visited.

First there was the Notre Dame Cathedral(built between 1877 and 1883) which is quite an impressive church on the outside but we couldn’t go in because it was closed…….not sure why.  From there we went to the Post Office which is from Saigon’s French era and it is quite the structure and is still a working post office today.  It’s absolutely huge and of course it’s very different now than it was in it’s heyday because now it also houses gift shops, Internet cafes, ATM’s and a very large area which focuses on daily mail delivery locally, nationally and of course internationally.

Our last big tourist attraction was the Reunification Palace which was built in1966.  Needless to say, there were many tourists from many countries and I think it’s the place where I have heard American accents the most since the beginning of our trip.  I found this place a little sad actually because of course that’s the war from my adolescence/early adulthood so when listening to the guides it brought back a lot of memories.  The building has been left the same since April 30, 1975 when communist tanks in Saigon crashed through the gates surrendering to the north.  Apparently the building has been left  exactly the same.  On a more positive note it also brought back many musical memories from the Woodstock era……..Joan Baez, Springsteen, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s…..OHIO…..The music from Forest Gump etc.   This evening, over pre-dinner cocktails we reminisced on our balcony and thank God for the people of Saigon we did not break out into song.

Just a quick note to end this piece before we head off to bed.   On this trip Jim is the photographer and I’m the blogger so today I had a chance to look at some of the pictures he’s taken.   Although there are lots of good ones I am sure glad that I couldn’t figure out how to attach them to the blog because you might have wondered if I was OK, and I am.    But in all of the pictures that I’m in……….. I am either totally red faced from the three mile walk we just finished, and the heat, or I look like I just had a bucket of water thrown over me.   At least when we show some of them to you in person I will be back to my old self in the Canadian winter or spring, depending on mother nature.  Tomorrow is another exciting day and if there’s enough time at the end of it, and if I’m not too pooped, I’ll be in touch.  Hope those spring storms in Canada are manageable and don’t get you down……….just remember this heat, day after day, is also hard to take but we ‘re doing our best!