"Original notes written by mom"

NOTES ON INDOCHINA TRIP

12/24/08-01-07/09TOUR -

Dec 24/25

Left SFO at 00:15 24th; arrived Bangkok 2:40 25th. Dave arrived at 4:30. Shangrila Hotel ***** balcony overlooking river. John and Jane sent a bottle of champagne which we drank sitting on the balcony; then staggered down to dinner by the pool.

Dec. 26

Fabulous breakfast buffet by pool. Took public ferry boat up river to the Grand Palace which is an unbelievably huge and beautiful complex. In addition to the palace – Temple of the Emerald Buddha and 35 other buildings. Took boat back to Darin Oriental Hotel for late lunch by the river. Walked to Shangrila, picked up bags, (problem with Visa) cab to airport for flight to Vientiane, Laos. Overnight at charming Green Park Boutique hotel.

Dec. 27

Early flight to Luang Prabang. Transport to Santi Villa Resort. Gorgeous garden, pool, etc. Lunch al fresco . Pick up at 1:00 by Pan, lovely young lady with good English. Walking tour of World Heritage area – four temples/shrines which are still active Buddhist with monks, etc. Climbed Vat Phoousi hill 335 steps for sunset and view of city. 335 steps back down.

Walked through night market. Dinner at hotel. Bed by 9.

Dec. 28

Morning boat ride (just us) NW on Mekong R. to Ou R. to see the Royal Buddha Cave. Difficult landing. Climbed to lower cave – thousands of Buddha statutes and offerings. Dave and Pan climbed to upper cave. Crossed river to tiny village that makes rice whiskey by old still method. Tasted like moon shine. Dave bought scarf. Only access to village is by river; access very difficult. Back on boat downriver to river restaurant for cold beer and good Lao food. Fall floods have made access difficult everywhere. Back on boat towards Luang Prabang to weaving village. Larger and more affluent Rough walk to decrepit bamboo bridge over ?? river to L.P. Walked to Vat Xieng Thong for evening chants; king's funeral chariot. Dinner at hotel.

Dec. 29

Pan was up at 4:00am to cook sticky rice. Picked us up at 6:00; downtown for monks' morning walk for for rice donations. Monks single file as far as you could see. Walked back through market; Pan shopped. Breakfast at hotel. 10:00 pickup for drive to waterfall. Visited very primitive K-2 school at minority village. Stopped at Khmu minority village, Ban Thapaene. Population moved by gov't.. From mountain area. Ritual dance – male line, female line – costumes for tourist???

Picnic lunch by Khung Xi Waterfall in national park. Awful bear rescue area. Walked back through another village. Stopped by cotton village; very funny old ladies – interested in Dave for eligibility and me for age. Took pictures of Thelma and Ed's old church and school complex. Back to hotel; showered, changed, took hotel shuttle in town for dinner and champagne on balcony overlooking main street. Zither (??) music and very young dancer. 9:00 shuttle home.

Dec. 30

Morning at leisure to enjoy gardens, etc. (Problem with Visa) 2:40 pick up for flight to Hanoi. Met by guide Sy (Sea)good English; either true communist believer or follows party line for job. Sunway Hotel – nice downtown business hotel. Dinner at hotel; 9:00 water puppet show. Great fun.

Dec. 31

9AM pickup for walking tour of Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and homes in beautiful park setting with old Government House. One Pillar Pagoda – Buddhist, 1049; Temple of Literature – Confucius 1076-1779. First university. Steles commemorating yearly graduates (Chinese conji). Lunch at very small hotel before 3 hr. drive to Halong Bay UNESCO World Heritage Area. Tour of Ethnology Museum with excellent displays of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups. On road: large, new industrial areas; overbuilt and deserted condo complexes. Huge new Catholic church. Stopped at large craft factory. Many handicapped employees. Heritage Halong Bay Hotel – our least favorite.

Jan. 1

Tourist dock area with many junks and tourists; had our own junk; difficult boarding. 1 hr. cruise to high cave on one of 1500 limestone islets. Cave lighted like Mammoth Cave, not religious, just tourist. Lunch on boat during 5 hr. cruise; passed boat villages on bay. Difficult landing. 3 hr. drive back to Hanoi; same hotel; early to bed.

Jan. 2

Early one hr. flight to Danang. Guide Anh spent 2 years in US with Army flight training in the 70's. Stopped at China Beach where US Marines landed. Lunch on way to lovely Hoi An Beach Resort. Old town is closed to motor vehicles – UNESCO World Heritage Site. Interesting exhibitions of weaving, embroidering, silk making (with worms). Visited old Chinese house and Japanese covered bridge from 15th-16th centuries. Bridge was built by Japanese community for trading with the Chinese town. In the 18th (?) century the Japanese emperor recalled all Japanese citizens to Japan. He did not want them contaminated by the Western culture.

River was in flood so no boat ride. Visited tailor shop/no buy. Had Anh leave us in town at Hoi An hotel. Had beer by hotel and wandered in the old town. Shuttle back at 7:30.

Jan. 3

10 o'clock pick up to marble quarry/village. Beautiful statues. Bought 12 necklaces for shop; did not climb marble mountain. Instead went to Chan Sculpture Archeology Museum in Danang. Chan was major power from 400-1200 AD; still a Vietnamese minority. Lunch at lovely garden restaurant.

Drove through thick fog over Danang pass to Hue, the former imperial capital. Another lovely hotel, Huong Giang Hotel, where we relaxed with drinks at the beauty salon by the pool and had manicures and pedicures. What fun!!

Jan. 4

Went by dragon boat (junk) on Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, 1601, beautiful temple complex. Drove to and explored the ruins of the Imperial Citadel, a huge complex World Heritage site; then on to the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, another extensive and beautiful site.

Flew to Saigon; Norfolk Hotel, very nice; downtown.

Dinner at hotel then to the world famous Water Puppet show – delightful.

Jan. 5

Drove to Cu Chi district to visit underground tunnel system. Lovely park area – tourist type. Interesting tour of complex with tunnels open for display. Bro went into hole and Dave into tunnel! Sipped medicinal snake wine. Stopped at very interesting, traditional Buddhist Cemetery. Had lunch at Bill Clinton's noodle shop. The Reunification Palace and History Museum were closed so we went to History Museum of Saigon, walked past Opera House, into the magnificent Post Office which was designed by Eiffel of tower fame and past the Government House, all built during French era. Showered, dressed and walked on fabulous lighted boulevard to dinner at an outdoor cafe where we watched the world of motor bikes go by.

Jan. 6

Morning flight from Saigon to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Lovely hotel and delightful guide and driver. Lunch outdoors with view of moat and Angkor Wat. Three hour tour through the complex – huge and amazing. Some hard climbs but good help from Daveand guide. Beer by the pool, shower and dinner at the hotel.

PICTURES: 1-11 are Angkor Wat which was built in the 12th century, the same time the French were building Notre Dame! The bas reliefs wrap around the outer walls for almost 1km and depict sagas. There are more than 3,000 “heavenly nymphs” #28-31 & 36. #21&22 are two of the libraries where all the records were stored. UNESCO World Heritage site.

#19 is south gate to Angkor Thom, a city that may have held over 1,000,000 people. Built about the same time as Angkor Wat. Setting for “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” #11-22 Baylon has 54 Gothic towers with 4 huge faces on each side of each tower. Really weird!!

#23-27 Ta Prohm was fascinating because you could see how the fig trees' roots had destroyed the buildings.