Breakthrough in Central Vietnam

After three weeks traveling in central Vietnam, I have the confidence to say I can speak Vietnamese, one of my most important life goals.

In Hoi An, the beautiful ancient town (UNESCO designation), I strike up a conversation with a woman who owns a Vietnamese dessert shop. I ask her for a restaurant recommendation, and she offers to take me instead. I end up spending two days with her, practicing conversational Vietnamese during meals, paying homage to her family, playing badminton with her daughter and the neighborhood ragamuffins, and running around town buying lanterns and nuoc mi (sugarcane juice) with the two little girls until midnight.

In Hoi An, colorful glowing lanterns hang above unique wooden shutters and sliding doors -- architecture reminiscent of a different era. Cau lao noodle, a dish I had every day, can only be found in Hoi An as the water comes from a nearby ancient Cham well. The rest of central Vietnam is just as spellbounding. White, yellow, and red sand dunes and cliffs are as typical as the rice paddies in the beach town of Mui Ne. In Hue, (UNESCO World Heritage site) I visit the citadel and forbidden city and the tombs of the Nguyen dynasty kings. I also was able to practice Vietnamese often in Hue.

On traveling alone and backpacking
Without a doubt the region is beautiful, but my three weeks in central Vietnam was magical, because the people were so lovely. Without obligations to a mate or group, I can easily meet locals who are eager to tell me about their family and culture. Every connection was the highlight of my visit and left a deep impression on my heart.

Traveling alone as well as traveling via backpacking can open doors for richer experiences. Already on a bus to Vietnam's largest cave north of Hue, I learn from a tourist that direct transportation to the cave and a return to Hue mid afternoon is available -- and I would pay less (two dollars if you must know.) But, as is the backpacker’s way, a traveler and I get off that bus, wait an hour for a local bus hoping it's going to our destination, score, and walk five miles to the guesthouse with our packs. After all that nonsense, we then need to rent a motorbike to get to the cave, an hour away. Indeed, all the effort is trivial compared to the ride there. The rolling hills give way to expansive skies. Clouds of all shapes and sizes stretch down to the peaks of distant mountains. All the while driving by plush green rice paddies and dodging children leading water buffalo.

We arrive at Phuong Nga cave an hour before closing time. The cave is amazing, but as I have come to learn, traveling is less about the destination/tourist site, and more about the journey there. Five minutes after we hop onto the motorbike, rain begins to pour. Luckily, my grocery-bag thin poncho and sunglasses are substantial enough to keep me content while I marvel at the layers of blue beneath the rain clouds. After some forty minutes, the rain subsides, and the sky clears. I turn around and witness the most brilliant of sunsets I have ever seen. The sky and clouds are stained with magnificent hues of yellow, magenta, and violet.

After this experience, I wonder if I can travel any differently. When you are backpacking, you are physically more involved in the journey. Mentally, you are alert and active as you are constantly forced to use your brain to process the sensory overload and for problem solving. This engagement is very rewarding, and memories remain vivid.

Photos below, and/or click here for more photos.

The sunset after visiting Vietnam's largest cave. Photos and skills (rather, my lack of) could not capture the startling beauty.


















The motorbike ride to Phuong Nga cave.



















And the pretty drive goes on and on.
























Marble Mountains near China Beach.


















The impressive tomb (or mausoleum) of Emperor Khai Dinh (1916-1925).


















The drive back from visiting the tombs of three Nguyen kings.























Snake wine, for health and virility!























The central market of the ancient sea town, Hoi An.























An aerial view of Hoi An.























Nha Trang, beach town.



















Big shoes to fill on Nha Trang beach.























Boulder climbing for a few hours to Yang Bay Waterfall in Nha Trang.


















The red dunes of Mui Ne beach town.























The white sand dunes of Mui Ne.


















Sand cliffs along the Fairy Stream in Mui Ne.

Heartbreaking Cambodia

My time in Cambodia has been my most emotional experience to date.
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Nearly all Cambodians (or Khmers), young and old, don a linen checked scarf. More for function than style, the krama can be used as a shield from dust, heat, as a sweat rag, sling, anything and everything. This notion is not new as I’ve seen and bought similar rags through Southeast Asia for similar reasons.

While in Phnom Penh, the country’s capital, I visit S-21 (Tuol Sleng Museum), a school turned torture and detention center. I then make a jaunt to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields, where millions of Cambodians – men, women, children of all backgrounds -- were cruelly killed. A beautiful stupa serves as a memorial housing some 9,000 skulls. The victims’ faded, ragged clothing are piled on bottom shelf including kramas. At S-21, many photos of detainees are displayed. A few are smiling, almost all are stoic, solemn. I notice some have a krama encircling their necks. I read that those very scarves were also used to choke, suffocate, and silence the screams during the killings.

The reality is that Cambodia is still terribly impoverished. Begging at every corner is expected; tuk tuk drivers make $10 a day if they’re lucky. Eating insects or anything edible is normal. Toddlers run around half naked, and the clothes they do have look so grimy especially due to the prevalent red dirt. No amount of bleach and detergent can rid of it (I know.) Bargaining is no longer fun, because as quickly as you can say, “too expensive”, the sellers immediately drop the price by half. I sense honest desperation.

Despite these conditions and circumstances, Cambodians seem genuinely happy and are overwhelmingly friendly towards each other and to tourists alike. The people, the towns, and the ambience is so chill, you forget and enjoy yourself easily. Before I reached Phnom Penh, I relaxed at Sihanoukville’s Serendipity beach and Bamboo Island. Throughout the country, I must have waved and returned hellos to almost every enthusiastic Cambodian child under age 10. Undoubtedly, I come away like many visitors, confounded by the apparent disparity of a startling not-so-distant past and the cheery face of Cambodia today.

My time in this country has ended, but I will continue wearing my krama. For me and Cambodians too, the scarf is a powerful symbol that speaks to their identity -- and for me, their complicated past. Such a simple accessory represents a tragic history. But, it is a visible link to their ancestors, and a reminder to never forget.

If you are unfamiliar with the Khmer Rouge and the genocide, I strongly recommend that you read about it. Or consider watching a Cambodian documentary, Enemies of the People, which I had the honor of viewing in Cambodia at the invitation of expat law students. (They are working as interns during the trials of the Khmer Rouge leaders.) In the film, a Cambodian journalist, whose family died in the Killing Fields, interviews the killers including Khmer Rouge leader, Nuon Chea -- a ten-year project in his spare time.

Or, visit Cambodia, contribute the economy, and see for yourself. It is a little rough around the edges, but it's scenic and adventurous, and as aforementioned, the people are beautiful and extremely open.




















Inside the memorial stupa at Choeung Ek Killing Fields
























Detention rooms at Tuol Sleng Museum or S-21



















Millions of civilians' were forced to leave their homes and towns and into labor camps. More than two million civilian deaths occurred between '75 to '79.



















A classroom turned detention facility. Once upon a time, a school, but later used for torturing before civilians were sent to the Killing Fields.
























A view of the boat trip from Siem Reap, home of Angkor Wat.
























Inside Angkor Wat
























The many faces of Angkor Thom temple



















Ta Prohm temple, which was used in Tomb Raider



















A view of Battambang, the second largest city



















Me and my krama

Luxurious Singapore

I spent six days in Singapore, a tiny island located on the Malay peninsula. Singapore can best be described as the world’s largest shopping complex disguised as a country that is actually a large city disguised as a country. Shopping as well as eating is 24 hours. You can find hawker street food and delicious affordable cafeteria style to five-star dining. I also had a Guinness for the first time in months. (Dark beer, or any beer besides Tiger and the country’s own watery brands, is hard to come by in SE Asia.)

Generally speaking, Singapore is visually brilliant – the landscape almost too perfect. Funky, colorful, creative buildings like an architect gone mad in his version of SIM city. It’s best seen at night – glittery, bright, and busy. Singapore is probably the most modern city in Southeast Asia – by one measure – a variety of clean public transportation. Like Malaysia, it’s equally diverse, boasting a Little India, Chinatown, Malaysian town, and Arab Town (which by the way, between Malaysia and Singapore, I visited three Little India’s.) And everyone speaks English, or Singlish rather, the heavily Chinese-accented English where every sentence ends in “la.”

The next leg of my trip, beginning Saturday and totaling two months, will include Cambodia, central and south Vietnam, and Indonesia (and if I’m lucky, Borneo’s Sarawak and Malaysia’s Taman Negara.) Ready, or not, here I come!

More Singapore photos can be found here.

Too many temples to keep up with the names.


















Too many malls, but when you're a shopoholic - Iluma.


















A snapshot of the colorful, interesting buildings in this concrete jungle.


















I'm told that durian, dubbed the king of fruits (in SE Asia anyway), taste best in Thailand, but the ones I had here, Vietnam, and Malaysia were tasty, too. BTW, mangosteens are considered queen of fruits.


















Fish head curry, a Singapore specialty, was to die for. Also had nasi lemak, satay, nyong curry soup, and more.























A street vendor selling interesting edibles.























For my Rice friends and colleagues - you'll be thrilled to know this wasn't the only shop in town with an owl obsession!























Look closely -- this photo captures the decadence that is Singapore. My friend, Maggie had her nails done at her relative's beauty salon. The session took nearly three hours, from making the fake nails to creating, with painstaking meticulosity, the piece of art on each nail.























Make note, durian is a delicious fruit, but it's stinky -- so bad, that it's not allowed on the subway.























A crowded Mcdonald's full of people watching World Cup.

Malaysia and Borneo

Malaysia is a country I had never considered visiting, but it turned out to be one of the best surprises. As the motorbike culture is the most visible wonderment of Saigon, the diversity of Malaysia is what makes the country so spectacular – seeing cultural garb and contemporary clothes; listening to Malaysians, Chinese, Indian and Arabs speaking multiple languages; visiting traditional villages or passing by private monstrous mansions, and the variety of food is heavenly.

I can see myself living in the ultra modern city of Kuala Lumpur (KL) and spending my weekends on a getaway jungle trek. When I was a kid, I always wanted to see Madagascar, what I had considered the pinnacle of wild and exotic. So, you can only imagine that Malaysia's Borneo, home of Mt. Kinabalu and the rafflesia, the world’s largest flower, was right up my alley. Sadly, I wasn’t able to climb (you must plan in advance) nor see the flower (wasn’t in bloom) but, I did plenty to get a taste of adventure. I will come back to Malaysia to trek Taman Negara, the 130-year-old rainforest outside of KL and tread deeper in Borneo’s jungle – if not in a couple of months, most definitely in the future.

Some highlights a las photografias below. For more photos of Malaysia and Borneo in my Picasa album, click here.

MALAYSIA - KUALA LUMPUR AND PENANG
Fish spa where hundreds of fish ate the dead skin off my feet for 20 ticklish minutes!























A popular street-vendor set up where you cook your own fish balls/meat.


















A comfortable $17USD bus ride from Kuala Lumpur to Penang -- the lush scenery was so stunning, I took photos for hours.


















A sign inside the restroom of the bus. HAHA!


















Another great sign - damn those snatch thiefs!























World's tallest statue of Hindu deity Murugan -- in the palm of my hand.


















I honestly can't tell you the name of this temple even though I spent as least a good hour here.


















Inside the super cool Suria Mall next to Petronas Twin Towers.


















Petronas Twin Towers - World's tallest building for five years (until 1998) at 1482.6 ft.























The most beautiful foot next to an equally beautiful butterfly. A tragic tale as I found many of these large butterflies are scattered dead around Petronas and stuck on the side of the buildings.


















Blueberry and hazelnut -- utterly brilliant or confusing?























A scene from my forest hike within Penang Hill.
























BORNEO

"Artwork" in the city of Kota Kinabalu, the jumping off point for those headed to the mountain and beaches.


















The northern most tip of Borneo.























The incredibly gorgeous drive through palm tree paradise to get to the deserted, but beautiful beaches of Pantai Kalampunian and Kalambu.


















And the beaches...































A view from the island forest trek on Manukan. Jim, a local life guard took us to the best snorkel spots at Manukan, where we swam among and held little Nemos, a blowfish, blue starfish, tigerfish, giant clams, and other beautiful fish. Snorkeling was also spectacular in Thailand.




































A rainbow on the last day we spent on Manukan and Mamutik islands.




















Last, but certainly not least -- the highlight of our Malaysia trip -- three-layer tea/Teh Special. Ceylon tea, evaporated milk, and the elusive liquefied palm sugar equals the best milk tea I ever had. We made friends with a local who sells delicious herbal soup and this tea. He sold us two bottles of the palm sugar, which we are bringing back to the States for some overindulgence reminiscent of of Malaysia travels.