Travel

Hôi An, Việt Nam. 13 January 2015

DSC05693What’s not to love about Hôi An? This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a small, walkable city of shops and restaurants, friendly people, and old-world charm with its mustard yellow buildings interspersed with colorful temples, art galleries and meandering canals. The sales pitch is low-keyed so this is the place to shop. Cooler temperatures make sitting in a cafe over a LaRue Beer, watching the passing boats along the river, the street wagons, and the women with their baskets of bananas, a most pleasurable experience.
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By Pat, ago

Ho Chi Minh City. 12 January 2015

Sài Gòn - Communist on paper but at heart a Capitalist

Sài Gòn – Communist on paper but at heart a Capitalist

I arrive in what is known by even the Vietnamese as Sài Gòn. I admit I am shocked. The parks, busy shopping streets, tall skyscrapers, familiar brand names, and business complexes are not what I expected. This great city of South Vietnam, “liberated” by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong” in 1975, is much the same as any large American city. America may have fled Vietnam in 1973, but we are back in spirit by way of Pepsi, Barbie, Carl’s Jr., Budweiser, McDonalds and IPhones.
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By Pat, ago

Cruising Down the Mekong to Can Tho, Việt Nam. 11 January 2015

Cruising the mighty Mekong

Cruising the mighty Mekong

A chartered boat slowly takes us down the Mekong from Phnom Penh into Việt Nam. Việt Nam or “the Việt people of the south” means the people south of China, thus distancing themselves from the Chinese.

The Mekong is much as I expected: wide, brown, vegetation along the sides with large clumps of water hiyanths scattered in the waterway. There is some industry within sight and a new Japanese bridge being built linking villages on opposite banks. Crops of corn, livestock, temples, shanties with their water hose dipping into the river, some new concrete homes of the prosperous, old fishing boats, a few sand barges, and fish farms. I see little traffic to detract from the tranquility of the river.
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By Pat, ago

Phnom Penh “I can’t imagine worse traffic anywhere else in the world.” 9-10 January 2015

Cambodians could be world's best driving instructors.

Cambodians could be world’s best driving instructors.

To say Phnom Penh traffic is crazed and its drivers suicidal would be an understatement of enormous proportions. In this city of two and a half million people, most of them are on scooters, in tuk-tuks, atop cargo-ladened trucks, or driving shiny new cars. To transit from Point A to Point B is to make critical decisions, to understand Cambodian logic and philosophy, to be willing to map your Route C with courage, and a trust in Buddha. All of which cannot guarantee safe passage. (more…)

By Pat, ago

Climbing the Temples of Angkor Wat – Siem Reap Cambodia. 6-8 January 2015

Bayon's South Gate lined with demons and gods.The devil in me chose a demon.

Bayon’s South Gate lined with demons and gods.The devil in me chose a demon.

I have read about and seen photos of the Angkor Wat Archeological Site, but nothing prepared me for the size, complexity and grandeur of its temple ruins. I was unaware that this complex is as big as the city of San Diego and contains over 110 individual temples built over six centuries. Thus, temple architecture and design is as varied as the personalities of the Khmer kings who built them. Many temples were dedicated to Hindu gods but over time were converted to Buddhism, while others started out Buddhist and later all images of Buddha were chipped away or adapted to convert the temple to Hinduism. After the 16th century, the temples and the country peacefully adopted Theravāda Buddhism. (more…)

By Pat, ago

Siem Reap, Cambodia. 5 January 2015

DSC04748I learned today that Royal Gardens are relative. Some rather poor, dusty and dull trees, a spout of water, and an empty garbage-strewn fountain a royal park do not make. The beautiful temple, where costumed youth are posing for professional photos, makes for an interesting pause. The men and their harmonious instruments add reality to the fact I am in Siem Reap. Drawn to the screeches in the trees, I look for the monkeys but instead note that the sounds come from numerous large bats. Countless motorbikes, rickshaws and bicycles zoom amid honking cars and trucks. All traffic seems to move slowly. Good thing as there are very few traffic lights and a smattering of stop signs, most of which just suggest as action to be contemplated by drivers. There appears to be no rules to driving when it comes to direction, passing, turning, or right of way. (more…)

By Pat, ago

Good Ole Days of Flying

It is a new flying world and I have to adjust.

Flying is not what it used to be. I have fond memories of flights taken during the 1970s and 80s, less so in the 90s and certainly fewer fond memories since the turn of the century.

 

IMG_1391-0.JPGI remember flying with a jade tree. I was taking a large Crassula ovata to my sister in Indiana. It was fragile and I didn’t want to check it. So I took it onto the plane with me. I strapped it into the adjacent seat and we flew to Chicago together. It didn’t occur to me that it would probably freeze to death there, but we did have a nice flight.

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By Pat, ago