Getting Settled

I have moved into my new home, a group house in Phnom Penh. At present there are only two others, a girl and a guy, both out here for six months as well. More housemates to arrive in September. I have started working and am currently learning the ins and outs of the business-this is a horrible pun, but I am trying to find some kind of black humour to get me through what I am going to see here. So far looking at basic operational issues and enjoying being at a workplace where they sing and dance in the afternoons and sometimes play Bob Marley tunes. Across the street is a house where they make flip flops and everyone is high on glue. Good times.

In town, there are options: Huge local markets, with Khmer food, but also many fancy western cafes with $3.00 coffees and pancakes and muffins. I saw a street vendor selling dead tarantulas for snacks the other day. An expat friend described eating one, crunchy legs, but eating the body he said "took some getting used to." Right: While I am embracing this experience, that is one thing I will never do. Ahh, but never say never, right? In other firsts, I have been riding on the back of moto taxis, which I thought would be too scary, but is in fact so much fun. In the words of Sheryl Crow, a change will do you good.

First and Last Impressions

Sapa, Vietnam, where street gangs of Black Hmong ladies in full tribal costume harangue you the moment you descend from the minibus at 7 AM. They are selling bracelets and purses, which is very much what you are wanting after a mostly sleepless night on a train and before you've had a coffee. They are just trying to make an honest buck and have benefited greatly from the tourist influx. Aside from the hard sell, Sapa is stunning country in northern Vietnam and any visit would not, in my mind, be complete without seeing those mountains. The mountains themselves are not massive, but they are unusual, as mountains go, very green and pointy. Plus the area is so different from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi and Saigon, making it well worth the trip. The trails are not great and if it rains, which it did when I was there, it is very slippery. But with the rains come moody low clouds and very pretty fog. And there is a crazy mud slide thing you must cross and you feel like you'll plunge any minute into the gorge below. Which you might. The overnight train to Lao Cai is an experience itself--you don't get much sleep, as the train is noisy and bumpy, but then you have three strangers sleeping in the same small cabin, so maybe for the best?

Anyway, that was the end of my time in Vietnam and I am currently in Siem Reap, Cambodia, home of the famous Angkor Wat. The Temples-they are lovely, impressive, and amazing achievements. But I am afraid-and I hate to say this-that I have discovered I am not really a temple kind of girl. I liked them very much, but was more enthralled by the elephants galloping by. But I will surely be back during my time here and maybe a temple or two at sunrise will change my mind. I may have sightseeing fatigue. The town of Siem Reap itself is worth several visits, as so many good restaurants and great people watching. Some odd slightly off-putting sights as well: One street performer had a stunt where he placed his child, a two year old or so, on his shoulders and the baby stood unsupported for about ten seconds. Then the man took up a collection for this "trick". Stuff like this bothers me, but things are that way here. I intend on being a patient observer, at least for the time being. Place your bets for how long that lasts.

Tomorrow to Phnom Penh. Home.

A Day in Hue (this rhymes)

I've spent the past few days in Hue. Hue is remarkably hot and the heat is not interrupted, as it is in Saigon, by welcome afternoon rains. Thankfully, the cyclo guys are never far away and always happy to see me, as I think I overpay every time. In terms of sightseeing, while my guidebook touted the restaurants and history, the most interesting thing I saw was an outdoor market I discovered by chance when I got lost my first day. It is near or on An Duong Vuong, in the opposite direction from the Perfume River. Ladies selling every kind of fish, vegetable, and meat, all in the open air. While I think it spurred me to become a vegetarian while over here, it is how people grocery shop when there is no Tescos or Fresh Fields. These photos are the ladies at the market. They seemed flattered and mostly happy to have their photos taken, though a couple ladies wanted a dollar and one rather aggressively wanted my water bottle.

Perfume River

In Saigon, there is an art to crossing the streets, of walking slowly and deliberately, and not panicking at the sight of dozens of oncoming motorbikes bearing down on you. I had to watch people before I tried it myself. The key is not to run, the bikes go around you. But yesterday, I took a break from walking and instead toured the city's museums in a cyclo, similar to the one pictured here. My driver stayed awake most of the time, unlike this guy (that is not me). My driver's name was Nam. Aside from the guy in the photo, everyone here is very busy, making, cooking, or selling something. Or driving around on their motorbikes. My Mekong River tour guide explained that without a motorbike, you don't have much of a life in Saigon. 8 million people, 4 million motorbikes. And counting.

Today I am in Hue, which is a different world from Saigon. Sitting next to me on the plane here was a Vietnamese woman, Mrs. Tran, who was going home to visit her 89 year old mother. It's a small world, as Mrs. Tran lives in Leesburg, VA and has for the past 18 years. We had a nice chat, she works as a cashier in the Giant, she was tired as had been on the phone til 3 AM talking to her husband's sister. She got kind of teary eyed as we landed in Hue. I don't think she'd been home for three years and she had lost her husband in the meantime. She explained that last time she visited, he did all the work and she just did what he said. But this time, she is having to do everything herself and she is working very hard. Nice lady, Mrs. Tran. I hope she has a good visit.