The group I went with in the first (and most interesting) group of ruins.
We rented a minivan to take us to these ruins outside of Hue Ann. Here's me with a headless statue.
Crash #4 that i've seen since I started traveling. 1 per week isn't bad. The difference is that I actually saw this one happen. Luckily, it was only a fender bender. (can a scooter and a car really just have a fender bender?)
While I didn't buy a suit, simon did. Yes, I am a little jealous now...
I went on this “island tour” outside of nha trong which was described as “a party atmosphere that you don't want to bring your kids to”. Alas, this was the only “partier” willing to drink early with me.
After a meal, this was the live entertainment. It was as bad as it looks.
What's that you say? You want a video of the live entertainment? Well, if I must...
the tour also boasts that they have a wet bar. I guess it was technically true...
on the streets of saigon, I find even more reasons for gawd to send me to hell.
The highly recommended Cu Chi tunnels!
They also have some interesting art work at the tunnels. painful!
Not sure why they have a gun range at the Cu Chi tunnels, but ya gotta try once.
While in Saigon, I told my current travel buddy that I was going to make the waitresses day by offering to buy her a beer. I figured she'd say 'no' but be happy we asked. Alas, we ended up learning some vietnamese and drinking with her for the rest of the night. And we had breakfast with her the next two days. On our last day, she bought us all t-shirts and was super sad we were leaving. “Kim so sad you leave!” I plan to frame one of the pictures we took and mail them to her.
Some flying bug and a white flower.
Took a 3 day tour on the Mekong
These are the steps to the bungalow where we stayed. That was not our boat.
In the morning, we took a tour of a market. You are looking at a picture of two frogs that have been dead for 0.2 seconds as that guy just smacked their heads together. I'll spare you the picture of him cutting them open with scissors...
On a happier note, my first encounter with a floating market was a kid selling drinks. 7:30am is not too early to start drinking beer!
Playing with the kiddies...
View of Cambodia from Vietnam
While venturing out during out last night in Vietnam, we ran into some kids. They absolutely love it when you take their picture as they all laugh hysterically.
After dinner and a few drinks, we started to wander back to the hotel when we were offered a drink by a local. How can you say no to free shots?
Here's us drinkin'. I showed them pictures from earlier in the day which included a crocodile zoo. He immediately pointed to the salty piece of meet I was snacking on saying, “yes! This!!” so in addition to dog, mark crocodile off my list of things to eat.
And they love cameras...
The next morning, we headed to cambodia via a boat. We stopped at a fish farm where after you throw some food in the fish tank, they go crazy. Because... you know... fish are normally pretty sane the rest of the time...
I can no longer run for political office as this photo proves that i'm a secret closet muslim to our ever-so-smart electorate... *sigh*....
welcome to cambodia! This was the first bug we saw after getting through customs.
For the next few days, i'll be traveling through cambodia and then onto southern thailand. Until then, i'll leave you with the Sarah Palin update: would someone please tell me that this interview was a joke? I mean, this was done after the asinine “alaska is close to russia” comment and this is her answer? Don't you prepare a little better for that?
She also can't name any newspapers or news sources? WTF? This can't be real. Seriously.
Oh, and i can't always respond to emails b/c my sendmail server sucks. I have 20 emails in my outbox waiting for a decent 'net connection. So, sit tight!
4 comments:
That is a pretty rockin suit. You missed out buddy ;)
the "island tour" footage... what a crack up! also, i love the story about you and kim! definitely have to send her the pictures!
i LOOOOOOOOVE saigon, but the cu chi tunnels were the scariest thing ev-er.
Hey, I didn't know you took a trip to my homeland. The only major sight I missed during my 11 week trip from N to S in '98 was the cu chi tunnels. I should have gone, but I was touristed out. I can't believe I left Hoi An without buying anything either, no silk, no tailored anything, but I made up for it in Saigon.
I loved Hanoi, the people were gritty and such a contrast to the quaint colonial layout and architecture. In Hue, I just rented a bicycle and got by just fine. I can't believe you dared to ride solo on a motorbike anywhere in VN. I got two burns to the calves thanks to riding double on a xe honda.
I went to the same water puppet theater because it was in the guidebook. Did you notice it was all white tourists? My friend and I were the only VNese in the audience and it was the only time I felt short in a crowd at 5'3" the whole time I was there.
Now you know the only words I've managed to teach my kids: mot, hai, ba! They're so primed for language too, I wish it came more naturally for me to speak it. So, where are you traveling to next? It's nice the whole not working thing. I got to do it for almost a year before I knocked out 3 babies in 3 years.
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