Olivia Jane Lorenc is about to make her way into this world and we, Cherie and myself are leaving for Vietnam, Cambodia on an cruise-adventure-trip from the second of October to October 19th.
I booked this trip over a year ago before Meagan and Ryan wed and obviously before their pregnancy and the upcoming birth of their first child and our first grandbaby. Exciting stuff and sorry we’ll be on the road, morelike, in the air at this momentous occasion.
We arrived in Saigon-Ho Chi Minh City. A pleasant 15 hour fight. I slept for 7, read and watched travel videos, but customs took 2 and a half hours to get through.
For a reason I can’t figure out, my pictures are not uploading.
Since we arrived, we did a walk about seeing the Ho Chi Minh post office, the Notra Dame Cathedral, “book street”, which is a two city block alley with book stalls of books in everylanguage imaginable.
Yesterday, Sunday we had a tour of the city, Saigon by bus. We are now with six friends and joined the Amawater ways group. As a group we lunched at a traditional Vietnamese restaurant and it was stupendous. One of yhe best meals i’ve had anywhere though don’t ask what it all was because I’m not sure! lol
After lunch we visited the saignon war museum complete with USA tanks, planes, helicopters and vivid photos and transcripts of the atrocious times of the war! And then, the most fascinating tour of Vietnamese tunnels that helped protect the city of Saigon. A prominent US 2 star general upon getting the full sophistication of the complex tunnel sytem that covered miles and miles underground said, and I quote: *I saw the first several blocks of tunnels and realized then and there, we could not win this war!”
Tuesday, October 7th
Overnight cruised to Cai Be. Last night we listened to and witnessed traditional Vietnamese music, dance and song and believe it or not, i drank too much. I did manange to hit yoga at 6:30 this morning. Today excursion to historic pre-colonial Kiet House to view priceless ceramics and antiquities. Then we sail to Sa.Dec and small boat through Cai Dai Temple and boar through water market.
Still Tuesday, Oct 7th…interesting facts I’ve learned about Virtnam:100 million people in the country. 13. 5 million people in Saigon
/ Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in the country. 8.4 million scooters in the city. They, locals consider their country Communist with a capitalist economy. They are the 3rd biggest producer of coffee, and rice. Their government has made education a top priority starting with Ho Chi Minh in 1975. Education is free to all. Health and medical benefits will be completely free by 2030. It’s mostly free now. All the Vietnamese people we’ve met so far have been warm and friendly.
As a nation they boarder three often aggressive nations: China, who dominated and occupied them for a 1,ooo years. The Laos, who have attacked and made life difficult, and of course the Cambodians, who terrorized them for years. All things considered, Vietnamese culture and their future looks fairly bright. And we’re.having a wonderful time!
Day 5 Wednesday , Oct 8th
Tan chau. A small MeKong River town un touristed. A traditional “xe-lori”, trishaw ride to silk making and rattan mat workshop. And then a short boat ride to “Evergreen island” to explore Tra Su Forest and sanctuary. These are the bones of the day. I’ll embellish later. Afterwarda, onward to Phen Penh, Cambodia.
Day 6, Thursday, October 9th
We cruise into Cambodia and the capital, Phnom Penh. This is the third day in a row i’ve done yoga on the sundeck at 6:30 a.m. The tiny , 4′ 10ish, 85 lbsish Vietnamese wellness coordinator, Vy is attempting to lossen me and a handful of other clients before we hit the streets touring. She’s incredible! After coffee we visited the Royal Palace, and the spectacular Silver Pagoda, and many other gold statues. During the civil war from 1975 to 1979 many golden statues were taken by the Khmer Rouge. Following that we visited the National Museum and the many Buddha and Hindu statues. Some date back to 12th and 13th centuries. Like the gold snd silver statues in the Palace, many of their historic religious artifacts were stolen and or broken by the Khmer Rouge. They have a massive governmental project of piecing some of these historic statues back together. After the war art historians have found pieces all over Cambodia and other south east asian countries and some have been returned
This afternoon we visit Khmer Rouge’s grim Tupl Sleng ( S21 Detention.Cener) and the ” Killing Fields”.
Tonite’s entertainment will be Khmer children performing traditional dances aboard our AmaDara ship.
It’s crazy what humankind is capable of. Pot Pol killed, massacred between 1.7 and 3 million people. The Killing Field and S21 were incredibly evil and sobering. Like Nazi Germany, the extinction of people… how can it be. This was 1975 to 1979. Like the camps in Germany, this has left me numb!
Friday, October 10th
Our group of some odd 20 people attended a Buddhist Blessing ceremony in one of the largest of the 388 Monasteries in Cambodia. We climbed the 409 steps to the highest temple in Phonon Phen. The spiritual side of a country that has Pot Pol, and the killing fields on one hand, and the beautiful, sacred monasticism of Theravada Buddhism on the other hand.
Oudong is the town that the 17th century monastery. After a lunch back onboard, and changing into one of three shirts I will wear today we enjoyed a Tuk Tuk transport down Monivong Boulevard, Independence Monument, Siganouk Statue, and explored the city if Phnom Peng. 2.4 million scooters and 70, 000 automobiles
We briefly stopped at another impressive monastery, Wat Phnom.
Tonight we dine at the Chef’s Table to celebrate the birthday of a dear traveling companion’s, Theresa.
Saturday, October 11th
We cruise up the MeKong to Oknhatey and the confluence of theee rivers. This is one of only two rivers that actually changes directions twice a year. We will visit a Silk Village, called “Silk Island” and a local school.
Silk Island , located on the lush banks of the Mekong River, is known for its rich tradition of silk weaving. We get a first hand look at the process- from the mulberry – chomping silkworms in cocoons to the complex manuel loom- weaving. We sailed onto Ankorwat a very small agracultural community that also did some silk weaving.
Sunday, October 12th Ankorwat to Siem Reap
After breakfast we did a guded walk around the Buddhist Monastery and agracultural village of AnkorWat. We stopped by a traditional home, built on stilts. Animals stay down stairs and the family lives upstairs. This little community floods during the rainy season, so everything stays dry upstairs.
We left for Siem Reap 10:00 am. There will be a mountain excursion after we arrive following lunch.
Day 10 Monday, October 13th Kampong Cham Siem Reap
Disembarked ship and transfered to Kampong Cham, Siem Reap. Checked into a fabulous hotel. We have an hour until a briefing and then an excursion.
My favorite temple tour, Ta Prohm Temple, featured in Indiana Jones and the Tomb Raiders. 12th century spralling grounds with over grown foliage in among the massive rock structures, and giant trees with roots sprouting in, through and hugging the rock roofs and walls. Known locally as “Kingdom of the Trees”. In th late 13th century and early 13th a million people live in this sacred area along with over a thousand monks. Tomorrow we visit Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, built by King Suryavarman II also in the 12th century, but this was to honor the Hindu god Vishnu.
37 years to construct, Angkor Wat lived up to its billing. 70,000 Monks lived here in the 13th century and a million people occupied this area in its heyday. The panoramic views from the third and top level were incredible. On each level there were four pools that captured the rain to provide fresh water, cooling and at one point bathing for the King. They also represented the four elements of earth, water, air and wind.
We enjoyed a swim in the pool before leaving for the sfternoon excursion to Chong Knead Floating village, one of theost wel-known communities along Tonie Sap Lake. The lake village clearly shows how these people have lived on this lake for years.
Tonight we have a private Apsara Dancing show before an authentic Cambodian dinner.
Tuesday, October 14th Siem Reap to Hanoi
Mom and I are blowing off the last Temple tour. A bit templed out, but really none could beat the last two temples, both in Indiana Jones “Tomb Raiders.”
Packed up, going to grab some coffee and check out Siem Reap before we head to the airport at 1:30 for the hour flight to Hanoi.
Wednesday, October 15th and 16th Hanoi
A cool city of historic and modern mixed architecture. The French influence is evident and the old district is wild and vibrant and Bohemian.
Viewed oldest Buddhist Pagoda in Hanoi, the Hanoi Hilton- torture prison of the late John McCain and other POWs. And watched an ancient Vietnamese water puppet show.
Tomorrow we head to Ha Long Bay
Thursday, October 17th Ha Long Bay
We left Hanoi by bus to Ha long Bay. First of all, I can’t say enough about Hanoi. The capital of Vietnam, nicknamed a “City of Peace” by UNESCO. Hanoi is one of the most ancient capitals in the world, and it offers a unique combination of East and West with the ancient and the modern existing side by side. Renowned for its graceful colonial architecture, energetic city streets, verdant parks, tranquil lakes and ancient temples, Hanoi offers a range of historic and cultural landmarks.
Ine hundred miles northeast of Hanoi lies one of Vietnam’s most treasured landmarks: the spectacular Ha Long Bay in the gulf of Tonkin. Known locally as the ” Bay of Descending Dragons,” this UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its dramatic cliffs, thousands of islands and Islets, tranquil water and majestic limestone caves. The natiral beauty makes it a super wonder ending to my adventures in Vietnam, Cambodia.
We spent the night on a small but luxurious ship in the middle of this bay surrounded by by little and big sandstone islands. We took two excursions: 15 or so of the us took a very small ship to *Tiptop Island,” where we climbed the winding 500 steps to the top for magnificent panaramic views. Then we swam in the bay to relieve ourselves of the sweat from hike and humidity. The waters were particularly salty and a guide said these waters produce some of the best tiger prawn and other fisheries in the world Later the same afternoon following a lavish lunch aboard “Paradise Elequence” we boarded wven smaller boats in groups of 8-10 to venture into the secret bays under sandstone caves.
As our boat came through to a secret bay, it reminded me of a pirate adventure story where the pirates found this secluded secret bay to hide their treasure. Surrounded by sandstone peaks from 500 to a 1000 feet high we stopped, fliated a marveled at natural wonder. As we looked around, many macaques monkeys flew through the trees, flying precariously above us from tree to tree. Our oar man and guide said it wasn’t unusual to see a macaque fall from these great heights after a fight with another macaque over the best fruit tree, or miss a branch on a flying leap. They would fall 50, even a 100 feet into the water below and swim safely to the sandstone rocks and climb up to their fellow macaques apparently unhurt.
Friday, October 18th Ha Long Bay
After breakfast, we toured the amazing Luon Caves that wind. up and through some of the highest sandstone islands. Cavernous at moments with all sorts of roolck formations created by centuries of water.
We then bused back to one of the cornerstone icon hotels in Hanoi. The “Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, where the likes of all sorts of luminaries hung their hats, historic people have stayed: Literary genius’ such as Sumerset Maumum, Graham Green( who was a war correspond here). Presidents Bush senior, Clinton, and Eisenhower. Putin, Kings and queens and Jane Fonda, Etc…etc the list goes on and on and on.
I really wish my pics uploaded! Six of us adventured to the commonly known “Train Street”, where three times a day a train rolls way too close to the tables, and bars and restaurants on either side of this colorful two block section of Hanoi. We drank beers and hurriedly moved our tables as the train rumbled too near for comfort.
We ended our night in Hanoi with a nightcap at the elequent way cool hotel bar. I had a Graham Green cocktail, some sort of martini with a dish if raspberry sorbet one could had to enhance its flavor.
We flew out of Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City(Saignon, where our trip began) to catch a 14 hour flight back to San Francisco. We Left SF, originally on the 2nd of October to arrive in Saignon on the 4th due to the crazy time difference. This time we left Saignon at 6:30pm on the 19th of October only to arrive in San Francisco at 6:30pm on October 19th. Crazy travel times. Good night.
ljm22 
Safe travels and congrats. Can’t wait to see the appearance of Olivia Jane Lorenc.
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