I am getting Déjà Vu

We are back in Bangkok, enjoying the aircon'd 7-11's. This is likely to be our last time here for a while so we are trying to squeeze in a trip to all of our favourite places, and a few new ones, before we leave on Tuesday.









Yesterday we spent most of the day lost in Chaturchuk market which managed to feel bigger than ever. We still managed to find our top cafe in the middle.

On our first night back we squeezed in a trip to see Guardians of the Galaxy at one of Bangkok's massive cinemas. No multiplex mini screen for us here the screens are nearly all IMAX size at the big cinemas on top of the shopping malls.






We didn't purchase one if the incredibly expensive novelty mugs but they were amazing, they were cooler than some of the toys in the shops.

Saigon

Back in Bangkok, our three days in Saigon and three weeks in Vietnam went so fast.

Saigon is busy, loud and huge.  There are so many motor bikes, a really unbelievable amount of motor bikes. Saigon is dominated by the bikes, you can always hear the buzz and beep, you are always on the look out for a safe spot to cross the road or avoiding bikes using the pavement as a parking spot. Saigon will not be winning any relaxing city break awards but the energy of the bikes is also a (very obvious sorry) metaphor for the energy of the city. When I rushed through Vietnam ten years ago Saigon was one of the few places in Asia that scared me, it was very dirty, everyone seemed to be running a scam, and I was glad to be getting out fast. Over the last few days we have walked across the city day and night, and felt very safe (except from death by Vespa). We have visited old, crowded temples, and taken in the view from hypermodern sky scrappers. There is building work all over the city and businesses operating from every possible space. Saigon is a city full of energy.

On our last day we visited the War Remnants Museum, we both find it a difficult decision to visit this kind of Museum as we question why we are going. We think it is important to remember that no mater the politics of a conflict real people are hurt on all sides and lives are ruined for a long time to come. Vietnam seems to be moving past this history, it is a shame that in other places the same lesson is being repeated today.

On a much lighter note we sat in one of the parks later in the same afternoon and chatted to a group of students for nearly an hour. We have been constantly amazed at the level of English language proficiency in Vietnam. Almost everyone that we have met, even in the smallest shop has spoke a little English. We have also had a number of very complex conversations with people who have just wanted to chat, this was the case with the students in the park where the topic stretched from Japanese animation to the Scottish accent via Italian Soda.



We had some amazing food in Saigon, but also some amazing food experiences. One of our highlights was a meal at Temple Club resturant on our first day there. After dodging bikes and noise across town we weren't sure if we would find the restaurant but we spotted a small sign pointing down a long passage. After going up a flight of stairs we went into a wood panelled, colonial era decorated club, that was cool and quiet. The food and drinks were delicious but the surroundings give a glimpse of another side (and time) of Saigon, it was almost surreal. Amongst our other culinary finds was a Japanese restaurant so authentic we forgot we were in Vietnam and an Indian restaurant that did the best Dosa we have had in a long time.

Saigon (or HCMC) was a bit of a sensory overload but once we found the best place to cross the road (tip - everywhere and nowhere, just go and let them go round) it had a lot of surprises.

Mui Ne catch up

Just one more stop to cover before we are up to date in Saigon/HCMC.

Mui Ne




We had caught another sleeper train (more comfortable the the last one) from Da Nang to Nah Trang and then picked up at the station by the hotel's driver who transferred us to the hotel. A five hour transfer will always seem very long after a night on a train (or plane) but it was a modern car with working AC and good suspension, the driver was even very careful by South East Asia standards and didn't partake in the game of double lorry chicken. Five hours on bad roads (the good road was being repaired the whole way) after a night in a train is less amusing. Five hours of the same V-Pop CD after a night on a train left us both a little slack jawed and dribbling (why so very very loud).

We went to Mui Ne because we wanted to see the sea once on this trip (we did get to the beach near Hoi An but we hadn't planned that). Mui Ne has a beautiful beach, with very little trash and a very low hawker count (two I think).


We sat under a tree and had a read for a few mornings.

The Mui Ne highlight was probably Iron Man/Rocket Man.

Play Aqua-rocketman Video

I can't really describe it any better than that video, he was amazing. If you fancy giving it a go it was $50 (I don't like sea water much so I watched from dry land but if they get hover boards working I'm there).

We stayed at the very appropriately named Mui Ne Hills hotel, the steep hill was worth the view and the very refreshing breeze. We had breakfast each morning looking out from the terrace of the bar/restaurant (again appropriately named Breeze). They also did a really mean Veggie Pizza.

We have discovered a new delicious drink that has replaced coffee, Italian soda. It is basically really thick fruit cordial topped up with soda water. This may not be news to anyone else but it is new to us and amazing on a hot day.







On our last night in Mui Ne we sat on the balcony, with the super moon reflected in the sea, trying to catch a glimpse of the meteors.

Mui Ne may not be our top beach destination but you can't complain about seeing a super hero and doing a bit of star gazing.

Hoi An catch up

Err so we are now in Saigon, I mean Ho Chi Minh City, no I mean Saigon, well the locals don't seem to know what it is called so how can I do any better.

When we last posted we had just arrived in Hoi An having done the very scenic trip from Hue over the Hai Van pass, the one they did on Top Gear. We had the same driver as the previous day so we stopped to take a few photos, and had lunch together at Great Veggie place we found in Da Nang.







We also stopped off at the rather tacky Marble Mountain on the way past, not amazing but it was only 90p to get in and some of the carvings were impressive.

We spent a rather luxurious five nights in Hoi An buying custom tailored clothes, and having massages.



Morning juice with flower on the glass!

Hoi An is a nicely preserved old town about half way down the Vietnamese coast. It has an unusual history in that it was a major trading and commerce site until the river silted up and the traders moved on. This history of over seas trading has left the town with a mixture of Chinese, Japanese, French, and Vietnamese building styles whilst much of the old town is frozen without a lot of modern development. Part of the old town is also, sort of, pedestrianised making it very pleasant to just wander around, even at night.
















We stopped one afternoon to have a drink at one of the coffee shops, sound familiar, totally at random we walked into Reaching Out Cafe (we choose it because the walls are turquoise). It was a great choice, there are lots of other reviews on the web so I won't repeat too much but we had some beautiful drinks, and a contemplative moment in a very peaceful setting. If you are in Hoi An (or Vietnam for that matter) find this little place.










The delay in posts is partly due to relaxing too much in Hoi An but also due to the really bad internet access in Mui Ne so that will be tomorrow's catchup post.

Imperial tombs - Hue

Sorry about the inconsistent spacing of the last few blog posts, I really wanted to post this last night but ran out of time due to our rather busy evening. More on that later.

Yesterday morning we hired a driver to take us to the Imperial Tombs just outside of Hue. We could have saved a few pounds by going on a group tour but due to the heat the last few days we opted for the comfort of the aircon with driver. This was a great choice as yesterday was even hotter, the heat index on the internet said it was 45 degrees and there was a lot of walking around the tomb complexes. The three tombs were very different from each other and all very impressive. Very hard to describe without photos (which I can't seem to get off my camera without a laptop) but well worth visiting when in Hue.

Our driver's name was Nin and he was able to tell us a bit about the tombs but a lot more about life generally in Vietnam. It was great to get such a personal insight into the country.






After getting out of the sun for a few hours were had a last wander around Hue. We sat for a while waiting for the sun to set, having a drink, watching the crowds of the docks and listening to a local Blues band warming up on one of the Dragon Boats.




After waiting patiently for the light to reach just the right point and the bridge to light up I was about to make a few photographs when over came a Vietnamese girl who wanted to practice her English. This, as I think that we have mentioned before, is a regular occurrence in Vietnam but rather than the five minutes of Q and A that we normally get this time we were chatting for over an hour. Similar to our morning with Nin we found out so much about Vietnam, strangely similar to the UK when it comes to teenage love lives and job hunting. We were both asleep on our feet by the time we got back to the hotel and we still had to pack.

I missed my photograph.

Big sun over Big C(itadel)

On Friday we got lightly roasted in Hue.

We set out early to try and avoid the midday sun but the Imperial Citadel is rather big and even hugging the shade we were feeling the sun. The Citadel is beautiful and the varying states of repair give an interesting perspective to the history of the site. The palace was only moved to Hue in the early 1800's but Vietnam has seen so much upheaval since then that it has taken it's toll. Palace intrigue, European invaders, a World War, kicking out the European invaders and a pivotal role in the war with the USA, have all left their mark. Slowly the site is being restored bit by bit to its former glory but hopefully the history isn't completely plastered over. At present the renovated buildings and gardens nicely illustrate how grand the palaces would have been whilst the older sections help stop it feeling like a theme park. 

After getting cooked we decided it was time for another shower and rest, so naturally I went for a massage. It was a nice massage but it was also the oddest massage I have ever had, never before have I had my hair washed and then a comb used to massage my scalp. This whilst listening to the elevator musak version of 80's power ballads. My hair is very soft now though.

Aimee's friends while I was getting my hair washed

After getting toasted today and munched by midges in a park a few days ago we have been trying to find a pharmacy where we could recognise the products. After failing for the last few days we spotted a Big C on our map. Big C being a South East Asian supermarket chain we thought it would be a good bet for all of our pharmacy needs. Visiting super markets whist travelling might sound a bit mundane but we always enjoy comparing how similar they are in different countries, as far as we can tell you can get brand name Cornflakes and Cheese Singles in every country in the world. Our favourite surprise on this trip to Big C was the man pushing a stack of trolleys up the escalator. 

We finished off the day at Take a Japanese restaurant that was so authentic that we nearly forgot where we were, it had fake cherry blossom inside and side doors.


The view from our balcony.

Goodbye Hanoi, hello night train.

Appologies for the lack of posts for the last few days, this was not due to a busy travel schedule but rather that when we sat down to relax I got sucked down a Wikipedia rat hole.

I started writing this post and realised that we had done more than I had thought so I will start with a speed round then dig in with a few more details:

Water Puppet show (amazing)

Temple of Literature (pretty but too busy, and hot)

Lenin Park (quiet, tidy, shady, pleasant)

Enthographic Museum of Vietnam (interesting, detailed)

Night train to Hue (comfortable enough)

Our last few days in Hanoi were mainly spent wandering Hanoi's tiny lanes, and watching life on the street. Like many places in Asia a lot of local life in Hanoi happens out on the streets and in public places. This makes it a great place to pull up a plastic chair, order a coffee and take in what is going on around you (it doesn't hurt that the coffee is about 50p a glass). We found a great spot, that we went back to a few times, where we could watch the cyclo (reverse bicycle rickshaw) tours come past. The range of expressions on the other tourists faces went from terrified to sleepy via highly amused. The effect was hightened by the group tours which would snake past us, sometimes ten to twelve bikes longand block the whole road for several minutes. I was rather glad not to be pedalling the cyclo myself as the sweat would be pouring off the drivers. 

We also had a ride on a cyclo ourselves after walking a bit too far to Lenin Park via a detour in a housing area of tiny alley ways. It was a hugely enjoyable (if guilt inducing) way to travel across the city. As you have likely heard there are no real road rules in Hanoi and at first sight the traffic is nothing short of unfathomable. But then, a strange logic filters in where all of the road users share the space and watch out for what they are doing. I have no hard and fast evidence for this but it seems as if by keeping moving slowly everyone gets to where they are going faster. Anyway back to the cyclo, we were able to witness all of this crazy vehicular dance up close from the front seat whilst our driver squeezed us through improbable gaps and accompanied by his manic laughter (which I put down to the fact that our hotel was slightly up hill from Lenin Park). 

At the other end of the adrenaline scale was the wonderful Water Puppet Show. I can not recommend this show enough, yes the dialogue was in Vietnamese but the music and puppetry effects were unique and told a humorous story. Some of the movements of the puppets (specifically the fish) created a very life like effect.

In a similar Vietnamese culture veign the Ethnographic museum had some really interesting and original displays and was well explained in English (possibly too wordy but I like facts so it was great for me). The museum covers in some detail the different cultures that live around Vietnam and gives illustrations of the different ways of life. The most unusual of the exhibits, for me, was the architecture garden when there are at last ten full size structures to really show how the different groups have (and in many cases still do) lived. 

That just leaves us with the night train. As night train's go, not too bad. Quiet, cleanish, on timeish, slightly hard bed. I enjoy the experience of sleeper trains, I'm not totally sure why, I know they are not for everyone. I find getting rocked to sleep and the idea of getting on in one city and off the next day in another fun. Try it once, possibly on Amtrac in the USA, it is a bit more romantic.

A ramble around Hanoi

This morning's breakfast deserves a mention if only for the tasty (fly and ant free) fruit, but the noodle soup was even better.

We spent the morning wandering around the French Quarter, enjoying the wider pavements and grander buildings. Several foreign embassies have set up camp in the area and are helping to keep the older buildings from falling into total disrepair, but the South East Asian climate is still taking its toll.

We hit a big maze-like market building after a coffee break and came across the unusual site of an indoor fountain complete with koi carp. This water feature seems to be something of a local meeting spot as there were groups of all ages slouched on sacks or boxes of goods enjoying a rest and a chat, there was even a drinks seller offering refreshments.

The air in the market was a little stuffy, probably due the glass roof and towers of fabrics, so we left in search of fresher air. The market is nestled amongst the twisted lanes of Hanoi's Old Quarter so our attention was often drawn away from an on coming motor bike by a store full specialising in unusual metalwork, dried plants or circular saw blades. There was even a store filled entirely with counterfeit Lego.

About time to stop for another coffee.

We lost track of the afternoon wandering around the very communist parks and gardens just past the old quarter and ended up sat under a tree by a large lake wondering where the day had gone.

Hung Khoi and Anh

We arrived in Hanoi today. The last time I came here was on a rather abortive visit more than ten years ago...

Don't you just love the vagueries of the internet, you sit and type out a blog post full of humour, wit, and insight (and lacking spelling mistakes), then you try to upload it and poof, it's gone.

After that kind of disaster it is hard to regain your train of thought.

Rather than the three days that I spent using Vietnam as a transit route when I was here last (long story that I did type out but the internet ate, maybe I will try again later in the week if I get enough requests), Aimee and I are going to take a more sensible pace and stop in just a few locations for several days.

Although today has been wet and overcast Hanoi has still managed to show through. It is old, and crumbly, but still beautiful. The are tree lined streets and small pieces of interesting building poking out from behind neon billboards. It is weirdly European.

The traffic is as mad as everyone told us but crossing the street is easier than Bangkok.

If I can get the photos up then there might be a post about South East Asian power distribution tomorrow, but for now We are off to sleep, we didn't get a single coffee stop today.

Hof Art Now

The Bangkok traffic hasn't got any better. This taxi managed to block the five lane road outside the hotel for five minutes with a very ill timed U-turn. 

We spent yesterday with local boy Jim so we took in a few more unusual sights. Including a detor through this Japanese shopping mall. 

Then a stop off at a small coffee shop that serves Soya milk. 

We spent most of the afternoon checking out an indie Art gallery called Hof Art Now.

We got chatting to one of the curators of the gallery, for anyone who does a bit of art and goes to indie galleries in far off lands this is a surprisingly normal occurrence. After checking out some of the interesting bits in the gallery and the artsy area around the gallery we headed off for a chill out by the pool.

We didn't actually go in the pool due to the weather, see rain clouds behind by very wooden pose in the photo underneath. We chatted to some of Jim's friends, including C who it was great to meet again. As usual C cooked us some amazing food.

 For all of our relatives concerned re: Jim's health hopefully this picture demonstrates his good heath and cheer. Also not the steak promotion behind his head, £2 for a steak dinner!

We have just spent another pleasant day today with Jim checking out the Thailand happiness festival, very happy, and drinking more coffee.

Tomorrow Vietnam.

Back, seems like it's been for EVA

Back in Bangkok, so very humid, was it this humid before?

I was feeling a little grim when we boarded the plane yesterday, I think it was the common bug endoftermfluenza, so wasn't looking forward to 12 hours in a Pringles tube. I think the airline fairy's were smiling on us though as we were given emergancy exit seats, we had so much leg room I could have had a nap on the floor. We had the pleasure of flying with EVA Air the Taiwanese airline. The plane was very clean and well maintained, and the flight staff were very smartly dressed and attentive, the food however was very close to inedible. Interestingly EVA are the consumer arm of Evergreen container shipping.

After the Taiwanese efficiency we were very surprised that getting across the Thai boarder was equally as efficient. We were at our hotel in central Bangkok about an hour after getting off the plane.

So far we have raised three different sets of eyebrows with our very minimal luggage. For our four week trip we are only carrying small backpacks each, so small that both could fit into the box the airlines use to check the size of airline carry on bags. The lady who checked us onto the plane gave an audible noise of surprise when she realised just how little luggage we were carrying. Time will tell if we have over done the packing light.

We have just finished our first ice coffee, after a very sweaty walk around Lumpini Park. Now we are off to meet up with my brother who is going to take us to a new, aircon'ed, art gallery. It really is very humid.

Sunny, Sunny Spain

It has been nearly two years to the day since our last blog post. I suppose we left the blog a bit up in the air. Our last post told of our voyage to our final destination on our round the world trip, China. One day we may even post the blogs from China.

Since our return home we have moved house twice, welcomed the newest addition to our family; Burrito, maintained employment for longer than a year and continued to travel, albeit a little bit closer to home and for a lot less time than we might desire!

We still both have itchy feet to travel and are currently planning our trip when we have a month off in the summer.

We have decided to start blogging again more for the memories ourselves, I quite often have flashbacks to our big trip and check the blog to remember where it was that we had that amazing dish or stayed it that random hostel.

For now we will post from our latest trip- Murcia, Spain. We stayed in the village of Covera with Matt’s Mom and Dad (the trip was a Christmas present, for which we are very grateful). The holiday was not a normal one for us, no weird and wonderful modes of transport (just the local bus) or dingy hotel rooms in remote places (very modern and pleasant apartment block!), just a relaxing sunny family holiday, just what we needed to keep us going to the next trip!

Matt just cannot get enough of Doors!

Enjoying the morning view (and sun!)

Matt in full relaxation mode.

Corvera Golf Course

Looking out over the dusty fields

Los Alcazares

Corvera is a sleepy town

Pastel painted walls

Surprised by the procession

That looked heavy

Still dry

Cracked it after one shot

Good Friday Procession in Murcia

Everyone of the costumes is stuffed with sweets

Sunday market in Corvera

Medieval festival

Salt flats near lo Pagan

Sun setting behind the 19th hole

Yet another festival, this time first day of summer

Another procession

The smallest horse got the biggest cheer

Silk worms?

Making bread on a float

Cartagena