Vietnam und Kambodscha
Juni/Juli 2008

Temples, nature, nice people and good food. This is the journes through Vietnam and Kambodscha in short words. However, in this vacation I had seen enough temples for quite a long time.  And I was loooking forward to the good old European kitchen. It was a journey into a completely different culture - and perhaps even into one past.

The vacation startet in Vietnam. We flew into Hanoi and experienced this city as very loud. Traffic was simply incomprehensible. To cross the roads you needed a crash-course and traffic rules were only proposals. Everyone drives and honks. Never seen anything like this. But traffic runs. The capital inspired with the oldtown and a wonderful presidential palace. You could feel the spirit of socialism at the Ho-Chi-Minh-mausoleum. Anyway, it was a varied and interesting prelude for the journey.

I defamed the noodle soup for breakfast and we drove scarcely 3 hours east. On the way were innumerable rice fields and people working on the field. So it must have been at home hundred years ago. We drove to Halong Bay, a fascinating place. We entered a boat and experienced the bay. On deck we enjoyed the amazing view on the small green islands, which rose up brusque out of the sea. Beautiful. With a nice meal on the boat and a visit of the cave we started in the evening.

The itinerary  drove us back to Hanoi and further to Hue. The old emperor city and the citadel were damaged badly in the war and are being restored yet. The actual buildings give a good idea of the emperor's era. Altogether a small copy of the forbidden city in Beijing. Hue is not la big city, but has a wonderful backpacker scene. It's lovely to sit down and enjoy the atmosphere at the edge of the perfume river. The emperor's graves are particularly impressing.  They are different, they are huge and they are very special - it's hardto pack it into words.

We drove up the cloud's pass and the next stop were the marble mountains. Then we reached Hoi An. This city pleased me at the best one on the journey. It was cosy and simply had charm. It felt like, there were more than 500 dress makers in this town and the market was extremely busy. Clothes of all kinds as well as food was offered for sale.  In the evening you could sit comfortably in one of the many restaurants of the oldtown and enjoy the atmosphere. That was purelyAsia . Additionaly the town was nlocated near the ocean and the weather almost invited to lay down at the beach. 

We had a daytrip to Qui Nhon ahead of us. Nearly a whole day of driving, about 500km to the south. That was arduous. We saw much of the landscape and of the people's life. Many rice fields, many natural products, but the contact with the country was missing from the driving car. Unfortunately Qui Nhon was not so interesting. A young and ugly city. For tourists very unattractively.

Saigon rounded up the Vietnam part. The city in the south is completely another world compared with Hanoi in the north. One could say, it is a very modern and western orientated city. More cars, but same turbulent traffic. In Saigon the Benh Tan market and the night market inspired. Here in the evening the life pulsates. Anyway, strolling is very hard. The Vietnamese always shout to you and try to grab you, in order to show you their offers. That bugs a little. But you find lot of of nice restaurants to enjoy the evening. I recommend the "Barbecue Garden". At all Barbecue is ingeniously… On the next day we went to the tunnels of Cu Chi. A cruel place during the Vietnam war. Iin addition, very impressively. It was remarkable that I fit even into an original hole of the tunnel system. I would have never thought this. The Mekongdelta fascinated by the size. The river is enormous and it is the separationness, which has special flair. You simply must have experienced the swimming markets and the small channels with the houses.

Cambodia is an actually rich country. But unfortunately Cambodia has a very sad history, which you can feel by talking to the people. They are very nice and have an open mind. Unfortunately cour journey oncentrated concentrated also here on the highlights. Next time I want to feel more of the spirit on the country. We nevertheless stayed here clearly longer than the average tourist and twe also had the chance to explore the country side.

We started in Phnom Penh. The city located at the river Mekong is touristic. Unfortunately an ugly fence stands at the Riverfront, so that you have to enjoy dinner without the river. But some bars invited to have dinner and a drink. The king's palace is a jewel. The pomp and gloss is impressing and also the Silver Pagoda is astonishing. Otherwise the city offers not very much besides the national museum with the various exhibits.

One of the old capitals of Khmer empire was Angkor Borei. But today you don't see even much of it left. Takeo is today rather a sleepy town. But a boat trip on the channels to Phnom Da is highly recommended. You can experience the country and the way of life in Cambodia there. At Phnom Da is an old temple, and there we had the first real contact to people who are living the "country style". All were very friendly and were amused about the „long noses “. After a few minutes, I had a new friend at my side, a small boy who was impressed of my digital camera. Back in Phnom Penh we stopped at the Killing Fields. The probably saddest chapter of this country. But it's a part of history.

We took the car to Kampong Thom. You once again had the chance to study country and people. The fields are farmed still with water buffalos and rice planting is still very important. Around Kampong Thom you can try various delicate meals: Spiders, grasshoppers, frogs… I tried the grasshoppers and was surprised. It was ok! The town did not offer much, only a rather simple hotel.

We continued to go to another sunk capital: Isanapure. Only since a few years accessible. This was real Cambodia. Temples in the jungle and no one was there. Even not many people of Cambodia had ever had the chance to see these temples. The trip ended in Siem Reap, to Angkor. Siem Reap is a cultural shock. Many tourists fly in, in order to see the temples. And downtown they have a bar street, a restaurant road, a night market and various tourist offers. Who would like to visit a really good restaurant, I recommend „Dead Fish “- great!

Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom are absolutely fascinating. The old capital of the Khmer empire more than 900 years ago is overwhelming. We had 35°C, but it was low season. Thus only a few tourists were there and we had the opportunity to enjoy the temples. Angkor Thom is mystique. 216 Bramah heads look from the temple into the jungle. Angkor Wat impresses through the monumental size. In the jungle temple Ta Prohm they made the movie „Tomb Raider “ and you feel the past times by seeing the trees growing over the walls. At Preah Ko you go through a labyrinth of courses. Each temple is unique and everyone is still astonishing. It's not possible to see Angkor on one day. We stayed there for two days and it was nearly impossible. Take your time and you'll feel the spirit. And I recommend a guide to hear all the stories from the past!

After Siem Reap we relaxed at the beach of Sihanoukville. Unfortunately the place is with three hours of drive of Phnom Penh rather far away, but the beaches are beautiful. So far I still I've never seen a beach that was swept twice a day -  at the Sokha Beach reality. Cause of low season, there were not many people at the beach. A dream! Highly recommended is also Serendipity Beach. There are bungalows for small money directly at the sea. And there is once again this very special backpacker's scene. The taverns have their tables on the beach and you sit in basket chairs at the ocean. Additionaly a beer costs 1 US-$! Life can be great!

The final destinantion on our trip was Hong Kong. I expected much. But Hong Kong did not convince me. The airport is spectacular. On the Esplanade you have a beautiful view to the skyscrapers, especially at night.Really impressing. Moreover you have to see "The Peak". A view you won't forget. Be sure to walk around The Peak! Marvellous prospects. The shopping possibilities of this city are - besides some special sales - rather moderate. The shopping centres enormous, but the prices have often homeland level. For a stopover this city is ok. And when you are there: use the toilet in the Felix Bar (Peninsula)!

Pig's transport in Vietnam	People	Halong Bay
Presidential Palace in Hanoi	Citadelle of Hue	Japanese Bridge in Hoi An
City Hall of Saigon	Postoffice of Saigon	Swimming marketis at Mekongdelta
Cu Chi	Market in Saigon	The King's palace in Phnom Penh
Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh	Grasshopper's taste ...	Chilli
Chanel at Angkor Borei	A new friend ...	Giant Buddha
Kampong Thom (Gate)	Kampong Thom (Temple)	The Bramah-faces of Angkor Thom
Angkor Wat	Angkor Wat	Sokha Beach
Hong Kong	View from Peak in Hong Kong	Pharmacie in Hong Kong
	Junk in the Hafen

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