Our final days in Nepal were spent taking our lives into our own hands at the rustic Borderlands Resort, located 30 km south of the Tibet border, where we spent four days river rafting the Bhote Kosi and canyoning the nearby waterfalls.
Canyoning (otherwise known as abseiling/rappelling down waterfalls) was something I did once in Switzerland with my sister. As far as I could remember, it was a fairly innocuous pastime, or so it seemed at age 17.
Having survived our two days of rafting (exhilarating!), the thrillseeker in each of us was warmed to the challenge of Days 3 and 4 canyoning. The morning ascent up the "hill" (as it is known in Nepal when not technically a Himalaya) should have indicated the feat that lay ahead. We were winded by the time we reached the top and as we stared down the mouth of the fall we quickly realized it was not child's play, or Swiss play for that matter. At first it didn't help that our canyon companions, Babs and James, were a couple from Sweden/New Zealand that own a river adventure company and apparently do this sort of thing for every holiday. Intimidating...
After a two-minute overview by our guide, it was time to jump in. Thankfully, we were outfitted with wet suits and helmets which provided some warmth and protection from the chilly water. At this point we were also thankful that both our two Nepali guides and James and Babs were experts to show us the way. In short, the way was nothing but steep descents of water-pounding-in-your-face, slippery rocks and unsure footing waiting to twist an ankle or two.
After three hours on our "practice" day, we both emerged unscathed, but for one small thing -- a leech bite on my left calf, this found after pulling off the wetsuit. Hmmm...all I know of leech bites is from the movie "Stand by Me" and I wasn't about to start pulling leeches from places where the sun don't shine. This was enough to call out "sick" the next day...
Waking up on the fence between sickness and health, I reluctantly joined an enthusiastic Jake (who was improving his abseiling skills by the second) to the top of the day's fall, of course higher than the day prior. My mind was telling me we should have counted our healthy chickens having made it through trekking, rafting and one day of canyoning already. If one of us were to get hurt, now would probably be the time. And then there was the issue of the leeches...
First chute of the day and already a leech sighting on the leg of my wetsuit. As this was the first actual sighting, we carefully studied it. Black and small, not yet engorged with blood, with six identifiable legs and whisker-like antennae. NCAA, as my friend Liz would say- not cute at all.
We had 9 falls to abseil culminating in a 40 meter (130 feet) fall that, had we known about it in advance, we most definitely would have played hooky to hang back at the resort. From the top of the fall we couldn't see the bottom. I assumed the abseiling position and began the descent, slowly and surely down. At first the even footing of the rock face was nice, albeit slippery. I focused by looking straight ahead and up until the waterfall started pounding me in my face and the rock became more slick. In that moment about 1/3 of the way down, I realized the predicament: Water is rushing, feet are slipping, there's no option but to continue descending and upon closer inspection of the rock face, I see a throng of leeches cascading downwards following the water flow as though they are on their morning commute to work. Mind games!!! I would rather be anywhere but here.
My thought was to get down as fast as humanly possible which meant allowing the rope to slack and trust my spotter at the bottom of the fall. That would have been fine had the spotter actually been there. Once near the bottom, I noticed a heavy bounce in the rope and realized it was flailing loose at the end. I panicked when I saw Babs about 20 meters below. "Babs!! What do I do?" She assured me it would be okay and that the fact there was no guide there to help was 100% planned and not some cruel joke. The trick was to abseil to the end of the rope, turn and slide down the rest of the fall. Great, and with the leeches!! Reluctantly, I did just that.
I ran over to Babs with tears in my eyes that I had made it but worried that Jake might have a problem somewhere between the height, the loose rope and the leeches. I stayed and waited until I saw him to scream out the same instructions that Babs had shared with me. He seemed to handle it all in stride. Once down, we commiserated about the experience, proud to have done it but realizing how stupid it could have been had it turned out for the worse. He was lucky enough not to have noticed the leech brigade. We were both lucky to have somehow avoided more bites on the second day, despite the visual proof that we spent the day with them.
Travels to this point have been taxing on the lashes which are now countable at 13. I'm sure some are swimming with the leeches.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Annapurna Circuit Trek Photos
Jake was appointed our official photographer for the ACT and he did an amazing job. Below is a "short preview" of the journey, about 1/7 of what we took but you get the idea...
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
I Would Walk 130 Miles...
(And I would walk 500 more...) We finally know what The Proclaimers were singing about in their 90s smash hit - trekking in Nepal. It's December 1 on the eve of our last night in Nepal and we have three and a half weeks of amazing memories and photos to remind us of a truly special experience we were able to share together in this beautiful country. Our trek of the Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas was the highlight of this world adventure. Many thanks are owed to both Kent and Susannah who each recommended Nepal as a must-visit destination for us.
The photos speak for themselves so we decided to write up a Top Ten list to recap some of our favorite moments, not the least of which was arriving back in Kathmandu after the 15-day hike by bus from Pokhara instead of by helicopter evac from one of the villages on the Circuit. Sadly, that outcome ran through our heads at least once...
E&J's Top Ten Moments Along the ACT
10) Hearty and surprisingly good food (or maybe we were just starving by mealtime): Favorites were veg momos, noodle soup, chicken sizzlers, Mars Bars, milk coffee and...Dal Baht, the national meal of veggies, rice and lentil soup
9) Watching a herd of baby goats at play in Marpha: We never knew how nimble goats can be and how much they live to stand on anything that looks unsteady and uncomfortable.
8) Nepali dogs: Village dogs looked well taken care of and 99.9% of the time they were fast asleep in the middle of the footpath lazing about in the sun, no matter what time of day. We realized this was because they are so active at night as rarely were we able to sleep without interruption by a barking dog. No amount of thinking enabled us to hatch a plan to smuggle one out of Nepal as Chicago house pet. A typical Nepali dog is a large, predominantly black-coated and long-haired slumbering beast concerned with little by day beyond sunning its backside.
7) Crop terraces: Having missed seeing stepped rice paddies in Vietnam (and feeling a bit guilty about it), we were happy to see crop terraces all along the beginning and the end of the Annapurna Circuit which typically also yield rice and some millet.
6) Dining with a Nepalese family in Tal: Our trusty guide (see #1), was like a trek-style club promotor, able to get us into the secret locations and off-the-beaten track experiences along the way. On our second night on the Circuit, we were invited to enjoy a special meal of veg curry in the kitchen of a Nepalese family with a husband and wife, their 3-year old little girl and her 10-month old sister. The wood-burning stove and boiling kettles made us feel cozy and happy.
5) "Yak-tastic": As you know, we love to make up words (some more than others perhaps), and this one became an integral part of our trip to describe a few things including our very first encounter with mountain-dwelling yaks. They are powerful, hard-working beasts that thrive in t higher altitudes and make tasty cheese. Yak-tastic also describes yak wool products such as hats, gloves and scarves. Again, so cozy, an adjective we aimed to achieve daily on the trek.
4) Healthy living: We're not sure we've ever lived a healthier lifestyle than our 15 days on the trek, especially during the front half when the need to acclimatize to the increasing altitude kept us away from the Everest, Ghorka and Tuborg beers. We walked on average about 6 hours daily, woke up around sunrise and got at least 8 hours of sleep per night before we reached higher altitudes. Our diet was all vegetarian for the first half too. When the sun went down, it was either reading in the room by head lamp, sleep or finding a group of trekkers to teach us a new card game like Swiss War.
3) Himalayan Griffons and other lunchtime views: Sitting at lunch one day on our trek on the way to Pisang, we had a view of the Himalayas under a clear blue sky with a flock of giant birds circling overhead. At first we thought they might be eagles and Jake tried his best to photograph them gliding through the air. He snapped some good shots and when we cross-referenced them in the Mountain Museum in Pokhara later on, we thought they most closely resembled Himalayan Griffons. Here's hoping we were correct in our identification and they were not just common crows. Regardless, we were captivated by them through lunch. Another thing we were happy about? Lunchtime views...much better in Nepal than in cubicle nation or an office with no windows.
2) Crossing Thorong La Pass: We'll be the first to admit that we were not the most prepared when we set out for this journey. Not much had been planned. So midway through the trek when folks started talking about "the pass" and "have you been properly acclimatized," we started to do more research on what was in store...apparently a 5,416 meter (17,769 feet) pass that would have to be partially ascended and descended in one day. We think that's higher than any mountain in the US...and if not, it's definitely cool to say. If our fitness got us through, we still had to worry about altitude sickness which nearly claimed one of us. The 8-hour day of the pass began before dawn where we ascended an hour up 300 meters from Thorong Phedi led by our guide and porter under a blanket of stars like we have never seen. It was as though we were under a planetarium dome with stars so close we might touch them. We made our way slowly along by the knowledge of our guide and light of head lamps. This was the absolute best part of the day. Once at the top, we doled out high fives and drank tea thinking the worst was behind us. Not so...a higher ascent was ahead albeit it not steep. It was like a slow killer so that by the time we reached the very top and a jumble of prayer flags, there was not much gas left in the tank. And still, we had a 4-hour descent to complete to Muktinath where the terrain turned into a steep slant of dust. We were complete jello at the end of that day but we both decided it was more physically challenging than a marathon.
1) Nima Sherpa and Sujay: Thanks again to our Nepal advisor, Kent, we employed a guide on referral named Nima Sherpa. Although the term Sherpa is widely used to indicate a mountaineering guide, we learned in Nepal that it literally means "people of the East" most commonly from the Everest region of the Himalayas. The term is also one of some 30+ castes in the region, which is adopted as a last name. In the Sherpa caste, first names also tend to be Nepalese for the day of the week they are born. Nima (which means Sunday) was born on..you guessed it, a Sunday. This also means there are plenty of Nima Sherpas about in Nepal, one of which is famous for repeatedly climbing Everest and graces the Everest beer label. You can bet we had some good laughs with Nima about that. Nima Sherpa and his trusty 19-year old porter named Sujay made our lives simple from touchdown in Nepal. To name a few things: airport pick-up, accommodation arrangement in Kathmandu and tea houses along the trek, interaction with restaurants and locals, overseeing food preparation to ensure water was properly treated and food was properly handled, medical advice, the list goes on. Not to mention, Nima is the friendliest guy in the world with a warm smile and great stories. It's also clear that he takes great pride in his work to ensure that the guide-tourist relationship in Nepal remains a strong one. To put it bluntly, we both decided we wouldn't want to do it any other way, at least not at this age! And then there was Sujay who carried our 25-kilo backpack for 15 days, up and down 5,416 meters and 130 miles, all with a smile and often reaching the day's destination ahead of us. Sujay did say the backpack was one of the most comfortable he had ever carried (thanks Jamie Ferg).
We could talk about Nima for days...and thankfully we get to see him one more time tomorrow when he drops us off at the airport. In short, he was our Nepali guardian, sort of like a favorite uncle who takes you under his wing. We'll miss him dearly!
Here's hoping we can update the blog with photos and a video interview we took with Nima and Sujay as soon as possible. As we said, the photos speak volumes and even though we thought this entry would be short on words, turns out we had a lot more to say...we'll catch you in Doha!
The photos speak for themselves so we decided to write up a Top Ten list to recap some of our favorite moments, not the least of which was arriving back in Kathmandu after the 15-day hike by bus from Pokhara instead of by helicopter evac from one of the villages on the Circuit. Sadly, that outcome ran through our heads at least once...
E&J's Top Ten Moments Along the ACT
10) Hearty and surprisingly good food (or maybe we were just starving by mealtime): Favorites were veg momos, noodle soup, chicken sizzlers, Mars Bars, milk coffee and...Dal Baht, the national meal of veggies, rice and lentil soup
9) Watching a herd of baby goats at play in Marpha: We never knew how nimble goats can be and how much they live to stand on anything that looks unsteady and uncomfortable.
8) Nepali dogs: Village dogs looked well taken care of and 99.9% of the time they were fast asleep in the middle of the footpath lazing about in the sun, no matter what time of day. We realized this was because they are so active at night as rarely were we able to sleep without interruption by a barking dog. No amount of thinking enabled us to hatch a plan to smuggle one out of Nepal as Chicago house pet. A typical Nepali dog is a large, predominantly black-coated and long-haired slumbering beast concerned with little by day beyond sunning its backside.
7) Crop terraces: Having missed seeing stepped rice paddies in Vietnam (and feeling a bit guilty about it), we were happy to see crop terraces all along the beginning and the end of the Annapurna Circuit which typically also yield rice and some millet.
6) Dining with a Nepalese family in Tal: Our trusty guide (see #1), was like a trek-style club promotor, able to get us into the secret locations and off-the-beaten track experiences along the way. On our second night on the Circuit, we were invited to enjoy a special meal of veg curry in the kitchen of a Nepalese family with a husband and wife, their 3-year old little girl and her 10-month old sister. The wood-burning stove and boiling kettles made us feel cozy and happy.
5) "Yak-tastic": As you know, we love to make up words (some more than others perhaps), and this one became an integral part of our trip to describe a few things including our very first encounter with mountain-dwelling yaks. They are powerful, hard-working beasts that thrive in t higher altitudes and make tasty cheese. Yak-tastic also describes yak wool products such as hats, gloves and scarves. Again, so cozy, an adjective we aimed to achieve daily on the trek.
4) Healthy living: We're not sure we've ever lived a healthier lifestyle than our 15 days on the trek, especially during the front half when the need to acclimatize to the increasing altitude kept us away from the Everest, Ghorka and Tuborg beers. We walked on average about 6 hours daily, woke up around sunrise and got at least 8 hours of sleep per night before we reached higher altitudes. Our diet was all vegetarian for the first half too. When the sun went down, it was either reading in the room by head lamp, sleep or finding a group of trekkers to teach us a new card game like Swiss War.
3) Himalayan Griffons and other lunchtime views: Sitting at lunch one day on our trek on the way to Pisang, we had a view of the Himalayas under a clear blue sky with a flock of giant birds circling overhead. At first we thought they might be eagles and Jake tried his best to photograph them gliding through the air. He snapped some good shots and when we cross-referenced them in the Mountain Museum in Pokhara later on, we thought they most closely resembled Himalayan Griffons. Here's hoping we were correct in our identification and they were not just common crows. Regardless, we were captivated by them through lunch. Another thing we were happy about? Lunchtime views...much better in Nepal than in cubicle nation or an office with no windows.
2) Crossing Thorong La Pass: We'll be the first to admit that we were not the most prepared when we set out for this journey. Not much had been planned. So midway through the trek when folks started talking about "the pass" and "have you been properly acclimatized," we started to do more research on what was in store...apparently a 5,416 meter (17,769 feet) pass that would have to be partially ascended and descended in one day. We think that's higher than any mountain in the US...and if not, it's definitely cool to say. If our fitness got us through, we still had to worry about altitude sickness which nearly claimed one of us. The 8-hour day of the pass began before dawn where we ascended an hour up 300 meters from Thorong Phedi led by our guide and porter under a blanket of stars like we have never seen. It was as though we were under a planetarium dome with stars so close we might touch them. We made our way slowly along by the knowledge of our guide and light of head lamps. This was the absolute best part of the day. Once at the top, we doled out high fives and drank tea thinking the worst was behind us. Not so...a higher ascent was ahead albeit it not steep. It was like a slow killer so that by the time we reached the very top and a jumble of prayer flags, there was not much gas left in the tank. And still, we had a 4-hour descent to complete to Muktinath where the terrain turned into a steep slant of dust. We were complete jello at the end of that day but we both decided it was more physically challenging than a marathon.
1) Nima Sherpa and Sujay: Thanks again to our Nepal advisor, Kent, we employed a guide on referral named Nima Sherpa. Although the term Sherpa is widely used to indicate a mountaineering guide, we learned in Nepal that it literally means "people of the East" most commonly from the Everest region of the Himalayas. The term is also one of some 30+ castes in the region, which is adopted as a last name. In the Sherpa caste, first names also tend to be Nepalese for the day of the week they are born. Nima (which means Sunday) was born on..you guessed it, a Sunday. This also means there are plenty of Nima Sherpas about in Nepal, one of which is famous for repeatedly climbing Everest and graces the Everest beer label. You can bet we had some good laughs with Nima about that. Nima Sherpa and his trusty 19-year old porter named Sujay made our lives simple from touchdown in Nepal. To name a few things: airport pick-up, accommodation arrangement in Kathmandu and tea houses along the trek, interaction with restaurants and locals, overseeing food preparation to ensure water was properly treated and food was properly handled, medical advice, the list goes on. Not to mention, Nima is the friendliest guy in the world with a warm smile and great stories. It's also clear that he takes great pride in his work to ensure that the guide-tourist relationship in Nepal remains a strong one. To put it bluntly, we both decided we wouldn't want to do it any other way, at least not at this age! And then there was Sujay who carried our 25-kilo backpack for 15 days, up and down 5,416 meters and 130 miles, all with a smile and often reaching the day's destination ahead of us. Sujay did say the backpack was one of the most comfortable he had ever carried (thanks Jamie Ferg).
We could talk about Nima for days...and thankfully we get to see him one more time tomorrow when he drops us off at the airport. In short, he was our Nepali guardian, sort of like a favorite uncle who takes you under his wing. We'll miss him dearly!
Here's hoping we can update the blog with photos and a video interview we took with Nima and Sujay as soon as possible. As we said, the photos speak volumes and even though we thought this entry would be short on words, turns out we had a lot more to say...we'll catch you in Doha!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving from Nepal
Before we left for this trip, we wondered what it would be like spending our first holidays away from our families while on the road. Having just watched the sun go down on Thanksgiving Day in Nepal (which is really just any old Thursday here), we can report that it was sort of uneventful in a very good way. And the pressing question on this holiday of course is, "What did we eat?"
We chose a restaurant called New Orleans Cafe in the heart of Thamel, the tourist district of Kathmandu. We put in some effort combing the neighborhood menus for something that sounded like good homestyle comfort food. Our only stipulation was no curry or momos (dumplings). I honestly never thought I would say that. I can normally eat dumplings daily but I think I overdid it on our trek.
We decided on New Orleans Cafe for the effort they put in to their special Thanksgiving tasting menu which included:
We are thankful for our friends and families who are enjoying the start of their Thanksgiving Day right this very moment. We're also thankful for the friends we are meeting soon on the trip who have had a head start to their holiday and are also celebrating in expat fashion. We love you all very much and cannot wait to see you soon!
We chose a restaurant called New Orleans Cafe in the heart of Thamel, the tourist district of Kathmandu. We put in some effort combing the neighborhood menus for something that sounded like good homestyle comfort food. Our only stipulation was no curry or momos (dumplings). I honestly never thought I would say that. I can normally eat dumplings daily but I think I overdid it on our trek.
We decided on New Orleans Cafe for the effort they put in to their special Thanksgiving tasting menu which included:
- Starter of tortilla chips and salsa, vegetable tempura and pumpkin soup (we loved the mix of Mexican, Japanese and new American influences for the appetizer course)
- Choice of entree including Australian lamb (Jake's choice), vegetable quiche (Em's choice) or unspecified pork chops (no one's choice); each entree was also served with fresh whipped mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley
- Dessert of milk coffee (or tea) and a slice of pumpkin pie
We are thankful for our friends and families who are enjoying the start of their Thanksgiving Day right this very moment. We're also thankful for the friends we are meeting soon on the trip who have had a head start to their holiday and are also celebrating in expat fashion. We love you all very much and cannot wait to see you soon!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Savong's School and Orphanage
I spent four days in Siem Reap about three years ago as a side trip while visiting one of my best friends in Thailand. My friend had recommended Cambodia as a must-experience while I was in that part of the world, with little other commentary. On first impression I assumed high regard was attributable to the several nearby temples, or in Khmer - "wats," which still today remain the most impressive design and engineering works I have personally visited. But within just a couple of days I realized there was something much more remarkable about Siem Reap than its architecture. Even more impressive was the widely shared optimism, openness and ambition of the Cambodian people I encountered during my visit. Each interaction was consistent with the prior, time and again supporting and further reinforcing what I have concluded is not just the character of a few but the culture of the community. Most inspiring - for certain, a "must experience."
The first time I visited, I knew little of Cambodian history, and certainly not the details of the atrocities Pol Pot committed against this People only 30 years prior, overlooked in Western texts though more outrageous than most other widely publicized human rights abuses of the 20th Century. The recent genocide and displacement of millions has left a severely impoverished, disabled and orphaned population behind. As I continue to learn more of Cambodia's recent experiences, their strength and spirit becomes increasingly impressive to me. Since the day I left Siem Reap, I have often thought about when I might return and what I might do to help Cambodians rebuild the country...no question they are giving their best each day in this attempt.
Critical to any honeymoon itinerary Emily would endorse was a volunteer component - "voluntourism," as it is labeled in her business. When it was decided that Southeast Asia would be our focus travel zone, Cambodia immediately came to mind and we agreed that Savong's School and Orphanage in Siem Reap presented an excellent opportunity.
We arrived on a Monday night in Siem Reap by 11-hour bus from Saigon, as Vietnam Airlines runs a monopoly on this flight route and charges the cost of airfare from Heathrow to JFK, despite the trip being an hour. (Emily and I decided my contributions to this journal would begin post-Vietnam so that my obvious distaste for their socialist operation of infrastructure did not overwhelm the tone of our entries and undermine the tremendous culinary experience we enjoyed there.) As we entered town, I was struck by the brightness of neon lights, the volume of motor traffic, and the build-out of luxury hotels, none of which I could recall from three years prior. Lonely Planet recently wrote that Siem Reap is among the "hottest" tourism destinations in Asia, and as we transferred from the bus station to our Guest House by tuk-tuk, I hoped these initial indications of influence were not warnings of a People changed from what I last experienced.
The following morning, Emily and I shared a nervous breakfast. First day on the job for which we had no training. Neither of us had ever before written a lesson plan or even stood in front of 50 children for an hour, let alone any such thing in a foreign country. Would Savong be disappointed when he met us? Would we be wasting everyone's time? We returned to the hotel and awaited Savong's arrival and the first day of class. 11:00 a.m. - a Lexus SUV arrives. A slight Cambodian man is driving. In the front passenger seat is an older white man, well-dressed with a white safari-brimmed hat and wire-rimmed glasses. Immediately, suspicion arose as to who actually operated Savong's School and how charitable donations are deployed...I had notions of a re-shaped French colonist again exploiting Cambodians. Thankfully, five minutes in the backseat proved otherwise and dispel a world of worries: The driver is Savong, a sharp young man with a smile that connects his ears and his passenger is Holger, a quirky cultural transfusion specialist from New Mexico with 30+ years of experience teaching Native Americans and whose professional and volunteer work included meetings with the Dalai Lama and Mother Theresa. Emily and I stood massively under-qualified by comparison, but our inferiority complex quickly transformed into relief once it was discovered that Holger would lead us in the classroom. As to our initial concern regarding funds, it became quite clear in the days that followed that Savong lives a very modest lifestyle and that the Lexus (in addition to being a donation registered by the School) is actually a very common truck in Cambodia (the result of Japanese investment and development) and really the only reliable thing running on 4 wheels there.
Our first stop was Savong's Orphanage recently built in 2008. Emily and I were clearly more apprehensive as out initial meeting than the children were. As the truck pulled up, it became engulfed with children ages 2-12, smiling, laughing and competing to be picked up, all while being respectful of Savong and his new guests. We were then given a tour of the facility which included two classrooms, three dorm rooms, a health center, an athletic yard and catfish pond. The following three hours were spent learning new games of the children's creation, some requiring equipment as simple as a strand of rubber bands. I tried my best to win any of these games but my 6-year-old competitor's strategy proved too much each time. From there, we drove a short distance to Savong's School.
Savong's School is a purely volunteer program for those who teach and attend. Children of all ages spend their morning in Government School learning a core curriculum and in the afternoon choose to come to Savong's School where classes are devoted to teaching English. (Savong's motivation stems from his belief that Cambodians stand a much better chance of career success by learning English as a second language.) Classes vary by skill level and are sized anywhere from 10-80 students on any given day.
It is an intimidating thing to stand in front of so many children anxious to hear what you have to say. The challenging thing was to engage the students while developing their English skills in a short period of time. Emily and I were thankful to have Holger present that first day to provide a lesson plan and exemplify effective interaction and communication with the varying skill levels of the students. Throughout the following days, we became rather comfortable modeling conversations in English for the students and role playing certain dialogues with them. As we saw students return day to day and class sizes grow, we felt encouraged that our efforts, albeit brief, were appreciated and perhaps even somewhat productive.
On our final day with the children, it was much harder than expected to say goodbye. The sincerity of their gratitude and invitations to return soon made lasting impressions that we will never forget. In fact, we're sure we will return someday to spend more time at Savong's School and Orphanage. There's no question that what Savong is doing is helping the children of Cambodia. You can see it in their smiles and eagerness to learn, interact and participate. We feel lucky to have been a small part of it.
Savong's efforts are ongoing as he is now organizing a new project to provide young adults with career opportunities. This includes a technical school teaching small engine repair to support Cambodia's ubiquitous motobike community. To learn more about his projects and read volunteer testimonials, visit www.savong.com.
The first time I visited, I knew little of Cambodian history, and certainly not the details of the atrocities Pol Pot committed against this People only 30 years prior, overlooked in Western texts though more outrageous than most other widely publicized human rights abuses of the 20th Century. The recent genocide and displacement of millions has left a severely impoverished, disabled and orphaned population behind. As I continue to learn more of Cambodia's recent experiences, their strength and spirit becomes increasingly impressive to me. Since the day I left Siem Reap, I have often thought about when I might return and what I might do to help Cambodians rebuild the country...no question they are giving their best each day in this attempt.
Critical to any honeymoon itinerary Emily would endorse was a volunteer component - "voluntourism," as it is labeled in her business. When it was decided that Southeast Asia would be our focus travel zone, Cambodia immediately came to mind and we agreed that Savong's School and Orphanage in Siem Reap presented an excellent opportunity.
We arrived on a Monday night in Siem Reap by 11-hour bus from Saigon, as Vietnam Airlines runs a monopoly on this flight route and charges the cost of airfare from Heathrow to JFK, despite the trip being an hour. (Emily and I decided my contributions to this journal would begin post-Vietnam so that my obvious distaste for their socialist operation of infrastructure did not overwhelm the tone of our entries and undermine the tremendous culinary experience we enjoyed there.) As we entered town, I was struck by the brightness of neon lights, the volume of motor traffic, and the build-out of luxury hotels, none of which I could recall from three years prior. Lonely Planet recently wrote that Siem Reap is among the "hottest" tourism destinations in Asia, and as we transferred from the bus station to our Guest House by tuk-tuk, I hoped these initial indications of influence were not warnings of a People changed from what I last experienced.
The following morning, Emily and I shared a nervous breakfast. First day on the job for which we had no training. Neither of us had ever before written a lesson plan or even stood in front of 50 children for an hour, let alone any such thing in a foreign country. Would Savong be disappointed when he met us? Would we be wasting everyone's time? We returned to the hotel and awaited Savong's arrival and the first day of class. 11:00 a.m. - a Lexus SUV arrives. A slight Cambodian man is driving. In the front passenger seat is an older white man, well-dressed with a white safari-brimmed hat and wire-rimmed glasses. Immediately, suspicion arose as to who actually operated Savong's School and how charitable donations are deployed...I had notions of a re-shaped French colonist again exploiting Cambodians. Thankfully, five minutes in the backseat proved otherwise and dispel a world of worries: The driver is Savong, a sharp young man with a smile that connects his ears and his passenger is Holger, a quirky cultural transfusion specialist from New Mexico with 30+ years of experience teaching Native Americans and whose professional and volunteer work included meetings with the Dalai Lama and Mother Theresa. Emily and I stood massively under-qualified by comparison, but our inferiority complex quickly transformed into relief once it was discovered that Holger would lead us in the classroom. As to our initial concern regarding funds, it became quite clear in the days that followed that Savong lives a very modest lifestyle and that the Lexus (in addition to being a donation registered by the School) is actually a very common truck in Cambodia (the result of Japanese investment and development) and really the only reliable thing running on 4 wheels there.
Our first stop was Savong's Orphanage recently built in 2008. Emily and I were clearly more apprehensive as out initial meeting than the children were. As the truck pulled up, it became engulfed with children ages 2-12, smiling, laughing and competing to be picked up, all while being respectful of Savong and his new guests. We were then given a tour of the facility which included two classrooms, three dorm rooms, a health center, an athletic yard and catfish pond. The following three hours were spent learning new games of the children's creation, some requiring equipment as simple as a strand of rubber bands. I tried my best to win any of these games but my 6-year-old competitor's strategy proved too much each time. From there, we drove a short distance to Savong's School.
Savong's School is a purely volunteer program for those who teach and attend. Children of all ages spend their morning in Government School learning a core curriculum and in the afternoon choose to come to Savong's School where classes are devoted to teaching English. (Savong's motivation stems from his belief that Cambodians stand a much better chance of career success by learning English as a second language.) Classes vary by skill level and are sized anywhere from 10-80 students on any given day.
It is an intimidating thing to stand in front of so many children anxious to hear what you have to say. The challenging thing was to engage the students while developing their English skills in a short period of time. Emily and I were thankful to have Holger present that first day to provide a lesson plan and exemplify effective interaction and communication with the varying skill levels of the students. Throughout the following days, we became rather comfortable modeling conversations in English for the students and role playing certain dialogues with them. As we saw students return day to day and class sizes grow, we felt encouraged that our efforts, albeit brief, were appreciated and perhaps even somewhat productive.
On our final day with the children, it was much harder than expected to say goodbye. The sincerity of their gratitude and invitations to return soon made lasting impressions that we will never forget. In fact, we're sure we will return someday to spend more time at Savong's School and Orphanage. There's no question that what Savong is doing is helping the children of Cambodia. You can see it in their smiles and eagerness to learn, interact and participate. We feel lucky to have been a small part of it.
Savong's efforts are ongoing as he is now organizing a new project to provide young adults with career opportunities. This includes a technical school teaching small engine repair to support Cambodia's ubiquitous motobike community. To learn more about his projects and read volunteer testimonials, visit www.savong.com.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tam Biet, Vietnam
Goodbye, Vietnam! After 10 days of exploring the country from Hanoi in the north to Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City in the south, we have crossed the border into Cambodia. Our last few days in Vietnam were spent in the beautiful beach town of Mui Ne, the quiet and supposedly peaceful alternative to beach party town, Nha Trang. From Mui Ne, we took yet another bus to Saigon (this one only 5 hours) where we spent 1.5 days exploring the Vietnam's history, taking in the local flavors of the city and even seeing a movie from back home. Another potential custom? Vietnamese come to the movies to chat, not to watch. We're not sure this is official enough to add to our sidebar so we'll bury it in this post.
We're now in the middle of our stay in Cambodia, after spending 11 hours on a day bus from Saigon to Siem Reap. Luckily, there were only 4 of us on the bus. Our companions were two Greeks named Antonis and Fanis, and they were excellent conversationalists. They're on the road to celebrate their 30th birthdays...for an entire year. Not a bad way to ring in a new decade!
According to Jake, Siem Reap has changed a lot in three years. I have to admit, it's not at all what I expected. The Old Market is 100% geared to tourism where three years ago it was not. Think restaurants that serve western food, spas on every corner, vendors selling silks, bags, T-shirts and more, and clubs blaring "Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots..." If you know what song we're talking about, it's perhaps the worst in history.
On the flip side of this, there is the Savong School and Orphanage, a wonderful institution founded in 2005 by a Cambodian-born man named Svay Savong. Savong's school is dedicated to teaching young Camobodian kids English and it is absolutely voluntary and free for kids to attend. Jake and I are in the middle of volunteering this week where we've spent mornings at the orphanage and afternoons teaching English. Despite our total lack of teaching skills, the experience has been our best so far. Cambodian people (and Jake had told me about this) are some of the most kind-hearted we've encountered on this journey - full of smiles and a sincere desire and interest to get to know people.
When we finish up our volunteering this week, we'll head to see the temples including the biggest and most well-known, Angkor Wat. Jake will be leading this expedition as it will be his second time to explore the majestic structures. Following this post, we'll tell you much more about Savong School and hopefully share pictures of the beautiful people we've had the chance to meet. In the meantime, visit Savong's website for more information - www.savong.com.
We're now in the middle of our stay in Cambodia, after spending 11 hours on a day bus from Saigon to Siem Reap. Luckily, there were only 4 of us on the bus. Our companions were two Greeks named Antonis and Fanis, and they were excellent conversationalists. They're on the road to celebrate their 30th birthdays...for an entire year. Not a bad way to ring in a new decade!
According to Jake, Siem Reap has changed a lot in three years. I have to admit, it's not at all what I expected. The Old Market is 100% geared to tourism where three years ago it was not. Think restaurants that serve western food, spas on every corner, vendors selling silks, bags, T-shirts and more, and clubs blaring "Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots, shots..." If you know what song we're talking about, it's perhaps the worst in history.
On the flip side of this, there is the Savong School and Orphanage, a wonderful institution founded in 2005 by a Cambodian-born man named Svay Savong. Savong's school is dedicated to teaching young Camobodian kids English and it is absolutely voluntary and free for kids to attend. Jake and I are in the middle of volunteering this week where we've spent mornings at the orphanage and afternoons teaching English. Despite our total lack of teaching skills, the experience has been our best so far. Cambodian people (and Jake had told me about this) are some of the most kind-hearted we've encountered on this journey - full of smiles and a sincere desire and interest to get to know people.
When we finish up our volunteering this week, we'll head to see the temples including the biggest and most well-known, Angkor Wat. Jake will be leading this expedition as it will be his second time to explore the majestic structures. Following this post, we'll tell you much more about Savong School and hopefully share pictures of the beautiful people we've had the chance to meet. In the meantime, visit Savong's website for more information - www.savong.com.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Sixteen Candles
Since landing in Vietnam, the John Hughes classic, Sixteen Candles, has been on the brain. The country currency is VND, or Vietnamese dong. More than once we've exclaimed, "Dong, where is my automobile? Automobile?"
That said, a Vietnam vacation is quite cost effective! You can get a great meal (the best we've had on this trip) for about $5USD for two. You can get an even better meal for $5 more. For the past three nights, we've been in Hoi An, a coastal fishing village on the central coast of Vietnam near the town of Hue and Cua Dai Beach. We love it here. Not only has the weather been mild and sunny, but the town is quaint and the shopping is unlike anything we've ever seen. The only downside is that people target foreigners with calls of "look in my shop, buy something." The marketing is that blatant and in your face.
We had a great experience with the Phuoc An Cloth Shop on Le Loi Street where Jake had a suit made and I had a dress made. I had taken note of the dress in a "Who Wore it Better?" column in Us Weekly when Kristen Stewart was pitted against Taylor Swift. I don't remember who won, but I remember loving the J. Mendel design and researching the retail price online for a potential rehearsal dinner ensemble. Not so much...
I showed the photo to the tailor online and within 24 hours, they made an exact replica of the dress in the color I had chosen. It literally looks the exact same for 1/15 of the price. Pre-wedding brides take note! (Ahem, KS...) This shop would be perfect for bridesmaids dresses, and in fact, they do that sort of business overseas apparently all the time. Jake's suit was a perfect fit after only 3 fittings with super fine quality silk. Amazing...I asked Jake why this isn't widely available in the U.S. but he reminded me (being the lawyer that he is) that there may be legal issues with it...understood. Now we're just hoping that the 4-month sea shipping actually reaches Iowa!
Even more impressive than the shopping in Hoi An is the food. Surprise, surprise. Jake agrees that this is the best we've had on the trip so far. The freshness of the seafood, meats and vegetables is unreal. It comes from the sea and the farm morning of. Today, we took a cooking class to try and replicate some of the local specialties - Hoi An Spring Rolls, Pork Clay Pot, Summer Salad with Papaya and Shrimp - all so tasty! Hopefully we can re-create the meal we've had for our Chicago guests.
There is a woman that goes by the name Mrs. Vy and she owns 4 restaurants here. While we weren't able to meet her (however we initially tried to book her cooking class which was full), we did eat our way through 3 out of her 4 establishments. Our favorite? Morning Glory restaurant at 106 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street (thank you again PJL and Lonely Planet). We sampled another Hoi An specialty called Cao Lao, noodles in a beef broth with sliced pork, fresh herbs and the Vietnamese version of croutons. Jake's favorite was the Caramel Fish Clay Pot, made with mackerel. It is a sumptuous dish infused with a pork and shallot, very similar to the Nobu staple Black Miso Cod. But who was first, Mrs. Vy or Nobu? It was also here that we learned of the 3 friends of Hoi An - shrimp, pork and spring onion. Together they make a tasty combination.
In addition to replicating the dishes we learned during our cooking school (thanks again to Ngoc who showed us the way), we will try and find a good Pho cooking class in Chicago. I admitted I make pretty weak stocks to which Ngoc replied to treat food like I would my husband, with tender love and care. Makes sense! That, and a little more elbow grease to begin a stock the night before you wish to serve it, should be a good start!
We're now about to board a 12-hour+ overnight bus to the southern beaches. They call it a sleeper bus which means the chairs recline but the jury is out on whether or not this is a truly comfortable way to travel. I know none of you are envying us at the moment...
That said, a Vietnam vacation is quite cost effective! You can get a great meal (the best we've had on this trip) for about $5USD for two. You can get an even better meal for $5 more. For the past three nights, we've been in Hoi An, a coastal fishing village on the central coast of Vietnam near the town of Hue and Cua Dai Beach. We love it here. Not only has the weather been mild and sunny, but the town is quaint and the shopping is unlike anything we've ever seen. The only downside is that people target foreigners with calls of "look in my shop, buy something." The marketing is that blatant and in your face.
We had a great experience with the Phuoc An Cloth Shop on Le Loi Street where Jake had a suit made and I had a dress made. I had taken note of the dress in a "Who Wore it Better?" column in Us Weekly when Kristen Stewart was pitted against Taylor Swift. I don't remember who won, but I remember loving the J. Mendel design and researching the retail price online for a potential rehearsal dinner ensemble. Not so much...
I showed the photo to the tailor online and within 24 hours, they made an exact replica of the dress in the color I had chosen. It literally looks the exact same for 1/15 of the price. Pre-wedding brides take note! (Ahem, KS...) This shop would be perfect for bridesmaids dresses, and in fact, they do that sort of business overseas apparently all the time. Jake's suit was a perfect fit after only 3 fittings with super fine quality silk. Amazing...I asked Jake why this isn't widely available in the U.S. but he reminded me (being the lawyer that he is) that there may be legal issues with it...understood. Now we're just hoping that the 4-month sea shipping actually reaches Iowa!
Even more impressive than the shopping in Hoi An is the food. Surprise, surprise. Jake agrees that this is the best we've had on the trip so far. The freshness of the seafood, meats and vegetables is unreal. It comes from the sea and the farm morning of. Today, we took a cooking class to try and replicate some of the local specialties - Hoi An Spring Rolls, Pork Clay Pot, Summer Salad with Papaya and Shrimp - all so tasty! Hopefully we can re-create the meal we've had for our Chicago guests.
There is a woman that goes by the name Mrs. Vy and she owns 4 restaurants here. While we weren't able to meet her (however we initially tried to book her cooking class which was full), we did eat our way through 3 out of her 4 establishments. Our favorite? Morning Glory restaurant at 106 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street (thank you again PJL and Lonely Planet). We sampled another Hoi An specialty called Cao Lao, noodles in a beef broth with sliced pork, fresh herbs and the Vietnamese version of croutons. Jake's favorite was the Caramel Fish Clay Pot, made with mackerel. It is a sumptuous dish infused with a pork and shallot, very similar to the Nobu staple Black Miso Cod. But who was first, Mrs. Vy or Nobu? It was also here that we learned of the 3 friends of Hoi An - shrimp, pork and spring onion. Together they make a tasty combination.
In addition to replicating the dishes we learned during our cooking school (thanks again to Ngoc who showed us the way), we will try and find a good Pho cooking class in Chicago. I admitted I make pretty weak stocks to which Ngoc replied to treat food like I would my husband, with tender love and care. Makes sense! That, and a little more elbow grease to begin a stock the night before you wish to serve it, should be a good start!
We're now about to board a 12-hour+ overnight bus to the southern beaches. They call it a sleeper bus which means the chairs recline but the jury is out on whether or not this is a truly comfortable way to travel. I know none of you are envying us at the moment...
Sunday, October 24, 2010
From Hanoi to Hoi An
Jake had a traumatizing experience on the way from Hanoi to Hoi An. It was traumatizing enough as we set out on an overnight train at 11:00 p.m. and were told at the last minute of an early morning bus transfer to another train. "Hmm," we thought..."too late."
Luck was on our side as we boarded the train and seemed to have no random roommates in our four-person sleeper car. The cabin had zero frills, what I imagine a prison cell to be like. Immediately we were happy with our last minute decision (thank you Susannah for the advice and letting us borrow them) to bring our own sleeping bags. This would be the second time we decided to use them.
I'll let Jake disclose his experience as he has promised to write the next blog. Let's just say it was something he's never encountered before. At 5 a.m. we were awoken to a frantic Vietnamese train conductor to disembark. (This reminded me of the time my sister and I got caught at midnight by a Swiss train conductor on the Eurail line because our passes had expired and we hoped to get to our destination before they noticed. The Swiss are too organized.) Bleary-eyed, Jake and I wandered off the train after getting our bags situated, sleeping bags in the compressor bags, etc.
As we left the train, we noticed only two buses which did not fit the amount of people on the train. This was unlucky for all of the unknowing westerners who got left behind. At least we were all in it together. With no instruction, we decided to just wait it out...for 45 minutes until the next bus came. The sun was up by then and everyone clamored to get a seat on the bus, and we miraculously got seats together. The bus transfer was longer than advertised (potentially 2 hours but both Jake and I were doing that fall-asleep-in-class-head-bob thing for the duration of the ride). The train was held for the third bus, so we were off again in no time (and still with no roommates).
After 8 more hours on the second train (again, longer than advertised), we reached Danang and could not be happier to see our hotel car driver when we disembarked. The train ride towards the end was a beautiful one from Hue to Danang. We snaked around the coast to see the South China Sea and lush jungle while marveling at the engineering of the train itself, built to hug the coastline. It always ends up being worth it!
Now that we're in Hoi An, we've hit another great stride (two words - clothing and food). We'll tell you about that a little later. To answer Lori's question, the lashes are waning!! I woke up with two on my pillow this morning. I think I'm down to a paltry 55 or so, and I'm wondering if I have normal lashes left. Wouldn't that be a hoot...!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Honeymoon's Over...
With a thousand potential titles in the running for this blog post, we ended up with the above. Strictly speaking, this is not the title because Jake and I actually feel the honeymoon is over. Rather, the "easy" piece of this travel adventure has officially ended. We no longer have the comfort of our cousin in Manila and his family, their unwavering "scholarship" evenings, their washer/dryer, their driver, etc. We're officially on our own until we are again in the safe haven of our friends in Doha, Qatar.
That said, we've landed in Hanoi, Vietnam. With this in mind, we could have easily called this blog "Pho Heaven." We decided against that though since this would officially be our third of three posts that all contain the word "heaven." But so it goes...
Hanoi is a feast for the senses. It's literally not possible to walk on the streets. It's much better and more safe to be in vehicular motion, particularly on a moped. Moped drivers are everywhere and they tend to have the right-of-way whether on the street or the sidewalk. Walking on the sidewalks is also not an option as everything else is actually done on the sidewalk. You can eat on the sidewalk, sodder on the sidewalk, get a haircut on the sidewalk, sell wares on the sidewalk, park on the sidewalk...you get the point.
After landing in Hanoi, we checked into our two-star hotel in the Old Quarter and went out in search of pho. Unfortunately for us, Jake and I were armed only with our mututally inadequate senses of direction and a map that, as it turns out, we were reading upside down. The positive for us was that we had done our reasearch for this leg of the journey thanks to Lonely Planet and a recent all-about-Vietnamese-food article (http://www.travelandleisure.com/trips/food-lovers-vietnam-getaway) we read by Peter Jon Lindberg in Travel + Leisure. If anyone would know about the topic, he certainly would!
By the time we landed upon Lindberg's recommendation #1, a restaurant called Pho Gia Truyen, it was already closed. So instead, we opted for an even more local option - authentic street food pho. We sat in the world's tiniest plastic chairs (on the sidewalk) and asked for whatever was being cooked (on the sidewalk). No other conversation took place except our request for "two" of whatever was being served from a boiling stock pot (on the sidewalk). Thankfully, we were served two heaping bowls of steaming pho ga (chicken noodle soup, on the sidewalk). The meal gave one of our favorite restaurants in NYC, Pho Viet Huong, some bona fide competition. The price was even better - about $3.00 for two giant bowls. (Yes, Rich, they did give us the good soup spoons too.)
After a decent night's sleep to the soft sounds of Cape Fear in the background with Vietnamese subtitles, we were off on our first official day in Hanoi...much better by daylight while reading the map correctly. We continued to sip and eat our way through the city on Peter Jon Lindberg's recommendations - coffee at Cafe Nang (so tasty with condensed milk) and lunch at Quan An Ngon. Apparently known to locals simply as Ngon (delicious), this restaurant truly lived up to its reputation. Not only was it touted by T+L, but Lonely Planet also gives it props. A bit western in that it has normal sized chairs and a mix of patronage, it is also the largest establishment we've seen here. Our double soup order of Pho Bo (beef soup) and Fish Cake Noodle soup, along with rice vermicelli stirfry with pork and shrimp, was spot on. We finished up with sticky sweet corn soup and more Vietnamese coffee. Ngon!
Dinner tonight was another T+L-recommended restaurant, Cha Ca Thanh Long. They serve one thing - Cha Ca, which is a DIY fish dish with stir-fried spring onion and fresh dill garnished with cilantro, hot peppers (if you wish) and soy-like sauce over the ubiquitous rice vermicelli noodles. In a word - scrumptious - and a Jake favorite.
We peppered today with shopping (beautiful silks, art, metal works and other crafts), and a two-hour guided bike ride to see as much as we could on our only full day here. Tomorrow, we head to Halong Bay for an overnight trip and then southward to Hoi An and some of the beach towns before finishing up our Vietnam stay in Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon).
Lasting impressions for today? We imagine it to be difficult for our taller friends and family members to navigate Hanoi - everything is super-sized in the opposite direction...much more mini-me than McDonald's. Also, PR apparently works! Thank goodness for "objective" editorials (a la T+L) otherwise we may not have found the culinary gems that we did in Hanoi, and no doubt the ones we will continue to discover in Vietnam. Kudos for my profession. :) And, for any PR agency personnel whose hotels, restaurants, etc. are mentioned in these blog posts, I'll have you know the UMV for "Fear of Flying" is up there - all of 7 people. Put that in your report and smoke it...!
That said, we've landed in Hanoi, Vietnam. With this in mind, we could have easily called this blog "Pho Heaven." We decided against that though since this would officially be our third of three posts that all contain the word "heaven." But so it goes...
Hanoi is a feast for the senses. It's literally not possible to walk on the streets. It's much better and more safe to be in vehicular motion, particularly on a moped. Moped drivers are everywhere and they tend to have the right-of-way whether on the street or the sidewalk. Walking on the sidewalks is also not an option as everything else is actually done on the sidewalk. You can eat on the sidewalk, sodder on the sidewalk, get a haircut on the sidewalk, sell wares on the sidewalk, park on the sidewalk...you get the point.
After landing in Hanoi, we checked into our two-star hotel in the Old Quarter and went out in search of pho. Unfortunately for us, Jake and I were armed only with our mututally inadequate senses of direction and a map that, as it turns out, we were reading upside down. The positive for us was that we had done our reasearch for this leg of the journey thanks to Lonely Planet and a recent all-about-Vietnamese-food article (http://www.travelandleisure.com/trips/food-lovers-vietnam-getaway) we read by Peter Jon Lindberg in Travel + Leisure. If anyone would know about the topic, he certainly would!
By the time we landed upon Lindberg's recommendation #1, a restaurant called Pho Gia Truyen, it was already closed. So instead, we opted for an even more local option - authentic street food pho. We sat in the world's tiniest plastic chairs (on the sidewalk) and asked for whatever was being cooked (on the sidewalk). No other conversation took place except our request for "two" of whatever was being served from a boiling stock pot (on the sidewalk). Thankfully, we were served two heaping bowls of steaming pho ga (chicken noodle soup, on the sidewalk). The meal gave one of our favorite restaurants in NYC, Pho Viet Huong, some bona fide competition. The price was even better - about $3.00 for two giant bowls. (Yes, Rich, they did give us the good soup spoons too.)
After a decent night's sleep to the soft sounds of Cape Fear in the background with Vietnamese subtitles, we were off on our first official day in Hanoi...much better by daylight while reading the map correctly. We continued to sip and eat our way through the city on Peter Jon Lindberg's recommendations - coffee at Cafe Nang (so tasty with condensed milk) and lunch at Quan An Ngon. Apparently known to locals simply as Ngon (delicious), this restaurant truly lived up to its reputation. Not only was it touted by T+L, but Lonely Planet also gives it props. A bit western in that it has normal sized chairs and a mix of patronage, it is also the largest establishment we've seen here. Our double soup order of Pho Bo (beef soup) and Fish Cake Noodle soup, along with rice vermicelli stirfry with pork and shrimp, was spot on. We finished up with sticky sweet corn soup and more Vietnamese coffee. Ngon!
Dinner tonight was another T+L-recommended restaurant, Cha Ca Thanh Long. They serve one thing - Cha Ca, which is a DIY fish dish with stir-fried spring onion and fresh dill garnished with cilantro, hot peppers (if you wish) and soy-like sauce over the ubiquitous rice vermicelli noodles. In a word - scrumptious - and a Jake favorite.
We peppered today with shopping (beautiful silks, art, metal works and other crafts), and a two-hour guided bike ride to see as much as we could on our only full day here. Tomorrow, we head to Halong Bay for an overnight trip and then southward to Hoi An and some of the beach towns before finishing up our Vietnam stay in Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon).
Lasting impressions for today? We imagine it to be difficult for our taller friends and family members to navigate Hanoi - everything is super-sized in the opposite direction...much more mini-me than McDonald's. Also, PR apparently works! Thank goodness for "objective" editorials (a la T+L) otherwise we may not have found the culinary gems that we did in Hanoi, and no doubt the ones we will continue to discover in Vietnam. Kudos for my profession. :) And, for any PR agency personnel whose hotels, restaurants, etc. are mentioned in these blog posts, I'll have you know the UMV for "Fear of Flying" is up there - all of 7 people. Put that in your report and smoke it...!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Boracay, Philippines
Jake and I have landed in Boracay, the big tourist-y sister to all of the Philippine islands. I had been here once in January 2006 with my Dad and sister, and business has clearly been booming since then. We're here for two nights to finish out the honeymoon before leaving the comfort of my cousin and his family in Manila. One more "finale" of a night with family back in the big city and then we're off on the official adventure to Southeast Asia.
Today's highlight has been lunch. (Shoot, a food post already. Definitely unavoidable.) My cousin told us about a place called Mang Inasal, a fast food joint specializing in all things chicken. My brother would absolutely love this place, not only for the food but also for the more than fair prices. I dare say it would give Chik-fil-A a run for his money. Upon ordering a combo meal (white meat for me, dark meat for Jake - go figure!), they instantly serve up a clear, garlic- and ginger-spiced chicken broth. I commented to Jake that I love the Philippines for many reasons, chief among them being the prevalence of hot soup at every meal. Who says you can't eat soup in the summer? The Filipinos eat it in high heat and humidity.
After finishing the soup, they bring out the main course of spit-roasted, marinated chicken and steamed rice. For the rice, they offer a customizable sauce bar directly on each table made up of soy sauce, hot pepper oil, vinegar, calamasi fruit (cherry-sized green lemons) and small red chile peppers. It's soy heaven and a great addition to any meal! The restaurant also touts "unlimited rice," which would be especially fantastic for my Dad. I enjoyed two scoops of rice to Jake's one. We washed down the meal with a watermelon and pineapple fruit shakes from a neighboring stand.
So the trend of eating continues on this honeymoon, not that I would have thought anything different. This morning on the transfer bus ride from Kalibo to Caticlan, I lost a small clump of false lashes. I'm likely down to 119 or so. It actually made us wonder what type of glue was used to make them so durable...? Actually, it's a little bit scary but I'm still saying I'll miss them.
Hopefully soon we'll figure out how to post pictures and videos to make this thing readable. Until then...
Today's highlight has been lunch. (Shoot, a food post already. Definitely unavoidable.) My cousin told us about a place called Mang Inasal, a fast food joint specializing in all things chicken. My brother would absolutely love this place, not only for the food but also for the more than fair prices. I dare say it would give Chik-fil-A a run for his money. Upon ordering a combo meal (white meat for me, dark meat for Jake - go figure!), they instantly serve up a clear, garlic- and ginger-spiced chicken broth. I commented to Jake that I love the Philippines for many reasons, chief among them being the prevalence of hot soup at every meal. Who says you can't eat soup in the summer? The Filipinos eat it in high heat and humidity.
After finishing the soup, they bring out the main course of spit-roasted, marinated chicken and steamed rice. For the rice, they offer a customizable sauce bar directly on each table made up of soy sauce, hot pepper oil, vinegar, calamasi fruit (cherry-sized green lemons) and small red chile peppers. It's soy heaven and a great addition to any meal! The restaurant also touts "unlimited rice," which would be especially fantastic for my Dad. I enjoyed two scoops of rice to Jake's one. We washed down the meal with a watermelon and pineapple fruit shakes from a neighboring stand.
So the trend of eating continues on this honeymoon, not that I would have thought anything different. This morning on the transfer bus ride from Kalibo to Caticlan, I lost a small clump of false lashes. I'm likely down to 119 or so. It actually made us wonder what type of glue was used to make them so durable...? Actually, it's a little bit scary but I'm still saying I'll miss them.
Hopefully soon we'll figure out how to post pictures and videos to make this thing readable. Until then...
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Why Fear of Flying?
Greetings from the Philippines! Jake and I are enjoying a great honeymoon at El Nido Resorts in Palawan - a slice of eco-heaven on earth. After a whirlwind of a month, we're happy to just settle in, sleep, relax on the beach and explore the surrounding islands.
A lot has changed for us since mid-September. In addition to resigning from our jobs in NYC and most importanly getting MARRIED!, we've also halfway moved to Chicago and started a bit of an adventure overseas beginning with this honeymoon.
My personal enjoyment of this trip can be measured on many levels, but I'll only mention two. The first and more cosmetic has to do with the number of fake eyelashes I lose daily. I had 160 lashes glued to my lids for the wedding on 10/2/10. When I finished up at BlingLash on 14th Street between 6th and 7th (highly recommended!), I felt a bit like a "woman of the night." Happily, I settled in to them and now don't want to give them up. Unfortunately, I'm now losing them by the day. So for Post #1, let's say I have about 125 lashes left.
Another measure of the success of this trip is about the title of this blog, "Fear of Flying." Fortunately for me and my husband, neither of us have true anxiety over flying. It's actually quite enjoyable especially on Emirates Airlines on which we flew from JFK to Dubai and on to Manila. They fed us every 2.2 seconds it seemed and had personal TVs equipped with more than 150 movies. Not bad!
So why call the blog "Fear of Flying?" It has to do with the personal choices we've made to get where we are today. As my husband so aptly put it in his wedding speech, we are currently homeless, jobless and newlywed, a far cry from where we were one month ago! Many would say we were successful Manhattanites living well in the Big City. But, we decided that family and friends and each other are the most important thing right now - much more important than the daily grind. Beginning our marriage in this way is a bit of a gamble (actually the biggest of our lives), but we're willing to risk it for happiness. So, we're letting everything go (i.e. wordly possessions, NY-based friends all of which we love and will sorely miss, our Tribeca apartment, creature comforts and security) to roll the dice on something extraordinary. With any luck, we'll be "flying" in no time...
A lot has changed for us since mid-September. In addition to resigning from our jobs in NYC and most importanly getting MARRIED!, we've also halfway moved to Chicago and started a bit of an adventure overseas beginning with this honeymoon.
My personal enjoyment of this trip can be measured on many levels, but I'll only mention two. The first and more cosmetic has to do with the number of fake eyelashes I lose daily. I had 160 lashes glued to my lids for the wedding on 10/2/10. When I finished up at BlingLash on 14th Street between 6th and 7th (highly recommended!), I felt a bit like a "woman of the night." Happily, I settled in to them and now don't want to give them up. Unfortunately, I'm now losing them by the day. So for Post #1, let's say I have about 125 lashes left.
Another measure of the success of this trip is about the title of this blog, "Fear of Flying." Fortunately for me and my husband, neither of us have true anxiety over flying. It's actually quite enjoyable especially on Emirates Airlines on which we flew from JFK to Dubai and on to Manila. They fed us every 2.2 seconds it seemed and had personal TVs equipped with more than 150 movies. Not bad!
So why call the blog "Fear of Flying?" It has to do with the personal choices we've made to get where we are today. As my husband so aptly put it in his wedding speech, we are currently homeless, jobless and newlywed, a far cry from where we were one month ago! Many would say we were successful Manhattanites living well in the Big City. But, we decided that family and friends and each other are the most important thing right now - much more important than the daily grind. Beginning our marriage in this way is a bit of a gamble (actually the biggest of our lives), but we're willing to risk it for happiness. So, we're letting everything go (i.e. wordly possessions, NY-based friends all of which we love and will sorely miss, our Tribeca apartment, creature comforts and security) to roll the dice on something extraordinary. With any luck, we'll be "flying" in no time...
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