From Saigon to Phnom Penh

It has been a crazy, jam-packed week and a half of travel. Joe and I went from Saigon to the tunnels of Cu Chi, took a bus west to Phnom Penh (Cambodia) for a day and a half and then returned to Saigon, flew from Saigon to Hanoi, spent three days in Halong Bay on the Gulf of Tonkin, and now we're back at our hotel in Hanoi preparing to fly to Bangkok tonight. We have a couple of hours before we can visit the different facilities dedicated to Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War, so I figured I would blog about our journey from Saigon to Phnom Penh and our first impressions of Cambodia's capital.

We were surprised to find that in Saigon things always seem to run on time, if not 20-30 minutes early. Our guide for our tour of the Cu Chi tunnels showed up 30 minutes early (Joe will blog about this later) and the man who came to take us to the bus stop was 20 minutes early. Luckily, both times I convinced Joe that we should be ready ahead of time. We must have looked quite comical as we struggled to follow our guide and carry our various back packs and bags of snacks. I insisted that Joe buy a variety of snacks for the trip and the hotel gave us slices of white bread, bananas, and bottles of water (their idea of breakfast?), all of which contributed to a difficult load to maneuver. By the time we made it to the bus we were huffing and puffing, even though the walk probably took less than 5 minutes, and we couldn't wait to get climb on board.

Our bus for the trip to Phnom Penh.

As seems typical in Saigon, the bus left about 15 minutes early. We were given seats in the back with the other foreigners which we didn't mind because later the inhabitants up front were eating corn that smelled pretty awful. It probably took 30-40 minutes just to get out of the city. The traffic in Saigon is incredible. The motor bikes converge like an amoeba- fluid, morphing, and constantly shifting its shape. If you don't watch out, you will be swallowed up by the chaos, and a path out can be nearly impossible to find without causing everyone in sight to honk angrily at you. Motor bikes are the king of Saigon, though cars and buses make up a large amount of the traffic as well.

This picture kind of gives you an idea of the traffic, but it was hard to take pictures without getting honked at.

Almost immediately after we boarded the bus a representative from the bus company wanted our passports to see if we already had a visa for Cambodia. We didn't because I was told we could get one at the border, and of course he wanted to "make" our visa for us for the added charge of $5 per visa. This was probably a rip-off, but sometimes we just don't feel like fighting the system, so we allowed him to fill out the paperwork for us and it probably made things a little easier. The Indians next to us were much more skeptical and wanted to fill out their own. It was comical to listen to the guy try to avoid telling them the actual visa costs and how much he was profiting by taking care of it for them. The Indians ended up getting their visas on their own, but the bus company made sure they didn't have time to stop for lunch with the rest of us. I guess this was their punishment.

Vietnam's immigration office at the border.

We stopped for lunch and Joe ordered us some rice, vegetables, and mystery meat (we think it was pork?). It was so well done that we weren't too worried about it making us sick. Lunch was almost spoiled by the fact that Joe had to pay $1 for his beer considering he can usually get them for 50 cents, but after being reassured that we could afford it he seemed to forget about the pricey beer and enjoy his overcooked lunch.

After lunch it was back to the bus for a ride that seemed to get bumpier by the hour. There was definitely a big difference between the roads in Vietnam and Cambodia. While the roads in Vietnam were by no means smooth, the roads in Cambodia went through long, bumpy stretches that would cause even those with stomachs of steel to grow concerned about whether or not they were going to retain their lunch. Perhaps the most interesting part of our trip was being ferried across the Mekong River, while on the bus, for the last leg of the journey to Phnom Penh. Before you cross you have to pass streets lined with people selling various types of street food, preying on buses that are waiting for the next ferry. The ferry trip was a nice respite from the bumpy ride that was about to get even bumpier.

The view from the bus.

The Mekong River.

When we finally arrived at the bus station, after 6 hours and 30 minutes of travel, we then had to secure a thuk thuk for our trip to our hotel. Of course we got ripped off (we paid $5 for a ride that probably should have cost $2), but like I said before, sometimes you just don't care. The last hour of our trip had been on a pocked, dirt road that left both of us feeling tired and sick to our stomachs, so the only thing we were thinking about was resting at the hotel.

After a short rest at our hotel we headed to the National Museum of Phnom Penh. We spent around an hour there, but its primary focus was on the early history of Cambodia which we spent a lot of time studying during our trip to Siem Reap. Our goal in visiting Phnom Penh was to focus more on Cambodia's modern history (Khmer Rouge, genocide, etc.), so after briefly checking everything out at the museum we returned to the hotel for dinner. Amazingly our appetites had returned and we enjoyed a western style dinner- a hamburger for Joe and fish and chips for me.

On the way to the museum. Joe was really fascinated by the pig's tail for some reason.

The museum and the grounds were beautiful.

Our last stop of the night was the Mekong River Restaurant. They show two different 45-minute long documentaries. One is on Pol Pot and the genocide, and the other is on landmines in Cambodia. Because we were visiting Tuol Sleng (former primary school used as a torture facility by the Khmer Rouge) and the killing fields the next day, we felt like we should view the documentary on Pol Pot. We arrived a little early, but Joe was happy because they had 60 cent beers that he could bring into the theater with him if he wasn't able to finish before the movie. Our only mistake was to sit outside close to the sidewalk where we were constantly bothered with the question, "Buy something?" Books, sunglasses, cigars, cigarettes- we were offered just about everything, and so we were very relieved when we were ushered upstairs to watch the documentary. Though very well-done and informative, I don't think anything could have prepared us for what we were going to see the next day.

Joe with his 60 cent beers in the theater.

Ho Chi Minh City- Day 1

We got into Ho Chi Minh City late last night after a 15 hour travel day in which half the time was spent in either Incheon International or Guangzhou airports. The process of getting our visas went rather smoothly, but we did run into trouble outside attempting to hail a taxi. Sami had read our hotel's recommendation on which taxi companies to use in order to stave off scamming drivers. However, after a few futile attempts to secure a ride with any of the promoted companies, we jumped into the nearest van and made our way into the city. Just as advertised, the driver asked for $20 US when we expected to pay $7. I understand that the numbers are all relative and I shouldn't get too worked up over a mini slight such as this. Still, I have turned into somewhat of a penny pincher since moving outside of the US (due in no small part to the decrease in salary I am sure), so this unfortunate incident did not sit well and made a poor first impression. Although I am mildly happy to report that we only paid $15.


I was in a much better mood this morning. In a stroke of pure genius, Sami booked us in a hotel that offers a daily complimentary breakfast. I ordered iced coffee and pho and pretty much made love to both.

Breakfast

The beef broth was out of this world. I didn't even mind that there was no fish sauce or lime because I loved that broth so much. Plus the noodles were light and I appreciated that the portion wasn't too large because I always feel compelled to eat everything in front of me and didn't want to have a bloated morning. The coffee here is amazing also. I am not just saying that because I have grown accustomed to the Korean instant stuff that tastes like hot cocoa. I had to have another one later in the afternoon.

After breakfast we made our way outside and, using a map provided by the hotel staff, made our way to the Reunification Palace. This building served as the command center for the ARVN during the war, but was rammed in by a NVA tank and seized on April 30, 1975. We toured the different rooms including the Presidential office and reception room, but the most interesting was down in the basement where all of the old radio equipment from the communication center remained. There was even a shooting range down there. It is incredible how outdated everything looks, not just the radio equipment, but also the furniture in the different rooms.

Sami in front of the Reunification Palace

After the palace, we went and searched for a place to eat. Of course, Sami wanted to find the biggest, cleanest restaurant with nice tables and chairs, so as a compromise, she let me gorge on some street food for the walk. I found a banh mi stand (not hard to do here) and pointed my way through an order. I must have made the mistake of too emphatically pointing at the eggs because she cooked two up and put them in without any other meat or pate, just the standard cucumber and carrot. I made a grunt and had her put a little of the potted meat spread on there, but it was plainer than I would have liked. Delicious, no doubt, but I have made it a mission in Vietnam to search out big flavors at all turns.

We found a popular restaurant on the ground floor of a spectacular yellow European looking hotel where I ordered my iced coffee and coconut ice cream after seriously considering the durian variety. Sami ordered spring rolls and fried rice. I ate nearly all of the spring rolls which were the best I have ever had, crispy and porky and perfect. I dipped them in the famous fish sauce that I want to bring home. Sami, who has had an increasing sweet tooth as of late, added sweet chili sauce to her rice. She also had an iced chocolate.

My first banh mi of the day

Lunch- stupid umbrella is covering my spring roll!

After lunch we walked to the Notre Dame Cathedral and then the post office- both famous for their architecture I have been told.

Eventually (after a quick break back to the hotel so I could check the scores of the playoff games) we visited the war relic museum. The whole experience was powerfully harrowing. The saddest part was an exhibit on the long term effects of agent orange. I had no idea that the chemical makes such a lasting impression through the generations- even the grandchildren of those exposed to agent orange during the war are born with heartbreaking physical defects. A few of the affected were present and manned an outreach booth.

I thought that the entire museum was pretty well organized and easy to navigate through. Some of the images were difficult to read about let alone look at. There was a section outside that dealt with how POWs were treated by American soldiers. They even had a replica of a guillotine and a small "tiger cage" built extremely low to the ground and made of barbed wire.

The hardest part for me was reading through all of the anti-American comments left in the guestbook. I feel that I need to study more on the subject before I form an absolute opinion, but the entire experience left me feeling ashamed and confused as to how I will be able to allow myself to enjoy the rest of my experience here in Vietnam knowing the history.

"Tiger Cage"

My Take on the BCS National Championship Game

I wrote this as a reply to my dad and figured I might as well share my thoughts on the game. I was able to watch the entire game- the first half from school while my students played games and the second half from home. After the game I went into my room and laid down staring at the ceiling for awhile. I had a couple of beers and I was buzzed and felt a little tingly. It was about 2:30 in the afternoon and I felt a lot like Willard in the opening scene of Apacolypse Now, just going mad. I felt very hurt and will for a long time, but we leave for a long and much anticipated vacation in Southeast Asia today so that definitely helps.

Here are my thoughts...

I don't think either team played their best game, which is understandable given the stage and the fact that we are talking about 20 year olds. Five weeks between games really is a joke. You can say that our defense played as well as we could have hoped for and they did have a decent game, but still they overthrew a couple of touchdown passes.

The two biggest problems I had with the game are the Cliff Harris non-interception call (looked like a clear pick) and the second DT interception. We were driving and should have come away with points there. That was a stupid throw.

I think that you have to go for it on 4th down because that is what we have done all year. The last drive of the game was just kind of a fluke thing, but I still think that Auburn attempts a FG to win the game no matter what, maybe just from further out.

I have one buddy who says that we shouldn't have run it up the middle when backed up against our own end zone and maybe he is right. That 9 points was a huge turning point. I don't know what else you do there though and risk a turnover. We already had the big play with Mael and I don't think they would have allowed that again.

Of course, it all comes down to the penetration of their D line. Fairley was a beast, but it wasn't just him. It is frustrating when they are in the backfield like that all game and near impossible to win.

Even with all that said we still had the game tied with 2:30 left.

It sucks thinking that Chizick and Malzahn win the championship though. I hope Malzahn takes a job down the road and falls flat on his face. Everything I have read about him suggests that he has no personality. And now of course Newton declares for the draft. Why wouldn't he.

People who think that we are going to get back to the title game next year no problem are crazy. We open with LSU who will also challenge us up front and the Pac-12 winner now has an extra game to get through. As a fan, I think the ultimate goal is just the Rose Bowl each year and if the BCS game happens, it happens.

Catching Up and Looking Forward

There hasn't been much writing for awhile owing to a simple lack of inspiration. It is cold and there are remnants of frozen snow all about. We have been in hibernation mode all of December up until now. Part of this is us saving money for our upcoming trip to Southeast Asia, and part is pure laziness. Oh, there have been some highlights. For a few weekends before the snows I would play basketball over at my school. I would go to just to shoot, but inevitably a group of high schoolers would ask me to join in half court three on three. Being bigger and stronger, and (unlike my youthful competition) having received the benefit of actual instruction in my youth, I dominated the games like a young Shaq.

A week before Christmas we had some people over for a gift exchange and holiday party. We played King's Cup on the floor of our apartment which was a good time, but our Korean friend was understandably frustrated every time a nine (bust a rhyme) was pulled. As you can imagine, this is a difficult feat to perform using your non-native language. We drank enough that we ended up at the karaoke room. We learned that if you order enough beer (which is apparently illegal, but they all do it anyway) they will give you extra time to sing. I am still not sure if this is a good thing.

On Christmas night we went to a foreigner Christmas dinner put on by a brewery in Seoul. We were lucky enough to go first in line at the buffet and we loaded up our plates with standard (but sorely missed) Christmas fare. Since we were first, we even got to take a turkey leg which made us quite happy. I can't say the same for the people who went after us. We actually tried to get back in line for seconds before other sections were given the go-ahead. This did not go over well.

These last two weeks, I have only been going to school half days to teach an English camp. The first week was 3rd grade, last week was 5th and next week will be 3rd again. The first week wasn't so bad. Thanks to Sami, I have awesome materials for all my classes so that isn't a problem. The 5th grade session, however, was horrendous. I just don't have the patience for this. Why do the boys, who are soon going to be in sixth grade, have to be hitting each other and shooting each other with fake guns constantly? I don't get it. I actually had to take away a water gun that looked exactly like a real gun. The whole time I am thinking, if this happened in the states, it would be news. Whenever I get really worked up about it, however, I remind myself that it is only a half day and I usually forget about what a pain it all is soon after I get home.

I have spent a lot of my downtime reading some really great books. I finished Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian," (very dense and filled with imagery. Had to re-start it 100 pages in, but epic. I will definitely be reading it again and can't wait for the movie), "Sister Carrie" by Theodore Dreiser, Anthony Bourdain's "A Cooks Tour," "One Day" by David Nichols, "Beloved" by Toni Morrison and "The War for Late Night" about the whole Jay/Conan fiasco.

I would recommend "Beloved" to anyone who hasn't read it already. I easily understand why it ranks up there with the best American novels. Very moving, but what I was most impressed with how the other weaves her way through the scenes, present and past. Just really great writing.

Because I am such a late night junkie (I am now a certified "Jay" guy whereas I used to be solely for Conan) I devoured "The War for Late Night" in two days. It was a very interesting insider account of how it all went down, and I hate to say it, but I don't totally blame Jay anymore like I used to. I think it was just a little mismanagement on the part of NBC and an overreaction by Conan. And now he is on TBS and while I can't see it, I am imagining it isn't going too well. I wish he would have just stuck it out. That still doesn't mean I think the joke-machine Leno is the least bit funny.

Of course, the biggest thing that has been occupying my time has been following all of the coverage leading up to the National Championship Game. I continue to devour all of the news I can even though everyone is saying the same things we have heard all season: win the day, one day at a time, Oregon plays at a superfast pace, the defense is underrated etc etc etc. The one thing I keep thinking back to was seeing Darron Thomas in person for the first time when he was a true Freshman. In a previous life I helped put on a charity auction in Eugene and I was fortunate enough to usher some VIPs for a meet and greet with the players as they ate after practice. Darron had on a bright blue Aldine High hooded sweatshirt and I thought, "This kid cannot weigh more than 160lbs." Dennis Dixon had just been drafted and most people thought that Justin Roeper was going to be the starter based on his performance in the Sun Bowl and the fact that Nate Costa was injured. Man how things have changed.

I don't want to say more than I have to about the potential of me missing the first half of the game Tuesday (Monday back home). It is too depressing. My plan is to find some games the kids can do without much input from me so I can watch online. I guess I would be even more depressed about this fact if I didn't have Vietnam to look forward to next week.

Yes, our much anticipated vacation is finally less than a week away. The twenty-three day itinerary goes like this: Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh)-Cambodia (Phnom Penh)-Vietnam (Hanoi/Ha Long Bay)-Thailand (Bangkok)-The Philippines (Palawan). The icing on the cake is that after our trip we go back to work for two weeks and then take off again for Bali for nine days. Yep, before you know it it will be March and the snow will be a memory.

In preparation for our trip I have lined out four movies to watch: "Apocalypse Now," "The Quiet American," "Bridge on the River Kwai" and "The Killing Fields." I have yet to see the last two, but feel I must because we have visits planned to both the Japanese WWII bridge in Thailand and the mass Khmer Rouge Graves near Phnom Penh. I watched "The Quiet American" yesterday and have to say that it is almost as good as the book by Graham Greene. Yes, some things were cut out and changed, but doesn't that happen with all movies based on novels?

"Apocalypse Now," of course, is one of the all-time greats and I am pretty sure I could watch it once a month for my lifetime. After my sixth or so viewing the other day I found myself wondering how Kurtz could be so heavy out there with his cult Cambodian followers. He looks fit from the pictures in the classified files taken not so long ago and then of course Willard explained how he finished airborne school at nearly 40 and how physically demanding that is even for 20 year olds. I mean, sure they sacrifice a water buffalo every Sunday night let's say, but still, there are a lot of skinny damn people on that compound (not to mention body parts strewn about, but that's a different topic).

Then I thought, oh it's probably just that Brando got fat.

Korean Homecooking from a Foreigner's Perspective

Here is an article I just wrote for another Web site. Please check it out!

http://www.suite101.com/content/korean-homecooking-from-a-foreigners-perspective-a326252