Last stage of the tour Phu Quoc island

Just a Quick hop from Saigon, 30 mins to be precise. We land in Phu Quoc at the Salinda resort. First impressions not so good. We are still struggling to catch what people say. However our room is lovely. We are still reeling from Ian’s phone going missing. He thought it was either in his camera bag or in the safe. Well you know he never has it turned on. Anyway I reckon he was pick pocketed in the market on the first day. We could not check in and carried our valuables with us as we had no where to leave them. Could have been worse could have been his wallet or his precious camera.
We go down to the bar which is empty it is Tet and most of the restaurants in the hotel are closed. There is a Tet buffet going on for an extortionate price, we are not hungry enough for that. Make do with a couple of drinks and bed.
Breakfast was a different affair, lots of food, sparkling wine and great service. Spent the rest of the day horizontal tanning ourselves. Very hot, it’s a factor 50 job.

I might post some more and promise when I get home to add more photos and correct all the spellings and predictive text mistakes and the bad grammar. 😀. I have really belted this out and not read it back so goodness know what I have said sometimes. Hope you have enjoyed it anyway.

3 more days and then it’s back to Blighty. Brrrrrrr.

We soon found our feet and after quizzing other hotel guests got the lay of the land. Places to eat things to do etc.

We went to the night market one evening. 70 dong for a taxi (£2). Masses of street food, very busy, buzzy but spolit by rude and bad mannered Russians.

We had silver snapper cooked on a BBQ with Lemon grass and ginger. Also some very large prawns, service was not so good as the place was heaving. Many requests for additional tiger beers were not forth coming. A fascinating place to visit. Some very strange food on offer. Eggs and oysters on display, raw then cooked slowly over a BBQ. Eaten whist still half raw. Salmonella anyone? Loads of seafood, the fish looks very fresh but would not take a chance on any shellfish.taxi back towards the hotel and stop at a bar for a nightcap. Ian has a local beer and I had a G&T which was so strong it made my eyes water. More tonic required.
Our flight back to Bangkok was a bit scary as this was the plane we had for an hour and half flight.
Even Ian was a bit worried.

Egg and Oysters

Raw sea urchins

A pretty plane at least.

Cu chi tunnels and city tour.

We leave our lovely hotel at 8.00am the drive is easy compared to normal as not much traffic on the road. Well so they say looks pretty busy to us. Anyway we get to the tunnels a whole half hour early. Mr F and I were nodding in the back of the car.
The Cu Chi tunnels are an incredible network of tunnels constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters (Viet Cong) during the French and American wars.  As we walked around we are accompanied by the sound of gun fire AK47 to be precise.  For a large fee you can go and fire off some rounds. The noise adds to the atmosphere of the tunnels. I am interested to see the firing range but we are ushered away sharply for some reason. Ian went down a secret tunnel and then crawled along a section, too hot and claustrophobic for me. It was really interesting. Khai our guide explained everything very well. He spoke of the communist state, depending on who was around. He had very strong views on things which made sense of a lot of things we did not understand.
Saigon is a very western city, very odd for a communist country and weird to see the hammer and scycle flags lining nearly every street even in the countryside.
Any way I digress, back in the city we visit the war remnants museum. Forgot to mention at the tunnels we were shown and incredible propaganda film about the resistance fighters. They show a picture of someone and say he killed 6 American soldiers and was given the title of  American killer hero of the resistance. The war remnants museum is in the main, photographs of the war. All taken from the Vietnamese point of view as you would expect. Some of the photos are just amazing in their compositions and subject matter. Others are truly harrowing. I could not look at the Napalm and Agent Orange photos made a swift exit. Outside. There are helicopters, tanks, planes, howitzers and many other bomb and military machines.
A quick look at the post office which is still working today, a lovely building. The presidential palace we could take or leave. Getting a bit hot and tired now. Khai takes us into the town to look  at the flower displays and point out we should go the the Rex hotel roof bar. This is where the war correspondents met everyday for five o’clock forays. Great place.
City tour done, we are hungry so go to our roof bar for a quick beer and snack before we meet up with our Jayavarman buddies at the Rex. We had a fab night and had wonderful food into the bargain at a lovely local restaurant. Eating outside at Hoa Tuc set in an old Opium den.

It was sad for us all to say goodbye as we wandered off in different directions back to our hotels.

G&T's at the Rx

2019 year of the pig

Great restaurant, great food.

If you look carefully you can see the Opium Poppies carved into this screen. Gateway to the Opium den.

Ho Chi Minh City or as everyone here calls it Saigon

A short and very interesting transfer from the boat into the city. The roads coming out of the city are  rammed with scooters and motorbikes. Hundreds of them. People are leaving the city to go back to their family’s in the delta, it is a mass exodus for the celebration of TET
Our hotel is very desirable, lovely modern and cool in every meaning of the word. Our room is not ready so we set off to explore. We are a bit wary as it’s been drummed into us about thieves and pick pockets. Do not wear any jewellery and don’t take cameras out with you. Well we have only walked a few yards down the road where everyone has cameras or taking phone photos. Mr F goes back to the hotel to retrieve his beloved camera from the luggage room.
It is a scorcher of a morning, full sun and hot. The streets are thronged with people, the roads are full of cars and scooters and bikes. It is noisy but not in a bad way. It is a buzzy vibrant city, we love it already. We walk down the Hang Dong, stop to look at buildings we have no idea what they are. We are doing a city tour tomorrow so go to a different part of town today. On the way to the market we have to stop for a beer to cool down, rest and rehydrate a bit. The market is bustling, everything is here from toothpaste to live fish or a genuine fake Polo shirt or handbag. We do some serious bargaining and get a few things we are sure to have paid over the odds but hey it’s good fun.
We have to stop for another beer on the way back. We book a restaurant for tonight, dodge the traffic along the way. Ian is an expert jay walker so it’s easy for him. I tend to get half way across and start to scream. Ha ha. You just step out, look the traffic in the eye, hold up your hand, say a little prayer and go for it.
We are very tired, nip up to the roof pool bar for a look around. Sit down ooh lovely. Next thing we wake up. We are surrounded by very young very trendy, very beautiful people. We probably stink as have been sweating profusely all day, might have been dribbling too. Better make a quick escape before we are thrown out as interlopers.
A cup of tea and a shower hardly revives us so a gin and tonic is required. This time. We blend in a little bit better. We go the Lemongrass for dinner. Recommended by Tri our Vietnamese guide. I am disappointed, it looks grubby. We order some fish in ginger and pork in a clay pot. We had pork spring rolls to start with. The food was ok but nothing to write home about.
There is a concert going on outside the opera house and it is like Vietnam’s answer to the Eurovision Song Contest. Fight our way through the people and traffic and literally fall into bed. We have an 8am start in the morning to go to the Cu Chi tunnels.

Shoe repairs on the street

Life in the Delta

Late yesterday afternoon the boat slowed down. There is a broken tiny little jetty, we cannot possibly be mooring up there. Yes we were. It is a tiny community just a few houses. They are growing the biggest marigolds I have ever seen, chilli plants and some other crops.
The villagers put on a new year dance of the unicorn (Chinese Dragon) they were Amazing, so agile. One in the front and one in the back like a pantomime horse. They jump onto a platform about 6 foot high and jump from one platform to another. The platforms are at least 4 ft apart. It is a spectacular sight.

Last chance for 6.30 Tai Chi - blast missed it.

A group went for a walk around the farm this afternoon. On the way back they had to cross a very small rickity bridge. There was a hand rail but it was quite a distance from the plank of wood that you had to walk across. The plank of wood was barely 1 ft across. One man lost his balance grabbed the hand rail which promptly snapped and he swallow dived into a tributary of the Mekong. Luckily he could swim and the water was deep enough that he did not hurt himself. The crew went into a massive panic but he managed to get himself out and was fine. In fact from being a quiet man he has become quite animated and quite the celebrity.
We are then treated to some cocktails and dancing on the shore. The crew love it and really let their hair down. Back on board for dinner and in bed by 10.
We moor mid stream in Saper and are woken the next morning to glorious sunshine. Today we go by sanpan to an island in the river. No tourism here like all the places we have been taken too. Just typical Vietnamese life. The children love us and wave frantically as we arrive. We watch some rattan mats being made and mooch about the village, everyone is very friendly but we cannot understand them and vice versa. A lovely cool ride for 35. Minutes

The beautiful and very happy Moni

down another tributary and then back into the Mekong where we catch up with the boat. This afternoon we are seeing a floating market which we are all exited about this is in a place called Cai be.
Today is the last day on the boat so we are all a little sad. Tonight we have a farewell dinner before leaving tomorrow for Ho Chi Min. We have absolutely loved this trip. Even Mr F has stopped croaking at last.

Making rice pancakes.

Wrapping the coconut toffees

Last night pre dinner drinks

Vietnam and the Mekong Delta

Tai Chi was at 6.30 again. Didn't make it today.

Yesterday was spent sunbathing and viewing the shoreline. We travelled out of Phnom Penh down to the border to cross into Vietnam. I was expecting a large customs, police or even military presence but it was quite the non event. At the border we dropped anchor mid stream and stayed ther for 2 hours or so whilst someone went ashore with (our passports).
There is a great debate wether or not we need a visa. We were told no while other have paid £30 for one.
Anyway we are not thrown off the boat or left behind in Cambodia so I guess it’s ok. No visa or charges for one either.
I spend some of the time having a massage and then we are treated to a cooking demonstration and learn how to make spring rolls and chicken amok which are delicious.


Tan Chau to My Anh Hung


Today we are taken off the boat into a town of which I forget the name (My Anh Hung). We have spent the last few days learning Cambodian and now have a whole new language to learn. The town is very busy and we are taken on a tour of the town by  trishaw. One person perched atop a shallow seat in a cart pulled by another poor man on a bicycle. We set off at a rate of knots, we try to cling on while taking in the sights. Vietnam is very different to Cambodia. The people seem a bit less genteel than Cambodians.
We tour round a local market, live chickens and live fish for sale both kept in horrendous conditions. Lots of fresh fruit and veg. Most of our group are turning veggie after that experience.

Salted egg recipe. Take fresh eggs and cover them in black salt and leave for 2 months then boil until hard. Enjoy! Blerrgh not sure what they taste like but it must be an acquired taste. Saw some in a hotel and the white of the egg was black.

We then get taken down the river to a fish farm. The fish, over 100 thousand of them are kept underneath a floating house. They are fed with a stinking mix of dead fish, sweet potato and god knows what else. The fish food is cooked up in ah uge vat it looks and smells vile. It comes out of the vat like a giant poo and into a mincer, then into the water to fed the fish. Bassa or Tilapia you may have seen it in the supermarkets back home. I don’t think I will be able to eat it again.
There is a great mix of people on board the Jayavarman. English, French, German, Swiss, Austrians, Kiwis and

Some variety of crab

Salted eggs

Fish food jobbie.

yesterday we were joined by 18 Americans who are on a cycling tour. They are a bit noisy but go off on their bikes everyday and come back later on.
There is a horrid beetle here, it’s only a tiny thing but if you squish it and get the juice on your skin it leaves a terrible reaction. People are pooling antibiotics and antibiotic cream. One man has been affected on his head and the poison has travelled into his eye. Not good.
Well we have just left the place with no name and are sailing for a couple of hours so it’s time I went up onto the sun deck for a snooze.

Phnom Penh

Another beautiful sunrise greets us this morning. We stand on our balcony and watch the sun rise and hear the Buddhist monks chanting carry down the Mekong.

Although up guess what didn't make Tai Chi.

We are taken to the Killing fields. It is eerie and a quiet place, we can see the clothes of the victims still in the ground, poking through the earth in the mass graves. Most have been completely excavated but some remain untouched. I am not going to put any details in here, however it is so recent and you feel it.
Next we travel to S21 which is the prison and torture place before being killed a buried in mass graves. The torture inflicted was absolutely barbaric. There is a memorial and lots of pictures of the people that were held there and you can walk around the minute cells where they were held. We don’t stay long.

It is an absolute scorcher today and after a very fine lunch we head off to the Kings Palace and Silver Pagoda. It is beautiful and opulent. It is quite sickening when there is so much poverty outside of the golden palace gates.
The Cambodian people are so lovely, smiling happy and beautiful people. Again it is clear to us that the Buddhist teaching is a good way of life.
We have cyclos to take us back to the boat. There is much discussion as to which way we should go. There is one person per cyclo and you sit in front of the poor cyclist. My peddler wants to go one way but other shout him down. Off we go at a rate of knots 3 of us in the front vie for pole position. There get dangerously close to each other and other traffic in the crowded streets. We then stop, nowhere near the river. Hmm much more whaaa choyyy acchhh etch and off we go again, finally find the boat. Much bowing and tipping the poor men who are a bit hot now.
After a beer to cool us down we head off for the market. I purchase 2 pairs of short for 5$
Mr F buys some elephant trousers, wonder if he will ever use them. They are selling Levi and Calvin Klein shorts for peanuts.
Dinner last night was a bbq on the sun deck. It is so lovely to sit outside and eat in the evening. We are treated to some Cambodian Apsara dancing. Ian and I groan as we saw this is Siem Reap and it was poor and ear splitingly screechy. However this was a real professional performance, fabulous dancing, precision and beauty. Also some humour with the Monkey and the Buddha dance.

 

These ARAMARK workwear trousers were for sale in the night market in Phnom Penh along side Calvin Klein have we been missing something all these years.