Temples, Tuk Tuks and Tet

Southeast Asia – Part One

Vietnam and Cambodia

We typically like to escape the cold North Carolina weather in early winter.  So, when our presence was required on the west coast, we saw an opportunity to seek out a warm, tropical climate.  The obvious, and simplest, choice would have been Hawaii, and while we love those islands, we have visited many times before and were in search of a new adventure.  When one of us suggested that Thailand was close to California, an old cruising friend offered her opinion that our “navigation skills” seemed a bit rusty.  But once the idea of a trip to Thailand was planted in our minds, there was no stopping plans for the journey.  And what began as a simple flight to Napa turned into a trip around the globe.

Flying to Thailand from San Francisco sounded simple enough, and it could have been, had the most affordable flights not routed us through Vietnam and Cambodia.  Could we really go all that way and not explore more of Southeast Asia?  While the two countries had never been on our radar, the idea of learning about these unfamiliar civilizations was intriguing. 

Southeast Asia is one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world; 11 countries with hundreds of identified languages and ethnicities, encompassing more than 5,000,000 square miles of land and sea.  It would take years to really see such an expanse; we settled on 25 days.

While Thailand is not “close” to California, it is true that traveling from the west coast to Southeast Asia is simpler than flying from North Carolina.  One 16-hour hop got us from San Francisco to Ho Chi Minh City, while the trip home took 30 hours on three different airplanes. 

The timing of our excursion fell amid Tet, a seven-day holiday which signifies the beginning of the Vietnamese New Year.  Being the most important holiday in Vietnamese culture, many businesses and landmarks would be closed, residents would be away, so we decided to just have a quick look during a long layover to get the flavor of the country.  

Ho Chi Minh City (commonly referred to as Saigon) is Vietnam’s largest municipality, as well as the country’s business and financial hub. We arrived before sunrise and began touring in the dark; it was interesting to watch the city wake up. We were told it was very quiet due to the holiday, but by sunrise, there was an endless stream of traffic. It is the second largest motorcycle city in the world, with more than seven million registered two-wheeled vehicles, many of which we witnessed carrying several small children sandwiched between adults. Add cars, trucks, and buses, it was chaotic to say the least; crossing the roads were harrowing experiences.

While Saigon is a large modern city, it has retained elements of simplicity.  It is mainly a cash economy, with a preference to deal in their local currency, the Dong.  We were able to use US dollars, but only new, crisp bills were accepted due to counterfeit concerns. 

Vietnam is also the second largest exporter of coffee, where the beverage is a way of life.  Many cafes are simply little plastic stools set out on the street offering a view of the world passing by.  Traditionally, coffee is brewed in individual portions; the Vietnamese believe that watching the coffee drip forces you to slow down and savor the moment.  Every morning, people gather to engage over a cup of Vietnamese Ca phe da (coffee), served cold with condensed milk, which is often thick enough to scoop with a spoon.  It was just what we needed to keep us awake.

Colonized by the French, Saigon has a prominent history going back hundreds of years.   Perhaps most widely known as a strategic southern stronghold during the Vietnam War, it was once the capital of Vietnam, run by an anti-communist government that was backed by French and US troops until 1975, when the war ended.  Today, it is a socialist republic with a one-party system led by the Communist party. There are many museums showcasing the country’s dark wartime history, and as we explored, we discovered disturbing interpretations of that time.  Some call the presentations political propaganda; others see them as just one perspective of the terrible events that fell upon the country, and the world. 

While the images of the past were upsetting, the city was a vision, with bright, extravagant decorations in celebration of Tet.  This is the Year of the Dragon, symbolizing authority, dignity, honor, success, luck, and power. For the Vietnamese, Tet is not just a nod to the New Year, it’s a cultural ritual.

Our time in Vietnam was short, but enlightening.  After a sampling of the local cuisine, we departed Ho Chi Mihn City on a short flight to Cambodia, just long enough for a quick nap to help stave off the jetlag.

Cambodia is a Southeast Asian nation bordered by Vietnam, Thailand and Laos, encompassing mountains, plains, coastlines and the Mekong Delta.  While there is much to see in the country, we had to limit our visit to Siem Reap, the second-largest city in Cambodia, and the gateway to one of the country’s most popular tourist sites, the ruins of Angkor Wat.

A massive Hindu-Buddist temple complex built in the 12^th century, the Angkor Archaeological Complex is a UNESCO Heritage site and probably the most important archaeological location in Southeast Asia.  Encompassing some 400 acres, the Angkor Wat compound is the world’s largest religious monument, with more than a thousand buildings including 72 major temples.  During our four days in Siem Reap, we managed to explore nine of them.

We dealt with the 12-hour time difference by simply ignoring it.  Rising before dawn, sightseeing most of the day and night, catching a little shuteye by the pool or in the car whenever we could. 

Reminiscent of our time investigating ancient ruins in Greece and Italy, our introduction to Cambodia’s temple ruins was exciting, and overwhelming.  While grueling, the early morning starts gave us the opportunity to rummage through the temples without crowds.  We were virtually alone, but for the workers there literally sweeping the dirt. 

Ta Prohm – The Buddhist temple of Ta Prohm (temple of the forest) lies in a sad state engulfed by the jungle. The immense  roots of surrounding trees have attached themselves to the structure, and the towers and walls of the temple are crumbling beneath the weight. 

Breakfast in a Tuk Tuk (pronounced took took) gave us energy to keep going.

Ta Keo – One of the largest temples in the Angkor Wat complex, Ta Keo meaning “mountain with bronze peaks” has five sanctuary towers on top of a stepped pyramid. It was the first temple made completely of sandstone, although it was never finished.  We climbed to the top, which was challenging as the steps are steep, narrow, and uneven, at a 45-degree inclination, with no handrail. 

Angkor Thom – The mammoth Angkor Thom once supported a population of more than a million. The fortified city features tall walls and a huge moat designed to keep invaders away from the residences of priests, royalty, and military officials.

We enjoyed a sunset canoe ride around the Angkor Thom moat, sipping G&T’s while hearing stories from our guide about life in Cambodia. 

Bayon- One of the most iconic temples in the complex is Bayon, where stone faces smile down from 54 gothic towers

Angkor Wat – The largest and best-preserved temple in the complex, Angkor Wat is surrounded by an imposing rectangular reservoir and consists of three tiered galleries and five towers shaped like lotus buds. The temple is so revered in the country that Cambodia’s national flag features an outline of the structure.

On the day we visited the Angkor Wat temple, we began at 4:00 am  to see the sun rise over the classic towers.  When we arrived at the temple, there were already hundreds of people there with the same idea. And while it was beautiful, it was difficult to capture the moment with so many people blocking the view, their cameras held high in the air, videoing, rather than be a part of, the experience. 

In between temple visits, we traveled through the city by Tuk Tuk to sample Cambodian food, took in a circus, visited a floating village, even rode in an ox cart to dine in a rice patty.  It was such a contrast, ancient times and modern worlds converging. 

The Phare Circus is part of a school that was founded with the intent of empowering disadvantaged children with education and professional training in visual arts, theatre, music, dance, and circus skills.  The performances are a powerful mix of contemporary circus techniques, acting, humor and live music.

Tonle Sap lake is the richest freshwater fishing ground in the world.  Due to the extreme rise and fall of water levels, the village of Meachrey is built on floating bamboo rafts.  Residents live in floating houses, attend floating schools, worship in floating churches, and eat at floating restaurants.  Kind of like living on a boat.

As our time in Cambodia came to an end, we were glad that we took the opportunity to add two new countries to our list of places visited, even if the stops were brief.  We were finally off to Thailand, this time it really was close.