Angkor Wat

Following an awe-inspiring motorbike trip through central Vietnam and a few days recovering in Hoi An, Dad and I said goodbye to Lisa and flew across the boarder to Cambodia.  After checking in at the hotel, we beelined straight for dinner at Cambodian BBQ.  Dad manned the grill, cooking up bits of chicken, pork, beef, squid, swordfish, dogfish shark, and crocodile.  I manned the beer bottles.

Mmmmm, grilled meat

Mmmm, beer

Next morning, we hired a tuk tuk driver, Won Di, to cart us around the Angkor Wat complex.  As he pulled to a stop in front of the famous Angkor Wat temple, we began to realize how impressive the world’s largest religious monument truly is.  

Angkor Wat

Ridin' in style with Won Di

Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat over 600ft wide.  Inside the temples, there are hundreds of bas-reliefs, in varying states of ruin. 

Interior temple
Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Interior temple of Angkor Wat through a window

Angkor Wat

Next up on the tour was Bayon, inside the Angkor Thom complex.  Bayon is another example of Khmer design and is best known for the 216 giant carved faces of Avalokiteshvara.

Bayon, Angkor Wat

Bayon, Angkor Wat

Beautiful relief work
Bayon, Angkor Wat

Bayon, Angkor Wat

Bayon, Angkor Wat

Huge faces
Bayon, Angkor Wat

Bayon, Angkor Wat

Bayon, Angkor Wat

Bayon, Angkor Wat

Bayon, Angkor Wat

Bayon, Angkor Wat

Bayon, Angkor Wat

The heat really started to set in as we tuk tuk-ed our way down the road to Ta Prohm.  Ta Prohm is popularly referred to as the Indiana Jones temple.  The beautiful towers and courtyards are overgrown by trees, their roots slowly devouring the stone.

Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat

Roots
Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat

Taking over
Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat

Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat

Amazing!
Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat

Tree hug
Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat

Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat

Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat

Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat

As the afternoon sun beat down on us in full force, we climbed the hill to Phnom Bakheng to see the sun set over Angkor Wat.  We were exhausted, soaked with sweat, hungry, and less than eager to deal with the rapidly growing mass of people also looking to take in the sunset.  After a short debate, we decided to head back down the hill to find Won Di to take us home.

Remains of steps up to Phnom Bakheng

Viewing deck at Phnom Bakheng

Well before dawn the next morning, Dad and I woke up and met Won Di out front for a chilly tuk tuk ride back to Angkor Wat.  We followed the crowds over the moat and towards the reflective pool.  As day broke, the mob of onlookers grew quiet, busily clicking photos of the magical sunrise over the temple.

Daybreak at Angkor Wat

Reflection
Angkor Wat

Sunrise
Angkor Wat

Sunrise
Angkor Wat

Here comes the sun
Angkor Wat

After breakfast at one of the food tents outside the temple, we met Won Di again had headed through the Angkor Thom South Gate.  We stepped out of the tuk tuk and strolled along the bridge to cross into Angkor Thom on foot.

Angkor Thom South Gate

Standing guard

Angkor Thom South Gate

On the other side of the complex, we arrived at Preah Khan.  This was possibly my favorite of all the temples, with its pink- and green-hued stones and lichen covering.  

Bigfoot
Preah Khan, Angkor Wat

Preah Khan, Angkor Wat

Sunlight shining into the temple
Preah Khan, Angkor Wat

Pink and green stones
Preah Khan, Angkor Wat

Preah Khan, Angkor Wat

Preah Khan, Angkor Wat

Preah Khan, Angkor Wat

Seven-headed serpent
Preah Khan, Angkor Wat

Preah Khan, Angkor Wat

Next up was a long walk down a wooden pier over a somewhat creepy swamp to Neak Poan.  This tiny temple is surrounded by a peaceful pool.  

Swamp
Neak Poan

Neak Poan

Neak Poan

As the heat of the day grew stronger, we toured around lesser-known Ta Som.  It was a bit like a combination of the pink and green stones of Preah Khan and the overgrown jungle of Ta Prohm.  

Ta Som, Angkor Wat

Ta Som, Angkor Wat

Pink stones
Ta Som, Angkor Wat

Ta Som, Angkor Wat

Roots
Ta Som, Angkor Wat

Incredible!
Ta Som, Angkor Wat

Our last temple was Banteay Kdei.  The heat was so incredibly unbearable, we only made a quick circle of the temple before jumping straight back in the tuk tuk with Won Di.

Banteay Kdei, Angkor Wat

Banteay Kdei, Angkor Wat

Two full days of temples, tuk tuks, and temperatures that prove Global Warming is real couldn’t have been spent with anyone better than Papa Baker!

 Dad and me at Angkor Wat

Another Day, Another Adventure

Back in April, my dad came to visit me for a couple weeks.  We had an amazing time traveling to Hue, motorbiking through central Vietnam, exploring Angkor Wat, and boating around the Mekong Delta.  I asked Papa Baker to write his own version of the story.  Enjoy!!



On to another adventure with Sam. After a successful visit to Taiwan, it was time to return to Asia: Destination Viet Nam. Walter Cronkite showed me Viet Nam every night from 1965 til 1975. The names of the cities, villages and areas of Viet Nam echo in my mind.

Ready to fly

The flight from Atlanta to Seoul was all daylight. I saw the ice breaking up on Lake Superior and a lot of Siberia. Clouds closed in as we flew into the area where the snow had melted. No view of the Great Wall for me.

Ho Chi Minh City. The smell of the city hits you in the airport and follows you everywhere you go. I have never been anywhere that smells as good as Viet Nam. Someone is always cooking something just up there, around the corner, down that alley, through that door. Whatever it is, it sure smells good.

Food, food, everywhere!

Three days on a scooter built for a person 5’6” tall, 150 lbs. Three months later, I still have stripes on my feet from sunburn through my sandals. Seldom have I experienced the exhilaration I got from driving that scooter through Viet Nam. First time driving in NYC, maybe. Parasailing in Peru, probably. Buffaloes in the road. 10 meter visibility fog. Incredibly beautiful scenery on all sides.

We stopped at the Military Cemetery in Huong Dien. It struck me that I had the same feeling there that I had when I visited Arlington National Cemetery. Honorable men who died fighting for their country.

The tunnel complex at Vinh Moc, three levels dug by hand in solid basalt, were all I needed to see to understand why North Viet Nam was victorious. Iron will and determination proved undefeatable. I enjoyed going through the tunnels, but they are not for the claustrophobic. 1.5 meter tall, ½ meter wide in most places. I went through crouched and bumping the sides.

Watch your head

Down the Ho Chi Minh Trail to Khe Sanh, last stop on the gloom and doom tour. This famed trail is now Highway 2. Smooth, well maintained, with an occasional truck burning in the ditch. 

Ho Chi Minh Trail

On to Da Nang and China Beach. Marble Mountain of 4,382 steps. Many of the stalagmites look just like Buddha, amazing.

Spent a couple of days in Hoi An partying with Sam’s friends, mostly Brits, but fun to hang with. Eat, drink, rest and get a massage. The hot stone massage burned, hurt and gave me a killer headache. The next day, however, I felt great. $25 for a 40 minute massage. I highly recommend it.

Hoi An lanterns

The stuff of nightmares 

Coffee in Hoi An

Flying out of Da Nang for Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. The revetment for the F4 Phantoms are still on the tarmac at Da Nang. 

Traffic in Siem Reap was thicker and more berserk than any I saw in Viet Nam. The temples at Angkor Wat are beautiful, awe inspiring and overwhelming. After being surprised by elephants coming up the trail, the 112 degree heat became unbearable. Back to the hotel for A/C, shower and a nap. Khmer BBQ and Angkor beer for dinner. Very good.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat is worth the early start. Omelet sandwich and coffee for breakfast. Cambodian and Viet Namese coffee are the best. I wonder how they make it so good? Dinner and a floor show of Khmer song and dance. Tasty and entertaining.

We took a six hour bus ride to Phnom Penh. If you ever have the opportunity to make this trip, fly. Phnom Penh is a huge, bustling city. Some of the most interesting electrical systems I have ever seen hanging above a street. 

We went to the ferry dock on the Mekong in the morning only to find that the boat was late. Bar open, beer cold, wait OK.  During the boarding process, Sam went back to the office to get our lunches. Naturally, we left without her. Fortunately, we went back to the dock for her.

Left behind

The ferry trip down the Mekong is great. The river is alive with commerce. Ships, ferries, sampans, people and industry everywhere.

Mekong River

We arrived two hours late, but our guide, Mr Kao, was waiting to take us on a Mekong Delta tour. A two hour drive and ½ hour boat ride later, we arrived at our home stay and supper. Next morning, we went to the floating market for coffee, pineapples and souvenirs. Commerce never rests. After a walking tour of downtown whatever town we were in, we boated off to another restaurant for lunch and a tour of one of the Delta islands. And of course more food with tea and local honey. All I do is eat and drink. Life is good.

Floating coffee delivery

Back to the car for the drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. We took the toll road, 62km at 60 km/hr. Highest speed limit in Viet Nam.

Dinner at the Ghetto Food Court. Three blocks from Sam’s house and I am completely lost. The last day and a half in Viet Nam are a blur. Went to the Post Office for trinkets and a book of inspirational war posters. Had weasel coffee, only $9 per cup. Probably more at their store in NYC. Took a tour of Sam’s school. A beautiful facility.

Weasel coffee

Ms Samantha's class

Happy hour at the Deck and dinner next door. Flagged a taxi, said goodbye and off to the airport. 29 hours on a plane and back in Alabama. I’m ready to go again. Riot Fest in Chicago, 12-14 Sep 14. See you there.

One last "cheers" to Vietnam!