Travelogue
Luang Prabang - The Jewel of Laos and UXO - 19 July 2010
Luang Prabang, the jewel of Laos, a UNESCO heritage site, situated at the confluence of the Mekong and Kham rivers is home to 32 pagodas, and famous chill out place for overseas visitors. Once the capital of Lane Xang, the Kingdom of a Million Elephants, Luang Prabang is the old royal city of Laos. The peaceful town beside the Mekong is blessed with the country’s finest old Buddhist temples. Chief amongst them is Wat Xieng Thong, the Temple of the Golden City. This former royal monastery is a complex of graceful wooden structures in the classic Luang Prabang style with its elegantly curved roof sweeping low to nearly ground level. Also in Luang Prabang is the former royal palace, now a museum, and well worth a visit.While most visitors come to see this and other sights, the town is home to another less popular destination, but one that should be on every visitor’s list of “must see” places, the Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme, for Lao has the unwanted distinction of being per capita the most heavily bombed nation in the world.Luang Prabang - charm In the early 1960s, US president Kennedy made a policy statement guaranteeing the peace and neutrality of Laos. To ensure these objectives successive US administrations ordered destruction on a neutral country, the like of which has never before been witnessed in the history of human kind. More than half-a-million US bombing missions were carried out between the years 1964 to
Kratie - Dolphin City - 20 June 2010
The city of Kratie is 300 kilometres by road north of Phnom Penh, on the Mekong River. Aside from some spectacular sunsets viewed over the river, the town is known for being home to some of the rarest dolphins in the world. Tourism, so often the harbinger of extinction for so much and so many, has probably, to some extent, saved these
Phu Quoc Island - The Isle of Dogs - 6 June 2010
At Ho Chi Minh City airport the woman from Vietnamese Airlines, resplendent in her national costume of white trousers with ankle-length dress split to the waist, struggled with an elderly Russian couple. “Do you speak English?” They spoke none and no Vietnamese either, not a word, so communication was reduced to sign language.
Cat Ba Island
Wednesday 26 May 2010Richard was from southeast London, “the good part” he said, though I was unable to decipher which part that was. South was pronounced “sarf” but with two “F’s”. He and his girlfriend traveled light, they one bag each the size of a day pack. After the cruise they would head from Hanoi to Laos via Dien Bien Phu. He had a
Ha Long Bay - The Bay of Descending Dragons - 25 May 2010
Ha Long Bay is a World Heritage site and the number one tourist attraction of the Vietnamese north east. This natural wonder is often touted by the Vietnamese as the Eight Wonder of the World. Following the advent of “Doi Moi” –Vietnam’s policy of opening its economy to foreign trade – tourists can now visit the bay, and come they do in
The Girl in The Sandals - Ha Noi Army Museum - 21 May 2010
Last time I was herein Ha Noi the Army Museum was closed. Also called the Military History Museum, it’s well worth a visit. Entry is reasonable at 20,000 dong (just over US$1) and the same again if you wish to take photos. The price is standard price for entry to cultural centres, designed for affordability for Vietnamese, who pay the same price
Angelina in Ha Noi
Wednesday 19 May 2010Today is the 120th anniversary of the birth of Ho Chi Minh, founder of modern Vietnam. Though he died over 40 years ago, and did not live to see the unification of the country after the defeat of America in 1975, his picture is still everywhere.Out walking on my first night in town, I bumped into Quoc next to the “Lucky
Lifers - Expats in Southeast Asia - 17 May 2010
Thailand has been accepting tourists increasingly in their droves since the Vietnam War, when American GIs kicked off the whole tourist thing using the country attractions to escape their war experiences. US military planners used other parts of the country to stock, supply, maintain and operate their mass machinery of war.In parts of
Black, white, and red all over in the Kingdom of Smiles 13 May 2010
If you’re going to arrive late at night by plane in a city it may as well be Bangkok, at least it’s open. The travellers’ advice centre in the terminal advised me that staying in my chosen area down by the river was inadvisable as the police would soon start clearing out the Red Shirt demonstrators. After giving it momentary
