Liliana’s South East Asia Adventure

Ok so I’m at an internet place that seems to have faster computers.  First I’d like to say that I’ve had problem uploading photo’s do to speed and not having USB ports.  Ok I’m working on it right now though it still slow.  Second I don’t know when graduation is because I hadn’t thought about attending.  If I went it would be most likely in May.  But to expiensive for robs etc.  When LA comes up for easter etc we can celebrate everything at once.  Gifts are excepted.  He He He. Ok back to Siem Reap.  Its a nice small city that is very touristy because of the ruins which are called Angor wat.  They were built at different periods some during th e11 century and others during th e12 century by different kings/rulers.  As some of you know ie dad probably India had a huge influence on south east asia and the religions etc from there spread out.  Many of these temples are dedicated to the Hindu gods such as Visnu, brama etc.  They combined their beliefs which were animalistic etc with India.  The story of Ramayana and Maha? are themes found at these temples.  They are huge and grand.  The main one Angor wat is huge like the temples in Mexico.  Reliefs are everywhere on the stones.  You can see carvings of people going to battle with elephants. Killings animls, prying etc.  The girl from england and I decided to pay for the 3 day pass instead of a one day.  A 2 day pass id the same as a three $40.  Anyway  we went yesterday and saw the major temples and them some minor ones today.  It’s supper hot around 90-94 degress  ferenhite.  Sorry no spell check.  So we hired a tuk tuk driver to take us there and around each day.  That seems the way you get there unless you bike or rent a moto which I think is just an electricle bike.

This mourning we left at five to see the sunrise at Angor Wat.  It was still dark but you could see other tourist heading in the same direction on tuk tuks also.  When we got there we had about 1 1/2 hours to wait.  Let me tell you it stareted getting supper crowded it was crazy.  Everyone was there.  Camaras going off and everything.  When the sun finally rose it wasn’t that great.  Now the Sunset is even more touristy and we might attempt to do that tomorrow.  We shall see.  I’m just now loading Vietnam pictures I’m hoping to get the rest uploaded tonight.  We shall see.  We are planning to go to this dinner / traditional cambodian dance performance tonight.  I have about and hour left before our driver comes to pick us up to take us.

So the touristy section with the restaurant/cafes  is nice although the sidewalk is being worked on.  In the evening it gets jumping and looks so different from the day.  So today I go to order a healthy pizza as they called it with vegetables and I say no Mozzarella cheese. No cheese.  Something like anyway 15 minutes later or more I get my pizza and it has cheese on it.  I say excuse me is this cheese and she says no mozzarella cheese right?  I say yes but that looks like cheese.  She then says yes its Whatever cheese.  I say well I didn’t want cheese as I don’t eat it. She goes to talk to the other people and they start to argue It seems like the others felt she made a mistake.  I think.  Anyway I say what ever I’ll pay and go somewhere else.  So I paid $4 and left.  She didn’t even offer to make another pizza.  Even though I might of said no Mozzarella (SP) cheese I didn’t say add another kind.  I think I did say no cheese to but what ever.  I was mad.  Oh well.  So the cafe and restaurants are nice and have good food the people are friendly who serve you and they speak not bad English.  So after here I will head back to Bangkok and then to India.  I have a few extra days so I may try and go to the River Kwai.  We shall see.  I still have another day in Siem Reap.  I need to get my massage before I leave.  It seems as I’ve been circling around SEA the massages have been getting better.  So Cambodia is bound to be better then Vietnam.  At $5 or 6 an hour hey you have to try it.  Well I’ve blabbed enouggh.  I will write more soon when something exciting happens take care.

So I’m in Siem Riep at a different computer. Ok the one full day I spent in the capital I went to teh killing fields at S-21. The killings fields are part of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge which I’m sure you’ve heard of. The massacres occured from 1975 to 1979.  Four years Pol Pot was still active later on in the 80’s and 90’s.  He came into town to liberate teh people from a country that was following apart.  The economy etc was not great.  People cheared at first.  He said I want the teachers, Professors, business people etc to come help rebuild cambodia.  Well they came and they believed him but he lied.  These people were then killed, mamed what ever in mass quantities.  At the killing fields you can see these dug up graves where hundreds of people were buried.  Some were buried with heads chopped off others were graves of women and children.  I was walking around and I only had on flip flops.  Underneath me in some parts clothing could be seen in the dirt.  One guide pointed to something on the ground and so I looked and it was a thooth.  Probably other bodies etc are still there below the tourist walking around.  The first major thing you see when you arrive is this pagoda like structure with probably a thousands skulls.  Four or five levels of skulls looking out at you in this glassed in thing.  It was sad to look at but I controlled myself and didn’t cry. 

I then went to the S-21 which was an enfoumous school turned prison that housed people that pol pot and his regime thought were bad.  Pretty much everyone was considered an enemy of the Khmer Rouge.  People wearing glasses were considered smart so they were killed.  Workers were killed everyone practically was killed over a million people.  At this school now turned museum you could see the make shift cells that were used for tourture or to house the prisoners.  They had to ask the officers to do anything and everything such as moving positions while sleeping etc.  When I upload the pictures you will see in on eof the photos’a copy of the rules that they had for prisoners.  Sad part of history but the cambodians have moved on and are trying to heal a wound that is deep.  Many of the cambodians now are supper nice and friendly.  They speak some english if they are in the tourist industry which most that I incounter are.  I met a girl from England or as she says Britain and we are sharing a room while in Siem Riep.  We went to the famous Angor Wat ruins today and I will talk about it more tomorrow.  She got frustrated with the computer and is waiting for me.  Tomorrow at 5am we will leave to go to the ruins and see the sunrise.  Sorry can’t get to the kodak site.  Computer is taking a long time to load site will try later as I have many photos to show you.  ciao.

Ok this makes it the fifth time that my computer has lost what I’ve written so this is going to be brief.  I will tell you my tales of getting to Cambodia via Vietnam later when I’m at a different computer.  I’m to tired to switch and its bloody hot.  It’s very humid in Cambodia.  I think because the capital is between 2 rivers.  I will give all the wonderful detales about the killing fields and s-21 which deals with the khmer Rouge and Pol Pot.  If you want to do some pre reading google it on the net.  Until then.  I’m off tomorrow to Siem Riep the ancient ruins of Cambodia.  It’s 8:30 pm and I hope I can catch a good movie before I go to bed Or I shall read more of Dan Brown’s Angles and Demons.  Ciao before it gets erased.

So take a guess at whats happening in Nha Trang?  Thats right folks it’s raining.  It’s not just raining its a complete monsoon.  Luckely I have a cheap poncho that is keeping me some what dry.  Anyway this city is a beach town which is basically known for it’s beaches.  It’s in Southern Vietnam.  The first day in Nha Trang I went to the beach and laid out.  Supper nice.  I went to a place called La Louisiane Cafe.  For less then a dollar I rented a lounge chair under a big umbrella made with palm frans.  The water was lovely but not as aqua blue as Thailand.  Never the less nice.  I meet a girl from Australia who grabed another lounge chair near me.  We chatted etc.  They served food and drinks to you if you wanted which I did.  For lunch I decided to have what the Australian girl was eating. It was a noodle dish with vegetables.  If you eat the same thing everyday then you go crazy for something else.  I’ve cheated a few times and had Pasta and once pizza obviously without cheese.  Last night I had Mixed vegetables and potato’s and beans.  They were baked beans.  It was such confert food.  It reminded me of mom although I don’t know if baked beans and potato is very Kentucky.  It’s quasi southern.  

Yesterday I did an island tour which is the touristy thing to do.  Basically they take you to four islands.  At the first one your suppose to be able to snorkel but the equipment was horrible. I should of known.  After 20 minutes or what ever I gave up.  At first the snorkel part was not attched to the mask so I tried to stick it under the mask but that allowed water in.  So I had to go back to the boat to find a snorkel and mask that were attached.  To top it off the company or some other official guy wanted to charge us money to go snorkeling.  I was complety pissed off and starting saying this is B #$% you can’t charge us.  We were never told about these fee’s. I’m like either let us dive for free or take us bak to shore.  Well after what seemed like 5 minuters or so some guy said ok everyone lets go snorkling for free.  So we did but it sucked any way.  The few times my mask was not fogged up or with water I saw some amazing fish.  A 1-2 foot rainbow fish with orange yellow blue etc.  Lovely.  After that we got back in the boat and went to the second island to eat lunch on the boat.  Don’t ask about the food.  I basically had rice and potatos.  I was told their would be vegetarian food but not the case.  Oh well I had some fruit later and some mini cakes. 

So at this second island we were told that you had to pay 5,000 dong to go there.  None of us were told about these extra fees.  If we had been told it would of been different.  At first I though tit was 50,000 which is like 4.50 USD instead of 33 cense.  Anyway I don’t get off the boat and say I’m staying on the boat I’m not paying this fee.  I wasn’t told about it.  For the tour I payed $6 USD.  Anyway the guy then says follow me and I say what.  You can get me in for free.  Well he does and I tell these 3 other people that were also upset about this fees popping up to follow me that I’m getting in for free.  So I go through the gate but he won’t let the others go through.  Some how he lets them in also.  We then stary laughing at how much it’s going to cost to do the different sports that were mentioned.  They said while on this island we could water ski, play soccer, volley ball etc.  The lucky number seemed to be 50,000 dong.  I went up top someone and siad how much for a volley ball and she says 77,000.  I started to laugh.  I go back to the other guys and say ok guess how much.  They were just as shocked as me.  Anyway luckely our boayt had a volleyball for free that we could use and we did.  We played V ball on the sand which was fun excpet for this one guy.  Men will be men but this one guy would be in the back row and he’d go to the front to try and hit the ball over.  I tried telling him nicely that bavk row was back row and front row was front row.  We were playing for fun but still don’t be a ball hog.  It started to rain and I went to go sit underneath so i wouldn’t get wet.  Kinda silly being that we were at a beach had already been in water but I was being picky.  Anyway we left after an hour or so and went to the third Island where we had to pay $2 to get into some aquariam.  At first I wasn’t going to pay the fee and was going ot wait but then everyone decided to go check out the fish etc except a few vietmese.  It was small interesting fish etc but not like the California Academy of Science but then of course we were on some Island in Vietnam.  They had a couple Threatened/ Endangered turtles.  I know they weren’t doing any conservation work with these turtles.  One was a Hawksbill I believe and the other was a green turtle. 

Ok so I guess we didn’t go to 4 islands because I can’t think of another.  I ran into my friend again the nurse.  He’s been down here for the last 5 days diving.  I found him at a bar near his hotel.  O wrote him and realized he was here.  We hung out last night with some other travelers he had met and chit chatted.  Anyway it’s still raining like cats and dogs.  I was going to go to the beach but not anymore.  What i’m going to do is go to the mud baths today for $6 USD.  They also have hot springs.  Perfect day but I have a feeling it might be crowded. Anyway I’m gong to book my ticket for tonight on a sleeper train to Saigon/ Ho Chi Minh and then if all goes well directly take a bus to Cambodia. I will go to Phnom Penh which is the capital.  I know it will be hard but I will see the Killings fields which are sad part of cambodia history.  Pol Pot who killed millions of his people.  It’s one of those things that you don’t want to see but should.  It’s like the Holicaust museum.  Anyway I’m not there yet.  Will write probably after I get to Cambodia.  i’ve written enough to make you get tired of reading.  Again I want to say thanks to everyone who respnds back to be.  I read them with pleasure.  It’s probably been an hour so I’, going now.  I have yet to find a Internet place that has a USB port so for now no new pictures.  If I can find one today I will.  P.S.  I will have some pictures for Laos still and the rest will be Vietnam.  Ciao all

Ok so I arrived in Hie which is another Unesco Site.  When it got this status i don’t know.  Ok So I took a bus from Hanoi to Hue left at 9pm and arrived around 9:30 the next day.  I told myself I would never take a bus without a toilet and well I did.  Sometime in the middle of the night I had to go really bad.  Finally the bus driver pulled over so I could go.  At first he was saying up ahead indicating we were going to stop soon for a break.  Well I kept waiting and waiting and finally I got up and pleaded with the guy that I couldn’t wait.  He stopped and I was able to releave myself.  Of course you don’t want to hear that.  Anyway this time I’m taking atrain to Nha Trang which is a beach place.  Touristy most likely but hopefully won’t be so bad. 

So Hue is a nice city it’s got crazy motorcycle drivers and the like.  Crossing the street is art.  No one pay’s attention to street lights if they exist.  Hue is most famous for the replication of the Forbidden City in Bejeing City China.  Some King during the late 1888 built the Cathedral which is a big walled city.  Amongst that is the forbidden city.  Not at all the same do to size but not a bad duplication.  I’m staying at a hotel for $7 but it’s on the fourth floor.  The higher up you are the cheaper  it gets.  I’m eating vegi spring rolls which are good and vegetable soup.  For breakfast I always order a fruit platter with Watermelon, Banana, Mango  or Papaya, Pineapple and some apple like fruit.  i’ve been able to get some good chocalate cakes etc.  Not bad which has helped me with my chocolate fix.  So I’m going tonight to take a river boat and see some performance.  It’s called Perfume River.  Many Rivers called Perfume something.  Well I have to head back to the hotel to go get my ride to the show.  Tomorrow I catch a train to Nha Trang.  It’s a day train so I will be able to see the countryside.  I leave at 7:30 Am and arrive around 8pm.  I’m suppose to have a soft  Seat.  Thats what they claim.  We shall see if it’s really soft or not.  The computers in this town are slow so I will wiat to upload more pictures in Nha Trang.  Don’t forget to go to my Kodak link on the side to check out all my wonderfull pictures.  He he he.  Ciao for now

So I’m back in Hanoi. Can I vent here? Well yes I can! So if you read my other blog you know that Ha Long Bay was foggy. I had a choice to go back to Hanoi or to stay at a hotel at Ha Long Bay and try the next day to go out on a boat. Well I opted fo rthe hotel as thats why I came to Hanoi. Ok so the hotel was nice. At first they where saying that we had to pay for the hotel which I was like ok. The room was nice etc. Anyway I saw that they had sauna so I asked if they would show me where. The lady did and she turned it on. So I waited 15 minutes for it to heat up. Well I did about 30 minutes. I’ve never done a sauna.

Anyway after that I went to see our guide performe traditional songs etc. We helped play the instruments. Ok lets cut to the chase so the next morning after breakfast I recieve a bill fo rthe sauna which was I think $5 give or take. I didn’t know I had to pay they didn’t tell me I thought it was free. Oh also the night before I went to a water light show that the tour company payed for. I said why not it was supposedly 30 minutes. well the guide me the hotel lady and I went. the show sucked but what ever. It was a tourist show. Loud music nice walk to the hotel that put it on. Hotels going up everywhere in ha Long area. So sad huge hotels. Ok so we have breakfast leave and then get on a boat. We leave and head out into the bay and go to these caves that were supper crowded. Thousands of people in a bleeping line. Nice caves but so touristy. Then after that we go back into Ha Long bay to see the rocks etc. Was nice but foggy still. Lunch for me included rice, french fries, and Cabbage. Ok enough. So after 2 or so hours of the bay we head back to the dock to catch a bus back to hanoi. When we arrive other travelers are on the same bus and we have to go back to the same hotel we were at earlier so that they can have lunch. The 4 of us had to wait an hour while they ate. Their was adart board so i us played darts for a bit. At this point I was upset. I know I shouldn’t have been but well I was. So we fina;lly leave and head back to hanoi. 3 hours later we arrive and I go to the tour company to get my $ back for the day that I didn’t go out in Ha Long Bay. Anyway they charged me $37 For the tour and Hotel I got $30 back. I was in tears. I’m on a budget and was upset because the tour today was not that great. Maybe the caves and the fact we were not out there for very long made me mad. So I leave the tour company head back to the hotel to see if I can change my ticket to Hue for tonight and fine out that I can’t bus is full so I’m stuck in Hanoi.

I guess I will use this time to see other museums I missed. My friend Is still in Hanoi as is tour was cancelled also so I will leave now to go see him at the Jazz Club. At least this time i’m only paying $8 for room. I told the guy I couldn’t offord $11. I said breakfast included and I can check out at 10 Am. Ok well I go to my room to put my bag away and head to the Jazz Club. I had a avacado Sandwich for the third time . Taste so go 2 days ago twice and then today. That made me feel better. Oh ya something else thats funny . There are so many boats in Ha Long bay that it is like bumper cars. We are hitting each other left and right. To get to your boat you have to walk across others like a maze. Well Ciao

So I had a blog about hanoi but somehow it got deleated.  I think the computer was slow and I kept uploading that blog and then I had 5 of the same blog so I deleated them but somehow all 5 got erased.  Anyway hanoi is a big crazy city.  each street is dedicated to a particular trade or product.  For example my street is door knobes and the like others are dedicated to beds or keys or stationary products.  I was staying in the old quarters of hanoi.  Its a zoo trying to cross teh streets everyone drives like crazy.  The mode of transportation is motocycles and they drive like mad men.  i’m suprise they don’t have more accidentys then they do.  I didn’t see a single one.  Crossing the street is an art form.  No street lights except at a few major streets.  Ran into Donald.  He arrived a day after me and I e-mailed him.  We met up at this jazz club that was rocking it.  It ws supper cool to see Asians jamming to jazz music.  The owner heard jazz during the nam war and fell in love with it.  he studied it made a few albums and then opened a bar.  the only one in hanoi specifically for jazz.

The other day I went to the Ho Chi Minh Museum  which was of course was all bout him and what he did for Vietnam.  It was interesting.  Next to that is his burial ground but it was closed.  Hanoi is nice but a busy and crazy city.  Some people are nice and others are well annoying.  Everywhere you go they shout Taxi Taxi.  On my way back I stopped at a cafr called Ciao Cafe.  I had minestrone which was actually really good for being in vietnam.

Today I left on a three day 2 night Ha Long bay tour.  when we got there we were not able to leave do to fog in the bay.  Over 400 boats could not leave.  Thats how many boats I heard where there waiting to leave.  We were then told we could go back to Hanoi or stay at a hotel and try tomorrow.  I decided to stay as thats why I wanted to visit Hanoi.  As we were about to leave the guide says we can go sleep on the boat for the night which is what we wanted  to do.  We were all excited but then 2 minutes later he says sorry we can’t sleep on the boat. harbor master won’t allow it. Of the 10 three french people and I decided to stay.  The rest went back to Hanoi.  The hotel is nice I took a sauna for the first time in my life.  Its still foggy but I hope it will be nice tomorrow.  I Just listened to traditional vietmese music by our guide with instruments.  We helped play them.  Well I go to eat now.  I will right hopefully in 3 days when I arrive in Hue my next destination. It will be clear I swear.  Was not expecting to find internet on this trip but as plan changes….  Ciao

Ok so I will try and give more detail about my trip so far.  Every place that I’ve been to either in Thailand or laos is touristy.  Thai so far is the most touristy.  It was good to get away from there because of that.  I’m sure if I had gone to smaller villages and places it wouldn’t be so bad but alas places of interest tend to be jam packed with foreigners.  So as I said before I left Thailand and crossed over on a little boat to the otherside of the mekong River to the Lao border.  From there all the tourist walked up the stairs to the border crossing.  Donald the nurse from Oregon and I got in line to buy our visas.  The other two travelers already had their visas.  After paying etc and handing over a lovely picture of myself I got my visa.  We then were shuffled into a tuk Tuk and taken to the dock where the boat whould take us down the mekong.  It was a long thin boat that had seats jammed together.  Not very comfortable if your tall.  Donald and I were the last to get ont he boat because we were eating some food.  People were being shuffled from one place to the next in shifts. 

Around 30 or so tourist were on this boat.  The first day was fun.  We were sitting in the back with others from europe etc.  They were drinking lots of Lao beer and smoking.  One nice guy from Poland had a bottle of wiskey that he was trying to share with everyone.  He kept trying to give me a capfull but I was saying no thank you.  He also had cigars that he was passing out.  It was quite fun.  We were chatting and having a good time the first day.  It was loud by the engine and It sucked but the last one on and so the last to pick a good seat.  It was funny on the boat I ran into the same Italian that I had met in Bangkok days earlier while on the train to the airport.  We were going to meet up in Chaing Mai but missed each other.  So after 8 hours or so on a cramped boat we made it to the first nights stop.  Luckely there was a toilet on the boat.  the scenery was really pretty along the mekong.  Rock out croppings were everywhere and nice sandy beaches.  It would have been nice to have stopped for a few minutes at one of these places but oh well.  Every so often you would hear these speed boats that were called the fast boats.  Instead  of 2 days to get to Luang Prabang it takes only 6 hours or so on one of these.  The only thing is sometimes they crash because they are going fast.  I would never take one. 

Ok so fast forword to Luang Prabang.  The second day boat ride was a lot better as the boat was bigger.  Not as much drinking either as people had partied out the day before.  Luang Prabang is a beautiful French colonial town that as I said before is a Unesco site.  I will take some pictures today of the building.  The temples are lovely as always with enate gold siding.  Monks from 12 on up are everywhere.  They have on these beautiful orange robes like  clothing.  I haven’t taken a picture yet I don’t think but will ask an dtry and get one.  So the first day we went to these lovely waterfalls that the pictures cannot capture correctly.  The color of the water is this aqua marine color.  The second day we went to this stuped cave that houses old buddhas.  Not worth the trip but in the travel book it sounds like it something great to do. 

So for breakfast I’ve been getting a contenental breakfast.  Sorry no spell check.  Basically I get a french baquette, Lao tea, juice and a bowl of fruit.  The fruit bowl includes.. banana, watermellon, pinapple, papaya and this local fruit which I don’t like that kinda similar to asn apple in color but not taste.  For lunch or whatever I will eat mixed Vegetables and rice or Vegetable/noodle soup.  Last night I had Spring Rolls with some peanut type sauce.  Interesting enough while in Thailand I thought I would be eating lots of vegetables with this peanut sauce I love so much from home.  The two thai restaurants I’ve been to serve this kind of peanut sauce.  Its the kind you get in Pat Tai.  Well I guess it didn’t exist in northern thailand or its just a reginal thing who knows.  So far i’ve injoyed my trip but that it is very touristy everywhere I’ve been.  LP is is nice small town and is not westernized at all like Chaing Mai.  No Starbucks thank god.  I figure if I don’t want to see any or very few travlers I will ned top go to small towns that no one visits.  It’s ok I guess I just have to remember that.  The people of both Thailand and laos are supper nice.  Sometimes you get an A hole.  For example today I was trying to barter for a book at out guest house called Sakdee Guest house.  The used book was $5 and so I say no way to much so he says $4 and I go are you kidding?  I then say listen I will give you a crisp clean US dollar and he responds rudely back.  What ever I will go somewhere else to find a book.  It was a Dan Brown book and it looked good but maybe I can find a copy of angles and Devels or whatever the book is called.

Ok so my next stop is onward to the capital of Laos.  I have to choose but to go there to catch a bus or flight to Hanoi.  I don’t really have the money but I think I can afford a plane ticket to Hanoi.  Thank god for my income taxes which I will be receiving or have already recieved.  My other option which was my original plan was to take a bus to Vietnam.  Discussing it with Donald and the 2 other travelers Shannan from Demark and Jon Piere i’ve decided to fly.  Supposedly the roads in Laos are horrible and a bus ride to Hanoi would take around 20 – 24 hours.  Ugh.  the cost is a lot cheaper only $20 but the adventure of the trip.  Well….  I don’t have the time to do it anymore as I want to give myself a month for India.  I was suppose to also go to malaysia and Nepal but I’m going to skip these two countries.  Nepal has gotton worse with the Moaist and is not 100% safe.  Supposedly this girl from the USAS is there right now and says that it’s safe in the Katmandu valley area.  She’s probably right but I don’t want to rush my time over in SEA South east Asia countries so I will just skip it this time.  Malaysia supposedly is a little more stuffy of a country.  I will for this reason also skip it and split the time there between here and India.  This will allow me not to have to rush throughthese countries.

So reading in my book I have found out some disturbing facts about laos which John you probablt already know.  Dad also.  Anyways Laos is the most bombed country in the world.  I forget the stats but during the Nam war every 7 mintues or something like that a bomb was dumped in the mountain regions between Laos and Vietnam.  I’m sure you all know that both sides in that said that they would leave neutral Laos out of it.  Not the case.  I guess it was called the Silent war that USA citizens didn’t know about.  Un exploded bombs are everywhere in those regions.  So if you were to do trecking you would want to be very careful.  Where I’m at it’s afe it’s just in the mountains etc.  In terms of vietnam I believe they call it the American War.  If all goes well I will catch a plane to Hanoi tomorrow when I arrive.  Tonight I catch a night train to vientine and then Vietnam.  Well I’ve talked enought that I can’t type anymore and you guys will need lots of coffee to read this blog.  I hope this has made up for those missing days of nothing?  He he he.  So I had a $3  one hour massage yesterday may go get another one today.  My mistake again was I asked for a traditional Lao massage and it’s kinda like athai massage they put your body in positions that I would never do.  I will try and get an aromatheropy massage that is less harmfull to my body.  1 1/2 hour is only $6.  Take care and hope everyone is doing fine.  Ciao will write a day or so after I arrive in hanoi which is northern Vietnam.  Shall be quite nice.  i’m not going toeven attemyt to load pictures becasue it doesn’t seem to be working.  I will need to ask someone from this travel site.  

Hello folks, sorry haven’t written in a while.  Was not near internet.  From Chiang Mai I took a mini bus to Chiang Kong which is the border town over into Laos.  It was a 2 day trip down the mekong which was very lovely but the boat was not spacious although it was ok.  Lots of tourist.  Four o fus who where on the same pachage tour from Chiang Mai have been hanging out.  The first night on the boat we stayed at a place caleed Pak Ben which is basically a stop over place for us tourist.  You wouldn’t visit for any other reason.  After a night there we got back on the boat and headed down river again to Luang Prabang.  It is a lovely French Colonial town that was designated an UNESCO site in 1990?  Yesterday our first day in this town we took a tuk tuk driver up to som e lovely waterfalls and swam around there the four of us. I’m mostly hanging out with this nurse guy from Oregon.  He’s a traveling nurse and plans to find some work somewhere over on this side of the world for a few months.  He’s a nice guy in his early fourties.  Divorced.  The other two travels are from Denmark and Chile.  They both are in their early twenties and so they hooked up as young kids do. Will write more later tomorrow.  Need to find out how much a flight from Vientienne to Hanoi is as it seems thats the best way to get to vietnam from Laos.  Supposedly the roads are horrible and it would take ovetr 22 hours.  You could break it up.  We shall see.  If its supper expiensive to fly then I will have to take a Bus.  Thanks for your comments and please keep them coming.  I will not be away so long from a computer again.  Today took a trip to see some caves where old Buddhas are put to rest but it was boring not worth the trip.  Saw some nice buddhas but other then that you couldn’t go very far in the caves like we thought.  Next destination will either be Viang Ven or the capital for flight to Hanoi.  Will write more tomorrow its 8pm and I’m tired and hungrey.  the heat tires you out.  Ciao

So the other night I went to see the night bazzar which was fun and crazy in its own way.  Lots of crafts etc to buy if you want.  It’ts not as big as the Sunday fair but big enough.  I was a bad person and while at the night market I had humus and pits bread from a guy who’d from the middle east.  It was quit good I have to say.  So today I took a thai cooking class which was lots of fun.  It was offord through my motel.  At teh moment I’m paying $2:50 for my room no hot water though I had to move from the one I had before.  It works the beds fine and it has a fan.  To be honest you don’t need more then a fan.  Anyway back to teh cooking class.  This other girl and I took a ride over to the other hotel they own and ended up being the only ones in the class.  We got a thai cook book and everything for around $20 or 800 Bht.  We got to choose what we wanted to make and then we wne tto the market with the theacher who has been cooking for ever.  The first dish I made was green sauce with mixed vegetables.  The second was a mixed vegetable dish with some kind of soy/ mushroom sauce.  The third was vegetables with Cashew nuts.  I’m having problems up loading pictures on this blog so you will have to ckick on Yana’s Travel Pictures to see the dishes I made.  I’m sorry but at the moment I don’t have the energy to explain all the ingrediants.  Maybe in a later blog.  Well in 1 more day I will take a bus to the Loas border.  My hotel Eagle Creek or whom ever they go through will take us there, house us in a hotel for the night and then we will catch a slow boat ride down to the first stop on our way to Lou Prubang.  That is not how its spelled sorry.  So far 10 people are signed up for that bus/ package and maybe more by  tomorrow.  Well I’m going to go eat now as I’m hungry.  When I write my blogs I’m a day ahead of California time.  Right now it’s 6:40pm and in California its 3:41 AM.    I will try and call soon.  Its a sad thing but in Thailand a lot of women are with westerners and especially with older men because they have more $.  From what I’ve heard these women have thai boyfriends and they don’t care because the men have gambling debts and need the $ from the westerners.  I guess both parties are happy the thai women and the western men.  Ciao