Wat Chedi Luang – partially destroyed by an earthquake or cannon balls.A young girl dressed in traditional hill tribe costume on the steps that lead up to Wat Doi Suthep. The Theravada Buddhist temple is located in the hills overlooking Chiang Mai. Wat Rong Khun, better known as the White Temple, is a Buddhist temple located in the Chiang Rai Province, Northern Thailand.
Mekong River Cruise – Laos
Visiting a small village on the Mekong RiverTwo young boys in the village play kataw, a popular sport in Laos and other Southeast Asian countries. The game is a bit like volleyball, but players cannot use their hands and instead must kick or force a small hollow ball made of woven bamboo over the net.Mekong River CruiseMekong River Cruise
Luang Prabang – Laos
Luang Prabang, located in northern Laos, lies in a valley at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Inhabited for thousands of years, it was the royal capital of the country until 1975.Night food stalls- Luang PrabangEach morning, starting at around 5:30am, saffron-robed monks and novices emerge onto the streets with their alms bowls. Awaiting them are Lao people (and tourists) who have already taken the time to prepare sticky rice and other foods; they will place a portion in the bowl of each monk who passes by.Elephant ride in the river
Vientiane – Laos
Evening dinner overlooking the Mekong River – VientianeTime for a snack… deep fried cricketsSunset on the Mekong River – VientianeVillage homestay excursion
Hanoi – Vietnam
Our boat for the Halong Bay cruiseHalong BayLimestone CavesHow to cross the road. Just relax. Walk across the road slowly & steadily, do not stop or run. Avoid buses and trucks. All the motorbikes will just swarm around you. If overcome with fright, just close your eyes & keep walking.Hanoi Grand Opera House – constructed between 1901 – 1911 by the French colonial administration.Hoàn Kiếm Lake, also known as Sword Lake or Tả Vọng Lake, is a fresh water lake in the centre of Hanoi.Meridain Gate – The Imperial city of HuếEmperor GlennNun’sBrief stop for iced coffee at a beach resort just before Hải Vân Pass, on our way to Hoi An.Lunch stop at China Beach on the South China Sea
Hoi An – Vietnam
Up early to visit the Hoi An fish marketsCua Dai Beach – Hoi AnCoconut boat off Cua Dai BeachHoi An was a great place, plenty to see and do. A great for clothes shopping and I also attended the Red Bridge Cooking School.Hoi An sunsetGroup dinner at the Cargo Restaurant – Hoi An
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
War Remnants Museum – SaigonIndependence Palace, also known as the Reunification Convention Hall. It was the site of the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975 that ended the Vietnam War, when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates.View from our hotel – SaigonDinner at the Ben Thanh night market in the middle of Saigon. We ate at the Sao Dong restaurant. Sunset view from the Level 23 wine bar of the Sheraton hotel Snake and scorpion wine – Mekong Delta excursionWho can resist a cuddly pythonDeep fried Elephant Fish for lunch
Phnom Penh – Cambodia
The Royal Palace of Cambodia was constructed between 1866 and 1870, after King Norodom relocated the royal capital from Oudong to Phnom Penh, with involvement by French administrators, Khmer designers and architects.Exercise dancing in the parkMonks pose for a photo in the Royal Palace ParkGlenn enjoys lunch at Friends the Restaurant – Friends the Restaurant is run by Mith Samlanh, which has worked to build the futures of former street children and marginalized young people in Phnom Penh since 1994.Friends the Restaurant staffDeep fried tarantulas. Absolutely the worse dish I have ever tried, very tough, like eating leather, plus a disgusting flavor. Sorry Mopane worms… you’ve been relegated to 2nd position.Rest stop at a local marketplace on our drive to Siam Reap. Girls crowded around the door bus selling cut-up pineapple & mango and they had tarantulas on their shirts, like pets.
Angkor Wat – Cambodia
Banyan tree roots have grown over many of the building facades and through existing cracks into the structures.Angkor Wat is a Hindu-Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia. Located on a site measuring 162.6 hectares within the ancient Khmer capital city of Angkor, it is considered as the largest religious structure in the worldBuilt by King Suryavarman II (1113-1150) and originally dedicated to the Hindu gods Shiva and then Vishnu, Angkor Wat spreads out over 402 acres (about three quarters of a square mile) and required 37 years and an estimated 5000 stone carvers, workers and slaves, using 3000 ox-carts for carrying stones, to complete.An Angkor Wat gateThe main temple building at Angkor WatThe library structure is an independent building situated south of the east-west axis on the outer enclosure.Alann, our superb guide at Angkor Wat, very knowledgeable and funny, always telling stories and jokes.
Tonlé Sap – Cambodia
Tonlé Sap, literally ’Fresh River’ or commonly translated as ‘Great Lake’, is a lake in the northwest of Cambodia. Belonging to the Mekong River system, Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and one of the most diverse and productive ecosystems in the world.Stilted houses keep the house dry in the wet season. In the dry season, when the water levels drop, the families have to use long ladders to reach their wooden boats.Out of the 3 million people living in and around the Tonlé Sap lake, 90 percent earn a living or are dependent on fishing or agriculture. Considered non-immigrant foreigners, made up of three ethnic groups Vietnamese, Cham and Khmer, they are the “forgotten people” or people without a homeland.The Tonlé Sap is the only river in the world that flows both ways seasonally, reversing direction twice a year.
Bangkok
Located at the heart of Bangkok, the Grand Palace is a former residence for King Rama I to King Rama V of the Rattanakosin Kingdom. Today, the place is used for hosting royal ceremonies and welcoming the King’s guests, State guests, and other foreign dignitaries.
Bridge on the River Kwai excursion
Yes I know it is dangerous to hang outside the door of the train but it was travelling slowly and there were plenty of bushes to break the fall.
