The people are patient, kind and had working
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This beautiful mom-to-be was selling lottery tickets on a ferry
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You might get your purse snatched on the street, but you wouldn't get murdered
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| I was in the way but this person graciously went around me |
Street food is tasty
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| Yum! |
Don't drive unless you are 21 and fearless
It is chaotic by our standards.
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| Driving requires knowing where you are. Thais drive left side of the road, Lao and Cambodians on the right side. There must be a giant cross-over lane at the border of Thailand & Cambodia. |
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In Vietnam it is a cooperative dance at intersections with cars, bikes and motorcycles merging from all directions.
No one looks nervous or scared though!
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Crossing the street, especially in Saigon, is an adventure
You need bravery, timing and intention.
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| Our mantra was, "Be one with the traffic (not the pavement)"We heard the story of an American women who was so terrified of crossing she hired a taxi to take her across the street |
Consider visiting places you're not sure you'll like
You may be very surprised if you try something new
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| Slip into a Cu Chi tunnel |
Eat something new
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| Crunchy--like the fried shell of shrimp |
Talk to children
They are the future.
Ask them about it
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| Many children know some English |
Use alternate forms of transportation
The river boats on the Chao Praya in Bangkok are a fun and cheap way to get around.
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You can buy a jump-on, jump-off ticket for the day at about $5.00
Or try water buffalo drawn cart |
Splurge occasionally
The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has high tea
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Lobby
Do fun things
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| Men in suits play checkers with pop bottle caps |
People watching is rewarding
Bright colors abound
Look up and down!
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| M.C. Escher would have loved the floor in the cathedral in Saigon. |
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| This is Istanbul, Turkey. A teaser for our next posts in Turkey |
Bamboo is used for scaffolding
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| The scaffolding goes through the wall |
Buy stock in Starbucks
There is one (or many) in every city we visited.
Also American fast food is in the big cities.
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| My Vietnam--My BK (Burger King) |
Farewell to our OAT Tour
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Sang, our Siem Reap, Cambodia, guide
Anya our trip leader from Bangkok |
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| Mana, our Lao guide |
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| Sofia, our Phnom Penh guide, demonstrates the usefulness of the large local scarf in fashioning pants |
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| Henry, our Vietnam guide |
New ways of doing things
Mannequins are not in store windows; they are on the sidewalk
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| Andy's new friend has half a brain |
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| Darrell meets a girl almost as tall as he is |
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| Anya could be recruiting a cute client for her next trip |
Spirit Houses
I loved the spirit houses and looked for them around every residence or business.
I was crushed when I saw a spirit-house store where one could buy a basic, gilded spirit house ready for installation in the yard. I thought they were all hand crafted by the occupant of the house they protected. However there are some beautiful, high-end spirit houses.
A spirit house is a shrine to the
protective spirit of a place and are found in the Southeast Asian countries of
Burma,
Cambodia,
Laos, and
Thailand.
Most houses and businesses have a spirit house placed in an auspicious spot, most often in a corner of the property. The spirit house is normally in the form of a miniature house or temple, and is mounted on a pillar or on a dais.
Candles or food and drink are left at the house to propitiate the spirits. Happy spirits, happy house.
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| Night life for the spirits |
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| This spirit house protects the residence and is a hat rack, too. (Cap hanging in upper left.) |
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| Not your run-of-the-mill house |
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| My type of spirit house--homemade! Maybe the dog has a protective spirit house too. (left) |
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| Not a spirit house. However the apples here are from Washington State. |
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