The XtraSuitcase

Bali Indonesia: lush green beauty

06

Bali – Indonesia

Bali was all about the rice patties…….

Temples and Shrines

Statues

Ducks

and Monkeys!

Ubud and the villa in the rice paddies

Bali is a beautiful island in Indonesia. Their economy used to be agriculture-based, but tourism is now the largest single industry; and as a result, Bali is one of Indonesia’s wealthiest regions.

We began our adventure in the village of Ubud. We stayed at the lovely Samara Villa's, which was in the middle of the rice patties.

Stefano, the owner, is Italian and his lovely wife Yudi is Balinese so it had a wonderful blend of both cultures. The grounds were absolutely stunning, surrounded on all side by rice patties. It was outside of the main shopping area and very quiet.

The photo below is the view from the back of the villa. Each morning we had a lovely breakfast looking out at gorgeous scenery. We also enjoyed a few dinners here as their restaurant served excellent Italian and Balinese cuisine.

We really enjoyed taking long walks around the rice patties and the tropical forest. It was hot and humid, but it was a little cooler than Singapore. Because it was away from the touristy area, we got to see the local life including the harvesting of the rice.

They are able to harvest three crops of rice each year. You can see in the photo below the different stages of the rice. The yellow or gold is ready to be harvested now.

Despite the heat, the workers wear several layers of clothing to protect themselves from the sun.

Collecting reed to make the little baskets for the daily offerings (more on this further down).

We had never seen banana blossom still on the tree. It is considered a vegetable and is used for food dishes. Banana flowers are very common in Asian countries and are served in meat stews, soups, rice or noodle dishes, and cooked vegetable dishes.

This was a surprise to see out in the middle of nowhere! It was quite tall, 15 feet or so. With such detail…

Local people and jobs around town

Balinese and Indonesian are the most widely spoken languages in Bali, and the vast majority of Balinese people are bilingual or trilingual.

Ubud is famous as an arts and crafts village, and much of the town and nearby villages seems to consist of artist's workshops and galleries even out among the paddies. Look at the details on this carved skull. Not my taste, but it is a beautiful piece of art. I bought a small carving he created of a Hindu goddess.

The local trash collector

This young girl was working at the family market/gas station.   Gas station you ask?

Yes, this is the gas station. It is very common to see gas for sale for scooters being sold out of used alcohol bottles.

The local high school, not a car in sight – all scooters. We got a kick out of this.

And some high school girls. Love the expression on the ones face!



Speaking of scooters……YES I actually rode on this one. And YES I am not wearing a helmet and YES I am an idiot!

We rode on them for less than a mile down the very quiet street that led up to our hotel. D wanted to rent the scooter so he could drive us. We "settled" on letting the staff of the hotel take us. They dropped us off before we got to the BUSY street with all the traffic.

Herding Ducks

Can't say we have ever seen farmers herding ducks before. We were up very early and heard all the ducks quacking. We stepped out of the room to see what it was and the farmers were moving the ducks from their pen to the rice fields.

It was so much fun to watch the ducks waddle down the pathway.

Here they are in the field where they will stay the rest of the day. It was really funny to watch them all scurry down the slope of the rice paddy – unfortunately no photos of this.

Tegallalang Rice Terraces

Rice is a way of life in Bali. Indonesia is currently the third-largest producer of rice in the world. Ask a Balinese person what they have had for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and the answer will be nasi (rice).

Bali has volcanic soil and being just 8-degrees off the equator, strong sunlight. This creates the perfect environment to grow rice.

A woman walking through the rice patty with the blessing for the rice.

Here is a flooded field.   The main reason for flooding the rice fields is that most rice varieties maintain better growth and produce higher yields when grown in flooded soils, than when grown in dry soils. The water layer also helps to suppress the weeds.

We were intrigued with the simple, yet elaborate irrigation system they created for the rice fields. Subak is the name of water management (irrigation) system for the paddy field. The subaks go to the regional water temples, which set the cropping patterns and irrigation schedules. This helps to optimize water sharing and reduce pests.

The rice paddies provide a living for Balinese ducks, which, cannot fly. After the harvest, the duck farmer brings his flock of ducks, which spend the day clearing up old pieces of grain and eating insects that would destroy the next rice crop if left alone.

Here is a large rice-drying field. It will probably be sold for profit.

Each individual house also grows and dries enough rice for the family. You will see family members working it in their yards, raking the rice to help it dry.

No yard? Just use the driveway!

Sacred Money Forest

The Monkey Forest is a nature reserve and monkey sanctuary. I was a bit apprehensive about entering the park as I had read so many stories of the monkeys attacking people.

According to their site, there are approximately 605 monkeys in the forest (39 adult males, 38 male sub adult, 194 adult females, 243 juvenile and 91 infants). They can roam anywhere they want.

As you can see in the photo below, they can come all the way up to you. Just after I took this photo one jumped up on D's leg. I was very nervous as a few minutes prior one jumped on a young man's back and scratched him pretty bad. These monkeys are not trained – they are wild. I had enough and was ready to go.

We walked back to the front gate, I calmed down, and D talked me into going back for more photos – for the blog he said! So we went back in because they were pretty darn cute. The one below looks as nervous as I was!

They are called long-tailed macaques and are found throughout Southeast Asia. Many species of macaques live successfully in areas that are heavily utilized by humans.

There were hundreds of monkeys at the very front of the park, but once you got deeper into the forest there were none. It was very beautiful, like something out of the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie.

Temples, Shrines and Statues

Bali is known as the “Island of the Thousand Temples” or the “Island of the Gods”, because of the large number of Hindu temples there are on the Island. They say Bali has more temples than houses. Each village has several temples as well as each home has its own small temple.

Not only are there a lot of temples, but also many statues. More than any other country we have been. They are amazing. Some comical, some scary, some beautiful others just plain ugly! They are carved from various materials – cement, sandstone, lava, lime or green stone.

The statues depict Hindu stories of heaven and hell. Many of them are said to protect and save the temples or home they are guarding. Most of the statues are Hindu Gods/spirits such as Shiva, Vishnu, and Ganesh. There are also several animal ones and animal/human like the one below.

As to religious beliefs 93% of Bali's population is Hindu where the rest of Indonesia is Muslim.

D – getting fitted for his sarong to enter the temple, you are not allowed to show your legs or arms in the temples.

Many of the statures were also covered with a Sarong. I never really found out why, other than to be polite (?).

Ganesha (the elephant) is one of the deities best known and is widely revered as the "Remover of Obstacles".

Pura Kehen Temple

This temple was built in the 11th century and is one of the oldest temples in Bali. It was built to worship three gods (Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu).

It is a stunning temple but not as popular as others due to the location, so we were the only ones visiting.

The backside of the entrance.

The word Kehen is derived from the word “Keren” means flame. It was known as “Hyang Api” (God of Fire) temple.

The structure below is a kul-kul and is used to summon the faithful to prayer, and to announce special occasions.

Gunung Kawi

This archaeological complex is carved out of the rock, dating back to 11th century. There are 10 candi (shrines) carved into the cliff face. These monuments are thought to be dedicated to King Anak Wungsu of the Udayana dynasty and his favorite queens.

We respected all temple rules from wearing a sarong to blessing ourselves with holy water.

Wait a minute – did you catch that 3rd bullet?

Tirtha Empul Temple

The Tirtha Empul Temple is a Hindu temple famous for its holy water and was a very popular outing on a Sunday. We decided to pass on this event and not go in the water.

The temple was built in 926 A.D.   Ever since, the Balinese have come to bathe in the sacred waters for purification, healing, and spiritual merit. Worshippers make an offering (see the baskets along the right hand side of the pool).

They climb into the pool to bathe and pray. Many collect the holy water in bottles to take home.

Daily Offerings

We were struck by how much the offerings to the Gods are still part of daily life for the Balinese. They are made twice a day, in the morning and the evening. All offerings are made from natural things. A small basket is formed from a coconut palm leaf and filled with a slice of banana or sugar cane, a few grains of rice, a betel quid (a leaf), vibrant hues of flowers and a shredded leaf on top. Oh yeah and a bear cookie!

Everywhere you go you will find these small offerings lying around – on sidewalks, roads, in front of shops, restaurants, and houses. It is hard to not step on them – which we did several times. We started to warn each other – “don’t step on the blessing”. They are quite sticky and not easy to get off your shoes. I love these – with cookies and candy!

Everyday we saw the locals dressed in traditional ceremonial clothing carrying offerings, going off to temples, or just placing the offering outside of their shop or home.

Men and women can participate in this ritual, but it is generally the women who do most of the offerings. These routines usually take up quite a lot of time since they entail both making the offerings and then placing the offerings around at several locations. There are special hand gestures and prayers involved in placing the offerings.

I like these two little guys – the old world tradition of the sarong and head wrap with the new – a T- shirt!

The statues are adorned with flowers as part of the offering.

A wedding!   Or at least their photo shoot.

Coffee

We visited a small coffee plantation. And another first – we have never seen coffee beans on a tree.

And do you know what this plant is?

It is a coco bean!

Our second hotel,

The GORGEOUS Ziva Villa in Seminyak.

All four walls were glass windows.

It had it's own private swimming pool that wrapped around the side of the room and it led into the outdoor bathroom.

We LOVED this place! The first day we arrived D went to his conference and I stayed there the entire day!

We were so spoiled – each day they came in and made our breakfast in the outdoor kitchen. The staff was incredibly helpful and sweet.

I want to go back to Bali just to stay here again! This part of the island was not as interesting as Ubud. It was more like a typical shopping strip at a beach. But we did not care, as we so enjoyed our stay at the Ziva Hotel!

We had a really nice trip to Bali and will go back again!
Vietnam: Hanoi – chaotic charm

05

Hanoi – Vietnam

This was our first visit to Vietnam. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Each new country we go to we are amazed at how different and unique it is from the last.

We arrived around 8:00 in the evening and were very hungry so out to the street we went. It was pure chaos in the streets! With more motor scooters than we have ever seen in any country. Between the overflow of the shops into the streets and the hundreds of scooters, it was difficult to even walk. But rest assured – the constant honking of the horns made us aware that we were in the way!

Of course D could not wait to get street food. So we stopped at this little cafe. How about these teeny tiny chairs? They were the norm for the street cafes.

We had a delicious beef and mango salad at Cafe Quang Minh (51 Dinh Tien Hoang) – two plates for $2.50 USD.

The two girls below were quite amused that we were eating there. It was a very local place so not sure how many tourists actually eat there – plus D was taking photos of me.

D was still hungry so he picked up this little tidbit – grilled meat and puffy rolls – we think.

Our hotel was located in the old quarter a perfect location. We stayed at the Hanoi Essence Hotel. It was a fabulous hotel and we highly recommend it. The staff was exceptionally good. Splurge on the suite – it is not that much more than a regular room and the extra space is really nice.

Me cruising the street on a scooter!

The next morning we ventured out into the crazy streets. The streets are the heart of the city – and are used as a big part of the people's living space.

More teeny tiny chairs……..

Little cafes filled the streets. Hanoi is a coffee culture, not alcohol.

This is a very common scene – large groups of young people eating and having fun.

We were mesmerized by the traffic.   We would just pick a spot out of the way and watch the traffic for an hour. To see our post on all the scooters click here.

There was an art to crossing the street. Just go! Don't run, just walk directly into the traffic and keep an even pace. Don't hesitate or turn around. Amazingly, it works. The drivers work around the pedestrians.

You can buy just about everything in the street.

You can even "buy" a photo of yourself carrying pineapples.

Ancestor worship (the burning of paper) is a religious practice based on the belief that deceased family members have a continued existence, take an interest in the affairs of the world, and possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living.

Inquisitive boys asking her about the ritual.

A nice break for a fresh coconut drink.

And later, more coconut in the form of a pina colada : )

Don't you love how this man is not wearing his shirt at dinner – and this was a nice restaurant! I think this photo looks like a scene from a movie – robbers plotting their next gig.

Early Sunday morning (6 am!) we met up with Anh from awesome travel, for a 3-hour walking tour of the city. He only charges $1 – really! We were the only ones who showed up so it was a private tour. It was very interesting and we would recommend Anh for this tour or other tours he offers. And we did tip him more than $1 : )

The city is located on the right bank of the Red River. The site of present-day Hanoi has been populated for at least 10,000 years. Most Americans associate Hanoi with the Vietnam War and the tremendous conflict between the two countries. Following the war and during the ensuing U.S.-led embargo, life in Vietnam was extremely difficult.   After the U.S. lifted the embargo in 1993, the Vietnamese have come to love Americans and American products.

Hồ Hoàn Kiếm Lake: this historic lake is the site of a foundational legend for Vietnam: Hồ Hoàn Kiếm means "Lake of the Returned Sword", alluding to the legend that a future emperor received a sword from a magic turtle at the lake's edge. The emperor later used the sword to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam.

We were struck by the amount of construction going on all over the city and just outside of the city. It did not appear to be as poor of a city as we thought. But keep in mind the average income is only about $1000 per year. We saw many large houses like the one below. Most were very colorful.

This woman is selling phone numbers. Anh told us this is big business in Vietnam and a good number can sell for a high amount of money. The same goes for license plates. What is a good number? Ones that are considered lucky - 1, 5, and 9. More importantly, the string of numbers must be ascending… indicating your fortune and health will ascend as well.

Anh took us through the early morning food market.

Many of them just sell the goods out of the lower floor of their house. If you look below, you can see the stairs off to the left leading to the main part of the house.

Butchers

Fish section

Making fresh noodles

Veggies

Eggs

Anh got us both to taste balut. What is this you ask?

Balut is a fertilized duck embryo that is boiled and eaten in the shell. Believed to be an aphrodisiac and considered a high-protein. Street vendors mostly sell balut.

It tasted like boiled chicken; not bad. But I could not get over the idea of what I was actually eating, so I would say no – I did not like it!

The seniors exercise in the park every morning. Ho Chi Minh preached that all Vietnamese should exercise each and every day. They tend to take a social outlook on it and exercise together.

There was even an area in the park where you could learn how to dance.

I was surprised to see such a large traditional catholic church in Hanoi. This is St Joseph's Cathedral built in 1886. Of the population, 85 % are Buddhist, 7% are Catholic and 8% other.

Anh took us to his favorite PHO restaurant, Pho Gia @ 49 Bat Dan. At 8 am on a Sunday it was packed! That is Anh in the blue T-shirt looking at the camera.

It was one busy "little" kitchen.

We were really enjoying the soup when…….

D bit into the biscuit below and broke his tooth! We have been very fortunate in that all the traveling we do, we have never had a major mishap……after this trip, we can no longer say this. They look soft – but they were very chewy.

The tooth was “hanging on” but we were very concerned it was going to fall out or worse, was infected. We had our hotel help us find a dentist that 1) was open on Sunday 2) spoke English 3) could take us immediately. Our hotel manager called and made the appointment.

We hopped into a cab and 20 minutes later D was sitting in the dental chair. They took x-rays and told him it was definitively broken but not infected. If he ate soft foods he should be okay for the next 10 days. We were very lucky in that there was a dental student in who spoke excellent English. The dentist did not speak a word.

And believe it or not, they refused to take any money for the appointment. We left them money on the desk and told them to buy lunch for the office. His tooth hung in there and he lost 5 pounds as he could only eat soft foods – eggs and tofu!

Sights we visited

Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum

In the centre of Hanoi, a large area is devoted to Ho Chi Minh. He is affectionally known as Uncle Ho in Vietnam. The grandeur of the Mausoleum is a strange contrast to the simple house where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked. They say he would not have been happy with the Mausoleum, in fact, he requested to be cremated.

His embalmed body lies inside a glass case in the Mausoleum.   I had not read this before my visit so I was quite shocked when I entered and saw the body laying there – looking like he was asleep. An interesting fact…..the embalming process was done by Russian experts and each year in early autumn, his body is flown to Moscow for three months for maintenance.

Hoa Lo Prison infamously known as Hanoi Hilton

There is not much left of the prison as it was demolished in the mid-1990s to build a hotel complex.   Regardless, it still has an eerie feel when you walk through it knowing that it held thousands of inmates over the years.   You can view the original cells and there are illustrations of life in the prison interestingly enough, showing the American prisoners having a grand old time playing cards, having parties, eating well, etc

The prison is known as one of the most unjust and cruel prisons in Vietnam.   Previous prisoners included numerous American pilots including U.S Senator John McCain (see his uniform below).

The Temple of Literature

The Temple of Literature is one of Hanoi's most popular landmarks. Despite the “temple” in the name, it is not a religious site. The temple was built in 1070. It is one of several temples in Vietnam, which are dedicated to Confucius, sages and scholars. Shown below, Khuê Văn Các, the red tower at the Temple of Literature is the symbol of Hanoi.

This young lady was posing for her friends. So pretty in the traditional Vietnamese dress..

We took a day trip to Duong Lam, an ancient village on the outskirts of Hanoi, home to many houses built three or four centuries ago. It is also the birth village of two Vietnamese kings. Duong Lam was recognized as a national relic in 2005.

Many centuries ago the Chinese dominated Vietnam and this is seen heavily in the architecture and the written words on older buildings.

There are around 300 houses still standing in Duong Lam, 50 of which date back 300 years.

Our guide explained that when a person dies, they bury them in the rice fields for three years then there is a ceremony and the body is cremated. We saw many gravesites in the rice fields.

We visited several temples, pagodas, and shrines during our day tour. We had both a driver and a guide.

We ate lunch at a local house that was over 800 year old. It is considered a National treasure in Vietnam.

When D was done with his conference, we took a three-day trip to the beautiful Ha Long Bay, which is a four-hour drive from Hanoi. To read all about this trip click here to visit this stunning place.

On the way back to Hanoi we visited Yen Duc, an agricultural village producing primarily rice.

We walked around with a guide and learned about the environment and the rice fields.

We met friendly locals like the barber – with his outdoor shop.

This gentleman was looking at the photo D took of him.

This young lady stopped to show us what was in her little baskets – crabs. They were so tiny and scooted so fast, it was impossible to get a photo of them.

Last but not least, we were given a singing performance called Quan Ho.

This type of singing is Vietnamese folk music with songs about love with young adults.

The Quan Ho singing style originated was first recorded in the 13th century. In 2009, Quan Ho singing was recognized as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage.

The tour was a little hokey – but it allowed us to see a local village outside of Hanoi. And we did get to meet a few locals. All who were very friendly and enjoyed having their photos taken click here to see more photos of the people.

We look forward to our next visit to Vietnam!
Vietnam: the scooters

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Hanoi – Vietnam

There are over 6 million people living in Hanoi and 4.5 million motor bikes. Everyone has one.

As soon as you step into the streets – the motor scooters start honking at you. We have never seen so many scooters in our lives. It is like a stream of water running through the city. It is very difficult to cross the road in the old quarter.

We learned that you just step into the road and cross – do not run, do not turn back….just keep going and they work around you. Seriously – this is how we crossed the road. And fascinatingly enough – it works.

They are used as the family car –

for three

for four

even 5 – yep count them – 5 on the one scooter!

and very little regard for safety! Helmets are required for adults only. And not all of them follow this rule.

grandma even gets a ride – while using her cell phone

They are used as trucks

for carrying ducks…

soda delivery

nursery delivery

and everything else!

Friends sharing a ride

and for taking a nap – look closely, there is a hammock in the back of this one.

Not a scooter – but impressive they were able to cross the street with this load.

and a moving van – scooter!
Vietnam: the people

05

The People of Vietnam

We enjoyed meeting and talking to the locals. Not all could speak english, some spoke very little, but it didn't matter because a photo can speak a million words!

the old – with wisdom and beauty

and style!

the young – such wonder in their eyes, not a care in the world

and everything in between!

so happy to have their photos taken

The Vietnamese are friendly happy people.
Vietnam: Halong Bay – A unique adventure

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Ha Long Bay – Vietnam

Halong Bay was a magical journey with landscape that was beyond spectacular.

The Bay is located in the north of the country, in the Quang Ninh province and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. It is a 4-hour drive from Hanoi. "Ha Long" is literally translated as "Bay of Descending Dragons." You will see it written both as Halong Bay and Ha Long Bay (the Vietnamese way).

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1994). It is said to be 500 million years old. It is an area of 964 miles and consists of a dense cluster of close to 2000 limestone islands most covered with thick jungle vegetation.

Several of the islands are hollow, with large caves. There are also a number of beaches on the smaller islands.

Halong Bay Legend

According to local legend, thousands of years ago the Vietnamese were fighting Chinese invaders, when the gods sent down a mother dragon and her babies to help defend the land. The dragons began spitting pearls and jade to sink the enemy ships, which transformed into thousands of islands and islets dotting the bay.

Their handiwork formed a great wall blocking the invaders path. With the people safe again, the family of dragons became interested in more peaceful endeavors and decided to stay to enjoy their stunning creation. Hence the name Ha Long (Ha: descending, Long: dragon).

Our boat – Dragon's Pearl 2

We set sail on a traditional junk boat for 3 days and 2 nights. We selected Indochina Junk and we were on the Dragon's Pearl 2. We were extremely happy with our choice and recommend them.

We had nine other couples on our boat from many different countries – France, Austria, UK and Australia. We were the only Americans. There was also a diverse range of ages among us.   But everyone was so interesting and we all got along so well. This was a big reason why our trip was extra special.

Our Captain and a crewmember.

Our room – not huge but nice.

our bathroom – not bad for a boat!

How about this for a dining view?

The tranquil emerald green waters and the captivating vistas truly were breath taking.

Many of the islands have acquired their names as a result of interpretation of their unusual shapes: such names include Voi Islet (elephant), Ga Choi Islet (fighting cock), and Mai Nha Islet (roof).

Of the islands, 989 have been given names. Birds and animals including bantams, antelopes, monkeys, and lizards also live on some of the islands. We did not see any animals – just birds.

What we did while on the boat

We visited a floating village. Most of the islands are uninhabited, but there are several floating villages of fishermen living in the bay. They have small paddle-boats that serve as transportation around the village, which they used to pick us up from our boat for our visit to their village.

The shallow waters have 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of mollusks. We visited Cong Dam fishing village. The houses we quite colorful and well maintained.

We have seen floating villages before – but it is always unbelievable and fascinating to see an entire village situated on water. And hard to get my mind around their way of life including seeing this wee one was standing on a box close to the boat edge – with no one else in sight.

Full families of multiple generations lived in one-room boats… and they even had dogs.

Indochina has built a school for this village and pays the teachers annual salary (approximately $90 USD a month) to teach the children. They have also developed the program ‘For a Green Halong Bay’.

Supported by the government and residents, this program helps in the collection and treatment of waste in Bai Tu Long Bay. As you might have read, trash in the bay is a big problem.

This is an oyster farm. Australia has helped train local families in culturing, spawning and nursery techniques. Most of these families had been earning an average income of between $1,800 and $3,000 a year. But growing oysters has offered growers the chance to substantially increase their family’s income.

Kayaking and Swimming

We did a little Kayaking and D took a swim (he is the one swimming, not in the kayak).

He also had fun jumping off the side of the boat into the water. There were jellyfish so I passed.

The photo below is one of my favorite of the trip. To me, it captures the true calm and quietness of Halong Bay.

Fortunately our junk boat took us to a part of the bay where there were very few other junk boats. There were many local boats, which were enjoyable to see.

Climate: The bay has two seasons – hot and moist summer, dry and cold winter.   We were just on the cusp of the rainy season but lucked out and our first day was a perfect blue-sky day. We had a few showers one morning – but overall excellent weather.

On our last night, we had a very special dinner in the Thien Canh Son Cave. Wow what a spectacular sight. We walked up 100 steps on the cliff and entered into the cave. We though we would just be at the mouth but we walked several minutes deep into the cave.

Once we entered the cave, there were candles lit everywhere making the numerous stalactites sparkle. When we read this was part of the trip – we were expecting something very hokey – but it was so special.

Below is our set table. How they cooked and carried all the food and equipment up into the cave was impressive in itself.

The chef even carved several special table setting for us. Below is the one of our boat made out of a watermelon and melons. Beautiful!

And swans carved from melons. All of the food was exceptional, not only for this dinner, but the entire trip. It far exceeded our expectations.

Wow – we were happy we opted to take this trip with this particular company. A truly memorable experience!

After our fun stay in Hanoi and Halong Bay Vietnam – we can't wait to explore more of this fascinating country!
Back to Bangkok

05

D had another business trip to Bangkok so I tagged along to do a little shopping! It was super hot – 101 on several days.

I love the way the women ride sidesaddle on the motorbike taxis.

The traffic in Bangkok is crazy!

CHINA TOWN

AND THE FLOWER MARKET

The flower market runs all day and night. D did not have meetings until noon so we hopped a taxi to Chinatown at 7:30, as we knew it would be bustling this time of the day.

Maybe a little too early for this little one….but the older sister was happy and full of energy.

Grandma picking the hot red peppers – she did give us a big smile, but the photo was blurry.

BREAKFAST

We found a cute little sidewalk cafe for breakfast.

Here is the chef….

How sweet – she made us heart shaped eggs!

D had his egg on pork and rice; mine was on beef and rice. Both were yummy and cost us $3.00 for these two dishes and two Thai iced coffees.

Hot sauce? Way too hot for me! When there is a red pepper – I stay away!

Tuk Tuk

BEHIND THE SCENES

The Flower market and all the side streets around it were very busy at this time in the morning. I think his mind is on something other than his work!

Jack fruit – described as tasting like a tart banana. They can weigh up to 75 pounds!

TIME FOR A BREAK

D's post breakfast snack – fried pork!

He can't pass up a fried pork stand. I have to admit, it was pretty tasty.

A NEW ADVENTURE

D had a custom suit and several dress shirts made at Pinky's. This is the thing to do in Bangkok, as it is very inexpensive. We were amazed at how many measurements they take to make a suit. They even took photos during the measurement phase.

It is not easy as you pick out the fabrics from bolts and hope it looks good as a suit or a shirt. We even got to select the lining for the suit. You also have to select a ton of other details; width of the collars, how long of a jacket, buttons or cuffs?

His suit and shirts all fit on the first go round – we were impressed. The whole process was a fun experience!

MASSAGE

We like to have massages in Bangkok, as they are very cheap. Everything in Bangkok is cheap! We usually have them at the hotel but his time we tried the Asia Herb Association. We had the traditional Thai massage for 60 minutes and the hot herbal ball for 30. We had a "couples" room. It was nice, but we prefer the hotel.

FOOD

As always – our food photos!

This has become one of our favorite restaurants. It is a nighttime street food market on Sukhumvit Soi 38.

We really like their duck rice.

And on our top 10 ten list of all time favorite foods – mango sticky rice…. and this place is the BEST!

This is another restaurant we have been to several times located on Sukhumvi Road and Soi 1. The space is a restaurant at night and a car repair during the day.

Love this guy – the ice cream man – via the motorcycle!

Refreshing drinks

Fresh coconut

We were hungry for hamburgers so I did some internet research and found that one of the best burgers was at firehouse on Sukhumvit Soi 11.

We were not disappointed and will definitely go back.

How cute is this little guy at the weekend market.

I leave you with a sign from our taxi – the driver did not speak a word of English – but we all understood this message and had a good laugh together.
Our apartment!

05

Our apartment in Singapore – the living room.

Hop on over to my art blog – ma vie trouvee to get the full tour. Enjoy!
New Zealand. New Country. New Continent (so I thought).

04

Kia Ora

New Zealand

"Land of the long white cloud"……

the most beautiful green…..

and blue water…..

great coffee…..

And some really cute seals!

New Zealand is an island country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is a 10-hour flight from Singapore, but because we were using frequent flyer points for me, we had to fly two hours to Bangkok and then to New Zealand, so it was a 14-hour flight over.

This is the first time in all of our travels where we have crossed the equator. D was very excited about this event and informed me that we are now "shellbacks". In the U.S. Navy, when a ship crosses the equator the sailors become shellbacks; those who have not are called pollywogs.

We spent 15 days/14 nights in NZ; we flew 8 flight segments (shortest 45 minutes – longest 14 hours), and we had 2 ferry rides (one very rough & one calm).

We spent 30 plus hours driving in a car up and down the south island and we got extremely lucky and had only one day of rain!

We knew very little about NZ before this trip, here are a few tidbits we learned.



It is far from any continent and is not considered one. I thought NZ, along with Australia, made up a continent. When I asked our New Zealand friend Mike, his response was "we are not Aussies, or British, or European, we are Kiwi, part of the Pacific." So there you go. The country is divided into two main landmasses ‒ the North and South Islands. We had to opportunity to visit both.

Because of its remoteness, NZ was the last major landmass to be populated (with the exception of the polar regions) by humans.

Although the Maoris arrived from Polynesia around AD900, the first Europeans did not find New Zealand until 1642. In 1840 the British and Māori signed a treaty making New Zealand a colony of the British Empire.

The official languages of NZ are English and Maori. Elizabeth II is still officially the Queen of New Zealand. A Governor General selected by the Queen resides over the country.

NZ is about the size of Colorado. The population is 4 million and they say there is around 9 sheep to every human. However, once dominant exporters of wool, it has been overtaken by dairy products, meat, and recently wine (we carried 4 bottles back to Singapore).

Marmite (a toast spread) is a "national treasure" and there was a big shortage going on while we were there. The plant that makes marmite is located in ChristChurch and was damaged by the earthquake.

New Zealand is ahead of the US (east coast) by 17 hours. It is the first country in the world to see the sunrise.

Thirty percent of New Zealand land is made up of forests. From what we saw, they were all very tropical.

The "kiwi" is a native New Zealander. It is also a bird and the country's national symbol. The funny thing is, they are rarely seen because they are nocturnal and only come out at night.

For you movie buffs – the movie the "Lord of the Rings" was filmed entirely in New Zealand.

Our Journey

We started our adventure in Auckland. It is in the North Island and is the largest city in all of NZ. Auckland has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world. We spent two days at the beginning and one day on the return trip. It had the feel of an old western town in the United States. Parts of the city were very artsy.

Our next leg was a flight from Auckland to Wellington and then a ferry ride from Wellington (North Island) to Picton (South Island). We had a very very rough ferry ride and many people were sick – including yours truly! Let's just say it was not a fun 3-hour ride!

We arrived in Picton, a pretty little water town early evening Sunday.

The next morning we picked up our rental car and started on our drive.

What you need to keep in mind is that New Zealand is the pack-packer/out-door person's dream. And as we all know – I am not a "back-packin" kinda girl. With that being said – let me share the beautiful nature of New Zealand with you!

The roads were filled with campers, many of them old school. I liked this one from the 60's – her name was Paige. Maybe we should have rented a camper.



The first leg was a long drive (7 hours) and the scenery was mostly brown hills. The towns were hours apart and very small. We felt like we were out in the world alone! We were able to get really good coffee in every town we stopped.

Because it is such a young country, there are few historical buildings or sites. It is all about the scenery, which reminded us a lot of the west coast in the US – Seattle, San Francisco, and the Big Sur.

Punakaiki had very interesting rock formations called the Pancake Rocks. It is a heavily eroded limestone area where the sea bursts though a number of vertical blowholes during high tides.



Nature began this work of art about 30 million years ago. Alternating layers of small marine creatures and sand became buried and compressed on the ocean floor, which created areas with multiple layers of hard limestone and softer sandstone.

Earthquake activity then lifted the ocean floor and the rain and the wind began to erode the softer sandstone. The outcome is cliffs and ravines with hundreds of horizontal slices along their vertical faces, like huge stacks of pancakes.

The "Motel"

As I mentioned before, this was back-packing/camping territory so the choice of places to sleep was very limited as well as expensive ($115 to $140 USD). They did not have hotels, but rather motels – like in the US in the 1960's. They were clean but very sparse. Each unit did have a small kitchen with utensils, a stove, and refrigerator. Not what I am use to when we travel!

At every motel, when we checked in, we were handed the keys and a small bottle of milk (trim or regular) for our coffee. They also supplied a small bag of coffee and a coffee press. Very interesting. All of the owners were very friendly.

Waterfalls

They say there are thousands of waterfalls in NZ. Glaciers formed the waterfalls as they moved down mountainsides, cutting into the river valleys.

This has created high falls with a relatively small volume of water, often drying up in summer.

Hokitika

We enjoyed our stay at this little "motel" in Hokitika. It was just a few steps to the beach and we had a great sunset that evening. We had half of the unit and the bed was in a little nook on the second floor.

We had a glass of lovely New Zealand wine on the beach as we watched the sunset. We then cooked steaks in the little kitchen.

Frans Joseph and Fox Glacier

Fox Glacier is located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park. It is 8.1 miles long and is fed by four alpine glaciers. It is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world. We only had to hike an hour to get to the mouth of the glacier. You had to book a tour guide to go further.

A close up photo where you can start to see the "blue ice". It really did not photograph well.

Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook

Lake Tekapo covers an area of 32 sq mi, and is at an altitude of 2,300 ft above sea level.

The amazing turquoise blue color of Lake Tekapo is created by "rock flour": the glaciers in the headwaters grind the rock into fine dust. These suspended particles in combination with the sunlight create Lake Tekapo's unique water color.

New Zealand's highest mountain is Aoraki Mount Cook. It is 12,316 ft high. The mountain formerly appeared on maps as Mount Cook. In 1998, the mountain was officially renamed Aoraki Mount Cook to incorporate its Maori name.

Just down form our motel was Lake Matheson where they told us on a beautiful day you could capture the snow-capped Mount Cook reflected in the waters. Our day was gorgeous! Lake Matheson was formed about 14,000 years ago.



Wanaka was one of our favorite towns. It was more upscale then the other towns we had visited.

We stayed in a lovely little B&B called Beaconfield B&B , owned by Mark and Carla. They had two well-appointed rooms and their own little vineyard. There was also a beautiful mountain view out of our bedroom window. We definitely recommend this B&B.

We walked to the lake where D was inspired to do yoga.

I just relaxed while he exercised.

Christchurch

We also enjoyed our stay in Christchurch.   Pierrette, owner of our favorite B&B in France, Ambiance-Jardin, introduced us to her friends Mike and Karen who live in Christchurch and they so graciously showed us around town for the day and then invited us to their lovely home for an excellent lamb dinner. Oh yes….and the most delicious appetizer of hot smoked salmon. We had never had it before and I will definitely be craving it!

Christchurch is a town that most people recognize due to the devastating earthquake they had a year ago (February 2011). The earthquake caused widespread damage across Christchurch, especially in the central city and eastern suburbs. In total, 185 people were killed. It was followed by a large aftershock on 13 June (which caused considerable additional damage) and a series of large shocks on 23 December 2011.

In the photo above the code on the glass shows that a NZ rescue team went though and searched for people/bodies on 2/24 the 2nd window shows that a US rescue team completed a 2nd search on 2/25. If any bodies were found – that number would have also been show. Fortunately, there were zero found in this building.

A year later the people of CHCH are still suffering. We could see the damage everywhere. Every few weeks more houses are being declared unlivable due to the structural damage. And many of these cannot even use the land to rebuild, as the soil has been deemed unbuildable. There are large neighborhoods were the houses are completely empty and cargo containers everywhere to help contain the property if it falls. Look at the house on the edge of the land in the photo below. It is very sad.

The total cost to insurers of rebuilding has been estimated at NZ$20–30 billion, making it by far New Zealand's most expensive natural disaster, and the third-costliest earthquake worldwide.

The seals

On one of our favorite drives of the trip and our last leg, was from Christchurch to Picton. We got to see the New Zealand fur seal in the town of Kaikoura. They are only found on the coasts of New Zealand and the south coast of Australia.

One area, where we were able to get up close and personal with the seals, had only a few males lounging around. But, we were able to get pretty close for some really nice photos.

Males weigh up to 450 lbs. They can be very aggressive. Not sure about these guys – they barely noticed we were there.

Seals usually feed at night traveling out to sea to feed on octopus, squid, lantern fish and barracuda.

There was a separate area several miles down the road where all the females and babies were lounging and playing. This area was fenced off so we were not able to get as close to them.

Female seals start to breed at 3 – 4 years old. The gestation period is about 51 weeks. They give birth and mate again as soon as one week later.   We had so much fun watching the babies play. The pools of water were like a playground for them.

The females were definitely more aggressive than the males – at least to each other.

In the early 1800’s seals were hunted to near extinction for their fur which was used for hats, coats clothing etc.   Luckily, in 1946, the Government stopped commercial sealing. They are slowly making a comeback. Thank goodness – how could anyone harm these sweet guys?

Wellington

Wellington, the Capital City of New Zealand is the southernmost capital city in the world. D's conference was here and where we spent the most days – five.

Ka Kite Ano New Zealand!
one hour in bangkok

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On our way home from New Zealand, Sunday night we had an overnight stay in Bangkok. we stayed in a sweet little hotel, Lilac Comfort Hotel, near the airport. After breakfast, we took a one-hour walk around the neighborhood and visited a Wat (temple). Bangkok is packed with color, culture, beautiful architecture and exotic sights.

This is why we LOVE Bangkok!

The Wat

The village on the water.

We get to go back again the end of this month – Yeah!

Check back early next week for the blog on New Zealand.

Wat photos altered using Kim Klassen's textures.
Bangkok – February 2012

03

Our first trip of the year, and first with D's new job, was to Bangkok, Thailand. We love this city – it is a crazy, hectic, hot, gritty, packed with food, and definitively has a soul!

This will probably be D's most visited city. Below is the view from our hotel room at sunrise. The city looks so peaceful and calm at this time of the morning.

The Streets

The streets are a world all unto themselves. The traffic is chaotic and there are people living and selling things on the sidewalks. The man on the bike is selling honey.

He carries his honeycombs with him on the back of his bike. Aren't they beautiful and so healthy looking.

This is a nighttime food street. All the vendors pull out their carts and create full meals for under $5 USD. Yes, we eat on the streets and NO we never get sick.

He is such a cutie. Mom was so excited I was taking his photo.

They found a way to run electricity out to the street so they could watch TV.

Day with Fran

My new friend Helena in Singapore has a good friend Fran who lives in Bangkok. So she hooked us up and Fran showed me around town – it was such a fun day! We started by taking a local boat to the Wat Saket.

Wat Saket or the Golden Mount

I had not seen this Wat when we visited Bangkok a year ago. King Rama I built it in the late-18th century. It served as the capital's crematorium. During the following 100 years, the temple became the dumping ground for some 60,000 plague victims.

The stunning Golden Mount was added to the compound in the early 19th century. As you walk up to the top, you pass beautiful gardens and large prayer bells, which you are allowed to ring.

They say if you ring the big gong three times it will bring you luck – so Fran and I both took a turn.

Next we visited a very unique little neighborhood where they still create the large alms that the Buddhist monks carry for their donations (food to live with). In the past, the alms bowls were all handmade. Today, most are mass-produced in the factories. It is a dying art.

There is a small street of families that still make them. I can’t image living on that street – first of all, the tourist that walk through, but also the ear-piercing noise of hammers on metal all day long.

They are very friendly and will tell you all about the craft – hoping that you will buy an alm. They were quite pricey but understandable so.

Both men and women make the bowls, but it does require a great deal of strength. Each family makes a different part, and does a different job. The community makes about 50 bowls a month.

The next neighborhood we walked though is where they sell all types of statues for the temples.

Including fake monks! Fascinating.

Wat Suthat

Wat Suthat is one of the oldest temples in Bangkok, established in the early years of the Chakri dynasty under King Rama I, but not completed till the rule of Rama III. The doors are said to have been carved by the king himself.

The large Buddha in the main hall dates to the 14th century. It was brought to Bangkok by Rama I, by boat, down the Chao Phraya River.

Inside the Temple are unique murals dating from the reign of Rama II. Unfortunately they are rapidly deteriorating. The best preserved ones are high up the walls.

I thought this was funny; someone put glasses under the elephant's foot.

The outside was equally as beautiful.

It has an impressive gallery of gilt Buddhas. I really enjoyed this Wat (temple).

And the unusual red roof. I could not find any information on why it was red.

Here is a shot taken as we crossed the road – told you traffic was CRAZY! I really had a fun day – Thanks Fran!!

Other Wats scattered through the city.

I thought this pig was going to talk to me! They put all kinds of food out as offerings to the Gods.

Food

Late night snacks. What are they?

Here is a closer look….

Yes – BUGS! Such a variety and lots of people were buying them. We talked to a few young girls buying them – they prefer the little larva ones. Maybe one day we will taste them   : )

D's favorite – any kind of fried pork or chicken product.

Pork with mint.

Egg and crab (yummy!)

Red cockles.

Scallops with garlic (super yummy).

Minced pork with cilantro.

Shrimp with toasted garlic (super yummy!)

Oh one of my favorites – coconut ice cream! Not exactly sure what the purple rice was, but it was good!

Cooking Class

I took a Thai cooking class and the first hour we visited a market to learn about all the ingredients we were going to use in the recipes.

This young girl is testing the mercury in the lobster.

The cooking school, Bai Pai Thai Cooking School (BaiPai.com) was about 35 minutes outside of the city. Their facilities were beautiful and spotlessly clean.

Here are the two instructors. The gentleman is the chef, the woman helped translate – but I thought he spoke English well and didn't need her to translate.

I have never used a mortar and pestle before. D loves to make pastes with them.

This was one of the dishes we made – golden pockets.

Here is the recipe for the golden bags (toong tong). They were very easy and quite good.

Here is another dish we made – roasted duck in red sauce (gand pehd ped yang). It was also delicious.

As they say in Thailand – Sa Wat Dee – Good-bye!

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