(Day 54)
The majority of our day was spent shopping around at all of the Trip Advisor-suggested tailor shops trying to find the best deal on fitted suits. After lots of looking and price-comparing, we found a place. The shop is run by Vietnamese women who are very animated, and are great at sales. We've actually had a lot of fun with these ladies.
I decided to buy a Charcoal Grey suit and a Dark Navy Blue one. I also bought a vest for the Grey, an extra pair of pants for the grey, and six shirts. The suits are made of wool, cashmere, and silk. They seem to be high-quality. I'm excited to finally have a suit that is tailor-made! I'm going to be looking good. I've always liked dressing up, but I think I will like it even more when it's clothes that actually fit my body.
In the evening, we went to a Lonely Planet-suggested restaurant called Bale Well. We ate like kings. They had Satay-Pork, which is similar to Ban Xeo, but there's a lot more meat involved. It was all-you-can-eat, so we filled our bellies. I washed it all down with a nice cold can of Coca-Cola. It was marvelous.
We later went out for a late night snack. We bought some oreos and milk. Mmmmmm! You can take the boy out of America, but you can't take the American out of the boy. Is that how the saying goes?
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Bakery Breakfast round 2, Flight to Hoi An, and Bon Xeo
(Day 53)
We woke up especially late this morning, got our backpacks ready, and checked out of our guesthouse. (oh, oh, side note: the lady who owns our guesthouse has a husband whose snore sounds like a cat's meow; weirdest thing ever). We went back to the Bakery we went to yesterday, and I literally repeated got the same exact thing. I'm telling you now, those fluffy blueberry cream cheese filled pastries are the definition of heaven on earth.
After a quick stop at Baskin Robbins, we took a taxi to the airport and flew to Danang. The flight was really quick.
From Danang we shared a taxi with a French couple to Hoi An. We got dropped off right in front of our beautiful guesthouse, the Hoa Binh. I've loved this place a lot. We each have our own beds, and there is a complimentary all-you-can-eat breakfast served every morning from 6-10 am. All for $9/night each. Not bad!
Hoi An is a beautiful city. It is definitely one of my favorite places so far. It has a truly mystical atmosphere. It is one place that has matched the ideal "Asian" settings. There are red and yellow lanterns glowing all around the city, and the buildings are very old. Some are from the 1600s!
We ate dinner at a beautiful, very classy restaurant near the river. I tried, for the first time, one of my current favorite Vietnamese dishes: Bon Xeo. It is a Vietnamese Crepe that contains shrimp, sprouts, and some other ingredients that I am currently unaware of. You wrap the Crepe with rice paper and fill it with other herbs and lettuces. There is a delicious, slightly spicy dipping sauce you use to add some zest to the already vividly flavorful dish. It is amazing! I wish I could have this every day of my life.
After dinner, we explored the city a bit more. I seriously love this city!
We woke up especially late this morning, got our backpacks ready, and checked out of our guesthouse. (oh, oh, side note: the lady who owns our guesthouse has a husband whose snore sounds like a cat's meow; weirdest thing ever). We went back to the Bakery we went to yesterday, and I literally repeated got the same exact thing. I'm telling you now, those fluffy blueberry cream cheese filled pastries are the definition of heaven on earth.
After a quick stop at Baskin Robbins, we took a taxi to the airport and flew to Danang. The flight was really quick.
From Danang we shared a taxi with a French couple to Hoi An. We got dropped off right in front of our beautiful guesthouse, the Hoa Binh. I've loved this place a lot. We each have our own beds, and there is a complimentary all-you-can-eat breakfast served every morning from 6-10 am. All for $9/night each. Not bad!
Hoi An is a beautiful city. It is definitely one of my favorite places so far. It has a truly mystical atmosphere. It is one place that has matched the ideal "Asian" settings. There are red and yellow lanterns glowing all around the city, and the buildings are very old. Some are from the 1600s!
We ate dinner at a beautiful, very classy restaurant near the river. I tried, for the first time, one of my current favorite Vietnamese dishes: Bon Xeo. It is a Vietnamese Crepe that contains shrimp, sprouts, and some other ingredients that I am currently unaware of. You wrap the Crepe with rice paper and fill it with other herbs and lettuces. There is a delicious, slightly spicy dipping sauce you use to add some zest to the already vividly flavorful dish. It is amazing! I wish I could have this every day of my life.
After dinner, we explored the city a bit more. I seriously love this city!
Bakery Breakfast, Emperor Jade Pagoda, 1121 Ly Dynasty water puppetry show, History Museum, Lichfields on the top of the Skyhigh Tower
(Day 52)
We woke up this morning with a fully planned day. We wanted to get a good breakfast to supply the calories we knew we were going to be burning throughout the day. We found a beautiful little bakery called Tout les jours (or something French like that, my French is awful). I ate one of the most glorious pasteries I've ever had in my life. It was a soft little cake-like bread (but not nearly as sweet) filled with blueberry cream cheese. Mmmmmm!! Mon Sharee!
We then took a taxi over to District 3 around the Da Kao area. We went first to a temple that housed the famous Emperor Jade Pagoda. It was neat. The architecture and layout of the Buddhist temples in Vietnam are very different than the other countries we have visited. The Buddhism they practice here is a different sect. It is called Mahayana Buddhism, I believe, and has a different focus and feel that Theravada Buddhism that is found in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. There definitely is a heavy Chinese influence on the architecture.
Afterwards, we went to the History Museum and enjoyed viewing all of the ancient sculptures, tools, boats, arts & crafts, coins, and jewelry that are the remains of some of the ancient dynasties and civilizations of this area. There was a beautiful boat that was on display that is over 3000 years old!
The museum also offers the opportunity to watch a water puppet show which has been passed down in their society from the Ly Dynasty in the year 1121. It was very creative and impressive. I had to laugh a few times as I watched the excited Vietnamese children react to the antics of the puppets. One act consisted of two very elegant looking dog-like creatures who were swimming around trying to catch a ball. After long, strenuous efforts, they finally succeed. It was neat to be a part of cultural entertainment that is so traditional and culturally rich.
That night, we met up with the Lichfields again, and we went to the top of the Skyhigh tower, the tallest skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh City. Wade bought us some mocktails (cocktails without the alcohol), and we attmpted to chat with each other a midst some very loud music. We had a good time.
We said goodbye and good luck to the Lichfields. I am so thankful for them.
We woke up this morning with a fully planned day. We wanted to get a good breakfast to supply the calories we knew we were going to be burning throughout the day. We found a beautiful little bakery called Tout les jours (or something French like that, my French is awful). I ate one of the most glorious pasteries I've ever had in my life. It was a soft little cake-like bread (but not nearly as sweet) filled with blueberry cream cheese. Mmmmmm!! Mon Sharee!
We then took a taxi over to District 3 around the Da Kao area. We went first to a temple that housed the famous Emperor Jade Pagoda. It was neat. The architecture and layout of the Buddhist temples in Vietnam are very different than the other countries we have visited. The Buddhism they practice here is a different sect. It is called Mahayana Buddhism, I believe, and has a different focus and feel that Theravada Buddhism that is found in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. There definitely is a heavy Chinese influence on the architecture.
Afterwards, we went to the History Museum and enjoyed viewing all of the ancient sculptures, tools, boats, arts & crafts, coins, and jewelry that are the remains of some of the ancient dynasties and civilizations of this area. There was a beautiful boat that was on display that is over 3000 years old!
The museum also offers the opportunity to watch a water puppet show which has been passed down in their society from the Ly Dynasty in the year 1121. It was very creative and impressive. I had to laugh a few times as I watched the excited Vietnamese children react to the antics of the puppets. One act consisted of two very elegant looking dog-like creatures who were swimming around trying to catch a ball. After long, strenuous efforts, they finally succeed. It was neat to be a part of cultural entertainment that is so traditional and culturally rich.
That night, we met up with the Lichfields again, and we went to the top of the Skyhigh tower, the tallest skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh City. Wade bought us some mocktails (cocktails without the alcohol), and we attmpted to chat with each other a midst some very loud music. We had a good time.
We said goodbye and good luck to the Lichfields. I am so thankful for them.
bookstore, Foot Massages, it's blurry.
(Day 51)
I'm getting mixed up. I really need to start doing this everyday. All I know is that we drove around in a taxi for a long time trying to find a place to rent motorbikes, I purchased Frankenstein and began reading it, and we ended up getting foot massages.
It's blurry, but I'm loving Vietnam with all of my heart!
I'm getting mixed up. I really need to start doing this everyday. All I know is that we drove around in a taxi for a long time trying to find a place to rent motorbikes, I purchased Frankenstein and began reading it, and we ended up getting foot massages.
It's blurry, but I'm loving Vietnam with all of my heart!
Plane tickets, Dominoes pizza, Pho 99, The Lichfields, New Year's Eve
(Day 50)
We woke up this morning pretty late because we were out late last night wandering around the city. Vietnam is celebrating the New Year during this time period. Celebrations last a few weeks. There are thousands and thousands of pots filled with different types of flowers all over the streets here. It is a beautiful sight to behold. What makes this time even more special to me is that when we flew over to South East Asia, we were in the air on the passing of the actual New Year, so we didn't get to celebrate. Well, now we do. And the Vietnamese know how to celebrate, I can tell you that.
The first thing we decided to do was to figure out how we were going to make it to our next destination: Hoi An. We decided flying was the best option, but when we went on-line to try and book tickets, the website would not work. Thus, we decided to make a trip to the airport and buy tickets there.
After the airport, we went home for a bit and rested. Afterwards, we met up with some LDS friends who we had met in Phnom Penh: The Lichfields. Wade Lichfield and his wife London came to SE Asia to pick up their daughter Chloe from her mission. She had just finished serving 1 1/2 years in Cambodia, but speaking Vietnamese and working the majority of her mission with Vietnamese members. This family is awesome! Wade is an attorney and stake president in Florida so I was able to pick his brain a little bit about law school and the actual practice of law. He gave me the positives as well as the negatives which I was grateful for. As most of you know by now, I got accepted to BYU law which is the school I was shooting for from the get go. I'm extremely excited!
Anyway, we met up with the Lichfields at a great restaurant (which has a sister restaurant in Portland) called Pho 99. Wade was kind enough to pick up the tab for us. Chloe told us all about her mission and then began talking about all of the wonderful fruits that are available in SE Asia. I'll admit, at this point I felt a little guilty for not having been more adventurous in trying all the different fruits that are readily available here in Asia, but I promised myself that I would repent.
In fact, as soon as we were done eating dinner, we bought some fruit called "soursap" which actually tastes like skittles or Starburst. I am not joking. It was amazing!
We wandered around the city again, and then Chloe hung out with us while her parents went back to their hotel to rest. We went to...wait for it...Baskin Robbins for dessert. It was a lot of fun. It was good to finally have some feminine company. Don't tell the other guys, but I'm getting sick of hanging out with just guys. Women, you are all awesome! Don't let anyone say otherwise.
That night we watched the fireworks show. It was magnificent! I was not expecting much because my close-minded self didn't believe that anywhere else was able to do fireworks shows like the good old U.S of A, but the Vietnamese changed my mind. It lasted for a long time, and the fireworks were big, explosive, loud, and colorful. The Vietnamese crowd were very responsive to every explosion in the sky. The little kids would jump up and down giddily as the colorful displays filled the black sky. I was just as much entertained by the people's reactions as I was the actual fireworks show. It was a beautiful sight. Skyscrapers, friends, and a beautiful people. I smiled as I, again, realized how blessed I am to be alive.
I died in bed that night and resurrected in the morning, or so it felt.
We woke up this morning pretty late because we were out late last night wandering around the city. Vietnam is celebrating the New Year during this time period. Celebrations last a few weeks. There are thousands and thousands of pots filled with different types of flowers all over the streets here. It is a beautiful sight to behold. What makes this time even more special to me is that when we flew over to South East Asia, we were in the air on the passing of the actual New Year, so we didn't get to celebrate. Well, now we do. And the Vietnamese know how to celebrate, I can tell you that.
The first thing we decided to do was to figure out how we were going to make it to our next destination: Hoi An. We decided flying was the best option, but when we went on-line to try and book tickets, the website would not work. Thus, we decided to make a trip to the airport and buy tickets there.
After the airport, we went home for a bit and rested. Afterwards, we met up with some LDS friends who we had met in Phnom Penh: The Lichfields. Wade Lichfield and his wife London came to SE Asia to pick up their daughter Chloe from her mission. She had just finished serving 1 1/2 years in Cambodia, but speaking Vietnamese and working the majority of her mission with Vietnamese members. This family is awesome! Wade is an attorney and stake president in Florida so I was able to pick his brain a little bit about law school and the actual practice of law. He gave me the positives as well as the negatives which I was grateful for. As most of you know by now, I got accepted to BYU law which is the school I was shooting for from the get go. I'm extremely excited!
Anyway, we met up with the Lichfields at a great restaurant (which has a sister restaurant in Portland) called Pho 99. Wade was kind enough to pick up the tab for us. Chloe told us all about her mission and then began talking about all of the wonderful fruits that are available in SE Asia. I'll admit, at this point I felt a little guilty for not having been more adventurous in trying all the different fruits that are readily available here in Asia, but I promised myself that I would repent.
In fact, as soon as we were done eating dinner, we bought some fruit called "soursap" which actually tastes like skittles or Starburst. I am not joking. It was amazing!
We wandered around the city again, and then Chloe hung out with us while her parents went back to their hotel to rest. We went to...wait for it...Baskin Robbins for dessert. It was a lot of fun. It was good to finally have some feminine company. Don't tell the other guys, but I'm getting sick of hanging out with just guys. Women, you are all awesome! Don't let anyone say otherwise.
That night we watched the fireworks show. It was magnificent! I was not expecting much because my close-minded self didn't believe that anywhere else was able to do fireworks shows like the good old U.S of A, but the Vietnamese changed my mind. It lasted for a long time, and the fireworks were big, explosive, loud, and colorful. The Vietnamese crowd were very responsive to every explosion in the sky. The little kids would jump up and down giddily as the colorful displays filled the black sky. I was just as much entertained by the people's reactions as I was the actual fireworks show. It was a beautiful sight. Skyscrapers, friends, and a beautiful people. I smiled as I, again, realized how blessed I am to be alive.
I died in bed that night and resurrected in the morning, or so it felt.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Saigon, Vietnam
(Day 49)
Dalton, Blake and I woke up early this morning to head to Vietnam. We decided that it would be better for us to separate from Arrio and Sam if we wanted to see Vietnam and Southern Thailand. We plan to meet up with them in the next week or so, after they get their new passports.
We got onto a decent looking bus and sat in the very back three seats. The bus ride from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh city was definitely the most organized and comfortable bus ride I've had yet in Southeast Asia. We stopped along the way and got some delicious Khmer food. Mine was rice and a chicken leg, but it hit the spot extra hard.
Getting across the border wasn't difficult at all. My first impressions of Vietnam is that it is not only much cleaner than Cambodia, but it is also light-years more advanced. The streets are clean, there are flowers, grass, and trees planted along the sides of the roads, and there aren't nearly as many foul smells. However, the scams are plentiful in Vietnam.
As soon as we arrived at the bus station, we went straight to the ATM and pulled out about 4,000,000 Vietnamese Dong (there are 21,000 VTD per $1 USD). Soon thereafter, we got a taxi. Now, I was still trying to calculate in my head what the value of Vietnamese currency was in USD when the taxi driver told us we owed him 600,000 VTD for the ride. We paid him, although in retrospect, I felt like something was wrong. Before we realized that we paid him $28 to drive us a few kilometers, he had already driven away. I felt dumber than a baked potato when I realized what we had done. Oh well. We make mistakes in life, and we learn from them, right? (That's what I keep telling myself).
We found a decent 3-bed guesthouse for $15 ($5 a person) right near where we wanted to spend most of our time. It is a little backpackers nook called Pham Ngu Lao. There are restaurants everywhere, and most everything in Saigon is located somewhat near this area.
After resting for a bit, we decided to go out, get some lunch/dinner, and see the city. The first thing I noticed about Saigon (also known as Ho Chi Minh City, for those who don't know) is the ridiculous amount of motorized scooters that flood the city streets. I'm not kidding you, the streets of Saigon probably need to be re-paved at the end of each day due to the sheer amount of scooters that wear at them each day. It is insane! Crossing the street, I feel like Moses trying to part the Red Sea. Sometimes it works and they all go around me, but other times, I escape death by the skin of my teeth (what does that saying even mean?!).
Since being in Vietnam, serendipity has followed us around like a stray dog. We accidentally found a restaurant named Hai Thien while trying to find a restaurant listed in Lonely Planet called Mon Hue. I'm glad we did because it was, bar none, one of the best meals I've had in my life! Like top 5 probably. It was Beef Pho, but the noodles were made out of gac fruit and rice. The flavors from the fresh basil, the lime, the beef broth, the chili sauce, the chives, and the beef tenderloin worked together so well that it made me think my mouth had developed three times as many taste buds as usual. I also had some fresh guava juice to accompany the meal, and afterwards, we were given some iced herbal tea made from a local flower and nuts. I walked away thanking God for my life so that I could have experiences such as this one. Superb!
After our meal, we wandered back to our guesthouse, dropped off some things, and went back out to continue exploring the beautiful city. Today is the first day of celebrations for the Vietnamese New Year, so the streets are full of people and full of festivals. There are flower gardens filling the streets, live music and dancing, and crowds and crowds of chattering, excited Vietnamese people. It is a beautiful sight to behold. We naturally found ourselves heading towards the Skyhigh Saigon skyscraper, which stands at about 262 meters up in the air. We went inside and explored a bit, but decided not to go to the very top because of the $10 fee to do so. I did, however, buy some more guava juice while Dalton and Blake bought some strange Japanese sweet candy.
Afterward, we headed back to the guesthouse, but stopped by a few places to pick up some snacks. Dalton wanted to stop at this little Kebab place, so we did. The owner of the kebab place got into a heated argument with an Englishman who apparently tried to leave without paying for his food. In other words, we got dinner and a show.
Now we are back in the guesthouse, the guys are watching The Prestige on the TV, and I'm about ready to go to bed. Tomorrow I will be sure to update the blog.
Dalton, Blake and I woke up early this morning to head to Vietnam. We decided that it would be better for us to separate from Arrio and Sam if we wanted to see Vietnam and Southern Thailand. We plan to meet up with them in the next week or so, after they get their new passports.
We got onto a decent looking bus and sat in the very back three seats. The bus ride from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh city was definitely the most organized and comfortable bus ride I've had yet in Southeast Asia. We stopped along the way and got some delicious Khmer food. Mine was rice and a chicken leg, but it hit the spot extra hard.
Getting across the border wasn't difficult at all. My first impressions of Vietnam is that it is not only much cleaner than Cambodia, but it is also light-years more advanced. The streets are clean, there are flowers, grass, and trees planted along the sides of the roads, and there aren't nearly as many foul smells. However, the scams are plentiful in Vietnam.
As soon as we arrived at the bus station, we went straight to the ATM and pulled out about 4,000,000 Vietnamese Dong (there are 21,000 VTD per $1 USD). Soon thereafter, we got a taxi. Now, I was still trying to calculate in my head what the value of Vietnamese currency was in USD when the taxi driver told us we owed him 600,000 VTD for the ride. We paid him, although in retrospect, I felt like something was wrong. Before we realized that we paid him $28 to drive us a few kilometers, he had already driven away. I felt dumber than a baked potato when I realized what we had done. Oh well. We make mistakes in life, and we learn from them, right? (That's what I keep telling myself).
We found a decent 3-bed guesthouse for $15 ($5 a person) right near where we wanted to spend most of our time. It is a little backpackers nook called Pham Ngu Lao. There are restaurants everywhere, and most everything in Saigon is located somewhat near this area.
After resting for a bit, we decided to go out, get some lunch/dinner, and see the city. The first thing I noticed about Saigon (also known as Ho Chi Minh City, for those who don't know) is the ridiculous amount of motorized scooters that flood the city streets. I'm not kidding you, the streets of Saigon probably need to be re-paved at the end of each day due to the sheer amount of scooters that wear at them each day. It is insane! Crossing the street, I feel like Moses trying to part the Red Sea. Sometimes it works and they all go around me, but other times, I escape death by the skin of my teeth (what does that saying even mean?!).
Since being in Vietnam, serendipity has followed us around like a stray dog. We accidentally found a restaurant named Hai Thien while trying to find a restaurant listed in Lonely Planet called Mon Hue. I'm glad we did because it was, bar none, one of the best meals I've had in my life! Like top 5 probably. It was Beef Pho, but the noodles were made out of gac fruit and rice. The flavors from the fresh basil, the lime, the beef broth, the chili sauce, the chives, and the beef tenderloin worked together so well that it made me think my mouth had developed three times as many taste buds as usual. I also had some fresh guava juice to accompany the meal, and afterwards, we were given some iced herbal tea made from a local flower and nuts. I walked away thanking God for my life so that I could have experiences such as this one. Superb!
After our meal, we wandered back to our guesthouse, dropped off some things, and went back out to continue exploring the beautiful city. Today is the first day of celebrations for the Vietnamese New Year, so the streets are full of people and full of festivals. There are flower gardens filling the streets, live music and dancing, and crowds and crowds of chattering, excited Vietnamese people. It is a beautiful sight to behold. We naturally found ourselves heading towards the Skyhigh Saigon skyscraper, which stands at about 262 meters up in the air. We went inside and explored a bit, but decided not to go to the very top because of the $10 fee to do so. I did, however, buy some more guava juice while Dalton and Blake bought some strange Japanese sweet candy.
Afterward, we headed back to the guesthouse, but stopped by a few places to pick up some snacks. Dalton wanted to stop at this little Kebab place, so we did. The owner of the kebab place got into a heated argument with an Englishman who apparently tried to leave without paying for his food. In other words, we got dinner and a show.
Now we are back in the guesthouse, the guys are watching The Prestige on the TV, and I'm about ready to go to bed. Tomorrow I will be sure to update the blog.
Phnom Penh genocide museum, Siem Reap & Angkor Wat, Sihanoukville, Koh Rong Saloem, Phnom Penh round 2,
(Day 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
Guys, I failed. I haven't written in the blog for two weeks! I have so much to catch up on. So many beautiful, special, as well as horrific and saddening things have happened during all this time. I assure you, although the blog has not gone on, the amazing experiences of this trip have. I will try my best to write about the most impactful moments, but I am going to have to be terse in order to catch up.
While we were in Phnom Penh, we were horrified to find out that Arrio's money belt (which contained his passport) was stolen; thus, Arrio and Sam both were without passports, and, therefore, needed to get new ones. This required us to stay in Phnom Penh for a longer period of time than we would've liked to. We tried our best to make the most of it.
We went to the Khmer Rouge genocide museum on my birthday. Although I believe it was very necessary for us to understand what happened during that time period of Cambodia's history, I must say that I have had birthdays which were less depressing. The genocide museum was once a prison where the Khmer (pronounced "Kah-mai") innocent Cambodian people captive and where they tortured and brutalized them. It was sickening to see the sorts of things the Khmer rouge would do to their own people. They tortured them in the most brutal of manners for seemingly no purpose at all. I cannot describe the depths of emotion I felt as I walked through the hallways of this prison and learned about the ugliness of humanity. I invite everyone to research into Cambodia's Khmer Rouge history.
After Arrio and Sam registered to get new passports (after which they would have to wait at least ten days to get new ones), we decided to keep traveling around Cambodia. The next stop was the legendary Angkor Wat temples. We hired two Tuk Tuk drivers to take us around for three days. We saw all kinds of beautiful temples, each with its own unique atmosphere and architecture. I was impressed by the detail and grandeur of each temple. We even got to see Angkor Wat at sunrise, a special experience for me. I felt blessed to be one of the few people in this world to witness such a thing. Siem Reap was a nice city, but Angkor Wat is really the only reason to go to the city. We did attend church here in the Khmer langage which was a fantastic experience. We also went to a local gym and worked out.
We took a night bus from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville. It was a terrible experience for several reasons. The first was that the "beds" which we had on the bus were more like glorified booster seats than actual beds. To see Blake, this massive muscular giant of a man stuffed into a such a tiny space would be laughable if it wasn't so painful to witness. Another reason the trip was terrible was due to some sad news we received. We received the news that Jake Smith, a good friend and ward-family member, had passed away. I had a difficult time contemplating and understanding the reality of it. Death is so swift and so unforgiving; it asks so many questions and gives no answers. I'm glad to know that there is a loving Heavenly Father who cares for his children and has a plan for them which, fortunately, includes much more than just this mortal life.
Sihanoukville was a neat little coastal city. We stayed in a guesthouse right on Serendipity beach. Arrio, Blake, Dalton, and I went for a swim in the warm ocean as soon as we could. The water temperature is so comfortable that being anywhere outside of the water feels uncomfortable. We found a great pizza place right nearby. The pepperoni and Quattro Formaggi was exquisite. Sam, Blake, Arrio, and I went to see Foxcatcher at a local theater at the end of the night.
The next day we took a ferry over to a small island named Koh Rong Saloem. It took about 45 minutes on the speed ferry to get there. The water was turquoise, the beaches were covered in white sand, and the island was quiet, peaceful, and serene. Koh Rong Saloem is paradise in my opinion. This place is one of my favorite places in Southeast Asia without a doubt. I was able to reserve some beautiful bungalows at a place called Big Moon, located on Mai Pai bay on the north side of the island. There were hardly any other tourists in this part of the island. I truly felt like I was on vacation. I had one of the most satisfying, peaceful, and relaxing days I've ever had in my life. I woke up, prayed, meditated, and ate a Muesli breakfast with mango, dragon fruit, and banana. After, we decided to go snorkeling. We found some beautiful reefs. Sea Urchents infested the reefs, so we were careful as we went. I saw some of the most beautiful creatures, rock formations, and coral I've ever seen. I love being under the sea. I always feel like I've been transported to another world. I can snorkel for hours and hours and not get bored. This resulted in 8 hours of snorkeling and a terrible sunburn all up and down my back. Blake and Arrio, both dark-skinned, got fried, so you can only imagine what Sam and I looked like. We looked like lobsters whose stomachs are spray-painted white.
The food on the island was great. I had some of the best Chicken Curry I've had in Asia at the Big Moon's restaurant. The baguettes were amazingly delicious as well.
The whole experience in Koh Rong Saloem was celestial, to say the least. I think we would have stayed for many more days on the island if our bodies weren't so badly sun burned. Alas, sun burned bodies don't belong on tropical beaches, and so we left. We returned back to Phnom Penh to hopefully pick up Arrio and Sam' passports.
While in Phnom Penh for the second time, we went to the actual Killing Fields. I had a very spiritual experience while I was there as I listened to the audio tour that the institution provides to each visitor. I felt, in a very spiritual way, the purpose of hope. Hope is one of the most powerful things in the world and is a necessary attribute for all human beings to ascertain. I felt this as I listened to a survivor of the Khmer Rouge talk about how his mother's dream gave him the hope necessary to live through the hell he was in. His mother had told him that in her dream her son goes on to learn english and live a very good life. The young man, thanks to his mother, held onto such hope. It gave him the willpower to withstand the great evils that saturated his life while in the grasp of the Khmer Rouge. It was a deeply emotional experience for me.
We've been in Cambodia for nearly three weeks. Although I felt that three weeks was long enough, Cambodia will always hold a special place in my heart. These people have been through hell and back again. They have seen and experienced the worst side of humanity, yet they are so hopeful for the future. They are great people, beautiful even. I pray that they will be blessed to prosper.
Now it's time to head to Vietnam...
Guys, I failed. I haven't written in the blog for two weeks! I have so much to catch up on. So many beautiful, special, as well as horrific and saddening things have happened during all this time. I assure you, although the blog has not gone on, the amazing experiences of this trip have. I will try my best to write about the most impactful moments, but I am going to have to be terse in order to catch up.
While we were in Phnom Penh, we were horrified to find out that Arrio's money belt (which contained his passport) was stolen; thus, Arrio and Sam both were without passports, and, therefore, needed to get new ones. This required us to stay in Phnom Penh for a longer period of time than we would've liked to. We tried our best to make the most of it.
We went to the Khmer Rouge genocide museum on my birthday. Although I believe it was very necessary for us to understand what happened during that time period of Cambodia's history, I must say that I have had birthdays which were less depressing. The genocide museum was once a prison where the Khmer (pronounced "Kah-mai") innocent Cambodian people captive and where they tortured and brutalized them. It was sickening to see the sorts of things the Khmer rouge would do to their own people. They tortured them in the most brutal of manners for seemingly no purpose at all. I cannot describe the depths of emotion I felt as I walked through the hallways of this prison and learned about the ugliness of humanity. I invite everyone to research into Cambodia's Khmer Rouge history.
After Arrio and Sam registered to get new passports (after which they would have to wait at least ten days to get new ones), we decided to keep traveling around Cambodia. The next stop was the legendary Angkor Wat temples. We hired two Tuk Tuk drivers to take us around for three days. We saw all kinds of beautiful temples, each with its own unique atmosphere and architecture. I was impressed by the detail and grandeur of each temple. We even got to see Angkor Wat at sunrise, a special experience for me. I felt blessed to be one of the few people in this world to witness such a thing. Siem Reap was a nice city, but Angkor Wat is really the only reason to go to the city. We did attend church here in the Khmer langage which was a fantastic experience. We also went to a local gym and worked out.
We took a night bus from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville. It was a terrible experience for several reasons. The first was that the "beds" which we had on the bus were more like glorified booster seats than actual beds. To see Blake, this massive muscular giant of a man stuffed into a such a tiny space would be laughable if it wasn't so painful to witness. Another reason the trip was terrible was due to some sad news we received. We received the news that Jake Smith, a good friend and ward-family member, had passed away. I had a difficult time contemplating and understanding the reality of it. Death is so swift and so unforgiving; it asks so many questions and gives no answers. I'm glad to know that there is a loving Heavenly Father who cares for his children and has a plan for them which, fortunately, includes much more than just this mortal life.
Sihanoukville was a neat little coastal city. We stayed in a guesthouse right on Serendipity beach. Arrio, Blake, Dalton, and I went for a swim in the warm ocean as soon as we could. The water temperature is so comfortable that being anywhere outside of the water feels uncomfortable. We found a great pizza place right nearby. The pepperoni and Quattro Formaggi was exquisite. Sam, Blake, Arrio, and I went to see Foxcatcher at a local theater at the end of the night.
The next day we took a ferry over to a small island named Koh Rong Saloem. It took about 45 minutes on the speed ferry to get there. The water was turquoise, the beaches were covered in white sand, and the island was quiet, peaceful, and serene. Koh Rong Saloem is paradise in my opinion. This place is one of my favorite places in Southeast Asia without a doubt. I was able to reserve some beautiful bungalows at a place called Big Moon, located on Mai Pai bay on the north side of the island. There were hardly any other tourists in this part of the island. I truly felt like I was on vacation. I had one of the most satisfying, peaceful, and relaxing days I've ever had in my life. I woke up, prayed, meditated, and ate a Muesli breakfast with mango, dragon fruit, and banana. After, we decided to go snorkeling. We found some beautiful reefs. Sea Urchents infested the reefs, so we were careful as we went. I saw some of the most beautiful creatures, rock formations, and coral I've ever seen. I love being under the sea. I always feel like I've been transported to another world. I can snorkel for hours and hours and not get bored. This resulted in 8 hours of snorkeling and a terrible sunburn all up and down my back. Blake and Arrio, both dark-skinned, got fried, so you can only imagine what Sam and I looked like. We looked like lobsters whose stomachs are spray-painted white.
The food on the island was great. I had some of the best Chicken Curry I've had in Asia at the Big Moon's restaurant. The baguettes were amazingly delicious as well.
The whole experience in Koh Rong Saloem was celestial, to say the least. I think we would have stayed for many more days on the island if our bodies weren't so badly sun burned. Alas, sun burned bodies don't belong on tropical beaches, and so we left. We returned back to Phnom Penh to hopefully pick up Arrio and Sam' passports.
While in Phnom Penh for the second time, we went to the actual Killing Fields. I had a very spiritual experience while I was there as I listened to the audio tour that the institution provides to each visitor. I felt, in a very spiritual way, the purpose of hope. Hope is one of the most powerful things in the world and is a necessary attribute for all human beings to ascertain. I felt this as I listened to a survivor of the Khmer Rouge talk about how his mother's dream gave him the hope necessary to live through the hell he was in. His mother had told him that in her dream her son goes on to learn english and live a very good life. The young man, thanks to his mother, held onto such hope. It gave him the willpower to withstand the great evils that saturated his life while in the grasp of the Khmer Rouge. It was a deeply emotional experience for me.
We've been in Cambodia for nearly three weeks. Although I felt that three weeks was long enough, Cambodia will always hold a special place in my heart. These people have been through hell and back again. They have seen and experienced the worst side of humanity, yet they are so hopeful for the future. They are great people, beautiful even. I pray that they will be blessed to prosper.
Now it's time to head to Vietnam...
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