Bang Na, Thailand - Easter Evening

We left The Kingdom Of Kampuchea and flew to Bangkok where we were met by Brother Victor Gil of the Christian Brothers Of Lasalle Catholic order. Pauline's high school in Fresno was run by the same order and she is having a reunion with Brother Mark Murphy, one of the brothers from her old school, tomorrow.

Brother Mark lives in Myanmar and our visa applications are pending. We will know in 2 days if our visas are granted. If so, we hope to see Myanmar/Burma with Brother Mark's experienced help.

Brother Victor drove us about 30 minutes north of Bangkok, where the Christian Brothers (founders and former owners of the famous brandy bearing their order's name) have established a 5,000 student school for local children. Brother Victor is about 70, speaks 4 languages, including the incredibly difficult Thai (27 vowels, 70 consonants). He founded the so-called Bamboo School west of Bangkok, on the Myanmar (Burmese) border at the Three Pagodas Pass. The pass was where the Bangkok to Rangoon "Death" Railroad of "Bridge Over The River Kwai" fame was built by the Japanese, during WW II, by forced labor.

Today two local hill tribes are pushed between Thailand and Myanmar and are literally people without a country. The Bamboo School (so named because it has a roof supported by strong bamboo poles, but no walls) is for the children of these tribes We leave with Brother Victor, and a load of milk, for the 6 hour drive, tomorrow at 4:30 a.m.

It may be tough to sleep. Last night while talking to the airlines over the phone, the woman asked, "Where are you?". We were Skyping her from an iPad, so we were on speaker. The noise she heard was a combination of the frogs, odd tropical birds, the ostrich, and something like an iridescent emu! Here is a short clip of those neighbors of ours, which we took while the kids were singing the Thai national anthem early the next morning.

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=7hxXGyBCv6s

Internet will be problematic for the next 5 days or so, and then it's off to Myanmar....we hope.

Inside The "Karaoke Church" - Near Siem Reap, Cambodia

When the Jesuits bought this tiny "floating building" it was a karaoke bar. At most it can hold about 70 worshipers.

We visited on Easter Sunday morning, and the choir was practicing hymns for the mass to be held later in the day. As you can see there are no pews or chairs, and the alter and related objects sit on the floor, along with the parishioners. The reflections you see on the walls and ceiling are caused by plastic wrap which covers those surfaces. We were not sure what purpose this served.

They have now obtained a second "building", which is tethered to the first and is used as a pre-school, where the Vietnamese immigrants are taught Khmer, the national language of Cambodia. The church also gives the children scholarships so that when they are ready they can attend school in Siem Reap.

The priest shared with us that there is no pushing of religion. He explained that if any of the villagers wished to be baptized, he had them wait for a period of 3 years, to insure that their choice was voluntary.

Easter Sunday At St. Paul's Church, In The Floating Village - Near Siem Reap, Cambodia

The Jesuits started this church about 6 years ago. More than 90% of Cambodians are Buddhists, but they are very tolerant of other faiths. There is a small Christian Community amongst the Vietnamese immigrants.

Basketball Court In The Floating Village

It's hard to get exercise when you are a kid living in a floating village. On weekends these children paddled themselves to this basketball court, or to the school or the tiny Catholic Church to play with their friends.

Dad And Little Sister Watch Her Big Brother Earn Tips Posing For Photos With His Snake

Tonle Sat Lake, Floating Village- Outside Of Siem Reap, Cambodia

This little boy posed for us with his pet python. He Uses tips from tourists to support his family. His shirtless, emaciated father steered their sampan and his little sister watched.

Floating Village, Tonle Sap - Outside Siem Reap

A few kilometers outside of Siem Reap is Tonle Sap. It is a river that feeds a huge lake of the same name. Water flows out of the lake and down the river until monsoon season, which begins in September. Then the torrential rains force the river to reverse it's flow and the lake fills up.

Living on the lake, in a floating village are Vietnamese illegal imimigrants, who are seeking refuge from the harsh communist dictatorship. If caught, they pay a bribe to the police to remain in Cambodia. Life is so grim under communism that they prefer this harsh life.

Their houseboats are extremely modest, with very tiny, cloth enclosed toilets hanging off the side of each boat. Of course, the sewage goes directly into the lake, where they fish, bathe, and grow floating gardens that are anchored to bundles of sticks driven into the mud.

When the monsoons come and the river reverses to fill tthe lake, the lake is "flushed", and the process begins anew.

We felt awkward taking pictures, but our guide encouraged it. He had grown up in a similar circumstance (although he is not of Vietnamese origin), but learned English at his Buddist Temple. His schooling cost 500 Riel/hour, which is about US$0.12. We gave a dollar to a woman with a baby and a toddler in a beat up Sampan, and she bowed profusely in gratitude.

They have started a shop for souvenirs to generate jobs and money for the community, and they now have a floating 3 room school, and a floating basketball court. The court has netting around it so the ball doesn't get in the water. Some charities are teaching them the basics of running a business, most notably the South Koreans.

1000 Years Old And She's Still Beautiful!

Two Of Our Fellow Tourists at Angkor Wat

Pauline Kissing The Buddha

At one of the ancient temples near Angkor Wat there is a Cambodian tradition: A woman sits inside of the temple on a rock window sill, and poses so that it appears she is nose-to-nose with the statue of The Buddha, which is outside of that window.

Another Beautiful Temple Near Angkor Wat.

From Angkor Wat Area Of Siem Reap, Kingdom Of Kampuchea (Cambodia)

Siem Reap is famous for the 11th Century temple, Angkor Wat, but also has other, slightly smaller, but equally beautiful temples. We started our adventure at Bayon, the entrance of which is guarded by rows of demons and good spirits (pictured here.)

Enlarge This Picture To See Big Brother

There were "rules" posted in all of the staterooms, including the one in bold font instructing passengers: "Do no propaganda and other illegal activities.".

In Hanoi a 1950's looking public address speaker blared the "news" twice a day. I commented to the young man at the hotel desk that no one seemed to stop and listen. He pointedly made no comment. Our Aussie shipmate befriended a local who eventually admitted to him that no one spoke of political matters, as you never knew who was listening. Facebook is blocked, and even as we drove from Hanoi to Halong Bay (about 3 hours), we saw a government car slowly driving through remote villages with the same sort of antique P.A. speaker - mounted on the roof of the car - delivering the party line.

Pauline wondered how they could bring Big Brother into really remote areas, such as one of the larger limestone formations in Halong Bay, where many locals congregated to sell things to tourist. Then we spotted the ubiquitous P.A. Leaker again, this time mounted into the side of this beautiful natural wonder.

The ride from Hanoi to Halong Bay was grim. The air quality, even in this mostly rural area was the worst we've ever seen anywhere in the world. Many locals wear masks.

Had I been quicker with my camera I'd have taken a sad picture of a woman. She was crouched in a junk pile, wearing a face mask, and the typical conical reed hat, digging for whatever. Above her flew the communist red flag with yellow star.

Yesterday's paper ran a news article that the government may exempt people from paying income tax, if they earn less than US$232/year.

No wonder most of the people we met were somber. It was a fascinating stay, but truthfully we were not sad to leave this "worker's paradise."

We flew 1 1/2 hours to Siem Reap, Cambodia, but it seemed a universe removed from the grimness of Vietnam. The Khmer people are sweet, humorous, and seemingly optimistic, despite the sad history of the killing fields, and more.

We're off to Ankgor Wat. It is expected to be about 32 degrees (90F).

A Perspective On The Size Of The Formations - Halong Bay

I Was Going To Buy These Flip Flops But Feared They May Have Been Knock Offs

From One Of The Limestone Formations Looking Down Into Halong Bay

We climbed to the top of one of these odd geological phenomena and, despite the mist, had a beautiful view. There seem to be hundreds of these sheer clipped formations, which attract people from all over the world. We spent 1 1/2 days on a junk with Aussies, French, Indian, and U.S. travelers.

The food is the best thing about Vietnam, and even on the boat we had delicious meals.

Top Deck Of Our 3 Decked Junk - Halong Bay

We Went From Hanoi To Halong Bay; These Little Piggies Went To Market

Tam Coc, Vietnam: Old Man Gathering Wild Orchids

Hanoi is a bustling city, but once outside of the city Vietnam is still an agrarian economy.

Tam Coc: View From Inside One Of The Caves

Tam Coc: Locals Trying To Sell Food And Needlework To Tourists On The River

Tam Coc: Exiting One Of The Caves

Tam Coc: Local Woman Working The Rice Paddies

Tam Coc, Vietnam: Passing Buddhist Temple Headed Toward Caves

Two and a half hours outside of Hanoi. This float trip in a sampan followed our bike tour through rice paddies and rural villages.

Three of the seven bikes in our group broke down along the way, which added to the adventure.

Hanoi: 6 Million People; 3.5 Million Motorbikes (REALLY!)

If you think this traffic is bad, you may want to check out this video:

http://m.youtube.com/index?client=mv-google&desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US&rdm=4mai37mr2#/watch?v=OwJtJSSU_fM

After the first day we learned to cross the street just like the locals. All it requires is a little practice, a slow,steady pace, and a prayer.

One Of Thousands Of Street Vendors In Hanoi

Landing At Coron City On Basuanga Island, - Leaving Philippines; Headed To Vietnam

Unusual Walking Path Around An Island - Heading Back To Basuanga From Mangengeuy

Afternoon On Mangengury Island

The Alfresco Dining Area, Billiard Hall, And Cocktail Lounge - Mangenguey Island

5 Feet From Our Doorway -Mangengeuy Island, Philippines

From Lapu Lapu, Cebu Island To Bsuanga Island ...And Beyond

We came to see Ashley and we're glad that we did, but .....

We had failed to make plans since we didn't know what her schedule would be. After a few days we felt it was time to move on. We spent many hours trying to figure out where to go, since we didn't leave for Hanoi until April 17th and therefore found ourselves with some time on our hands. After several hours of frustration trying to choose destinations, book flights, etc., we were exhausted, and had no plan. That night at 10:00 P.M., we went to dinner with Ashley and J.P.

Ashley brought her laptop, and before you knew it, we had plans to go .... someplace. To tell you the truth we weren't sure where it was, because we were so tired. But it all turned out great, thanks again to Ashley and J.P.

The Philippino ticket purchasing process is a little different than at home. Since we were booking on such short notice we were not allowed to use the internet to purchase tickets. So after dinner we took a cab to the Cebu airport and bought tickets to Busuanga (wherever that is) by way of Manilla.

Once we arrived in Busuanga, a van took us to Coron City. We thought that was the destination. Wrong, again.

Waiting for us in the tiny harbor was a long, skinny boat with two outriggers, and a two man crew (who did not speak English), Off we went for what we had misunderstood was to be a 30 minute trip. It turned out to be 2 hours, past island after island.

Finally we arrived at Mangenguey Island. It is paradise!

It is about 9 hectares, which is, we think, smaller than 9 acres. It is leased by a Spanish woman and her US husband, who have carved out a truly exceptional and substantial mini resort. Our beach cottage is right on the beach, and is up on stilts ... About 15 feet high. It has bamboo floors, a thatched roof, and hot water!

There are only 2 other guests here: an young Irish woman who is a lawyer working for the U.N. On human rights matters, and her Turkish husband, who is a Mideast expert witha contract to provide analysis to the U.S. State Department. They are on their honeymoon, and we feel like we are too.

Each couple has a private table on the beach for breakfast and lunch, and we dine together at the alfresco dining table. They are bright, wise, and truly enjoyable dining companions.

Internet is via satellite and slow, and only works when the generator is on. That means posting photos is tough. Snorkeling is tremendous, the water is very warm, and afternoon cocktails are ready, so that's all for now. We must leave our private island paradise tomorrow to return to Hong Kong and will post some from there before heading to Hanoi.

Our Home For Three Days In Paradise

View From Ashley's Office Balcony

Ashley Hard At Work

Bigfoot Offices

Where Ashley works, when she is in Cebu.

Bigfoot Studio & Film School - Cebu Island

MG's investment in Cebu has been very noticeable, and good for the local economy. It looks more like a college campus than a business.

Ashley & J.P. At The Top Of The Mountain

Biking In Cebu

From Hong Kong we flew to Cebu, which is a major port in the Philippines. It is the location of Bigfoot's film school. It is famous for the spot where Magellan, nearing the finish of his circumnavigation of the globe, was killed. He was killed by a tribe led by Lapu Lapu, for whom the city is named. Magellan was killed in 1521; in the 1800s Spain, which still owned the Philippines, erected a monument. After the Philippines were freed from the Spanish (courtesy of Uncle Sam), the Philippinos erected a statue of Lapu Lapu, right next to Magellan's monument!

The contrast between Hong Kong and Lapu Lapu is staggering. Hong Kong is fabulously wealthy; the poverty of Cebu was evident, but the people warm and friendly ... and they love Americans.

Showing us that she is quite at home in Cebu, Ashley asked if we'd like to "bike" up a small mountain. We put on our athletic gear looking forward to the workout. Wrong! She took us to a corner of town where she rented motorcycle taxis for us - and off we went. We really appreciated her taking time from her Sunday, which is her only day off each week. She was a great hostess. We would have been overwhelmed by the "taxi" drivers with no idea where to go nor how much to pay, if it weren't for her and her boyfriend, J.P.

Yacht's Not Complete Without A Hot Tub!

The Skyline

The Birthday Twins

Inside The Yacht With The Models

Another day at the office.

Week One Of The Journey

We had planned to spend our first week with Ashley. That meant trying to catch up with her busy, hectic, and ever changing schedule. She works in both Hong Kong and Lapu Lapu, Cebu Island, Philippines.

We met in Hong Kong = "Where East Meets West/" You've already seen pictures (below) of the Sheung Wa district where she lives, as well as her birthday party. We spent several days in fascinating Hong Kong. All were great, but the last was extraordinary. Ashley works for Bigfoot Entertainment. Bigfoot is owned by Michael Gleisner ("MG"), who's birthday happens to be on the same day as hers.

Bigfoot runs the International Film School on Cebu Island, Philippines, Fashion One T.V. network, and also makes movies. It so happened that Bigfoot's latest release was winding up production and one of the final bits of work was a photo shoot of some gorgeous models. The shoot was done on MG's 90 foot yacht in Hong Kong Harbor.

Near dusk, MG was kind enough to have the boat (ship?) come back to the dock to pick us up

The Sheung Wa District of Hong Kong

This is Mercer Street (also called Ma Sa Gai) in the Sheung Wa district, where Ashley lives.  We are staying in her apartment.

Nearby by are the traditional Chinese medicine shops.  Here you see one (on the right).

To its left is a store selling birds' nests.  The swallow's nests are harvested high in caves.  The nest is held together with the bird's spittle and mucous.  It's considered very good for you when cooked up into a yummy soup,  and is quite a local delicacy.  We've seen shark fin soup on the menu but not yet bird's nest soup.  If we do, we are game to give it a try.  Hopefully we won't find it too good, as it must be hard to find a good birds' nest store in San Diego.

Finally, here is the inside of the medicine shop located on the right in the picture above.  Note the assistant pharmacist lying on the floor.

If you click on the picture, to enlarge it, you'll see sharks' fins hanging high at the back of the shop.

The Highs And Lows Of Hong Kong Sightseeing

High above this beautiful city is Victoria Peak, so named by the British when Hong Kong was a crown colony.  There is a tram that takes you to the top, for about US$2.  This city has the most beautify architecture of any city we've ever visited.

Nearly all of the signs are in Chinese (Cantonese; not Mandarin) and English.  A substantial number of the residents speak both languages.  With the exception of one cab driver who was not happy with Ashley's directions, everyone has been friendly and helpful.  While it is a very cosmopolitan city, you never lose sight of the fact that you are in Asia.

We are staying in the Sheung Wa district, which has lots of tiny streets, and is close to both the Central (downtown) district as well as the harbor.  In Sheung Wa many shops selling the same type of items are clumped together.  We ran across a series of Chinese medicine stores selling herbs, which are prescribed to be made into tea.

Among these shops - nearly all of which are open fronted -  we came across a store selling a particularly unusual medicine - snakes!  It was dark, lined with wooden boxes holding the still living "medicine", and had a cool, musty, reptilian smell.  While our photo didn't turn out well due to the darkness in the store, we did get a photo of the small sign hanging on the front of the store:

Luckily we are feeling well and are in no need of medicine.

The worst named restaurant in Hong Kong

Ashley's Birthday - a very, very late night

Ashley and her boss celebrate their birthdays (both on April 8th) at a jazz club in Hong Kong.  They closed the place down ... at 2:00 a.m.