I left my (snake) heart in Vietnam

I've been back in Australia now for almost a month. Wow! I still feel like I'm battling jetlag (never mind the measly 3 hour time difference between Ho Chi Minh City and Brisbane...). My final semester of uni's off to a rambling start and I have to admit--I sometimes have to ask myself if Vietnam really happened.

And then I remember my going away dinner hosted by my Country Director, Tucker. He and Ngan, ROP Vietnam Project Manager, craftily planned to have me eat and drink every "interesting" thing I hadn't eaten yet. 

Here's a play-by-play:

shot of snake's blood vodka with a smile

It actually didn't taste that bad--just a hint of iron. After the 5th shot, I couldn't really taste anything. Funny how that works...

field mouse (?)

snake's tail--for the honored guest's virility

this was my first time eating snake...

and the tail was quite boney...

hmmm, yes, it kinda does taste like chicken...

I thought I was doing ok until...

I was told I had to drink the snake hearts (cold, not beating)

so the little hearts were plopped into 2 shots of snake bile vodka...

for Tucker and me to share!

So, that pretty much sums up my experience in Vietnam--the internship, the people, the sights, and the food: hearty and heartfelt! 

Mai mốt gặp lại! We'll meet again soon!

Phu Quoc Rocks!

So after two wonderful weeks in Cambodia, I headed across the border into Vietnam and took a (rather crazy) ferry ride to Phu Quoc Island. The ferry ride was rather crazy because half the ferry was occupied by tourists (Vietnamese? Chinese? not sure) wearing orange hats and obsessed with sitting in assigned seats. At one point an argument broke out between three women in the group. The third woman got up to move seats and the other two women started spitting on her! (I caught some of the cross fire). The two spitters were held back by two other women in the group, while the third woman remained incredibly calm, despite the saliva being hurled her way. When the ferry arrived in Phu Quoc, some of the folks in orange hats were pushing and shoving their way down the aisle to get off the boat--even before we'd docked. One guy was climbing over seats to get to the front. I started to wonder if Vietnam had always been like this and hadn't noticed... Nah, like I told my new German and French friends who sat wide-eyed in amazement: "I've never seen this before. This isn't typical for Vietnam."

I swear I've seen this photo on a postcard somewhere...

Thankfully Phu Quoc is your typical island paradise. For one, it's pretty quiet. Sure, the main town has a lot of neon and karaoke, but there's not much honking on the roads and it's pretty dead after dark. You can hop on a moto and travel 20-40 kilometers to the south or north on red dirt roads hugging empty beaches and feel like you've got the island to yourself. You can also head inland and explore lush green jungles and look for monkeys. Indeed, Phu Quoc is a lot more laid back and relaxed than anywhere else I've been in Vietnam.

fishing boats along the empty beach

a very large piece of driftwood

yet another stunning scene

looks like a nice spot to stop for a while

forest walk

the view from the beach chair where I spent the majority of my last day on the island

I stayed four nights in Phu Quoc. I had only planned to stay two, but it was impossible to get a flight back any sooner to Ho Chi Minh City. Since I had showed up right at the end of Chinese Lunar New Year and right in the middle of tourist high season, it was difficult to find ANY room that was available. I lucked out and found a basic little guesthouse near the ocean (overpriced, but it beat sleeping outside--especially since it rained at night). In the end, I'm so thankful I got to explore this little island before the big hotel chains and Lotte Marts move in. They'll never compare with the sunsets.

Click here for more pictures of paradise

A Kansan in the Kingdom of Wonderful

Realizing that my Vietnam visa was going to expire in less than a week, and pending the upcoming Tet (Chinese Lunar New Year) holidays--in which Vietnam shuts down--I headed off to Cambodia!

Here's a run down of my almost 2 weeks in the Kingdom of Wonder:

January 16: Phnom Penh
It takes only 6 hours to get to Phnom Penh from Ho Chi Minh City by bus--including the red tape at the border.

Phnom Penh park outside the Royal Palace

Independence Monument

January 17-19: Siem Reap and Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is--yes, you know it--amazing! I spent the first day exploring by bike with my trusty guide, Yut--an awesome time! The next day I woke up at 4:30 am (ouch) and tuk tuk'd it to see the sunrise (pretty, only marred by all the people talking, taking photos, and cramping my space) and a few other temples. It was an exhausting and overwhelming and exhilarating experience!

biking Angkor Wat!

Bayon Temple with the smiling faces

January 20-21: Battambang

I decided to check out Battambang to the west of Siem Reap, as I'd met some folks who worked with a non-profit social enterprise there called Kinyei. I took a bike tour exploring the country side with Soksabike, a program they support. It involved a lot of sweating, but was definitely rewarding and educational!

rice paper making

fermenting rice wine (fizz)

January 22-23: Phnom Penh

I bussed it back to Phnom Penh to see a few more sights. I was quite depressed after visiting the Choeung Ek killing fields and Toul Sleng (S-21) Prison. I was saddened by what humans can do to each other--and yet amazed at how friendly and kind Cambodians are, despite this sad period not even 40 years ago. There is hope--further evidenced by my visit to the Phnom Penh Metro Rotary Club.

mass grave at Choeung Ek killing fields

photos of young prisoners at Toul Sleng Prison (the majority of whom never lived)

members of Phnom Penh Metro Rotary Club

January 24: Kampot

Just as I was coming down with a cold, I headed south to Kampot, the black pepper capital of Cambodia. I spent one night there, a sleepy, scenic town on the river. 

old French buildings in Kampot

January 25-26: Kep

I arrived in Kep, just a 30 minute (albeit bumpy and very dusty) tuk tuk ride from Kampot (and NOT pleasant while suffering from a cold and a sunburn on one's face), and was oh-so-happy to find my bungalow at Tree Top Inn ready and waiting, hammock and all. 

my bungalow (on the right) at Tree Top in Kep

This is just a small slice of my trip to Cambodia--click here for more details and photos on Facebook!

My YouTube Cambodia Playlist:

The January 2012 cacao diaries: ROP SHADE project in Binh Phuoc

So I've been in Vietnam for 2 months now as an intern with Roots of Peace. It's been a unique experience, living with Tucker Kuhn, the ROP Vietnam Country Director, accompanying him to visit the offices in Binh Phuoc and Quang Tri, and--most of all--getting to meet the cacao and black pepper farmers. In January I made two trips to the ROP SHADE (Sustainable Horticulture and Agriculture Development) in Binh Phuoc--once with my sister, Katrina, who took photos for Roots of Peace--and again with Tucker and Gary Kuhn, Executive Director of Roots of Peace. Both trips involved some hot temperatures, washed out red dirt roads, and, of course, lots of smiles.

Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Ghim was so eager to show us her cocoa pods and family farm. Thanks to higher earnings from cocoa production, her family is starting to grow asparagus--a brand new crop in this area (Bù Gia Mập, Binh Phuoc).

After visiting several cocoa farms, ROP staff, my sister, and I were invited to share a meal at the home of Mr. Nguyễn Văn Hiền, Club Leader. Every time we visit farmers and their families, we are invited to tea or a meal. In this case, the Club Leader invited us to come and stay in his home. Amazing hospitality!

ROP involves the Vietnamese government's agriculture department in their work in order to reach as many farmers as possible and provide excellent agricultural training and assistance. This helps to build the foundation for cacao production in Binh Phuoc that is sustainable in the short- and long-term. During Gary's recent visit, we met with the Binh Phuoc Agriculture and Aquaculture Extension Committee (AAEC). Here, Mr. Nguyễn Quang Ngân, ROP Project Manager (in the striped shirt), discusses plans for ROP and AAEC collaboration in 2012.

ROP's cocoa project works with established cashew farmers since cacao needs shade--75% as seedlings and at least 50% as mature plants. Pictured here are one-year-old ROP seedlings in Mr. Nguyễn Tất Nhân's farm (Bù Gia Mập, Binh Phuoc).

Binh Phuoc Province is the epicenter of cashew production in Vietnam. Cashew trees tend to flower in the dry season--but if it rains after the trees flower (as it was during our visit), fungus and mildew results. Hence ROP's SHADE Cacao Project provides cashew farmers with a "safety net" by helping them diversify their agricultural production.

The ROP SHADE Cacao Project works with Club Leaders that are trained by AAEC staff and provide advice and support to ROP cacao farmers in their area. Here, Gary and Tucker (far right) compliment farmer Nguyễn Tất Nhân (in the dark green jacket)--and, by extension, Club Leader Kiều Văn Thái (in the black jacket)--on his beautiful cashew and cocoa farm (Bù Gia Mập, Binh Phuoc).

Ms. Nguyễn Thị Mơ, ROP Extension Advisor, stands next to a two-year-old ROP cacao seedling to demonstrate how ROP cocoa farmers are growing success!

Sisters in Saigon

Kat and I bid farewell to Hoi An on the 29th of December. After sitting in the Danang Airport all day (thanks, Jetstar, for neglecting to send me an email or give me a phone call to let us know our flight was canceled), Kat and I returned to Ho Chi Minh City. It felt good to come "home" to the apartment and the familiar comforts of the big city for Kat's last few days in Vietnam.

We decided to be unapologetic tourists and take a cyclo tour of the city with Urban Adventures. It was $15 per person and we were the only two on the tour--it was great! I'm glad we did it--and we tipped the drivers well for their efforts (we are a bit heavier than most Vietnamese).

cheesy tourists!

Click here for photos of our cyclo tour

We also splurged and took a speedboat tour of the Mekong Delta. The tour itself was interesting and very comfortable--but a bit overpriced. We stopped at a temple, a market, and a village--which, having been in Vietnam for a while, we've seen our fair share already of all three. We did manage to make some nice friends along the way...

the mighty Mekong

new friends

zippin' along sippin' on coconuts

Click here for photos of our Mekong Delta tour

To round out our trip together in Vietnam we visited a few more museums and pagodas in Ho Chi Minh City (they start to blend together after 3 weeks of travel)...

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum 

"But of course darling--I don't think they'd mind if we borrowed this for a spin..." (At the Ho Chi Minh City Museum)

The Pagoda that goes by many names: Emperor Jade Pagoda or Tortoise Pagoda (Chua Ngoc Hoang or Phuoc Hai Tu).

There is a shrine to the goddess of fertility at the pagoda that people pray to. Obviously the parents of these two little twin boys were coming here to pay respect.

And that wrapped up Kat's final week in Vietnam. We took a taxi to the airport at 3:30 am and she boarded her plane to begin her 30+ hour trip back home. All in all, we had a grand tour of Vietnam and we're happy to have done it together, Lewis sister style.

Click here for more photos of our time in Ho Chi Minh City 

Ahoy Hoi An!

December 27-29, 2011: Kat and I took a train from Dong Ha down to Danang, and then took a car to Hoi An. The train ride along the coast was stunning (although I can't say the same about the train). We enjoyed our time in Hoi An wandering the charming streets and looking at old houses, visiting Cham ruins in My Son, and munching on delicious food.

Click here for photos and the story

Central Vietnam: Quảng Trị & Quảng Bình Provinces

From Hue, Kat and I traveled up to Dong Ha in Quang Tri to hang out with our friend Max, the country director for an NGO. As you may recall, Roots of Peace (the organization I'm doing my internship with) has an office in Dong Ha. Kat and I planned to spend Christmas with Max and take photos of black pepper farmers for Roots of Peace.

We arrived in Dong Ha and were promptly whisked away to an English school's Christmas show. Max had been asked to make an appearance as Santa, and asked us if we wanted to go. Cute Vietnamese kids  singing Christmas songs? Of course we wanted to go! Upon arriving, Max was told he was going to be a judge for the "Kid's Idol" singing contest. They needed another judge and I was more than happy to help. (This is my second gig as "International Talent Show Judge". Not sure how I can continue on this career path...). After about 2 hours of singing and games, Max was told to put on a highly flammable santa suit and reappeared to greet excited (and a few terrified) kids. All in all, it was a high energy evening and we were more exhausted than jolly when we bid our farewells at the end of the night. 

I don't think the second girl from the right sang one word all night...but she sure was cute!

Santa getting mobbed

Santa's oh-so-lovely helpers
  

The next day, having thankfully recovered our hearing, we had lunch with Max's office staff and then headed up to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. We planned to stay at Phong Nha Farmstay, a hostel in the middle of rice paddies, and visit 2 caves nearby. We arrived at this hostel in the middle of nowhere and found the temperatures had dropped. I ended up wearing around 2 pairs of jeans, 2 long-sleeve shirts, a hoodie, and a jacket I borrowed from Max. Luckily the rooms had heat and Kat immediately took to the bed as she wasn't feeling well. Max and I talked a bit with other folks at the hostel, drank some good gin and tonics, and ate a yummy beef stew for dinner. While I had originally thought we'd spend 2 cozy nights at the Farmstay and celebrate Christmas there, after a few hours of the cold we decided that one night would be more than enough. Additionally, the prospects for seeing the cave were limited--by rented motorbike (it was raining), by private car (over $50), or on a tour that cost $55 per person (pretty high for a tour in Vietnam). So...we called our driver that had brought us up and dropped us off that evening to come back the next morning, take us around to the caves, and then take us back to Dong Ha. 


Our happy driver (the same guy Kat and I traveled around Hue with) showed up promptly the next morning and whisked us off to Phong Nha Cave. Thankfully Kat was feeling much better (the 12 hours of sleep she had might have helped). We took a boat ride to the cave and walked around. It was pretty impressive. Although, I must say, I'm not a huge fan of colored lights--but, whatever--this is Vietnam!

Phong Nha Farmstay

view from the Farmstay

Road trip!

Boat trip!

entrance to Phong Nha Cave 

Phong Nha Cave

The next cave we visited made Phong Nha Cave pale in comparison. Paradise Cave was only opened with the past year--it's not even in the guidebooks yet. We walked through the jungle (on a paved cartpath, of course), climbed 500 stairs, and entered a huge cavern. We descended wooden stairs and walked 1.1 km into a natural wonder. It was truly breathtaking. At one point, we realized we were the only people in the cavern. Even cooler.

Paradise Cave

Enormous stalagmite--had to be at least 10 meters tall

These photos cannot capture the size of this amazing cave

It just kept going...

Mother nature is pretty amazing!

After all this gawking, Kat, Max and I returned to Dong Ha and a Christmas dinner prepared by Max's adopted mother (the owner of Tam's Cafe--where Max's office and apartment are). The bun cha was delicious--the perfect Christmas dinner!

Christmas dinner in Dong Ha--bun cha!

The next day, Kat and I visited the DMZ area around Dong Ha, including the Hien Long Bridge (across the Ben Hai River--the DMZ) and the Vinh Moc tunnels. We then headed off to take photos photos of Roots of Peace black pepper farmers. 

Hien Luong Bridge on the DMZ

sisters reunited after the war

Kat with our Vinh Moc Tunnel guide--he said he was born in the tunnels

The next day, we bid farewell to our Dong Ha friends and boarded the train for Da Nang. It was a lovely Christmas break with friends and farmers in Central Vietnam. Next up: Hoi An!

See the full story with my Facebook album: Central Vietnam Quảng Trị & Quảng Bình Provinces