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Before I leave for Cambodia, a quick list of things that have not made into my blogs about Vietnam:
1. Fruit juices in Saigon are unparallelled
2. The north is far poorer than the south
3. Many people think it's weird that a woman is travelling alone
4. Tourism is increasing in Vietnam and so is prostitution (I wish I could generate a clever list like the Harper's Index for you.. but I can't because I don't have p.13.. haha)
5. People sell in the north and beg in the south
6. When I say that the Vietnamese are hardworking it doesn't mean that there aren't some lazy slobs.. believe me, there are plenty who 'press sugar-cane juice' (aka: don't do much other than spin a wheel)
7. I saw illegal cock-fighting (and by that I mean roosters - get your minds out of the gutter!)
8. A man on my trip won $10,000 in an illegal game of poker at some local's house
9. I organized a wedding for a Danish couple (next step: open up a chapel of love in Las Vegas)
10. I had a one-hour massage from a blind woman today for the ridiculous price of $2.75 + generous tip
Goodbye Vietnam!!
2 comments:
Hi Emmanuelle,
I have enjoyed reading about your adventure across Vietnam. Keep up the great posts. About Cambodia... I went this past spring and absolutely loved it!!!
On that note, I offer you this advice:
1.) get reasonably priced croissants at the Blue Pumpkin in Siem Reap (see LP for the address).
2.) Eat the local Khmer food. It is awesome! The Khmer Kitchen in Siem Reap is cheap and tasty.
3.) US dollars are most commonly used, although the Riel is accepted. Stick to small bills, but if you want to use larger notes, make sure they don't have tears and are crisp (as they will not be accepted). Be careful with counterfeit bills.
4.) The temples are truly amazing! Hopefully you have a good guide since he/she will really help you make the most of your visit. Their stories will make the temples come alive.
5.) Take in a traditional Apsara dance.
6.) Visit a local orphanage. Maybe buy some food (e.g. a bag of rice and candy) and drop it off? Make sure to arrange something like this before hand (through your guide) because they don't allow anyone to just walk in. I did this and it was the most rewarding part of my entire trip.
7.) Although there are no street lights in Seim Reap, I felt safe walking alone at night. I am not sure if this is true for women. Just be aware of your surroundings.
8.) Silver is the thing to buy in Siem Reap. Pay no more than 35-40% of their original price. They do some sort of multiplication (e.g. weight x $ per gram) which IMO is meaningless.
9.) Try to go to visit the Artisans d'Angkor. They teach people skills (e.g. how to carve sandstone) and they sell their wares across the street. Their sculptures are not cheap but these are one-of-a-kind hand carvings and most money from the purchases goes back to the school to train more people.
10.) Stay hydrated! Temple trekking can wear you out. So take it easy.
I look forward to reading about Cambodia! Have a blast and stay safe!
Real
Thanks for the tips Real!
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