Dalat- Day 2

June 4, 2014

We got up early for breakfast and  got ready for our half day tour. Went down to the

office near our hotel entrance and was met by our tour guide at exactly 5 minutes to 8

then started the ride to our first destination. We met an American couple who were very 

friendly and chatted a bit with them. We were with a Hanoain family and a Korean guy too.

We started with a visit to Bao Dai palace which we learned was the residence of the last 

Vietnamese Royal family when they visited Dalat and where the last crown prince spent 

a lot of his time during his childhood. The place was crowded with many tourists and we 

were instructed to use some cover for our shoes before entering the palace.  I think it's a 

good idea since removing the shoes is a bit unhygienic and has more chances of losing your 

shoes. It's also good to save cost in cleaning and to preserve the palace. Inside showed the 

private rooms of the royal family. Apparently the king and the queen dines separately with the

crown prince from the youngest prince and the three princesses. The crown prince has his 

own room with yellow theme, the princesses used baby blue and pink in their rooms. There

was a sitting room where the king and queen sits on a big couch, the princes have their chairs

close to the king and queen and the princesses have lower chairs facing the king and queen.

And of course the king and the queen had their own private rooms too.  I just can imagine 

have prim and proper they must have been during that time. If by chance 

I will time travel and end up in that household, I'll probably end up being punished most of the 

time. We also tried using the royalty's clothes and tried sitting on a throne. We paid 60,000

VND for renting the clothes and posing on the thrones for a minute or two. There were a lot of

photographers who are willing to take a good photo of you for a price and yes we asked one

guy to take our pictures too. It was a unique experience and I recommend to try and be a royalty 

for a few minutes at least.

Shoe cover before going inside the palace.

Dressing up as a royalty

A royalty's bedroom

The palace gảrden

We then proceeded to a church which they describe as chicken church and when we arrived I saw the wind vane is a chicken, so it was named as chicken Church. As a Catholic, it wasn't new since the Philippines is basically dotted with churches but In Vietnam, a church is a rare sight. We stayed for a few minutes then we went to the top of the hill that has a good view of the city. Of course, as a resident of Baguio, the view is like that of being on top of Aurora Hill. I did enjoy the cable car ride. It was nice riding high above the pine trees and looking at the lake. If only they can make that from Santo Tomas to Poblacion, Tuba. It would be a nice tourist attraction. We ended up at the monastery and went around admiring the flowers. What caught our attention though is the Buddha. We saw a lot of Buddhas in our travels which all look the same but by far, the ones that really gave a different impression was the bamboo Buddha that we saw in the museum in Nyaung Shwe. It was really beautiful and the second is the Buddha inside Thien Vuong Pagoda. It was a happy Buddha and it looks very pleasant. Finally we went down to Datanla Falls. There were a lot of people on the first two falls but on the third one with the elevator, only a handful actually dare to venture since it's a bit far. It is accessible by cable car or by walking. My experience was a bit tough though because when I went ahead of the group, I asked the guy giving tickets for the elevator for the price and I saw him scowling at me. I think, he was thinking I'm Chinese but when the American couple arrived with my sis. His attitude took a 180 degrees turn. He was probably thinking of what country I'm from. The best thing in this falls though was the cable car ride up hill. We had to queue for 30 minutes and screamed all the way up. It was a bit dangerous but fun...We were late though so the Hanoian family were again throwing dagger looks at us. Huh! it was fun but seriously, some people are no fun. We were mistaken most of the time as Chinese and the fact that what little Hanoian Vietnamese I know cannot be understood  by the people in the South is even worse. The South is totally different from the North.

The chicken chủrch

Panorama shot at the top

The fun fun cable car ride

The monastery

Inside the temple is the happy Buddha

Amazing falls

The crazy ride uphill

Dalat Market at night

In the afternoon, we opted to explore Dalat Mảrket and got some stuff to bring back to Hanoi and in the evening, we joined a tour to watch traditional dance but what we got was a modern dance while wearing traditional clothes. It wasn't what we expected. It was like the eve before a wedding where relatives get to know each other and play matchmakers to young people from both clans hoping for another wedding. It was fun for some but I think, they should change the tour description. It was okay but am not recommending it. 

Dalat- City of flowers

June 3, 2014

Started the day with a walk in Danang beach, swimming and breakfast before going to the airport.

It was easy checking in since there were only a few people going to Dalat. We arrived safely but just a

bit scared because the plane landed with a loud sound. It was the hardest landing that I've experienced so

far from all the flights I've taken. Anyway, it was a small airport. We arrived at past twelve at noon then decided to take a passenger bus going to our hotel. It was 60 VND for a 30 minute ride from the airport to the main town. My first thought was Wow! It's like going home. We passed by flowers...flowers..pine trees..pine trees..and pine trees...I was homesick for a moment. But compared to Baguio..the roads we're more quiet since I just saw motorbikes and occasionally met tour buses and Korean coaches that are popular in Vietnam along the way. We arrived at the dropping point across Big C then another car came to bring us directly to our hotel. We booked our hotel at Sinh Tourist and it was really convenient. It was very near the market and the Sinh Tourist office where we booked our tours and bus for our next trip. In town,  we only saw a few cars and few people. We noticed there were more people in the evening. I guess everyone back from their respective tours.

The pine trees along the way to the main town

From the airport to the main town. It looked so much like the way to Bandung, Indonesia from Lippo Cikarang

Our room was okay but exactly the opposite of our feather bed in Danang. After lunch, we walked down to the lake which is like 5 minutes from the hotel and decided to take a ride pedalling the swan boat. It was 80 VND for two (4 USD) and they have life vests. We went around the lake pedalling and trying to avoid other swan boats. We saw many tourists as well and we noticed that there we're also horse carriages that can take you around the city or horses for hire to take pictures. It's like Wright park in Baguio. I'm not sure if they have horse tracks too. After enjoying the ride, we decided to walk towards shelter since It was dark and it looked like it was going to rain. Fortunately it didn't. 

Taken from our hotel room's balcony. You can clearly see the lake down the road.

The lake with swan boats. You have to pedal with your feet to keep them moving. Just like the boats in West lake Hanoi.

The lake at sunset....

 

 

After walking the side of the lake, we arrived at the market. We decided to check out the goods and we we're surprised and excited to see that they sell second hand goods just like in Baguio. I saw coats, shoes, toys and bags. Since it was already evening and most shops we're closing, we decided to come the next day after our tour to buy some stuff we need. We ate at a roadside restaurant common in Vietnam near the market. The owner was polite enough to ask us if we are from Hongkong. The reaction towards Chinese is really no joke at this time because of the South China sea incident. We ordered  snails as usual and it was tasty. As for the price, it's the same as Hanoi but I think hygiene is much better. After dinner we went back to the hotel to book for our tour for the next day. We decided for half day because we wanted to shop around the market. 

The prominent statue near the Dalat market

A popular shop to buy local delicacies for tourists and residents

The area near market transforms at night to accommodate tourists and whoever wants to eat in the open.

Summer Holiday in Vietnam

May 31, 2014
Destination: Danang, Vietnam

Started the day with a Parent Teacher Meeting at work then went home to pack for a week holiday.
After a month of paperworks, preparing for graduation and practicing presentations, I need a break.
So here we are @ 6 pm headed to Noi Bai International Airport for our 8:30 flight. They just recently
opened a new building for the domestic flights so we had to walk far from where we stopped nevertheless
we were still early and checked in fast. Oh boy, the airport waiting area was full. So many children and families going on a holiday. It is the summer holiday though so as expected most families who can afford usually go the South to go to the much nicer beaches in Danang and Nha Trang. As for me and my sister, we joined my friend as guests in her villa. We arrived at 10 pm at Furama Villas located near the beach. Our
vacation started with a night without electricity and slept at the living room and that was in a Five Star Resort.
We thought the management of the resort will come to at least help us out but they said it's a private owned villa so it's not their responsibility. Even though it's private owned but it's supposed to be still under their care. They even promised to send someone however nobody came.  Huh! that is costumer service in Vietnam.

June 1, 2014
Location: Danang

I woke up early because it was so bright. The place really looks nice and very Private. Some people came to fix the electricity and clean the swimming pool. Since there was no food, we went out to eat and opted for a Danang specialty. It was like Bakso in Indonesia. After breakfast, we proceeded to book our flight to Dalat and reserve hotel at Sinh Tourist. We were thinking of a bus ride but it's a 15 hour ride to Dalat from Danang which only cost around 15 USD but it's too long so we opted for a flight which cost us 100 USD. I guess it's expensive since it's the peak season. Our hotel is owned by Sinh Tourist which cost us 30 USD for a double bed. It wasn't bad, it was only for 2 nights anyway.

After booking, we proceeded to Lotte Mart. As expected, a flag of Korea was seen hanging in front to show that it's korean owned. It's due to the fact that some people harassed Chinese owned companies because of the on going problem in the South China Sea. During our travel, we were often mistaken as Vietnamese but when we can't speak the local language, they assume we are Chinese. Often times, we speak in the little Vietnamese we know but as expected the Vietnamese language in the North is also different in the South. It is a cause of more confusion so it was much better speaking in English. So for those who don't ask our nationality, they assume we are Chinese. It wasn't a big deal but sometimes the stares are horrible.

In the afternoon, our host booked for a tour in Hoi An. It's my second time after two years. This time of the year, there are a lot of tourists: locals and foreign. They have the same things like the lanterns but I cannot appreciate it anymore. It has become too crowded and commercialized. It was way better when we went on the month of October. June is hot and too crowded. In addition, they already ask for entrance fees  which we did not pay two years ago. I wouldn't recommend it. I think the beach is much nicer especially off peak season when there are a few people. So far the most interesting part of the tour is the conversation of an american and a russian tourist at the back of the bus. It was a very good lesson about Philosophy, Politics, Geography and History for me. It was nice of them talking about things with care especially about sensitive issues. It was fun listening about Ukraine issue, Asia travel, migrating to the US, the favela's of Brazil, security in countries of South America. It was very interesting.

June 2, 2014
Location: Furama Villas, Danang

I woke up to the sound of helicopter at five in the morning. We decided to go to the beach to take photos and swim at the hotel children's pool. I went with Hanh and my sis near the villa's beach. It was very clean and nice without a lot of people since it's a private then proceeded to the swimming pool. It was nice but I can really feel the tension. Another helicopter passed and you can see the coast guard ship on sight.

The whole day was spent swimming, watching Maleficent and  going out to town. The main attractions were the bridges and just walking near the river. It was a fun day.

Furama Beach Resort

At five in the morning

Memorable Myanmar

May 17, 2014

Every trip has it's memorable places, events, people and things whether it's a new place or a place that we frequently visit. This time I want to talk about things that made an impression to me when I went to Myanmar. And here they are from touchdown to departure.

1. The tourists who put their money on a tea box. We save and keep our money in a variety of ways specially when we travel. I guess everyone has there own way but this by far was the most interesting way I've encountered.

2. The ride up and down Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. It was for real a joy ride. I'm not a stranger to unpaved roads but the speed and the way the drivers navigate the road scared me a bit or probably I've gone soft living in the city in recent years.

3. The food. I love Vietnamese food now however, I still miss the oily and spicy Indonesian food and it was a relief to find that Myanmar food is similar to it but  less spicy and oily. It was a treat for a few days to eat what I've been missing.

4. The Thanaka and Longyi. As I've mentioned on my previous post, everyone or most people in Myanmar have white powder put on their cheeks, arms and legs. Wearing their national costume, the longyi is still done and I think it is very charming. I've realized that we can change but we don't need to change everything to be modernized. There is a charm to the old ways and retaining some of our identity will keep our culture rich and not forgotten. Now that I've lived far from home for many years, I realized that there are a lot of things that are disappearing because we are all just looking for what is new but we don't try to learn the old ways. I hope the people of Myanmar embrace change but not forget their culture.

5. Bagan. The name itself is very grand. I've seen Angkor Wat and Borobudur but I love love Bagan. It's just so grand and beautiful. I guess the fact that we rode a horse cart going around the temples was also a factor that made the journey and the view very special. There are no words aside from majestic and amazing to describe the place. I cannot even imagine how it would look like from a helicopter ride.

6. The aerial view of the mountains and the plateau going to Inle. I don't know if the fields have any plants or if they are being prepared for planting but the view from the window of the plane is very pretty. It looked like a quilt with different colors. It was amazing.

7. The railroad track that we passed by from the airport on the way to Nyaung Shwe near Inle. It reminded me so much of the old days. It has this view that evokes lonely feelings of a long gone era when people ride train. I guess it feels like that since I've never experienced riding old trains but probably  for people of Myanmar it's a normal thing.

8. Inle Lake. It was amazing...amazing....So wide, clean. I want to visit again someday and I hope it will never change. The ride around was such an incredible experience.

9. The boy monk who asked for money from a couple that he toured around a temple ruin. I hope, people will not give these children money or else they will get use to it.

10. The painting. I was captivated with how the artist have painted the scene so alive. I've never seen such a painting that was so alive for me.It's a pity I  couldn't afford a 700 USD painting.

11. My lost camera. I feel bad but after sleeping on the plane. I just left my camera. It was the first electronic device I've bought from my first salary in Hanoi and it has helped me for both work and pleasure capture memories. I guess after almost 5 years, it's time to let it go. I hope the next owner will take care and use i well.

12. Taxi drivers. It was a relief that they can communicate in English and it was easy for us to go around with less worry about communication.

13. Getting left by our flight. Lesson learned, as advised get to the airport as early as possible.

14. Sleeping at the airport for the first time. It was uncomfortable, warm and very tiring. Once the flight started the next day, I slept until we arrived in Hanoi.

There you go. The good and the bad.

Myanmar- Day 9

Yangoon- February 3, 2014

It's the last day of our trip so we went around Chinatown early in the morning and packed our stuff before
heading to the shopping mall for lunch and to have my nails done. As usual, they charge higher since I am a foreigner. Mitchell wanted to buy a bag at around 3 when I was done with the cleaning but from another shopping mall so we went there. Unfortunately, the money changer was already closed at 4 and the banks don't have any money to change into kyats so she went further away just to change money. Eventually we bought the bag rushed back to the hotel to collect our bags and arrived at the airport. The worse thing happened, we we're late for check in so the staff did not allow us to get on board anymore. No matter how much we pleaded, it was of no use. Just because of the freaking bag. Now we've learned our lesson, as a tourist we need to have emergency money. Like what happened to us, the airline can provide us a change of flight but only going to Saigon. It was peak season so flights to Hanoi are fully booked. We had to pool our resources to go to another hotel for a night and to buy tickets going to Bangkok then to Hanoi. We had to sleep at the airport the next night because we arrived at 11 in the evening then our flight was 7 a.m the next morning. Thank God, budget airlines we're available or else our vacation would have been so ruined. Nevertheless, it was a fun holiday and the mistakes we made we're lessons learned. So next trip, we'll try to remember them and  plan our vacation well.

Myanmar- Day 7,8,9 and 10

Location: Our apartments living room (Le Van Luong)
Mood: sleepy since the weather is warm

February 1-4, 2014

It's early morning in Yangoon and we arrived after more than an eight hour bus ride. With aching limbs and hazy sight from lack of sleep, we got off form the bus to find a taxi to bring us to town. Of course after haggling again we finally got a taxi who took more passengers so there were four of us and the guy beside Mitchell was creepy since he kept looking at her..I mean really staring at her. So next time, better make sure that you are the only passengers in the taxi. Because we wanted to pay less, we ended up going around and with other people. We discovered that our hotel was really far from the bus station since it is in Chinatown. When we arrived, the room was nice and clean although it only had a window at the bathroom. After a few hours of rest we decided to visit the shopping malls of the city. There were only a few and the shopping mall has only three floors. I guess in a few years time, there would be a lot though just like how it is in Hanoi right now. In the evening, we were treated to a variety of dragon dance performances since they celebrated the Chinese New Year in front of our hotel. It was really my first time to see the dance as a whole and the performers were talented. I didn't know that it was hard to do the jumping on those poles with somebody at your back. I even saw one young performer cry because he couldn't do the jump several times. They were all amazing though since the acrobatics are hard.

Our room at Daw Htay hotel in Chinatown. It was good for it's price. I think we paid around 30 USD per night through Agoda. Way much better than the room in Kyaikthiyo which we paid for 75.

I'm not tall but these are the poles where the dragon dancers have to jump. It really takes a lot of skills and practice.

The streets of Yangoon's chinatown at 10 am...

Spectators waiting for the event to start. This is past 5 in the afternoon.

The drummers preparing for the performance.

The dancers doing their thing. It was my first time to really appreciate the beauty of this dance. I got to learn that there is a certain choreography and the best can do the difficult moves. It takes courage and skills to jump those poles and good chemistry with your partner to go through the whole sequence and not everyone can climb up to the highest one with grace and agility. The dancers are trully talented.

Beside a temple in Chinatown. There's even someone selling corn or the pigeons

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of course, one should not forget the beer. Honestly the taste is similar to SMB, Bia Hanoi, Beer Bintang of Indonesia, Lao beer and Cambodian beer.

The next day we decided to try the circular train. We went to the train station and inquired at the people in front. They directed us to the office and we paid 1.5 kyats for a three hour ride around the city. The pay is more expensive than the normal fare but we are seated in a special compartment but if you would like to join the crowd with their wares then it is also a good experience. It wasn't crowded and people just look but don't really bother. They try not to even sit down with foreigners except for some who are brave enough to initiate some conversation. Since the country only opened up recently, I guess the sight of foreigners is not very familiar yet.  A lot of infrastructures are swiftly covering up the landscape of the city but how people behave is not yet very modernize. I think, it is nice though since people are nice, accommodating. Not very friendly but at least they are nice when approached. 

We also visited the famed Scott Market where most of the wares from all parts of the country are sold. Of course haggling is still a must but for someone like me, I am not really good in getting cheap prices. Nevertheless, I'm still okay since we just bought a few things to remembers our visit and to give friends back in Hanoi. We only bought a few Longyi pronounced as Lonji..from what I've heard  and some trinkets. After a few hours at the market, we proceeded at 5 in the afternoon to the biggest pagoda in the city which is also believe to house the hair of Buddha. We followed the advice of other travellers to go to Shwedagon Pagoda late in the afternoon to enjoy the sight. It was really huge. We paid entrance fee then we proceeded to an elevator that will take us up to the pagoda. There were a lot of people inside, tourists and those who want to pray, monks as well and people taking care of the temple. We saw people cleaning, people praying, people taking pictures or just gazing at the temple. There were little sort of altars with some icon to represent each day of the week. Mitchell told me that those who are born for each particular day can pray on the specific spot. Wednesday has two though as I mentioned previously so people who are born in Wednesday should know if they were born in the morning or afternoon. I didn't know the specific day I was born so I didn't go and pray. It was disappointing though since inside the pagoda were ATM machines, it sort of make the place more of a commercial area than a sacred place. Anyway, the pagoda was amazing and even more magnificent at night with its gold color and the lights. And yeah, there was a beggar asking for money too but of course, we didn't give her.