tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308143912024-03-14T06:08:09.395-06:00Happy ChickensThis will be a place for random thoughts and musings, family news, and notes about travels, and everyday life -- an experiment.Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-86251718317966498192019-01-03T14:35:00.002-07:002019-01-03T14:38:13.649-07:00Holiday Greetings 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="s1" style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><b>Holiday Greetings 2018!</b></span></h2>
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<span class="s1"><b>Visits with Zia</b></span></h2>
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We used San Francisco as our international airport for two trips to Europe, allowing us to visit Zia, Saad, and Psyche coming and going.<br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-weight: normal;">After visiting Venice, Aquileia, Trieste, and Ljubljana on our own in early December, we spent two weeks, including Christmas and the New Year, aboard a small ship in the Adriatic.</span></h4>
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<span class="s1" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In April, after attending the Gathering of American Pilgrims on the Camino in Menlo Park, CA, and celebrating Zia’s first birthday in San Francisco, we flew to France, where we walked the pilgrim route Via Tolosana from Toulouse, France to Puente la Reina in Spain in just over 3 weeks.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I made two movies, the first of the French part of the walk and the second on the Spanish part of the walk. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7jMdPmL6YE&t=4s"><span class="s2">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7jMdPmL6YE&t=4s</span></a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4benD9gVI8&t=29s"><span class="s2">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4benD9gVI8&t=29s</span></a>)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></h4>
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<span class="s1">Family Reunion: </span><span class="s2">Hendrickson, Bergquist,Olson, Erickson, etc.</span></h2>
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<span class="s2">We held a large family reunion in Stephenson, Michigan on September 5.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Six Bergqvist cousins visited from Sweden, and Kent, Psyche, Zia, and Jesse all came with me.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We rented a cottage on Green Bay for several days.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Pictures and videos and links to more resources can be found here:</span><span class="s3"> <span class="s4"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/groups/3783224@N21/">https://www.flickr.com/groups/3783224@N21/</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Exploring the Four Corners</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">By mid-October we finally found a week to visit some special places here in the Southwest.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We had a wonderful time, even though the weather turned cold. After a last very chilly night in our little tent at Natural Bridges, we decided to stick to motels. A good thing,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">since we woke up to snow and a flat tire on Mesa Verde on our first of two nights there.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: small;">We are surrounded by so much love, and are grateful for our friends, families, and each other during these dark and difficult times for our country and the world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>May peace, grace and love come to all, especially to those in pain.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“<i>Lord make me an instrument of thy peace…”</i></span></b></span></div>
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Wedding of Melanie Kedl and David Evjen in New Ulm, Minnesota, December 1, 2018</h4>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-75153195708938322312019-01-03T13:55:00.001-07:002019-01-03T13:55:19.368-07:00Holiday Greetings 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A bit late posting this (in January 2019)<br />
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Christmas 2017</div>
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“If you don’t know what to do, just dance.”</div>
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These words of advice offered to a newbie in my Nia exercise class seem like a good motto for</div>
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life, at least in some circumstances.</div>
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Kent and I are departing on December 6 for a month-long visit to Venice and the Adriatic that</div>
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will take us through Christmas, Kent’s birthday, and the New Year. Therefore, I’m unsure of</div>
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how to keep up the more than 30-year-old Christmas letter tradition. I wrote the first one in</div>
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1983 on the very first IBM PC when Psyche was six months old and Jesse was four years.</div>
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I will send this electronically, perhaps to be followed by an Epiphany letter in response to</div>
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greetings we will receive upon our return in January.</div>
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Animals, babies, family, and friends have been themes for 2017.</div>
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Animals: We traveled to Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe with Overseas Adventure Travel in</div>
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February. It was the off-season and green, wet and beautiful. We traveled with a small group</div>
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of just eleven travelers in two jungle vehicles with local guides. We delighted in the many</div>
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beautiful birds, flowers, giraffes, impalas, elephants, zebras, lions, hippos, monkeys, baboons,</div>
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and painted wild dogs. We slept in comfortable tent cabins at night, often hearing animal</div>
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sounds in the surrounding bush. We were occasionally awakened by rain that required us to</div>
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get up and close the tent flaps. We also had opportunities to meet local people, including</div>
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school children. The tour concluded at Victoria Falls in high flow.</div>
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Babies: On Good Friday I was participating in an urban pilgrimage in downtown Albuquerque,</div>
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when I got a text message that Psyche was in labor. Hallelujah! The baby was already a week</div>
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late, but very early the next morning, Saturday, April 15, baby Zia arrived. We went to see him</div>
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three weeks later, and I have been going to San Francisco to see him every month since, It has</div>
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been a thrill to watch him grow. Kent also became a great-grandfather with the birth of Melanie</div>
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and David’s Alanah Jo in February. We met Alanah in June in Minnesota. In June I also</div>
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became a step great-grandmother with the arrival of Calvin to Andy Feldman and Caren Zhao</div>
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in June — giving us a second baby to visit in San Francisco. Calvin and his great-aunt Psyche</div>
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and cousin Zia live only a few blocks apart.</div>
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Family and Friends: Our friend Bob Kieffer has kept us hiking. Walks this year have included</div>
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exploring the Whitewash trail, Rincon Ridge (where I lost my Tilley hat in the wind on an icy</div>
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slope), a green, flower-bordered Embudito creek scramble, a difficult climb to the the site of the</div>
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fatal 1955 TWA crash in the Sandia Mountains (that I’d never thought I’d be able to reach), and</div>
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finally two interesting hikes in the Manzano Mountains, including one to the top of Manzano</div>
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Peak.</div>
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In June and July we visited friends in South Dakota, and family (both mine and Kent’s) in</div>
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Minnesota on our way to my high school class reunion in Newberry, Michigan. A truly</div>
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memorable event was a first-time ever gathering at my cousin Sylvia’s home in Iron Mountain</div>
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of all of the grandchildren of Olof and Lydia Olson. We also gathered with Hendrickson</div>
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relatives and attended the church where I’m related to “half the people in the cemetery” (only a</div>
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slight exaggeration) — and a few still living. It was great connecting with classmates and</div>
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friends in Newberry and visiting old haunts “Out North.”</div>
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In August we stayed in the lovely Bighorn Mountain cottage of Kent’s high school friend Dick</div>
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Kuzara, and then met our British friends Colin and Trish to see the total solar eclipse in</div>
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Shoshoni, Wyoming.</div>
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We enjoyed many visitors in September. A main event was Tea with Zia on his first visit to</div>
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Grammy and Grampy’s place in Albuquerque.</div>
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We spent Thanksgiving in a lovely rented house on the beach in Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico with</div>
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Saad, Psyche and Zia, where besides beach-walking, playing in the surf, and checking out</div>
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numerous local restaurants, we watched 7-month-old Zia crawl, sit up, pull himself to standing,</div>
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and learn not to put sand in his mouth.</div>
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I continue to volunteer with the Albuquerque Chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino.</div>
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Kent continues to take care of things around the house and make improvements. We had the</div>
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floors refinished in the living room and dining room, and completely repainted the dining room,</div>
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living room, and front and center halls. Kent built beautiful new drawers in our old linen closet,</div>
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which is now much more functional and easy to use. The dining room built-in china cabinet is</div>
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wonderful, as is our new kitchen. We also finally replaced the cracked front step — so please</div>
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come to visit!</div>
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Our life is good, although it is hard not to be discouraged about the state of the world. Friends,</div>
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family, the community at St. Michael and All Angels, and the beauty of nature all give me joy</div>
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and hope.</div>
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With that, we wish you joy, health, and happiness during this holy season and the coming year.</div>
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Linnea and Kent</div>
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On top of Manzano Peak, November 8, 2017</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-82600234876033893172017-08-30T11:53:00.001-06:002017-08-30T11:53:51.589-06:00Eclipse!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Total Solar Eclipse (August 21, 2017)</b></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I first learned of the
total solar eclipse that would sweep across the United State on August 21, 2017
while visiting Colin and Trish Rodgers at their home in northern England during
the spring of 2016.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We are definitely
going,” said Colin, who has friends in Billings, Montana.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We thought about
meeting them in Wyoming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all
if they were traveling all the way from England to see this sight, surely we
could drive under 2000 miles round trip from Albuquerque. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Colin’s compelling description,
however, that made up my mind, “The sky was so black that you could see the
planets from Mercury to Jupiter in a line going through the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there was a 360 degree “sunrise”
around the horizon.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was like
no eclipse I’d previously seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
would also be an opportunity to visit Kent’s home town of Sheridan, Wyoming,
and to connect with several friends and relatives along the way.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By this time, motel
rooms, if available, were going for as much as $1,000 per night in small towns
along the eclipse path, and impromptu campsites were advertised on the internet
for a mere $75 per night for a few square feet of parking space without water
or toilets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, musical
entertainment and pit barbecue dinners were mentioned as possible perks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No thanks!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Colin and Trish were
planning to drive the 220 miles from Billings the morning of the eclipse,
departing at “Albuquerque balloon fiesta hours,” and to make the return trip
the same day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kent contacted his
friend Dick in Sheridan, who had a cabin in the Bighorn Mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, despite ill health in the family,
we could stay in the cabin for a few nights.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My idea of a mountain
cabin was a shack furnished with cast-offs, perhaps with running water and
electricity, perhaps not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was
no such cabin, but a luxurious home at the end of a couple of steep, unpaved
mountain roads, situated high among trees and with fabulous mountain views. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kent and I spent 2 ½ days in luxury,
exploring remote tracks on foot and via Dick’s little 4-wheel-drive Rhino.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><i>Rhino at Sunset in the Bighorns</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On the drive to
Sheridan, we had checked out possible eclipse-viewing sites near Shoshoni,
population 641, with its one motel and one gas station. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the area Colin had chosen
as most easily accessible from Billings, and suitably unpopulated. A lovely young
woman in the Shoshoni Town Hall, who knew the back roads, confirmed that the
unpaved Badwater Road just north of town would be a good place to find a viewing
spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not far beyond the end of
the pavement, we found a dirt track heading up a rise to the north, and decided
that would be our ideal “secret spot.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I took photos from 4 directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No other roads and no buildings were visible.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p><i>Checking out the Viewing Spot near Shoshoni</i></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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I sent a report on our find and a proposed schedule to Colin
and Trish:</div>
</div>
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br clear="ALL" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="Section3">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 1.0in;">
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">Eclipse Day Plan Aug 21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">(time/distances from Google Maps)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">Billings to Shoshoni 3 hr
44 min 223 miles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">Sheridan to Shoshoni 3 hr
29 min. 190 miles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">(Thermopolis to Shoshoni
36 minutes, 32 miles)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">arr. in Shoshoni by 8:30
or 9:00?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">Leave Billings/Sheridan
4:30 (or 4?) am <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">Rendezvous Thermopolis
7:30 (or 7 ?) am<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">McDonalds on Shoshoni
Ave, at curve toward south end of town not long after intersection of 120 (from
Cody) and 789 (from Worland).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #353535; font-family: AppleSystemUIFont; mso-bidi-font-family: AppleSystemUIFont;">Travel in convoy to the
“secret spot” off Badwater <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="ALL" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" />
</span>
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Kent and I awoke in
the mountain cabin at 3:45 a.m. on August 21. We’d made a
thermos of coffee, filled two coolers with food and drinks, and placed
everything but our clothes in the car the night before. It was totally dark with no moon or
stars as we left the cabin just before 4 a.m. We drove down the small road to
the gate, which I opened and closed.
Then we crept down the steep dark gravel road toward I-70.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Fortunately, the only
sign of life was a raccoon trotting along the roadside, but we looked sharply
for deer. When we reached I-70,
there was more traffic than usual for 4:40 a.m., but most of the traffic was
headed toward Casper. At Buffalo
we took the Ten Sleep highway west across the southern end of the
Bighorns. At first we met a few
vehicles heading northeast, then at the edge of town we were passed by one
vehicle. We kept those lone headlights in view through most of the long drive along
the twisting mountain road. First
light was long in coming, but by 6 a.m. we were beginning to see the outlines
of hills and rocks. We caught up
with a line of cars, most of which thankfully pulled off at a café in Ten Sleep. Along the way we passed numerous crowded roadside campsites
where people were just beginning to stir.
We were ahead of the crowd, and ahead of our schedule. Traveling more freely without those
cars, and now on a straighter road, we made good time, stopping briefly in
Worland to top off the gas tank before continuing toward Thermopolis.</div>
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<br />
Just south of Worland we stopped to snap
a picture of the red Eclipse Day sunrise. At shortly after 7 we pulled into the already crowded Thermopolis
McDonald’s. Within 15 minutes
Colin and Trish arrived! By 7:30
we were on our way through the spectacular Wind River Canyon with its 3 tunnels. Traffic was fairly heavy, but moving
smoothly. Upon exiting the canyon
we saw roadside parking areas filling up, but we continued to our “secret spot,”
Colin following behind in his rented SUV. As we pulled up the rise on the dirt
track off Badwater Road, we discovered 2 vehicles there ahead of us. We weren’t the only ones who knew about
this place. But it was O.K. There was plenty of room for all. There would be perhaps 6 vehicles
along the track by the time the eclipse began.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We quickly set up
chairs and our small table, got out the picnic basket, cooler, and sparkling
wine, and settled down to wait, feeling quite pleased with ourselves.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had made it! There was a slight haze and a few light
clouds, but the viewing promised to be excellent. We could see other cars perhaps a quarter mile to the
east. There was a family group,
perhaps friends. A silhouetted couple
walked beneath an umbrella, and a child moved in and out of a stroller. We readied our viewing shields, glasses,
Kent’s magnifying sextant and our binoculars, cameras and phones.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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We toasted the sun as
the moon took its first bite out of the upper right edge of the sun. The process was beginning! Trish and Colin’s daughter Nicky and
her friend Rob roused themselves from napping in the SUV. We snacked on potato chips, a pasta
casserole, potato salad, and vegetable sticks.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The invisible moon
progressed very slowly, revealing itself only by its silhouette across the sun.
It was only as the sun was 75% or more covered that the sky began to turn gray
and the temperature began to drop.
Even with just the slightest sliver showing, the sun warmed the
earth. What power!</div>
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<br /></div>
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At last, even that
small sliver vanished and totality was upon us!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh wow! Silence,
awe. Where to look? There was the darkened sun with its
brilliant corona shooting widely and irregularly, visible to the naked eye and
with binoculars. We no longer
needed our dark glasses. The nearby vehicles and watchers faded to ghostly
presences in the darkness. Most
amazing of all, the horizon was a deep pink beneath the blue-black sky for 360
degrees all around. A lone planet
hung slightly below and to the south of the black sun.</div>
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There was so much to
see, experience and feel in such a short time. Silence and oohs and ahhs. Darkness at noon.
Chills. Nothing I’d ever experienced before. I’m not sure what I felt. Perhaps awe.</div>
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Then all too soon, light
shot out from behind the circle of the moon. Instantaneously color began to come back to the landscape
and the sky. We could breathe
again. It was over. We’d accomplished what we’d set out to
do – experience the total eclipse of the sun. Now our sun was coming back, brightly shining as though the
eclipse had never happened, although it wouldn’t be fully free of the moon for
another 60 minutes. But for us, it was over. We repacked the van, posed for farewell pictures, said
good-bye, and went our separate ways.</div>
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For some reason, as the eclipse ended, I
was reminded of May 25, 1986, when millions of us participated in “Hands Across
America” holding hands in an unbroken chain from California to New York for 15
minutes with a goal of ending world hunger and poverty. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hands_Across_America">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hands Across_America</a> On August 21, 2017, in our fractured,
contentious world, millions of people gathered across the United States to view
and celebrate a rare and wondrous event of the mysterious universe we share and
upon which our lives depend. I was
reminded also, of my parents, who held onto childhood memories of Halley’s Comet
throughout their lives, and who lived to see it once more before they died. The universe is immense, and we are but
fleeting specks of life on one small planet with a single moon, revolving
around one shining, life-giving dying star – a star that was temporarily totally
eclipsed by our moon as millions stopped and gathered to watch.</div>
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I was also reminded of
the joke we told in high school, during the early days of space
exploration. An astronaut was
launched into space, and as the first rocket fired and then fell off, he
exclaimed, “Oh my God!” He soared
faster and faster and higher and higher into space, as the second and third
rockets fired. With each new
thrust he exclaimed, “Oh my God!” Then,
when the last rocket had fired and he had finally reached outer space, he again
exclaimed, “Oh my God!” This time
a voice answered, “Yes?”</div>
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<i>Traffic jam at Muddy Gap on the way home</i></div>
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Linnea Hendrickson, August 30, 2017</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-52985112540161788162016-12-31T12:19:00.000-07:002016-12-31T12:19:57.559-07:00Holiday Greetings 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "chaucer"; font-size: 26.0pt;">Holiday
Greetings 2016</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela</td></tr>
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I’m
sitting in a little patch of light and warmth, brilliant New Mexico winter sun outside
the window, yet I’m haunted by darkness in the world and in my soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The future looks uncertain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My life is good, and that is part of what
is troubling when there is so much suffering in our world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Advent offers hope, but I’m not sure I’m ready to grasp that
golden ring without some time for mourning and reassessment.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antarctica</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
have had an amazing and tumultuous year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have been on four continents since January, and Kent on three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Antarctica was a land of dreams,
incredibly beautiful, wild, and remote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I feel so blessed to have been there on a small ship. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Valentine’s Day Kent met me in
Ushuaia, Argentina, the town at the tip of South American that bills itself as
“The end of the world and the beginning of everything.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there we took the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Australis</i> to Cape Horn and on to Punta
Arenas, Chile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hiked in Los
Glaciars National Park in Argentina and did the “W” Trek in Torres del Paine,
Chile, where I think we were the oldest people on the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to cancel a much-anticipated
4-day ferry trip when storms disrupted the schedule, and instead flew to
vibrant Santiago, Chile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crumbling
Valparaiso charmed us, and we had a spectacular bus ride over the Andes to the wine
country of Mendoza, Argentina, before finishing up in Buenos Aires on the day
the Obamas were visiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Traffic
was restricted in the center of the city, which made for great walking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We caught sight of Air Force One at the
airport when we departed.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valparaiso</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
spent the last of May and first week of June in Scotland and the Shetland
Islands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We explored places where
Kent’s ancestors had lived, and made some fascinating finds in the genealogy
libraries, and by following in the footsteps of a third great-uncle David
Taylor who wrote a verse account of his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Visit
to Scotland</i> in 1839.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Shetland Islands were wild, remote, and lovely, and we had an excellent guide
in our friend Elwyn SouttWender and great company all around. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before heading home we enjoyed a stay
with Trish and Colin Rodgers in the Carlisle area, including a whirlwind tour
of Hadrian’s Wall, Beatrix Potter’s house (a longtime dream of mine), and some
spectacular back roads in the Lake District.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It
was a hot summer at home in Albuquerque, but I enjoyed early morning ditchwalks
with Jennifer Wieczorak, who was in town for a couple of months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mother and I had been new young
mothers together some 30 years ago, and it was fun to reconnect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also fit in one overnight
backpacking trip, which wore us out, in the Pecos Wilderness in the Sangre de
Cristo mountains.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linnea and Kent as hospitaleros, with Albuquerque pilgrim friend Martin Haagmans</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>In
October Kent and I had the great adventure of serving as hospitaleros for 17
days in the little village of El Burgo Ranero along the Camino Frances in the
region of Castilla y Leon in Spain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was rewarding work, but with very long days and very little free time
as we had 25-30 pilgrims with us most nights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked from just outside of Leon, going backwards on the
Camino to our post, and we left, also traveling against the flow, walking the
20 kilometers to Sahagun, where we gratefully collapsed at the first hostal we
came to, slept for over 12 hours, and stayed two nights to recuperate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We took the train to fabulous Burgos, and
after a couple of days of sightseeing enjoyed a long day’s train ride through
beautiful, golden autumn countryside, the rolling meseta gradually giving way
to <span style="font-size: 12pt;">mountains, to Ourense in Galicia, from where we walked with
our packs for seven days along the remote and lovely Camino Sanabres, something
over 100 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela, which we reached in time for the
celebration of the end of Pope Francis’s “Year of Mercy,” and the closing of
the cathedral’s Door of Forgiveness until 2021.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At the end of our time in Spain, we made a quick trip to
Rome where we rendezvoused with Saad, Psyche, and Saad’s sisters Aliya and
Humera.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linnea and Kent at the Vatican in November</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When
we weren’t traveling, Kent worked on the kitchen, which is finally pretty much
finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are enjoying it very
much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s now re-making the
built-in china cabinet in the dining room, which we hope to have back in use
this week, in time to reclaim our dining room, move the stored things out of
the living room and Kent’s study, and have room for holiday guests.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Coyotes
have taken over our neighborhood, so we can no longer let our chickens roam
freely, despite new and improved fencing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had a bumper crop of apples that we hurried to harvest before we left;
however, I see the trees still have many dried and frozen apples on their
branches.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
look forward to having Jesse, Psyche, and Saad here for Christmas, and our dear
friends the Nystroms, with whom we shared most holidays when our children were
growing up, visiting from Colorado.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Kent
and I are grateful for each other, for our friends and families and for our
health and our life together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
have lost some good friends this year, an occurrence that will become more and
more frequent as we move through our seventies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
are living in unsettled times, and I’m not sure what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is my wish list for our new
president who has promised to “Make America great again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep our Medicare (and add coverage for hearing aids!), but
get rid of the endless paperwork, 2. Ban junk phone calls, 3. Raise the price
of fossil fuels and promote alternative energy, 4. Create jobs that people can
live on, 5. Create great schools (preschool through college) that families can
afford, and promote libraries and other ways of learning, 6. Protect our
oceans, air, rivers, lakes and wild spaces, 7. Work to reverse global warming
which threatens to annihilate life on earth 8. Eliminate prejudice, racism, and
sexism, inequality and xenophobia 9. Stop war, 10. Encourage love and respect
among all people – follow the Golden Rule.</div>
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Love to all this holy season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happy New Year!</div>
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Linnea and Kent</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home sweet home -- new/old kitchen</td></tr>
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</style><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-40638372058349844512016-05-25T00:36:00.001-06:002016-05-25T01:11:23.058-06:00Dunblane to Aberdeen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The best intentions...</div>
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Here it is, over a week since I promised to do better with my blog on this trip, and I've written nothing. We are now at the end of our third day in Shetland, which should have been our 4th day, but more about that later.</div>
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We thoroughly enjoyed our week at Windyhill Cottage in Dunblane, and We were sorry to leave that lovely spot and charming cottage. On the Saturday after our arrival, we left the car parked at the cottage, and walked along the River Allan from Dunblane to the town Bridge of Allan. It was a warm,sunny day, with many families out walking. The most amazing sights were the carpets of bluebells that spread beneath the trees, the rushing river itself, and the cave believed to have inspired R.L. Stevenson's Ben Gunn's cave in Treasure Island. I seem to always be following in the steps of Stevenson in journeys ranging from Edinburgh to the South of France to Tahiti and California.</div>
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On Sunday morning I attended Pentecost service at the lovely and ancient Dunblane Cathedral, and that afternoon we explored Doune Castle, where Monty Python and Outlander scenes were filmed, then returned home by way of Callander and Loch Earn, through some rugged Highland scenery. On Monday we visited Stirling Castle, then drove to Kinross where we took a boat across Loch Leven to the ruined castle from which Mary Queen of Scots had once escaped. We also returned to the area where some of Kent's ancestors had lived, and explored the Fossoway church and graveyard, finding one relevant tombstone.</div>
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Dunblane Cathedral</div>
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On Tuesday we took the train to Edinburgh where we met Colin Rodgers, who helped us with research at Scotland's People in the National Archives. We did make a few discoveries with Colin's help, tracing some of Kent's family back another two generations and finally finding a record for his second great grandfather in Scotland -- although we couldn't get beyond that one record. We really needed another day to work, as the first one was partly spent learning how best to use the system. We had a lovely pub lunch with Colin, and then when we were kicked out of the archives at 4 p.m., we bid Colin goodbye and raced up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle, where we quickly visited the major sights in the hour and a half before closing. We followed a Lonely Planet suggested walking tour down into Grassmarket before returning home to Dunblane where we were greeted by a downpour that would continue all the next day, which we spent mostly at the cottage, preparing for our departure on Thursday.</div>
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With Colin at the National Archives</div>
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Grassmarket</div>
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On Thursday morning we made our circuitous way along many small roads to the historic library of Innerpeffray, where we were the only visitors, greeted by an enthusiastic staff and shown treasures of the collection that not only contained many old books, and historic Scottish books, but the complete handwritten borrowers' records dating from the early 1700s to 1968, enabling one to study the reading habits of individuals and the community over many years. We searched the database for Kent's Taylor family, and found a Lilias Taylor who had borrowed books in the 1880s, a time long after Kent's ancestor had left for New York, but it is possible that this Lilias Taylor was .connected with Kent's family. We walked in a light drizzle to view the church, the Roman road, an overlook of the ruined Drummond castle along the River Earn, and sheep with lambs in an adjacent pasture.</div>
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Our next stop (aside from eating sandwiches at a roadside pullover) was at the Edradour Distillery near Pitlochry, Scotland's smallest whisky distillery, where we had an excellent tour with a kilted guide. Then it was up over a fog-shrouded pass at Glenshee and down through Braemar to Tomidhu Steading, a comfortable lodging where we were warmly greeted by our host, Alistair Skakles who had pictures of himself guiding Prince Charles through the local distillery. </div>
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On Friday morning we walked from the Steading on a track to the Crathie church, where the royal family worships while at Balmoral, then crossed the bridge over the sparking River Dee to Balmoral Castle, where we spent an enjoyable two hours wandering the grounds and gardens and looking at exhibits about the history of the estate from the time that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had purchased it in 1848 up to the present.</div>
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Having had our fill of an occupied castle, we headed to the spectacular ruin of Dunnottar on the coast south of Aberdeen, and then to Aberdeen, where despite my inept handling, the gps took us practically to the door of our B and B, where we eventually connected with Dwight and Carol Eggers, with whom we were to share the next segment of our Scottish adventures -- a week on the Shetland Islands.</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-87763092620978018132016-05-13T20:15:00.001-06:002016-05-13T20:15:13.977-06:00A Good Night's Sleep Does Wonders<div><br></div><div>Friday, May 13, 2016</div><div>A good night's sleep does wonders</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93iN1hcFAD_iNdxzwCcA5z-H0cufHZOmLPVTEX9vu-KqVICkoJAPhQWp0KjxnRgErvWI0iXXVmhubz5nH6vbKIPRUNUgpfzDy7R2pNGALoJOEMflxQXxbnPdLCJdH1CnHA_Rf/s640/blogger-image--36295826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93iN1hcFAD_iNdxzwCcA5z-H0cufHZOmLPVTEX9vu-KqVICkoJAPhQWp0KjxnRgErvWI0iXXVmhubz5nH6vbKIPRUNUgpfzDy7R2pNGALoJOEMflxQXxbnPdLCJdH1CnHA_Rf/s640/blogger-image--36295826.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I was still sleeping soundly this morning when Kent returned from the local grocery store with a turnover he heated in the oven. A good cup of coffee, a little map study, and off we went. Yesterday's balmy sunshine had turned to chill and gloom, but I enjoyed the green hills dotted with new lambs, yellow broom, and occasional bluebells when I wasn't "helping" Kent drive and figuring out how to use the GPS.</div><div><br></div><div>Had we remembered this morning that the date was Friday the thirteenth, we might have been even more jittery when we set off in our fancy rental car, up our narrow twisting street, past parked cars jutting out at odd angles, easing onto the motorway through confusing roundabouts, remembering always to keep to the left and searching for the right slot in the six-speed shift. Kent did a good job, with a little help from the driver seated to his left, and we managed to get to Perth and back again with only a few wrong turns and scary moments.</div><div><br></div><div>We spent 3 hours in the genealogy and historical Iibrary in Perth, but even with the help of a very kind librarian, found no new information about Kent's ancestors, and only a little about the area from which they came. About 4:30 we headed out, punching "Fossoway," the birthplace of Kent's 3rd great-grandmother, Lilias Taylor, into the GPS. "You have arrived" the voice announced on a country road without a house in sight. So, we continued on. We never did find Fossoway, although I'm sure it is there somewhere, but we did arrive at Rumbling Bridge, where we went for a walk. Lilias's brother David Taylor had traveled from Andes, New York to visit his birthplace in the 1830s, and in a poem about his journey mentioned Rumbling Bridge -- a scenic spot the librarian had told us -- where the River Devon rushing through the rocks below makes the bridge rumble.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gdagKBXDV3vdVCbiGECH1fKMlCJTkJyTGqyisE-56XdHh9vC6duUqkyF8tI-vm8tzaYyYVkFwgwuEKszDQ4Z9bXgx46TysBTen3xEiRrjKLhW6mx84I8HasHZ59KELsWCMu7/s640/blogger-image-1174020760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gdagKBXDV3vdVCbiGECH1fKMlCJTkJyTGqyisE-56XdHh9vC6duUqkyF8tI-vm8tzaYyYVkFwgwuEKszDQ4Z9bXgx46TysBTen3xEiRrjKLhW6mx84I8HasHZ59KELsWCMu7/s640/blogger-image-1174020760.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Rumbling BridgeWikipedia </div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=8&ved=0ahUKEwif1ouGvtjMAhWlBsAKHTGnBjkQFgg3MAc&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRumbling_Bridge&usg=AFQjCNEuiYd4unzMjBFui5gZJl8zvQs0SA&sig2=KbHBh9gzeJMghI-oqGCZ7w">https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=8&ved=0ahUKEwif1ouGvtjMAhWlBsAKHTGnBjkQFgg3MAc&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRumbling_Bridge&usg=AFQjCNEuiYd4unzMjBFui5gZJl8zvQs0SA&sig2=KbHBh9gzeJMghI-oqGCZ7w</a></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhwMPG2ljotQvoTAIsPzVUzvXUqf_imjdU8oZFXjKi0qVd2e7LUHB7-0BJSe1HFrthTHzaD8LiF4ei1tmoW9lzCC8RFvymQg2s3gsuFu4zE6HA76jGvTOM8knQGjssA3pVypg/s640/blogger-image--1544289134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhwMPG2ljotQvoTAIsPzVUzvXUqf_imjdU8oZFXjKi0qVd2e7LUHB7-0BJSe1HFrthTHzaD8LiF4ei1tmoW9lzCC8RFvymQg2s3gsuFu4zE6HA76jGvTOM8knQGjssA3pVypg/s640/blogger-image--1544289134.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpIUtCW_llnyegMNhU6Pq8WsmHAoiW1aeKkvv4N6ea8iuf1DL4jNL5bLCti1AIiXJ2yxVOefJoGGQJ-GGkULUp20RyaCnciPWrClavozyMca4Exl5YUlPOZgCVEaD_izd2cgd/s640/blogger-image-36130465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpIUtCW_llnyegMNhU6Pq8WsmHAoiW1aeKkvv4N6ea8iuf1DL4jNL5bLCti1AIiXJ2yxVOefJoGGQJ-GGkULUp20RyaCnciPWrClavozyMca4Exl5YUlPOZgCVEaD_izd2cgd/s640/blogger-image-36130465.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>We also stopped in the town of Dollar, a pretty place with a castle on a hill behind the town. While trying to get a better view of the castle, we encountered the Dollar Academy, founded in 1818, a time when Kent's Burns and Taylor ancestors would have been living in the area. When we got home we discovered that Craiglaw Farm, where Lilias was born in 1797 is still in existence and very near the end of our walk along the Devon.</div><div><br></div><div>A Marks & Spencer Food Hall near the entrance to Dunblane provided easy makings for dinner, and we enjoyed a peaceful evening in our little cottage after the challenges of the day.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-60233811843770138372016-05-12T18:27:00.001-06:002016-05-13T16:25:05.601-06:00Scotland: Jessie the Flower of Dunblane<div>Thursday, 12 May</div><div>Windyhill Cottage, Dunblane, Scotland</div><div><br></div><div>Tonight we sleep in the cosy cottage of Windyhill in the charming historic village of Dunblane near Stirling, Scotland, where we will stay for one week. After an overnight on Jet Blue from Albuquerque to New York yesterday, we had enough time and energy to go to into Manhattan. While purchasing our subway tickets we were surprised to encounter Milena Milenkovic from San Francisco on her way to her Smith College Reunion. We hugged, took pictures, and went our separate ways. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jvHD8wUNyDnQufTyd-pnHYDh0p-SiKs6beJgS_d_cwcNTznXblJQEbRh2iRALT_Jeo52zQ72i7Krp1hmpyPUCKMiYeGi00zQvsqo4j1i__mi-n71KpAJMi9VXmKmWMIdeffc/s640/blogger-image-1737142113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jvHD8wUNyDnQufTyd-pnHYDh0p-SiKs6beJgS_d_cwcNTznXblJQEbRh2iRALT_Jeo52zQ72i7Krp1hmpyPUCKMiYeGi00zQvsqo4j1i__mi-n71KpAJMi9VXmKmWMIdeffc/s640/blogger-image-1737142113.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Our Manhattan visit included spying a woodpecker in Washington Square, eating breakfast at the Gray Dog (disappointingly weak coffee), walking the entire Highline trail (marveling at all the new construction), lunching at the South Porch in Bryant Park, viewing exhibits in the Public Library and strolling up Fifth Avenue, with quick looks at Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral before grabbing the E train back to JFK. I stretched out on the floor near the Icelandair gate, only mildly concerned about what others might think (while Kent pretended not to know me). I must have dozed a bit before boarding the flight to Reykjavik. </div><div><br></div><div>I was disappointed to have only one hour in Iceland. I loved the small airport where we were not required to go through immigration or security before boarding the flight to Glasgow, and where people got on the plane in any order. Because Iceland was covered in fog, my most memorable sight was the faucets in the restrooms that both washed and dried one's hands. No complaints about Icelandair, and next time I will do a stopover.</div><div><br></div><div>Wedged into a middle seat again, with a generously sized woman on one side, and Kent on the other, I did manage to sleep a bit before our arrival in Glasgow. Kent did a great job getting us here in our rental car, a rather nerve-wracking drive mostly along motorways punctuated by signs uncannily reminding us, "Do not drive when tired." </div><div><br></div><div>Cottage owner Alastair McDonald welcomed us and showed us the ropes. Scottish bluebells are blooming in the garden of the historic cottage on a site that was the home of "Jessie, The Flower of Dunblane." </div><div><br></div><div> <a href="http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/Content/Help/index.aspx?r=2222" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/Content/Help/index.aspx?r=2222</a></div><div><br></div><div>And: <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9tDjx4g35Nw&autoplay=1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9tDjx4g35Nw&autoplay=1</a></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDEEvFzcBYOBJZ9bapa303n0W41RSA_jxjHMvfSdgES-HlAgYtcB6XWgmuPMzXjLrxyZ8HdfZXsBTaxAQkTknma76U1WQkqF9xFh61I5Goq4vP7J9-NC9SeWUuh9PJMHzqM_x/s640/blogger-image-1909971866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDEEvFzcBYOBJZ9bapa303n0W41RSA_jxjHMvfSdgES-HlAgYtcB6XWgmuPMzXjLrxyZ8HdfZXsBTaxAQkTknma76U1WQkqF9xFh61I5Goq4vP7J9-NC9SeWUuh9PJMHzqM_x/s640/blogger-image-1909971866.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDt1YkISPoCPRDW7UcEVh93XMJUP4rC_gXrShtlx7y8epEuf9uqb3sQ5KKng5RoIaHhY4u2L2fgWNkhPbtHJ913Fmd6U1L0D71o6slEH-SjV-QqiQdz1C7xnS77lnzD-oWyJbF/s640/blogger-image--318255050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDt1YkISPoCPRDW7UcEVh93XMJUP4rC_gXrShtlx7y8epEuf9uqb3sQ5KKng5RoIaHhY4u2L2fgWNkhPbtHJ913Fmd6U1L0D71o6slEH-SjV-QqiQdz1C7xnS77lnzD-oWyJbF/s640/blogger-image--318255050.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>A brief nap, dinner down the street at the Churches House Hotel, a walk about town and on the riverside footpath, a wee dram of whisky, and we call it a day (or two).</div><div><br></div><div> </div><div><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-77526591307327375722016-03-08T19:08:00.001-07:002016-03-14T18:22:42.607-06:00Posts from Patagonia February-March 2016: Linnea Hendrickson and Kent
Kedl<div>F</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOZCSmFDDym6bpUapD-EgzGwyaIjsb4Y6vGczQzoXN9rp_0k7idUcb7weNQk-J0n4m0J_PM0SV9wMIBwzFXHKo7tcRtcm0aDacDMdLPfN4vRLFJUxX_3Z5w7R3xHLmsVfHoeR/s640/blogger-image-1678037596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOZCSmFDDym6bpUapD-EgzGwyaIjsb4Y6vGczQzoXN9rp_0k7idUcb7weNQk-J0n4m0J_PM0SV9wMIBwzFXHKo7tcRtcm0aDacDMdLPfN4vRLFJUxX_3Z5w7R3xHLmsVfHoeR/s640/blogger-image-1678037596.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbb7Jkq3iZ3x_BVdTb26uNJ6PlzXxqnQYgfspeDD0K7LswQmmoMu9g4v8BlGYZlHsw8-_fuI9Nt0DbMhGf_mac2DMCGIZ5N7qQQ6OQuUlk8RnhRP7g3zPqmEuMEOhyIztxlWId/s640/blogger-image--1130493462.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbb7Jkq3iZ3x_BVdTb26uNJ6PlzXxqnQYgfspeDD0K7LswQmmoMu9g4v8BlGYZlHsw8-_fuI9Nt0DbMhGf_mac2DMCGIZ5N7qQQ6OQuUlk8RnhRP7g3zPqmEuMEOhyIztxlWId/s640/blogger-image--1130493462.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>El Chalten, Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina.</div><div>Saturday, February 27, 2016</div><div><br></div><div>This is a very special place: a little village of small businesses </div><div>in the center of many hiking trails into the National park, with a backdrop of the incredible rock towers of Mt.Fitzroy (named after the captain of Darwin's Beagle), and surrounding towers, peaks and glaciers. We have spent two days hiking here, with two more to go before we head back to El Calafate for a short night, then back to Puerto Natales, Chile for one night before heading to 5 days and 4 nights of trekking in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7HxlMoLTce2LwbB6QG9oqfhcpijeY5e77Ke6e0XVUp9aH2XIZoTZhSwhQa1gQiOWtxF_6FcWKSrrNutFrkgm1CFW4H2VNBC8GPfqG6i9jQsooyu9L-qnbphQ7csDnG2Zjnyy/s640/blogger-image-812968116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7HxlMoLTce2LwbB6QG9oqfhcpijeY5e77Ke6e0XVUp9aH2XIZoTZhSwhQa1gQiOWtxF_6FcWKSrrNutFrkgm1CFW4H2VNBC8GPfqG6i9jQsooyu9L-qnbphQ7csDnG2Zjnyy/s640/blogger-image-812968116.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>A big thrill yesterday was seeing a flock of 4 or 5 Magellanic Woodpeckers as we returned from Lago Capri. This was a relatively short hike of 4 km each way, but quite steep. Today we took it easier, but still had a beautiful hike with views of the mountains as clouds cleared while we rested at the base of a big rock in a high meadow. This walk involved quite a climb, too, and we were warm enough that we were in shirtsleeves by the time we reached our stopping place.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0g1q8XxNbNXtgI0uyfPhbwuUVtDcVU3HsUaz-LxttKOUU8ntt2sK9W6cfjz68w66_vtqvVewvBh4-aqy6vXqFZ2IldlBNtH6jEYWD3wNUyoKVe8RHByO13fSUC3lC-N27b0P/s640/blogger-image-1611140226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0g1q8XxNbNXtgI0uyfPhbwuUVtDcVU3HsUaz-LxttKOUU8ntt2sK9W6cfjz68w66_vtqvVewvBh4-aqy6vXqFZ2IldlBNtH6jEYWD3wNUyoKVe8RHByO13fSUC3lC-N27b0P/s640/blogger-image-1611140226.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We have also enjoyed connecting with Eva Borsody Das, whom I first met in Morocco in 2009, and her friend Virginia from London, sharing evening meals in restaurants here and in El Calafate.</div><div><br></div><div>There is no cell phone service in El Chalten, and almost no businesses take credit cards. Internet is via satellite, and very slow. Kent and I are staying in the lovely Hostel Patagonia (an IYH hostel), where we have up-graded to a room with private bath since we found out that the price of a room had fallen by a third (because of the dollar's strength relative to the Argentine Peso) since we had booked it in November.</div><div><br></div><div>We are having the best weather we have had since our trip began, with some wind, but sunshine and mostly clear skies. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Torres del Paine. March 2-7, 2016</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div>Torres del Paine</div><div>Paine Grande Refugio</div><div><br></div><div>This is the morning of our 4th day of the W hike in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. The hiking has been much harder than we anticipated. There are a handful of walkers who may be over 50, but most are fit young folks in their 20s and 30s who zip past carrying packs much larger than ours and quickly disappear on the trail ahead. I was amazed yesterday as I pondered how to navigate fallen logs and twisted roots to see a lithe young woman in bright yellow jacket hesitate for just an instant before leaping on top of the log that was a foot or two above the ground and continue on her way while I stood by in awe. Likewise, at a steep slope with ropes and thigh high boulders, a young man in bare feet skidded down an alternate dirt route as I painfully negotiated each step of the rocky descent.</div><div><br></div><div>The scenery is spectacular with blue lakes, rushing streams, glaciers, and and towering pinnacles all of which constantly change in varying light and with our slow progress around them.</div><div><br></div><div>We have seen little wildlife. One bird on a lake yesterday afternoon, the loud tap of a woodpecker, small sparrows looking for dropped crumbs, and yesterday a black and white hawk buffeted by the strong winds that suddenly arose, nearly knocking us over at times.</div><div><br></div><div>We are stiff and tired this morning after a very long day up the Frances Valley yesterday. We did have a long night sleep with nice sheets and duvets in a six-bed dorm room all to ourselves.</div><div><br></div><div>Ferocious winds.</div><div><br></div><div>Later in the day, March 5</div><div>Grey Refugio</div><div><br></div><div>3.5 hours is the suggested time to go 11.5 km between Paine Grande and Lago Grey. Well, it took us about 5.5 hours, lots of steep rocky climbs and descents. When I thought we had perhaps half an hour to go, we came upon a sign indicating we were only a little more than halfway. The overlooks to the Glacier were magnificent, but the winds were almost too strong to stand in to look. Our room at Paine Grande was lovely, with windows looking out on lake and mountains, while from here, where I thought we would see the glacier, we have no view other than of a mountainside with burned forest. And here we have other people in the room--at least 5 of us.</div></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47mRbtaYUBsa_DwP7PBcaPvno4eyi5e0XKrt2dey77jjskkCnQvy8pcfpEWKuFhupchfuM4LKwFOMTms3COCdP03mJEeYoWYkLOiQruVlbTL176nGwyxdKNRwl_FkjlCxlzrX/s640/blogger-image--852378381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47mRbtaYUBsa_DwP7PBcaPvno4eyi5e0XKrt2dey77jjskkCnQvy8pcfpEWKuFhupchfuM4LKwFOMTms3COCdP03mJEeYoWYkLOiQruVlbTL176nGwyxdKNRwl_FkjlCxlzrX/s640/blogger-image--852378381.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Above: dorm room at Los Chilenos</div><div><br></div><div><div>Our first days on the W hike</div><div>Day 1</div><div>Leaving my larger back pack and Kent's smaller one with books, my Antarctic parka, our electric toothbrush, my iPad, and all but one change of clothes, hats and layered jackets behind at Pire Mapu Cottage, we took a 7:30 a.m. bus to Torres del Paine, then once through entrance procedures, took another shuttle bus to the Las Torres area, walking along a road to the hotel where we used the restrooms. We passed guanacos along the entrance roads, and bright pink flamingos in Laguna Amarga.</div><div><br></div><div>The day was sunny and surprisingly warm, and we hadn't gone far, crossing a bridge over a rushing stream, before I shed my fleece, zipped off my pant legs, removed my lightweight long-sleeved shirt, and slathered on sunblock. This was the warmest I'd been since leaving Buenos Aires over a month before.</div><div><br></div><div>The trail climbed relentlessly with little shade for over two hours. I wrapped my bandanna around my head under my hat to keep the sweat out of my eyes. Many walkers passed us, as I struggled to catch my breath and we found a few places to rest near the occasional gaunt tree.</div><div><br></div><div>At last we reached a summit and other hikers joined us from an even higher trail, the shortcut from Los Cuernos that we would take down the next day.</div><div><br></div><div>A descent, then more uphills followed, but at least here much of the trail was fairly smooth. At a rushing steam walkers filled their water bottles. We were told the water in the streams was safe to drink, and we did drink it, with no apparent ill effects.</div><div><br></div><div>Finally, far below us we saw a green roof among trees in a narrow canyon beside a rushing stream. The building looked so small! But it was our home for the night, Los Chilenos Refugio, which I had booked months before: dinner, a bunk with a sleeping bag, breakfast the next morning, and lunch the following day. I was glad we had brought our silk sleeping sacks, as I'm sure the sleeping bags and pillows did not receive frequent washing.</div><div><br></div><div>We were given an enthusiastic welcome, brief tour, and explanation of the rules, then headed back out into the sunshine to eat our snacks, surrounded by many other walkers.</div><div><br></div><div>We then walked further up the valley for another 2 hours, stopping at the base of the 45-minute steep climb to the Los Cuernos overlook, which probably would have taken us much longer. I regretted not making the climb, which would have been another 1000 feet in elevation gain, involving scrambling on all fours, but we were others tired already after 4-5 hours of mostly uphill climbing.</div><div><br></div><div>We made it back to the Refugio in time for 7 pm dinner with ample time for showers fresh clothes, sitting by the stream in the last of the sunshine, and visiting with other walkers, many of whom we would meet again in days to come -- a very Camino-like experience. We purchased glasses of wine and sat on benches at long tables, eating huge slabs of tough meat, some kind of lumpy orange vegetable and potato mix, and a sweet dessert.</div><div><br></div><div>I think we were asleep before most of our other bunk mates (in stacks 3 high) had arrived and before the sun had set.</div><div><br></div><div>Day 2. Los Chilenos to Los Cuernos. We left early, meeting four young women on the climb out of Los Chilenos. We would meet them often again, and I came to think of them as our muses or chorus urging us onward. It was good to walk in the cool of the day, up and down many hills, past lakes and waterfalls and circling below spectacular peaks. Rough though the walking was, it was one of our easier days. We had booked a private cottage with a double bed with sheets. The cottage was nice, with skylights, but nowhere to hang anything. We hung our towels and shirts and underwear we washed on the porch railing. The bathrooms, reached by an overgrown, but thankfully short trail, were not the greatest with toilet stalls so tight you couldn't shut the doors before sitting down, and rather crowded showers, but with hot water for which we were grateful. We had another communal dinner on long tables and benches in a crowded dining room. To my amazement, the young man who'd shared our room at Los Chilenos handed me my headlamp which I'd been regretting, and berating myself for having left it in my bed that morning.</div><div><br></div><div>We also had access to a hot tub, a wooden barrel heated by a wood stove. Unfortunately it didn't look all that clean, so we gave its miss. In the morning the fire had gone out, but an empty beer bottle stood beside it, so apparently someone had enjoyed it.</div><div><br></div><div>Day 3</div><div>From Los Cuernos there was a steep slog over to the Italian Camp and the Frances Valley. Then a very steep climb up the Valley to spectacular views of the Los Cuernos, the horn-like peaks. The climb up the Frances was estimated to take 2.5 hours one way. We climbed up for about 3 hours on some very rough trails, reaching one beautiful overlook (mirador), that was crowded by a group taking endless group pictures and then singing! It was hard to begrudge them their good time, but it was also impossible to concentrate on the view or even enjoy our lunch. So we moved on to a sandy stream bank without an expansive view, but the sounds and views of rushing water. We did not make it quite to the end, but turned back at a high stony open space. After returning to the Italian Camp, we rested a bit and then still had 2.5 hours (estimated) to go to Paine Grande. Much of this trail was fairly smooth walking, but during the last hour we finally met the famous fierce winds of Torres del Paine. It had been Avery long day, and when we got to the reception desk at the Refugio, they couldn't find my records. So I had to dig through my papers to find them. I was so tired, I could hardly stand up. Fortunately we were given a room to ourselves with beautiful views. We paid extra for bedding, as I hadn't realized that blankets were not included although we had our sheet sleeping sacks and towels. Someone actually came with us and made the beds. We joined some of the others we'd met along the way for dinner. I could hardly move, my legs were so sore. Even walking ups down the stairs from our second floor room to the ground floor bath rooms was agony. I slept very long hours those nights in Torres del Paine.</div></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OwwOgVYyYhqRn6DmFALCgP04ALCO9y668WwWKil28xkDNqA7o_BGsqLQzXcpDmZerlk_egcsM05AMotCoivEdyLPVxp4YQXkQu_lnCKEGwLAXQRdeWLsjHcinZBIiEFDQAuB/s640/blogger-image--1789819970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OwwOgVYyYhqRn6DmFALCgP04ALCO9y668WwWKil28xkDNqA7o_BGsqLQzXcpDmZerlk_egcsM05AMotCoivEdyLPVxp4YQXkQu_lnCKEGwLAXQRdeWLsjHcinZBIiEFDQAuB/s640/blogger-image--1789819970.jpg"></a></div>Frances Valley</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YZUKWc0IH2qFbJFUXEbDyHJdil_rul1vBY8HsfQDslFN-Vrn_DbPxhBJlIXyAaSVQGPvebH3DZ2l2Cmfy1oULqVhdLUFl4UfyW9CZ7D1RBH0rYdLiskxd8z2F-A02UD0DI_E/s640/blogger-image--1897571361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YZUKWc0IH2qFbJFUXEbDyHJdil_rul1vBY8HsfQDslFN-Vrn_DbPxhBJlIXyAaSVQGPvebH3DZ2l2Cmfy1oULqVhdLUFl4UfyW9CZ7D1RBH0rYdLiskxd8z2F-A02UD0DI_E/s640/blogger-image--1897571361.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Rocky overlook in the Frances Valley -- as far as we got before turning around. Our longest, hardest day.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkFdp4RhMbMSUtR9AoGmvsbIz-6Cy7i29CrzxDVW8U15mK8gVrUsf3wXdqkZHFXILl0u9wPJQllOYJTZw0IrISeYI56pgysIVWxkovgo1MXDOKCMJoGrZdGtuS6MBP6_5hujd/s640/blogger-image--1629892260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkFdp4RhMbMSUtR9AoGmvsbIz-6Cy7i29CrzxDVW8U15mK8gVrUsf3wXdqkZHFXILl0u9wPJQllOYJTZw0IrISeYI56pgysIVWxkovgo1MXDOKCMJoGrZdGtuS6MBP6_5hujd/s640/blogger-image--1629892260.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Grey Glacier</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy3cQiBhIqxjV2QVF3vJuyOwCXx2T0iT9QJ7KZElCqZClmzHCHn9ZdvMQA-H4_GpOmeuqMTOWowoNEEVmgPAZ4itvHL5jX0AEFHa5cCL07UwHOzjveYizuLS6P5rginwE692z/s640/blogger-image-1948018180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy3cQiBhIqxjV2QVF3vJuyOwCXx2T0iT9QJ7KZElCqZClmzHCHn9ZdvMQA-H4_GpOmeuqMTOWowoNEEVmgPAZ4itvHL5jX0AEFHa5cCL07UwHOzjveYizuLS6P5rginwE692z/s640/blogger-image-1948018180.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Farthest overlook we reached 5-6 km beyond Refugio Grey.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOwvoXWzZxBEsv2GQYVTQmexDyK8F0zS3p_wMnxoxmjOCHjucylbqNboij8KK9MTGfeq5ilfCAvi3213w9_85j8RY5zW6UeogDaIST70WtF3-Y8hegUkgAGy7fy3H70kRd4EI/s640/blogger-image--951592345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOwvoXWzZxBEsv2GQYVTQmexDyK8F0zS3p_wMnxoxmjOCHjucylbqNboij8KK9MTGfeq5ilfCAvi3213w9_85j8RY5zW6UeogDaIST70WtF3-Y8hegUkgAGy7fy3H70kRd4EI/s640/blogger-image--951592345.jpg"></a></div>We finished the W hike on Monday morning, walking back from Grey to Paine Grande in just 15 minutes more than the suggested time of 3.5 hours.</div><div><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-61159829128502719252015-12-24T15:46:00.000-07:002015-12-24T16:02:59.591-07:00Christmas Greetings 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />Above: Jesse, Psyche, Saad, Linnea and Kent</h4>
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Dear Friends and Family,</div>
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Although it is great to keep up via Facebook and e-mail, it
is also nice to get real mail and printed pictures, so I am sending out yet
another Christmas letter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
surprised when the young woman presenting a class on the iPhone camera emphasized
that it was important to print pictures that you want to preserve, even if you
have backed them up elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I treasure
the old photos I look at as I work on family history, and I am so very glad to
have them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some old technology is
not dead yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Young people are now
collecting vinyl record albums that many of us threw away years ago (I’ve got
mine). Despite reading some books on Kindles and iPads, we also
treasure “real” books. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kent, of
course, is waiting for electricity to fail, so we’ll return to
typewriters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quill pens, anyone?<br />
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(Apologies to all of you who are receiving this only via blog and email: but you do get to see more pictures! I also just found a mistake in the printed letter, which I have fixed here. If you can find it you get my proofreader of the year award!)</div>
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We have had a relatively quiet year since our return from
our Far East adventures, traveling no father than California, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Michigan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We loved Iowa!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And no, we’re not running for political office (although maybe we
should).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was great to get
together with a lot of relatives in both Michigan and Minnesota. Sadly, Kent’s vibrant
sister-in-law Phyllis Hendrickson Kedl lost her long battle with cancer in
October. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEjOwPjrPYU0NzTmk9RDlhrub0s_bhwn48LkWsBPFZ-xhLodi3dSDonENKv66OOSoOR6hKMxjoyQUqtj34mvotbiKZlf_62sTBFqUGbeaDeLX6rwugqdrjzuJmBZ0ajb4iRSR/s1600/P1070466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEjOwPjrPYU0NzTmk9RDlhrub0s_bhwn48LkWsBPFZ-xhLodi3dSDonENKv66OOSoOR6hKMxjoyQUqtj34mvotbiKZlf_62sTBFqUGbeaDeLX6rwugqdrjzuJmBZ0ajb4iRSR/s640/P1070466.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Family Gathering in June at John Hendrickson's (standing, l-r): Keith Hendrickson, Linda Hendrickson, Don Hendrickson, Betty Hendrickson, Dale Hendrickson, Tammy Hendrickson, Jerry Hendrickson in doorway behind Tammy, Betty Bergquist Honold, Herb Honold, Mary Ann Peterson, Joe Garnett, Sherri Erickson Garnett, John Hendrickson behind Sherri, Cindy Hendricks, Mike Hendricks, Jane Bruemmer, Doris Hendrickson. (kneeling in front): Linnea Hendrickson, Mike Hendrickson, and Jeanette Hendrickson.</h4>
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We had some wonderful visits with old and new friends,
including Jenny and Jim Quinn from Australia, whom I had not seen since 1989! The
recent loss of so many dear friends and family members and the serious
illnesses of several others, has inspired me to “do it now!”<br />
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Jim and Jenny Quinn with Linnea and Kent at the Golden Crown Panaderia in Albuquerque</h4>
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So, I will be joining cousin Connie Hendrickson on a
two-week trip to Antarctica beginning on February 1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kent will meet me in Ushuaia (the southernmost city in the
world) on February 14<span style="color: red;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Zapf Dingbats"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: "Zapf Dingbats";"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: "Zapf Dingbats";">ª</span></span>. <span style="color: red;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>We will then sail (on a cruise ship,
not in a small sailboat as Kent would like to do!) around Cape Horn to Punta
Arenas, Chile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have planned two
multi-day walks in Patagonia, and will fly home from Buenos Aires on March
23.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the last week in May we
have scheduled a week’s stay in the Shetland Islands, halfway between Scotland
and Norway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The big project this year has been Kent’s kitchen remodel,
which will continue well into 2016.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can see a small bit here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUNdnc7uiuo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUNdnc7uiuo</a></div>
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This week we will be without the kitchen sink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christmas baking will have to wait.</div>
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I have finally found a welcoming church home at St. Michaels
and All Angels Episcopal, a congregation that has welcomed several refugees
from the wonderful old Aquinas Newman Center from which the Archbishop
dismissed the Dominicans in 2014.</div>
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Lots of people beg on street corners in Albuquerque.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other night while waiting at a red
light, I tried to read a fellow’s lengthy sign, then looked into his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gave me a sad bit of a smile and a little wave. I was reaching for my purse, wanting to
give him something, when the light turned green. I could have made a right turn and circled back through a
parking lot. I should have, but I
didn’t.</div>
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I thought of a
letter my grandmother Hulda received in 1942 from a man then living on Como
Avenue in St. Paul, MN. Her
husband, Rev. John Hendrickson had died in 1915. The envelope was addressed to “Mrs. Rev. John Hendrickson,
Stephenson, Michigan” and bears a three-cent stamp. <span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand Bold";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand Bold";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">October
29, 1942</span><span style="font-family: Bradley Hand Bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dear Mrs. Hendrickson,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just received your address this morning
and am so glad that I can send you the monney [sic]. In 1892 (winter) Rev. Hendrickson saved me from
starving. He give me food and
shelter for one day and night and when we parted he give me 5 five dollars, a
kindness that can never be repaid to him, and I am so glad that I can send it
to you now. I am sending you 10
ten dollars and hope it will reach you in good health. Again thank you, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alfred Edwall.</span><span style="font-family: Bradley Hand Bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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A kindness remembered for 50 years! Maybe that young man on the street
corner will remember that I looked into his eyes and connected with him as a
person, but I could have done so much more. Maybe he will remember that I didn’t give him anything. I will remember that. Although I’m not sure that giving money
to beggars is the best we can do. How
can we care for those most in need in this most wealthy and fortunate country?</div>
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It is easy to be discouraged in these dark, violent,
troubled times, when so much is wrong in the world. But, perhaps it has always been so. This is the season when we welcome light
in the darkness – light that can help us see what is right to do.</div>
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We wish you all light, peace, and joy.</div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Kent and Linnea</span><br />
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Kent's son Jake Kedl, with daughters Rachel, Melanie and Vanessa Kedl, Christmas 2014</h4>
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Linnea and Kent with Saad Hasan and Psyche Philips at Yosemite Falls, November 2015</h4>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-91411777904017114872015-07-15T17:08:00.001-06:002015-07-15T17:08:47.360-06:00The Great Wall<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YVOLQ4-wuQU" width="480"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-78097704575438039512014-12-17T23:57:00.001-07:002014-12-18T13:22:58.907-07:00Journey's End<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We arrived in Singapore in mid-afternoon via two buses from Melaka, with a bit of trudging around with our packs to a money-changer in the heat of the day, then to a subway we didn't take, and finally back to a hotel next to the money-changer for a taxi that dropped us here at this quaint and a bit grand B and B, L Residence, that we'd learned about from Jeanne and Ross and finally managed to book after several unsuccessful attempts.</div>
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Kuala Lumpur</div>
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We had enjoyed our two nights at Traders Hotel in Kuala Lumpur City Center, with its big-city five-star luxury at reasonable Kuala Lumpur prices. We had a view from our room of the Petronas Towers and the lovely park where we did some bird-watching. We spent our first evening people-watching in the nearby shopping mall that was decorated for Christmas, and crowded with shoppers, most of the women wearing colorful robes.</div>
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The next morning we headed to Chinatown on the subway. The stop was near the beautiful Masjid Jamek, where we were warmly greeted and required to don a robe with hood (me) and a skirt (to cover his bare knees, Kent). We had a lovely conversation about Islam with a young woman volunteer who had studied in Terre Haut, Indiana. This oldest mosque in Kuala Lumpur was one of the friendliest I've ever visited, and obviously has a mission to enlighten visitors about Islam.</div>
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Chinatown was hot and chaotic with street markets. We didn't stay long, then decided to walk to the botanical gardens: a mistake! We went back through Merdaka, the central square with its engaging mix of Tudor-style timbered buildings on one side and Romanesque arcades and buildings topped by Arab domes on the other. The gardens were quite a walk up hill, and with the heat and humidity we were soon hot and sweaty. The tourist information had said there was a shuttle to take us around the gardens. But, we walked and walked, and there was no sign of a shuttle. The butterfly house, we were informed, had been replaced by a parking garage. We gave up, took a taxi back to the hotel and went to Harrod's for tea. Not a full-fledged Harrod's by any means, and the tea was nowhere near as extravagant as those at Albuquerque's St. James Tea Room, but nevertheless it was a nice break. From there we went to the Sky Bar at Traders to watch the sunset from cushioned seats next to a window.</div>
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After awhile an older Western man arrived with a beautiful young Malaysian woman in high heels who sat very close to him. He studied the menu, and then she took many pictures of him posed against the windows with the towers behind him. I didn't think she was his daughter. Before we left I asked if they'd like me to take a picture of both of them together, but they said no.</div>
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The following day, sorry to leave our posh hotel room, we nevertheless hoisted our backpacks once more, walked to the subway, and took the train to the long-distance bus terminal, which was absolutely the cleanest, most modern and sparkling bus terminal I've ever seen. We bought tickets for a bus leaving for Melaka in 15 minutes, so there wasn't much chance to explore the terminal. We had good views from our seats near the front, of miles and miles of palm plantations. The roads were modern freeways, the traffic smooth and fast. We were definitely not in Cambodia any more.</div>
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Melaka</div>
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There isn't really all that much to see in Melaka (Malacca) despite its Unesco World Heritage status, but we enjoyed the city, especially the river, and the views from the top of the hill with its ruins of St. Paul's Church, a statue of St. Francis Xavier with his right hand missing (there's a story there), and the Porto de Santiago and the Straits of Malacca below. A free guided walking tour of the historic areas was very well done and a nice contrast to the more commercial elements that seem to be taking over the town. One of the oddest and most amusing sights was the crazily decorated bicycle rickshaws, many with Hello Kitty or Winnie the Pooh, or Disney themes, also wildly lighted at night. It was fun to see traditionally garbed mothers and their children enjoying these colorful rides.</div>
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Written from home</div>
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Singapore: Singapore provided a great transition from the chaos of Southeast Asia to the U.S.A., to California, and finally home to New Mexico. Staying at L Residence was like staying in a family home, and we were very comfortable there. On our first morning, Kent left yesterday's sweaty clothes lying on the floor where he'd left them the night before. When we returned after a long day of sightseeing, they had been washed and folded and left in a laundry basket outside our door. We took a boat ride on the river, ate lunch at a riverside restaurant, then walked to the legendary Raffles hotel where I had a Singapore Sling and Kent had a beer at the Long Bar where the drink was invented. We asked about the display on the history of the hotel, but we were told it had been removed. I enjoyed a few minutes in St. Andrews church, where a display of sheep, wise men and shepherds was being set up in the yard. We had a two-day transit pass, so hopped on a bus to get out of the rain, and eventually ended up we didn't know where. Back again, in search of Orchard Street, where to my delight I found another bridal wedding shoot. We decided to come back when the lights were turned on, and ended up accidentally taking the MRT the long way around to our Botanic Garden stop. When we got there, rain was pouring nonstop. So, after waiting awhile, we went back to Orchard Street where we had dinner and saw the Christmas lights, so odd to us in the rain and heat. </div>
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Upon our return, we walked through the garden in the dark, feeling a little nervous, but there were an amazing number of people walking along the paths. When we came out the other side of the park, we had to ask for directions. It turned out to be a fun stroll (something I'm not sure we'd try in an unfamiliar American city), but even in the relative cool of evening we were dripping wet when we got to our house. I took off everything -- elephant pants, t-shirt, and underwear and washed all in the sink. In the air-conditioned room everything was nicely dry by morning.</div>
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We spent our final morning exploring the entire Botanic a Garden, had lunch in a nearby deli, and headed back for final showers and changing into the traveling clothes that would take us from sweltering Singapore to 50 F San Francisco. I put on leggings and gray skirt and put socks and my merino pullover in the small under-seat pack. It turned out that I got so cold in the air conditioned Changi Airport that I put on all my layers and even got out one of the shawls I'd bought in Malaysia, before we even got on the plane. </div>
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A German Fairytale Christmas Castle in the Check-in area in Changi Airport</div>
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San Francisco</div>
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I cried when we set down in San Francisco. We'd been gone so long, had made it through the entire trip with no major mishaps, and now it was finally almost over. We were safely back in our home country once again.</div>
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Psyche and Saad were there to meet us, and we spent the next day and a half with them before the last short flight to Albuquerque, where Mike and Susan met us and had the heat on in the house. It had snowed that morning, and has snowed again since. We've bought a Christmas tree and are trying to get ready for Christmas and the arrival of Kent's son and three teen-aged granddaughters. Ah, Lazy Beach, you are so far away! </div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-18720294074213135482014-12-07T06:32:00.001-07:002014-12-07T06:32:14.681-07:00Paradise with Ants: Last Afternoon at Lazy Beach<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFhKQa4WGJSZIpBkCN1jy-YN8byhtKyYWBdFPsVQK89F3TPnpwBRGEYDDFczHLLupItIFZw3kNDLhyYv70JUpBuelMyH8z6aYIF2G-AFRJ-HkWSrFu9Wjnh_jGV6Uy2UTYDbX/s640/blogger-image-50421286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFhKQa4WGJSZIpBkCN1jy-YN8byhtKyYWBdFPsVQK89F3TPnpwBRGEYDDFczHLLupItIFZw3kNDLhyYv70JUpBuelMyH8z6aYIF2G-AFRJ-HkWSrFu9Wjnh_jGV6Uy2UTYDbX/s640/blogger-image-50421286.jpg"></a></div><br><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Paradise wasn't perfect. Of course we do live in a fallen world, but the beach here is probably the loveliest I've ever experienced. Clean sand, clear water, gentle waves, no crowds, and perfect temperature of both air and water. A little trash floated up each day-- there is trash everywhere in Cambodia -- and staff and visitors picked it up. The beach, the privacy, and the reefs for snorkeling at each end were all wonderful. Our bungalow was the next to the last one, and a good walk along the beach from the bar and restaurant. It was also one of the most private, meaning we could hose off at the outside faucet and remove our bathers there, and even sit on our porch and be hidden from all but a small patch of beach where few people passed. Hornbills ( a new bird for me), flitted through the trees and one perched for a long time. We also saw a black squirrel with white-tipped tail -- almost like a skunk!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbyYhSwxuA_Bnit0sfOT_LtGqY4bh_mZ9wgfojb7KxXU8j9wQPQnGhQ5W9BRQ3Gdm16oh8KVX6c4N5PqL7K0-MUwlBfXCgmkwoE1SxiUuwIk61oILMg2zNIfDVq09ZrkdKVLv/s640/blogger-image-446531534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbyYhSwxuA_Bnit0sfOT_LtGqY4bh_mZ9wgfojb7KxXU8j9wQPQnGhQ5W9BRQ3Gdm16oh8KVX6c4N5PqL7K0-MUwlBfXCgmkwoE1SxiUuwIk61oILMg2zNIfDVq09ZrkdKVLv/s640/blogger-image-446531534.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We had a metal box with padlock in which to put our valuables (money, credit cards, passports, binoculars, camera, iPad and phone and Kindle, camera, and a bottle of gin. We needed no money, just gave them our room number at the bar.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSP_NsvSMbP947ln4GOcLgC4mjFnpqMu1iJQ1ifyBHYvQGgUGtNLTc9rtX6TFU-VPwLb4jla44xudKE8UXoDDvxMR0m0pVd2QgsLSh-3SivPUOSqRmke6AQfIy2yDDH-DR8RVf/s640/blogger-image--7063894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSP_NsvSMbP947ln4GOcLgC4mjFnpqMu1iJQ1ifyBHYvQGgUGtNLTc9rtX6TFU-VPwLb4jla44xudKE8UXoDDvxMR0m0pVd2QgsLSh-3SivPUOSqRmke6AQfIy2yDDH-DR8RVf/s640/blogger-image--7063894.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiw9VhTCplNo1FJ79tGoiJ6CBapXE0NADGjBZ4ZE26mk2ZqWjArkasHhHPJHvK_ilYsDAPxCRe7UvxrUbvSGMYNByZgrhSb1AbTIlQwoL9e7eQj2zLSpCFn4UjVKwSPhWYHuop/s640/blogger-image--763824127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiw9VhTCplNo1FJ79tGoiJ6CBapXE0NADGjBZ4ZE26mk2ZqWjArkasHhHPJHvK_ilYsDAPxCRe7UvxrUbvSGMYNByZgrhSb1AbTIlQwoL9e7eQj2zLSpCFn4UjVKwSPhWYHuop/s640/blogger-image--763824127.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">What wasn't perfect? I was often hot, and longed for air-conditioning, especially when it was humid and no breezes blew. Our bathroom was full of ants. Also our porch. After yesterday's rain, there were mosquitoes. There is also a resident mouse -- probably several. We did have an electric fan to blow after sundown when the electricity went on until just before sunrise, but it was hard to adjust to be comfortable. To reach the bathroom we went down two steep ladder-like steps, a bit of a challenge. The toilet flushed with water dipped from a large tub we refilled from a faucet above it. The shower was all in one with the room, so everything in the bathroom was always wet. There was cold water only. I much preferred to rinse off at the outdoor hose, although it wasn't long enough to make a decent shower. We had resident mice, and there was a leak in the roof when It rained, plus fine yellow dust constantly sifted down through the thatch. The floor was wide boards with wide spaces open to the ground a couple of feet below. For $60 a night (fairly expensive forCambodia), this was more like an expensive campground than a beach resort. No credit cards, a website, but no online booking. We had to get someone to call, then call again two days before we arrived to confirm,. The sheets on the bed feel more polyester than cotton, and are wrinkled, scratchy, and hot. When one of us moves, the whole bed shakes, and we've done a fair amount of tossing and turning. We pay for drinking water. We brought a large bottle with us.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHm6RK4d_n1QRbCO5uTyi_fg57DVr5LM2KPg38JiQvA2tISJtuEKqN5x9yggA-CBTyGQsT9u3oe5aeVy-DsK5fmmtv50jLREBA92avjmbtUpKv-VJ7D64OATDxeDVobMFoyGC/s640/blogger-image-679215740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHm6RK4d_n1QRbCO5uTyi_fg57DVr5LM2KPg38JiQvA2tISJtuEKqN5x9yggA-CBTyGQsT9u3oe5aeVy-DsK5fmmtv50jLREBA92avjmbtUpKv-VJ7D64OATDxeDVobMFoyGC/s640/blogger-image-679215740.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We bought a bottle of white wine and some Sapphire Blue gin and tonic water before getting on the boat, but how to get ice? We ended up putting the wine bottle in the dipping tub, which at least made it less than hot, and got ice from the bar in glasses on the first night, as there were none in the room. It was mostly melted by the time we walked back here. The next evening we brought a ziplock bag. It also didn't last long enough. Finally, last night we asked if there was a thermos or ice bucket, and bartender Matt offered us a whole bucket of ice, which we wrapped in the clean towels we'd just asked for, and finally had more ice than we could use.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lhVvZ5EmWc1iKLfkWroO6vGnwspreP5h2dboVXNXH1WF2d_vVZiXMKxhFskntskzzGjaAX0QnLuzZijba38e4cF2dnqTKvg1b-B0BgpqPO_4DJD8CRDHxhkYRuEOTQPOI97g/s640/blogger-image-1224445578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lhVvZ5EmWc1iKLfkWroO6vGnwspreP5h2dboVXNXH1WF2d_vVZiXMKxhFskntskzzGjaAX0QnLuzZijba38e4cF2dnqTKvg1b-B0BgpqPO_4DJD8CRDHxhkYRuEOTQPOI97g/s640/blogger-image-1224445578.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">There is no room service, and in fact little service of any kind. You order your food at the bar, although it is brought to your table. Everything costs extra: breakfast, all meals, drinks, mask and snorkel rental, and the boat ride to the island and back. The bar/dining/lounge area has books and games, and there is a ping pong table in an adjacent thatched roofed building. One disadvantage, which we've found everywhere in Asia, is that there are a lot of smokers, so we are always trying to find a place upwind from someone. The dining room is open from 7:30 a.m. Until 9 p.m., with no set mealtimes. At the end of our 4th day here, we are ready for other food, although the food has been quite good. If you want your room cleaned, you have to ask before 10 a.m. We have swept the floor ourselves with the little broom, easy since the sand drops through the cracks. It would have been wonderful to have had a thermos of hot water to make coffee or tea in the morning, and to be able to sit on our porch to watch the sunrise with a cup in hand.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbU5GcxZuKRVjmkFIyQMKxhOLYJTHOzMgWTI0gOWppA1UFU6r-2qlGWOjs-XwsQReg-hKKm8fZnv9lVkPugk_mAgvIafSfQjWm9kD_HdYwzVNlYQLkbxNNDiWmbOjulwwgybV/s640/blogger-image--1613559269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbU5GcxZuKRVjmkFIyQMKxhOLYJTHOzMgWTI0gOWppA1UFU6r-2qlGWOjs-XwsQReg-hKKm8fZnv9lVkPugk_mAgvIafSfQjWm9kD_HdYwzVNlYQLkbxNNDiWmbOjulwwgybV/s640/blogger-image--1613559269.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The staff, mostly young men, probably mostly from Australia, with a support crew of Cambodians is friendly. I still don't know who actually owns this place, however.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The snorkeling, particularly at the far end of the beach closest to us, is quite nice. This morning we went all the way to the end of the point on this end, seeing some very nice coral and quite a few fish, with quite good visibility.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Yesterday morning, after quite a night of rain, lightning, and thunder, we took the path through the jungle for 20 minutes to a beach on the far side of the island. There were many more people there, and several different resorts that did not look nearly so good as Lazy Beach. The beach, although longer was not as pretty or open to the sea as this one.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We look out onto the Gulf of Thailand, toward the west. Tonight just at sunset a huge cruise ship passed. Otherwise we have seen mainly small fishing boats, some made of chunks of styrofoam bound together.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPC2VrrZz9IciOLapdWeHoa2F54l2kbZ6z5xA4hGxM1tU4L0KZF0QPEOozk1LssawZDGn3mYRmXAd6PY07-DqEmEqUbsb6h7IavnZFr5R_YFj8fC1RX2u3zMC7LUQl8IIKNHZt/s640/blogger-image--173705902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPC2VrrZz9IciOLapdWeHoa2F54l2kbZ6z5xA4hGxM1tU4L0KZF0QPEOozk1LssawZDGn3mYRmXAd6PY07-DqEmEqUbsb6h7IavnZFr5R_YFj8fC1RX2u3zMC7LUQl8IIKNHZt/s640/blogger-image--173705902.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I have absolutely loved floating in the warm sea. I would stay in forever, but tonight I'm feeling a bit hot from so much sun. Now it is night and the moon is almost full, so maybe I can slip in for one last swim without having to struggle with my bathing suit.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_aWJ8k1BwQKNcZpRv9CYd29Em4qI-6zUEXwk3TyrnxvHt7PMnWJl8F7ss34lqLmx8z_QVkhwaFJrbSqe-infHYtyOZ0pO5wflvue9u2quklWP8feL3kje6rbeLEOv9qerUpz/s640/blogger-image--1545659353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_aWJ8k1BwQKNcZpRv9CYd29Em4qI-6zUEXwk3TyrnxvHt7PMnWJl8F7ss34lqLmx8z_QVkhwaFJrbSqe-infHYtyOZ0pO5wflvue9u2quklWP8feL3kje6rbeLEOv9qerUpz/s640/blogger-image--1545659353.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Oh, no. After a perfect sunny day, with perhaps somewhat lower humidity, I now hear thunder and see lightning flashes. I may have to forego my moonlight dip.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Tomorrow morning early is the boat back to the mainland (Sihanoukville), and then the bus ride back to Phnom Penh, where I've reserved a room at the old Bougainvillier Hotel on Sisowath Quay for just the one short night before our 8 a.m. flight to Kuala Lumpur where I haven't yet booked a hotel. I suspect I'll have many moments of wishing to be back here floating in this lovely sea.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">5:25 a.m. Friday, December 5. I finally went to sleep despite continuously flashing lightning and loud thunder. It is still lightning this morning as the sky begins to lighten barely perceptibly. I remembered how the tide was out farther than we'd ever seen it when we walked along the beach late in the afternoon, and I thought of the tsunami that hit Indonesia over New Years a few years ago. I suspected a tsunami would wash right over the low parts of the island and completely cover the area between us and the beach on the other side. Would the boat be able to go in the morning? Will we make it to the bus to Phnom Penh, and to your flight tomorrow?</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The dark is lingering longer than usual. I cannot see any details in the sky.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFDThoPz6q2rN3FkDamBO0GrFdxksEmrOSEzpnDou3dbPY5KSPhCrF-ytaDQxm8Fbd9dOTTPjIb5vXHCVcORpx9OBeISauUPf-gp2_YhnLDg4AG0iowj_a7UbkV0I8x2wb0u7/s640/blogger-image--959735437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFDThoPz6q2rN3FkDamBO0GrFdxksEmrOSEzpnDou3dbPY5KSPhCrF-ytaDQxm8Fbd9dOTTPjIb5vXHCVcORpx9OBeISauUPf-gp2_YhnLDg4AG0iowj_a7UbkV0I8x2wb0u7/s640/blogger-image--959735437.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Postscript; I did slip out for a dip in the early morning darkness but the sea was gray in the dark, not shimmering turquoise. It was a long day of travel with a two-hour layover between boat and bus. The Mekong Express VIP bus was much more comfortable than the Golden Bayon bus taken earlier, and it had free wifi on board that was actually worked most of the time. Kent read his book, and I put on my headphones and listened to music. We got stuck in Friday evening traffic once past the airport, making us an hour late arriving. Tuk-tuk to hotel Bougaivillier, nice old place on the Quay with great bathroom and four poster bed. Time there was too short. After showers with hot water in a real bathroom, we drank up the last of our gin with a can of tonic from the room fridge, shared a small margarita pizza on the rooftop bar, then had a brief walk along the Quay. All too soon, 6:30 a.m. departure for the airport, and farewell to Cambodia and hello to Kuala Lumpur. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJhyphenhyphengGGr_df2Y313me2cNOl8-CqMuwCwo-gmE1IWR0ht-UNFVgmhfDVlgkdlbOkyMxT215ihmRV6ufvKOKs7KutINQ5yuf-pCHy5MPW3-l6UodLZxCXGKLr50sqhHPqCkDxdi/s640/blogger-image--800463586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJhyphenhyphengGGr_df2Y313me2cNOl8-CqMuwCwo-gmE1IWR0ht-UNFVgmhfDVlgkdlbOkyMxT215ihmRV6ufvKOKs7KutINQ5yuf-pCHy5MPW3-l6UodLZxCXGKLr50sqhHPqCkDxdi/s640/blogger-image--800463586.jpg"></a></div>King of Cambodia</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBHXkSPeUJEAOEpoDaaF-_bCYFvEZeB3ovfv4WJ4MVjb107ZfVR2Dn6tXQVZM3q7BsphYXqSIjLiaGn9DVm3_8SJpyU7_Ugjp4hDv1n8ckjXIFf5eXqAqHQfvyBFL5i5NBvSt/s640/blogger-image-1320568033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBHXkSPeUJEAOEpoDaaF-_bCYFvEZeB3ovfv4WJ4MVjb107ZfVR2Dn6tXQVZM3q7BsphYXqSIjLiaGn9DVm3_8SJpyU7_Ugjp4hDv1n8ckjXIFf5eXqAqHQfvyBFL5i5NBvSt/s640/blogger-image-1320568033.jpg"></a></div>A bit blurry, but loved this scene from our final tuk-tuk ride to Phnom Penh airport.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Note: We have been happy with Air Asia, a no frills Southwest Airlines of Asia. Clean new planes, on time, nice enough seats, especially for flights of under two hours, and easy to book online. We've managed to be under their weight and carry-on limit without paying to check luggage. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-41634302062460858422014-12-06T03:11:00.001-07:002014-12-06T03:11:57.106-07:00Battambang Surprises<div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2rVkumxwYKeA3y2dxbfSZpGJNeFPNBfICCblRQQUC1fdd3Juy4aEid8pwqPNl7QEIpPOVyXYgEzUtJy6Dw-vF-LuZrs7O-ZWUG9s-Lwq1tzhkkGFL0MXvPBR5VuFeJRNSZkn/s640/blogger-image--809211624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2rVkumxwYKeA3y2dxbfSZpGJNeFPNBfICCblRQQUC1fdd3Juy4aEid8pwqPNl7QEIpPOVyXYgEzUtJy6Dw-vF-LuZrs7O-ZWUG9s-Lwq1tzhkkGFL0MXvPBR5VuFeJRNSZkn/s640/blogger-image--809211624.jpg"></a></div>On the bamboo railroad</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We enjoyed bustling Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, but sleepy Battambang quietly stole my heart. After luxuriating in our deluxe room that first morning, and enjoying coffee on our terrace, I sent Kent down to find out about buses to Sihanoukville and figure out what there was to do and see, while I finished the Thanksgiving Day post and worked on the rest of our trip, </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div><br></div><div>We had been so tired after our all-day boat trip, that after a bit of wandering and a quick dinner in the nearby Eden Cafe (O.K., but not inspired food), we had fallen asleep at once, and we were still feeling a bit worn out. Kent returned with Information about two bus companies, and he had made arrangements with a tuk-tuk driver to see some sights the next day. Name? He didn't ask. Time? 8:30 or 9:30, he couldn't remember. Cost? $20 (too much, I said). Was it the rather hang-dog, desperate-for-more-business driver <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">who had met us at the the boat? He wasn't sure. But, he did speak fairly understandable English. Oh, well.</span></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We booked our bus to Sihanoukville with Golden Bayon, $20 each. Nine hours, they promised although the listing at the hotel said eight. I read reviews of the mini-bus options. All sounded like hair-raising trips, more or less so depending on the driver, and perhaps on the familiarity of the reviewer with Cambodian road trips. We looked at the colonial buildings, mostly obscured by sleazy storefronts, and I watched children playing at the playground in the riverside park. We had a nice light lunch at Bai Jaan, a clean-lined white space with a whole bank of young western women engrossed in their MacBooks. Later we had drinks at Madison Corner on Battambang's "pub street" -- nothing like Siem Reap's noisy, crowded one -- and dinner at Khmer Delight. We would return to both of the restaurants the next day. Most of the time in Battambang I was wondering, "Where is everybody?" </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOe6PFdXqApBRwDRMCotJ1RAGayz3bvxsbeQCmw_7iGQIaf0aYIwiMLtclmpzt8z23Y4FkcQIMw9U-KQ7kSMJjLpBjvfrxeRUypDtKqzuVwUAVvz_J_J1G_mxA1f3XHybigl1-/s640/blogger-image-103042157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOe6PFdXqApBRwDRMCotJ1RAGayz3bvxsbeQCmw_7iGQIaf0aYIwiMLtclmpzt8z23Y4FkcQIMw9U-KQ7kSMJjLpBjvfrxeRUypDtKqzuVwUAVvz_J_J1G_mxA1f3XHybigl1-/s640/blogger-image-103042157.jpg"></a></div>I don't know what this man was doing with these green bottles of river water.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The next morning, Jack, our tuk-tuk driver was there shortly after 9. I immediately recognized that he had been our driver from the ferry, so I wasn't expecting much. Kent and I had had a conversation in Phnom Penh when Sam, a somewhat older and ugly fellow was our driver from the boat to hotel. He left us his phone number, which we never called. Outside the hotel were many eager, handsome, and charming chaps who called to us every time we entered the street (which was a lot of times since the door to our room was around the corner from the FCC's entrance). I'd told Kent that I'd rather ride with one of them, but Kent said it was the Sams of the world who needed our business, and he was right. Jack, with whom I'd been initially so unimpressed, turned out to be a real treasure.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He took us first to the bamboo railroad, partly by way of quiet back roads after a stop at a traffic circle where there was a huge statue where many people were leaving offerings. Jack explained that it was the first quarter of the moon, so many people came to pray on that day. I realized that it had been just eight days since we'd witnessed similar offerings and prayers on the Quay in Phnom Penh, which must have been at the time of the new moon. I put a small donation in the Red Cross box at the altar. </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The bamboo railroad is unique to Battambang, and is well-described in the tourist literature. It is used to transport freight, although I think it now exists mainly for tourists. For $5 each we got to ride to a stopping point about 20 minutes away, and back again. A tour bus group just ahead of us went only one way. The cart, a bamboo platform on wheels is driven by a small motor. When one cart meets another, the cart with the fewest number of people has to be taken off the track to let the other cart pass. Both meeting drivers helped move the pieces of the cart, so all we had to do was jump off and on again. It was a fun ride, the tracks were far from straight, and we bumped and lurched along through the pastoral countryside, at what felt like great speed since we were so close to the ground. On the way back we had to dismount at least 4 times to let others pass, always an occasion for merriment. </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRpcNESBsHbDZgs7A2tAuHdamvbKH8wsuIMIaquJes4Jq_gYIyPfVShS9XUpoVwDPV9Y7FsfSBNUqsgih_btw17fT_9Vj6sKMpmxtJbG9-z4l2jiK2yMN9U2tCRa_wIDIE1SA/s640/blogger-image--360079990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRpcNESBsHbDZgs7A2tAuHdamvbKH8wsuIMIaquJes4Jq_gYIyPfVShS9XUpoVwDPV9Y7FsfSBNUqsgih_btw17fT_9Vj6sKMpmxtJbG9-z4l2jiK2yMN9U2tCRa_wIDIE1SA/s640/blogger-image--360079990.jpg"></a></div>This vendor was such a good actor, I told her she ough</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">t to be in movies. She was happy i paid too much for one scarf, but she had hoped to sell me six.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After the bamboo railroad we drove through more picturesque back roads to two suspension bridges for pedestrians and two-wheeled vehicles. Jack accompanied us across the bridges and answered many questions for us, about the river's flow and what we were seeing. A group of women, all conservatively dressed in long dark skirts and white blouses, were returning from the temple, carrying stacked tin dishes (some looked like they may have been made of elaborate silver) in which they had carried offerings of food for the monks. They stopped to rest in a shelter by the bridge, and I was surprised to see one light a cigarette. Nearby in the brush on the riverbank was something that looked like a mailbox with a cup of coffee or tea and a dish of seeds or nuts on the open door. A satchel of some kind was at its foot. Jack explained that this marked the place of a serious accident or death, and people left offerings there as at a grave. I was reminded of New Mexico's descansos.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9EdoOEK2-QPoOu3BPhKudbAoP7ZRUelmK78yYJpoESG8kF4GY4gOSjbkSDbjApE10VcfH8xkAPM-ciXfF0JYwSYcuo2KJaBgwEOqE6_P0pFOLcYMtEEONTsZXi5beVX1XaFxw/s640/blogger-image--416858314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9EdoOEK2-QPoOu3BPhKudbAoP7ZRUelmK78yYJpoESG8kF4GY4gOSjbkSDbjApE10VcfH8xkAPM-ciXfF0JYwSYcuo2KJaBgwEOqE6_P0pFOLcYMtEEONTsZXi5beVX1XaFxw/s640/blogger-image--416858314.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We stopped to walk through a fishing village centered around a mosque, where many of the women wore headscarves, and the children played in the water. We finished up at a couple of trees full of enormous fruit bats, and finally made a stop at a winery. We paid to sample the wine, but the only one we really liked was the grape juice, which was very expensive, so we didn't buy anything.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi88DWvIYAoFcdyw84oK2R-SYWaCGCFFtIoQbc6TJLY0mm5uXIjYPwyzJWcMHchDTGMo9IF8sUm3aLSbBnnzptQTSVpu62pccdA9Ej_e17edVgOlsfzKJHEGExnBAw6o-jYgBT/s640/blogger-image--898740073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi88DWvIYAoFcdyw84oK2R-SYWaCGCFFtIoQbc6TJLY0mm5uXIjYPwyzJWcMHchDTGMo9IF8sUm3aLSbBnnzptQTSVpu62pccdA9Ej_e17edVgOlsfzKJHEGExnBAw6o-jYgBT/s640/blogger-image--898740073.jpg"></a></div>Waterfront at Muslim fishing village</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHsLZTS0n74jFcE_OvB5GMBsN0Rr_8_m8DviAe43Ukfs_3kGjf6he0eYTt36LX-RYyw7nmanhm4NKPkWVjFMRu5gRSTyqY2vUoFCJWsCO_c47B3GmoxIlveHebE8u2I2qwL_e/s640/blogger-image-1959817902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHsLZTS0n74jFcE_OvB5GMBsN0Rr_8_m8DviAe43Ukfs_3kGjf6he0eYTt36LX-RYyw7nmanhm4NKPkWVjFMRu5gRSTyqY2vUoFCJWsCO_c47B3GmoxIlveHebE8u2I2qwL_e/s640/blogger-image-1959817902.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yHkmoVNGX7vFhkccaK-S-CpK-RZSOpUAvvKT5G9BAPNAg4n4OC54NqVqJv813jHRQakuyhzaiQxxuc81312kcpidgpCRjkrwjhEwYWCiAr3a-2VO09poJ1DFPI_bBnyowlRt/s640/blogger-image--551157681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yHkmoVNGX7vFhkccaK-S-CpK-RZSOpUAvvKT5G9BAPNAg4n4OC54NqVqJv813jHRQakuyhzaiQxxuc81312kcpidgpCRjkrwjhEwYWCiAr3a-2VO09poJ1DFPI_bBnyowlRt/s640/blogger-image--551157681.jpg"></a></div>Fruit bats</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">In late afternoon after lunch and a rest, Jack took us to a bat cave and a mountain with a temple on top, and offered to climb the mountain with us. It was quite a climb in that intense heat and humidity. I was relieved that I wasn't the only one drenched in sweat. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZQRtQwrLI5YinWStdXKBppiQTCSY4VG3_e6VjvXTdVCL0pSMx2TL1DBK6Z3REW-ZAgKhyphenhyphenCduCW5gWmk19zzC_iOsPAQBQfiUWansGotP9_zQw6HABl2fQNgfwp2eV5BvuXWF/s640/blogger-image-648018914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZQRtQwrLI5YinWStdXKBppiQTCSY4VG3_e6VjvXTdVCL0pSMx2TL1DBK6Z3REW-ZAgKhyphenhyphenCduCW5gWmk19zzC_iOsPAQBQfiUWansGotP9_zQw6HABl2fQNgfwp2eV5BvuXWF/s640/blogger-image-648018914.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtYREllpTJqycS_oPJKLFQvohUE61iirwLwXpmhq3HyLA7uEV4kuld4Y37Rv6YS4z4znmRoVKE_KUsQbeA3J92aawFfvsOUL8DFUXQrH5HCzyJOSpEw0OrIL76F10l5c8WxQo/s640/blogger-image--830651869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtYREllpTJqycS_oPJKLFQvohUE61iirwLwXpmhq3HyLA7uEV4kuld4Y37Rv6YS4z4znmRoVKE_KUsQbeA3J92aawFfvsOUL8DFUXQrH5HCzyJOSpEw0OrIL76F10l5c8WxQo/s640/blogger-image--830651869.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">As we walked we'd pause to catch our breath and Jack told us mythological stories about the origin <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">of the mountains. At the first summit we came to a temple that had been used as a prison under Pol Pot, and nearby there was a chilling and somber cave, where men on one side and women on the other had been pushed through holes in the ground to their deaths, or killed and then pushed into the holes. I hadn't known we were going to see this. The cave had at one time been full of decaying bodies and bones. Some bones remain in the lower regions of the cave. We walked only a little below the temple with a reclining Buddha, now in a space that had once been a theater, and later the scene of massive and horrible deaths, now a memorial as well. We shone our flashlights into the depths, but I had no desire to go much farther. One tall glass box in the temple area held bones and skulls. I felt compelled to pray there, in this place of suffering and death. I took off my shoes, knelt, and made an offering before the reclining Buddha. I lit a stick of incense, and the old man in charge tied a red thread around my wrist. I was heartened to see that many more people followed after me, as there had been almost no one praying there when we arrived.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgOtj8p1QsI_ZPunaYBVFWpDoZwT5NH5QpwgDVYbjXswH1_8Iv7bN9coOUDmlIlY7VAMM85f2wrV_3HGKr8XM3aSB8cp6Pz66nBzH2gyRnVD1RIFGvP54GqVh-eejWfFg9VPE/s640/blogger-image-1692601086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgOtj8p1QsI_ZPunaYBVFWpDoZwT5NH5QpwgDVYbjXswH1_8Iv7bN9coOUDmlIlY7VAMM85f2wrV_3HGKr8XM3aSB8cp6Pz66nBzH2gyRnVD1RIFGvP54GqVh-eejWfFg9VPE/s640/blogger-image-1692601086.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After we climbed back out, Jack took us through small overgrown paths to stand at the edge of the two holes through which victims had been pushed into the cave, one hole for women and another for men. We would not have gone there without Jack. I looked down and tried to imagine what it would be like to die there. Higher up hill, by another Buddha statue, I asked Jack if he had lived through any of this time. It was a bit hard to understand everything, but he told us he was born in 1972, so he had lived through the entire Khmer Rouge period. Once when he was a child out selling rice, soldiers had captured him, but his father cried and pleaded and the soldiers had let him go. Later his father was killed by the Khmer Rouge. Jack still lives with his mother. I asked if he had never married, as one of his friends had been teasing him -- his Khmer names means banana, and they were joking with him, calling him Banana. He said he had liked many girls when he was young, but they had not liked him, and besides his family was very poor. They had been rice farmers in the countryside about 10 km from Battambang. There was much more we talked about. </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5XIZiOVgeWWdDeNgNZaooWBvYQe84b5f6BgPIcj9s_e33IpC7BiBtsBloljZ8hIkLoTk9HKMW47qhPAr2tln68pyR27T_4QRMZwGwBqGnzSriht1VHXI4I1pdvm_4j5PBAos/s640/blogger-image--509880193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5XIZiOVgeWWdDeNgNZaooWBvYQe84b5f6BgPIcj9s_e33IpC7BiBtsBloljZ8hIkLoTk9HKMW47qhPAr2tln68pyR27T_4QRMZwGwBqGnzSriht1VHXI4I1pdvm_4j5PBAos/s640/blogger-image--509880193.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUBSWr5HEczFCEF0ERasYowYsY49oCaE7ogf1_gVQ2UEg8_tfIrIF-nokFWjtNyNATksVvuHKDsn1KwuliL_dSAn8VFTYSDTYDeMIp8K-VYYALfZ7dmRNK8wX0mHZ7GYgGOJk/s640/blogger-image--1079610210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUBSWr5HEczFCEF0ERasYowYsY49oCaE7ogf1_gVQ2UEg8_tfIrIF-nokFWjtNyNATksVvuHKDsn1KwuliL_dSAn8VFTYSDTYDeMIp8K-VYYALfZ7dmRNK8wX0mHZ7GYgGOJk/s640/blogger-image--1079610210.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We finished our climb to the highest part of the mountain, then walked down many many steps to the bottom and on to the mouth of the bat cave, which we reached just before the bats began pouring out at dusk, just as they do at Carlsbad caverns. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">These were small insect-eating bats, not the large ones we'd seen earlier. A huge crowd of people and tuk-tuks had gathered for this evening event. Everyone oohed when when the bat stream widened and flew right across the half moon.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfdWfpN3E2s9NowV1ele0Hr7Y-ruusQUFvmdik_-M_VfCVRNsRK4C6odpFd4ACtuU41m8nULNuxu-urN_8n6VS-7jbzzPUdlU4TbFDjjx3kVowvYaGnvO3G1DkqnV6x7Jto40/s640/blogger-image--415891677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfdWfpN3E2s9NowV1ele0Hr7Y-ruusQUFvmdik_-M_VfCVRNsRK4C6odpFd4ACtuU41m8nULNuxu-urN_8n6VS-7jbzzPUdlU4TbFDjjx3kVowvYaGnvO3G1DkqnV6x7Jto40/s640/blogger-image--415891677.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KgWIQtQv1gdc-mgW7DwAjDKXSKMjk0Ia7T1a4PaysAucLOCn0S7aRan9wM2DDSoTyUBqftYVBnWyYsaE6xO_MLIhlUqbfpCw5N587-AR5jpRqEQiGeEVxX6dMDwGtrm7Zuuh/s640/blogger-image-1285872209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KgWIQtQv1gdc-mgW7DwAjDKXSKMjk0Ia7T1a4PaysAucLOCn0S7aRan9wM2DDSoTyUBqftYVBnWyYsaE6xO_MLIhlUqbfpCw5N587-AR5jpRqEQiGeEVxX6dMDwGtrm7Zuuh/s640/blogger-image-1285872209.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Our day with Jack had been well-worth $20, and we gave him $5 more, to help him afford a wife, I told him, and he laughed, $5 for a wife! I told him not to give up, that some young women chose older husbands, and that I had done so once myself. We were truly sorry to say good-bye.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsEZRn6drHGA8YVovhuOi7PlzFt7DewQty7kgSkibF6q2l86A6JS2So2nFc8hLNM-RhPSGoChjH4zZy-UYFQVjFR5zN1BhFHqsofGL5w6B2LH_4f6q29cjRHkqqwhjtHXnMVL/s640/blogger-image-1096812566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsEZRn6drHGA8YVovhuOi7PlzFt7DewQty7kgSkibF6q2l86A6JS2So2nFc8hLNM-RhPSGoChjH4zZy-UYFQVjFR5zN1BhFHqsofGL5w6B2LH_4f6q29cjRHkqqwhjtHXnMVL/s640/blogger-image-1096812566.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Jack and Kent</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-82069468263419776552014-11-28T17:13:00.001-07:002014-11-28T17:13:53.030-07:00Thanksgiving on a Cambodian Boat<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmuiAlPDL1pw_U4o6AHpuFXKW70FSJXmb0GvEF3lQH3YsCpfD5NbPd7jeyNQ5BVUca64NAfgxAf9wtBoc3iO71Da920EDMtQ4CD8umn2PQ749-PRYaAggrciFNBqadmNdfckx/s640/blogger-image--732682361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmuiAlPDL1pw_U4o6AHpuFXKW70FSJXmb0GvEF3lQH3YsCpfD5NbPd7jeyNQ5BVUca64NAfgxAf9wtBoc3iO71Da920EDMtQ4CD8umn2PQ749-PRYaAggrciFNBqadmNdfckx/s640/blogger-image--732682361.jpg"></a></div>Waiting for the taxi<br><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJv_k9biA_AQElY8Mbjrvr9uT3LCVw9AO6iX6lR5JhWZMZ5tvXRJV3JQaq-NMCbPlT0RTmyJrcAwPjQK0krMbA1mBrFsKLqNjOBnbEtcTwA5TvnxX-OzziSleC7FqgOOlM4QVC/s640/blogger-image--71650982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJv_k9biA_AQElY8Mbjrvr9uT3LCVw9AO6iX6lR5JhWZMZ5tvXRJV3JQaq-NMCbPlT0RTmyJrcAwPjQK0krMbA1mBrFsKLqNjOBnbEtcTwA5TvnxX-OzziSleC7FqgOOlM4QVC/s640/blogger-image--71650982.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxSGZ6uwQjs-hdaFpdXzjwGzXyCblXfFKl9wnNgL4RW7Rx0ShoV4XRUipKugBPRCbaD_SkauaoAxWyfFXIOOh6If_vyachtZ9Ta45tPUHMfLqBApr95JzT1kH0k7sS4wVWsO_/s640/blogger-image--1199555248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxSGZ6uwQjs-hdaFpdXzjwGzXyCblXfFKl9wnNgL4RW7Rx0ShoV4XRUipKugBPRCbaD_SkauaoAxWyfFXIOOh6If_vyachtZ9Ta45tPUHMfLqBApr95JzT1kH0k7sS4wVWsO_/s640/blogger-image--1199555248.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The boat trip along various waterways between Siem Reap and Battambang (third syllable pronounced "bong") is touted as Cambodia's premier river voyage, and indeed, it was an unforgettable experience, with many opportunities to be thankful. We were thankful when the taxi to the boat finally arrived at 6:30 a.m., after we had been waiting for half an hour. We were also thankful to finally reach the boat, after several mysterious stops, nearly an hour later, and even more thankful when the boat finally departed, nearly a hour after that and its scheduled departure time, as an endless stream of people, mostly backpackers, but a few Cambodians and a few tourists with enormous suitcases crowded onto the boat, which had seats for perhaps half the passengers. Extra passengers sprawled on the roof of the boat, and some napped on top of the luggage. Seated on the narrow board seat in front of us, was a sweet Cambodian mother with a small baby with two bottom teeth (is that a 4-month or six-month-old?). Of course he was adorable, and of course he wore no diapers. The first time he peed a puddle onto the floor, the mother motioned to us to move our backpack, and it was a good thing we did. She took his wet pants, wiped him and the seat off with a towel, and soon put him in dry pants, until the whole scenario was repeated in what seemed like less than an hour later. He was a good baby, and slept for much of the trip. Mother and babe departed somewhat less than half-way, at one of the larger floating villages, where they were met by a handsome young man (perhaps her husband) in a smaller boat, onto which she and baby and considerable baggage, including a yellow electric fan, departed. The empty seat was eagerly grabbed by a young French couple. We were not eager to move up to the now dry seat, but who knows what had been on our seat during previous trips?</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzjNHukJL_QIwGwLIQsUVimGkzhQU495VObMLye-lEf_lS7ZeQCTYWo2JBrG7ANzfmayHv0gutwcISASM51qqog1TY0rwTSgBvNo1mWq3hlpKeW_Y9gqvE69RwFQ0BwpltO_k/s640/blogger-image--1629205049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzjNHukJL_QIwGwLIQsUVimGkzhQU495VObMLye-lEf_lS7ZeQCTYWo2JBrG7ANzfmayHv0gutwcISASM51qqog1TY0rwTSgBvNo1mWq3hlpKeW_Y9gqvE69RwFQ0BwpltO_k/s640/blogger-image--1629205049.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTyIQj0C67G_FDvatrKQ007khaSmEKpIoyOrnZbvrtQ6XKRWmBPaJCyRJfAkXGR11rT86FVxXCC66DziUy4doSEpslssAzUZeRtW8LcOqpX_e_UeJLntAlUINEeXKCRlx40MqA/s640/blogger-image-1041130179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTyIQj0C67G_FDvatrKQ007khaSmEKpIoyOrnZbvrtQ6XKRWmBPaJCyRJfAkXGR11rT86FVxXCC66DziUy4doSEpslssAzUZeRtW8LcOqpX_e_UeJLntAlUINEeXKCRlx40MqA/s640/blogger-image-1041130179.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Sounding its horn as it approached, the boat would stop at floating docks or be joined by other boats in the floating villages, and passengers and/or freight would be loaded or unloaded. All this slowed us down, but it was fascinating to watch. About 3 or 4 hours into the trip we tied up at a floating restaurant/shop for 20 minutes. There was nowhere to go, just a 30x30 foot raft, no restroom, an ice chest with cold drinks (also available on the boat, $1 a can whether beer or Coke), and a glass case with potato chips, cookies, and crackers. Some hungry passengers ordered food ladled out of huge pots or sizzling on a fire, but it didn't look that inviting to us.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JV7sf7fq6iL7sidO8WJrVi_51-305oTRev8cYqRjXVIAa4lIvIhfX32OO6SHb2kUHF6m-cM0wcQf_ELak-4LoweT8H-GpfswyAEULFQUYUJK8aP95kNnx5NlnCXGFuFM7xE8/s640/blogger-image-310197071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JV7sf7fq6iL7sidO8WJrVi_51-305oTRev8cYqRjXVIAa4lIvIhfX32OO6SHb2kUHF6m-cM0wcQf_ELak-4LoweT8H-GpfswyAEULFQUYUJK8aP95kNnx5NlnCXGFuFM7xE8/s640/blogger-image-310197071.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpqBXv1ycZRxDvYzeltfffh2BDfN5fzOiRcLPjCaUc2tKEWfODUw0w9rje9e4dCOmGxfDdbHj7kmTK7dhwcKCAeotj6SSY7rRy8LMQ8i0tK48yOsmaHMfokImJBphWdEeBPz3/s640/blogger-image--1495950968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdpqBXv1ycZRxDvYzeltfffh2BDfN5fzOiRcLPjCaUc2tKEWfODUw0w9rje9e4dCOmGxfDdbHj7kmTK7dhwcKCAeotj6SSY7rRy8LMQ8i0tK48yOsmaHMfokImJBphWdEeBPz3/s640/blogger-image--1495950968.jpg"></a></div>This little guy was in charge of the boat that ferried the passenger out to our boat.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_e4agMgYwasVRZ5CcFrdzj27HlWJINYir7cS3fjro7zMmNovaJcRJPDgdayvd00moRtIwhBZtWK4Y1hscSfkwn-dL4XRn8w0hnf4BhsYN926A17z2CdKH1lQT9bqEChYZ_Oy/s640/blogger-image-75945100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_e4agMgYwasVRZ5CcFrdzj27HlWJINYir7cS3fjro7zMmNovaJcRJPDgdayvd00moRtIwhBZtWK4Y1hscSfkwn-dL4XRn8w0hnf4BhsYN926A17z2CdKH1lQT9bqEChYZ_Oy/s640/blogger-image-75945100.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">It was after this stop that the boat turned into a narrow passage that became narrower and narrower. Soon those of us on the starboard side were getting whipped by branches like the Whomping Willow. Soon no one was seated on that side, causing the boat to keel even more precariously to the left than it had been doing all along. Then, crunch. The boat came to a standstill, stuck, completely surrounded by trees. A man with a paddle pushed from the prow and grabbed branches to pull us along. The engine chugged and groaned. Big thunderclouds formed overhead, and I hoped a rain might raise the water level. It was hot, especially since we were no longer moving. I had expected this boat to be a bit like The African Queen, but I had no idea how closely our journey would resemble that of Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNtbB_nP7rnynMXxiYhJcKeFoAI-kY3GpOQS5Y3130tLnA7CRCuQ3wXw0lYlSqA-mBV4scAqUp8sJbmjVCjjIY6Du79sGd4fDqSRlx65tACQsSJ5KVKMEf0lEu3ZtT4zKoPFf/s640/blogger-image--1943109486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUNtbB_nP7rnynMXxiYhJcKeFoAI-kY3GpOQS5Y3130tLnA7CRCuQ3wXw0lYlSqA-mBV4scAqUp8sJbmjVCjjIY6Du79sGd4fDqSRlx65tACQsSJ5KVKMEf0lEu3ZtT4zKoPFf/s640/blogger-image--1943109486.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQBHCrYB8gbsdlXnnyjW7Obc-DYIwB8qFTuYsp3yajA7VVzkhqfeYGZkTfFfJEiPiwqGQX-fcUU5KmYs3-itpW9tKJHsZvfdLotvRmKEAjQxP_NDK9qgddbaGHw0nY93v5fOH/s640/blogger-image-637688923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQBHCrYB8gbsdlXnnyjW7Obc-DYIwB8qFTuYsp3yajA7VVzkhqfeYGZkTfFfJEiPiwqGQX-fcUU5KmYs3-itpW9tKJHsZvfdLotvRmKEAjQxP_NDK9qgddbaGHw0nY93v5fOH/s640/blogger-image-637688923.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafnsk0jvwsojRbI8CMZ_UWhDuI-GM4mVJsKxng-x5zCHnJTRJN1_Mm3B6Ew8JHHyKVNTdgW8eIYY6VyvvgMubRh4WlY6fhIg1OqCKeKr8AadfqsbExYVJdol6iwTrhQQSE1C4/s640/blogger-image--586485000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafnsk0jvwsojRbI8CMZ_UWhDuI-GM4mVJsKxng-x5zCHnJTRJN1_Mm3B6Ew8JHHyKVNTdgW8eIYY6VyvvgMubRh4WlY6fhIg1OqCKeKr8AadfqsbExYVJdol6iwTrhQQSE1C4/s640/blogger-image--586485000.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I envisioned a night on that miserable boat. Or waiting for hours for a replacement boat. Or all of us leaping overboard to wade and push and pull the boat. Finally, after a lot of chugging and groaning, and a few loud bangs, the boat began to edge forward. We could see open water to our left, but it was separated from our channel by a large expanse of mud. Eventually we moved forward into open, but shallow water. Something had broken. So, there was no collective sigh of relief, no cheering yet. The driver killed the engine and disappeared to the back of the boat. Another long wait. We could see small floating houses ahead, but they certainly couldn't offer us much in the way of sustenance or shelter. The crowd on the boat would sink them. Finally, after a few loud bangs, the driver came forward. Another driver took over, the engine roared to life again, and the boat slowly moved out of the shallows, and eventually into a real river, the Sangker, which flows from Battambang. When the engine finally started again and we moved forward, there was a feeble cheer from the passengers.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7OXzSSjoJCtKxwOlpO8mZPAYQiGrWhnzpN2p3fM-DAEtxQ3C_RYvMgDnfh_IJoPMZIA2mMHNHxBZ7lnNkvDHT7-hLHAPW30U3KYFlwAyGyJhUOIsiHX2zY9dw6eulWvX6xHE/s640/blogger-image-1366502109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7OXzSSjoJCtKxwOlpO8mZPAYQiGrWhnzpN2p3fM-DAEtxQ3C_RYvMgDnfh_IJoPMZIA2mMHNHxBZ7lnNkvDHT7-hLHAPW30U3KYFlwAyGyJhUOIsiHX2zY9dw6eulWvX6xHE/s640/blogger-image-1366502109.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwyhv4Tis8ynn_NFAvcc1d41VzLUlSIKZhhVQj8gzI7U9KMfFY3rSMihPFfB1sFDA_BbjYkI2ccUsO0MmgEffp24uT9QwhIv2sMxVKJfrxZhH8ynEiyf3EDG-3faZUc6H25Qy/s640/blogger-image--579038935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwyhv4Tis8ynn_NFAvcc1d41VzLUlSIKZhhVQj8gzI7U9KMfFY3rSMihPFfB1sFDA_BbjYkI2ccUsO0MmgEffp24uT9QwhIv2sMxVKJfrxZhH8ynEiyf3EDG-3faZUc6H25Qy/s640/blogger-image--579038935.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The trip became more scenic again along the river. The floating houses gave way to houses on stilts and and houses along the riverbanks. Many fishing people, both men and women, were setting nets and fish traps from their small long boats, and our big boat had to steer around the nets kept afloat by plastic bottles. We saw a tractor on the bank, then motorcycles, so we knew we'd come to dry land.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIBL82X5sIzMxhxEQSPoguyx9cY6u-8EdaBTeHlvlR4cyZS_RXmJ4i81PAif_TlTIb5AecuIHvmClo-d2duGaaXYWpQQCrd87VSfyBEudPWYiqSOQFmRpCvgG50ZBkJ-RvQ6p/s640/blogger-image-1625783260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIBL82X5sIzMxhxEQSPoguyx9cY6u-8EdaBTeHlvlR4cyZS_RXmJ4i81PAif_TlTIb5AecuIHvmClo-d2duGaaXYWpQQCrd87VSfyBEudPWYiqSOQFmRpCvgG50ZBkJ-RvQ6p/s640/blogger-image-1625783260.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Among my favorite memories of the trip were the children who greeted us by waving enthusiastically as the boat passed. Unlike the children in Siem Reap, these were not begging or hawking, but just genuinely excited to have a boatload of people floating by. Even babies, held by mothers or fathers waved, and some children engaged in antics, leaping into the water or sliding down muddy banks as we passed. One little boy on the deck of a boat was chopping something with an enormous cleaver. Women washed dishes and clothes in the muddy river.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQId6cKurhtdnhEh8C2x0AVSsWpPITXykY0_ozkneT6tbasZcizrzhWU74l6HKvB5_PFTUoiDWfNS5TLR4yWZVVsanaVGn6HHi93qqC5-1kvWVEOMmde_8ETXRwfgmIowVaK0o/s640/blogger-image-954937157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQId6cKurhtdnhEh8C2x0AVSsWpPITXykY0_ozkneT6tbasZcizrzhWU74l6HKvB5_PFTUoiDWfNS5TLR4yWZVVsanaVGn6HHi93qqC5-1kvWVEOMmde_8ETXRwfgmIowVaK0o/s640/blogger-image-954937157.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrsUnVIpYyH1Wr6yhWQVymgkqUQGojJzXJTfMmfiKBr0bfZEBsaviSDg5yQC4Nr-3IifWtOcTjSJliF86AofXpOSz5jaUrYXhVjB2CbsjtBlBu4anfOA63oEySP9LavZ154BP/s640/blogger-image-2029003794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrsUnVIpYyH1Wr6yhWQVymgkqUQGojJzXJTfMmfiKBr0bfZEBsaviSDg5yQC4Nr-3IifWtOcTjSJliF86AofXpOSz5jaUrYXhVjB2CbsjtBlBu4anfOA63oEySP9LavZ154BP/s640/blogger-image-2029003794.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">As we grew closer to Battambang, cargo and people began to unload at small spots along the bank. One month after the end of the rainy season in October, the banks were already high above the water, and in places completely covered in trash. At one point we let off a woman with three children and many very heavy sacks of stuff. The little children dragged the heavy sacks to the front of the boat, and got some help lifting them up the steps and off the boat. Soon the whole family and all the heavy load, with the help of a greeting husband, were on the bank, and as we floated away they were struggling up the bank with the goods, the little children determined to do their part in hauling up the bags that were larger and heavier than they were.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaDrEENeArsvBfgNMLR8sBqaV_-fcJOl0C4kuVUij12dNMrDAVBFrsZSh1F0QhXL23xNr2JXClKtply7O4jPUyaBPs-2yqIeVSfUiTchETE19sJZlnh9B80tuCufkuEwRXpjf/s640/blogger-image--1409004035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaDrEENeArsvBfgNMLR8sBqaV_-fcJOl0C4kuVUij12dNMrDAVBFrsZSh1F0QhXL23xNr2JXClKtply7O4jPUyaBPs-2yqIeVSfUiTchETE19sJZlnh9B80tuCufkuEwRXpjf/s640/blogger-image--1409004035.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Even though these stops lengthened the trip, they added much to the experience. This was not just a tourist boat, but a lifeline and link to the outside world for people living in isolated small communities, living a traditional way of life, leaving a very small footprint. No electricity, no cars, no heat, but wood for cooking. No air conditioning. No household appliances or fancy furniture. Some had boats with motors, many had boats they paddled. No Black Friday shopping sprees for these folks. I was thankful for the glimpse into their lives that this river trip gave me. I am still trying to comprehend what lives and communities like this could be like. Perhaps I can find some books that will tell me more. I did not see expressions of anger or frustration. I did not see or hear children crying or complaining.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I am thankful to have had the experience of this river trip, and I was even more thankful when the trip was over. Shouldering our packs, we staggered up the steep and rickety steps <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(at least we had step) t</span>o the top of the bank, not knowing what we'd find. We were greeted by a sea of faces and cards with hotel names and people names. I had reserved a hotel room, but I didn't remember specifying that I wanted to be met, but there was a sign reading "Linnea Hendrickson"! Weary and grateful we seated ourselves in the tuk-tuk for the short ride to the hotel. No air conditioning in the lobby, where I had to go through all the formalities, then we were lead up to our room on the 5th floor, a deluxe room with air conditioning, a bathroom and shower, massive carved wooden furniture, views over the city and a terrace. We were very thankful to have arrived in this room, and to not be spending Thanksgiving night in a crowded boat stuck in a swamp, although that might have made a better story.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRXDPM1NUTfUMngxiFs8_EDEIzlLjZ5pAIF1_HI43Z_rdvzf5QmOYHemK9DxCES9YlcnQz4ba4WBGrlrwPWSziBrvLh-8Y6XyJeHobEsGgGQ46LOuPrvFL9AgcqmL4gYK4TWRM/s640/blogger-image--809482117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRXDPM1NUTfUMngxiFs8_EDEIzlLjZ5pAIF1_HI43Z_rdvzf5QmOYHemK9DxCES9YlcnQz4ba4WBGrlrwPWSziBrvLh-8Y6XyJeHobEsGgGQ46LOuPrvFL9AgcqmL4gYK4TWRM/s640/blogger-image--809482117.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Arrival</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-5025236665575239672014-11-23T02:08:00.001-07:002014-11-23T02:08:05.411-07:00Two days and nights in Phnom Penh<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16cbY5kajE5_cmaZNDy3nW8c9Gwlc2MlPM2tOzS6J2kLvrZSW6nmis0SVVuYUiF4OVez0kTlCZnO3_kJNKs_NSUKjx38zJ-d_IptKBGgoaitWJGp7dJyxBohtc9TVaIUAH96T/s640/blogger-image--1794245638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16cbY5kajE5_cmaZNDy3nW8c9Gwlc2MlPM2tOzS6J2kLvrZSW6nmis0SVVuYUiF4OVez0kTlCZnO3_kJNKs_NSUKjx38zJ-d_IptKBGgoaitWJGp7dJyxBohtc9TVaIUAH96T/s640/blogger-image--1794245638.jpg"></a></div><br><div><br></div><div>1. It is hot, day and night, with occasional respite from breezes off the river</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vYdo8Kn7N_iNH3Q9FjwkXIdnbS2j4ohtQIV2H67RRTc5Dl8O4coXBr_x5qpo2UUPLneUWsi1lu8WE2jv__7GUKsrhmUWovXAs904B7pQ4thMQ69qagYuu8OGgdm4wlcCUaxl/s640/blogger-image-2021123499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vYdo8Kn7N_iNH3Q9FjwkXIdnbS2j4ohtQIV2H67RRTc5Dl8O4coXBr_x5qpo2UUPLneUWsi1lu8WE2jv__7GUKsrhmUWovXAs904B7pQ4thMQ69qagYuu8OGgdm4wlcCUaxl/s640/blogger-image-2021123499.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>2. The river is mesmerizing, constantly flowing, boats of all kinds and sizes going upstream and down, flags of all nations flying brightly along Sisowath Quay, full of walkers, tourists, local</div><div>folks, vendors with water and soft drinks in ice chests, fishermen and women, whole families with children playing, lovers, old folks, tut-tuk drivers wanting to take you to all the sights, and unfortunately far too many beggars, some missing limbs, some badly deformed. Cambodia is a poor country, probably the poorest we have visited.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcgHfGTqvxweHiAlKaxna1Pbkyd9c8nlOD13AFLEVBzbEXxL3mfqZTV5aYKJyRv8Gzxe8pToRt3EW2xRntyxbDRMNWmf89vhxkoE_UnwRW-OTxM-YVzeYExO1Bqd9uFiYQLMB/s640/blogger-image--1682301418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcgHfGTqvxweHiAlKaxna1Pbkyd9c8nlOD13AFLEVBzbEXxL3mfqZTV5aYKJyRv8Gzxe8pToRt3EW2xRntyxbDRMNWmf89vhxkoE_UnwRW-OTxM-YVzeYExO1Bqd9uFiYQLMB/s640/blogger-image--1682301418.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div>3. Staying right on the Quay at the historic FCC (Foreign Correspondents Club) was fun, with two floors of an open air bar and restaurant filled with a lively international crowd of people of all ages in the evening. Barstools along the balustrades were prime spots for watching the river at sunset during the two-for-one three-hour happy hour. Unfortunately, after two or three two-for-one specials and a light dinner, these two old travelers were ready for bed about the time things really got into full swing around 8 p.m. Who knows what tales we would have to tell had we been able to stay awake (and keep drinking?) longer.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8f1nXAGT6nnsyfzHZVpi9R_rYK4VdnPcNNyRfOrFrChR83Le4czFhgs3rOFwVL6E4bA4GwwEO8ZreT5VEp2tQ8r71PxXLoTOotBYP0rMVYWvldrXbQbK0aCGD_xXx9TtoPfT/s640/blogger-image-516051103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8f1nXAGT6nnsyfzHZVpi9R_rYK4VdnPcNNyRfOrFrChR83Le4czFhgs3rOFwVL6E4bA4GwwEO8ZreT5VEp2tQ8r71PxXLoTOotBYP0rMVYWvldrXbQbK0aCGD_xXx9TtoPfT/s640/blogger-image-516051103.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZho8Fk4xOc057mv-E269PL15gUah1mdsmO5v5GEoWmq6yFrIg-kpPrjg-LlHraqhMwxW7SH8_avkOZsxxEEzjb8F8cPQk2GTMgOclkQ5JmC5fqahtVnXCz2plPNUY0j0HC-x/s640/blogger-image--1565816193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZho8Fk4xOc057mv-E269PL15gUah1mdsmO5v5GEoWmq6yFrIg-kpPrjg-LlHraqhMwxW7SH8_avkOZsxxEEzjb8F8cPQk2GTMgOclkQ5JmC5fqahtVnXCz2plPNUY0j0HC-x/s640/blogger-image--1565816193.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>4. We couldn't walk out the door without being hailed by half a dozen tuk-tuk drivers, many treating us as though we were old friends, all wanting our business. It was hard to disappoint them, and in retrospect we should have taken a tour around the central part of town, because pretty much all we saw was the waterfront and the Royal Palace, whose magnificence rivaled that of Bangkok, although on a smaller, less lavish scale.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh193yB7c6r-8Jq3xda5AeOSTBv98OrEZ0a6o2CQEFZBcZP8A5WMtJOK4cSz98zw9mBbOCvV6Ge9EJMtUnQ5jaDm-cYVRr455qnLOtZq-37Q6bxh_bzQ8zjj80dKGW5H1aZCm6F/s640/blogger-image--1157928300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh193yB7c6r-8Jq3xda5AeOSTBv98OrEZ0a6o2CQEFZBcZP8A5WMtJOK4cSz98zw9mBbOCvV6Ge9EJMtUnQ5jaDm-cYVRr455qnLOtZq-37Q6bxh_bzQ8zjj80dKGW5H1aZCm6F/s640/blogger-image--1157928300.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>5. On our first evening we encountered some kind of religious event at a small temple by the water. Crowds queued to enter with offerings of lotus buds and blossoms arranged in coconut shells, and traditional musicians played nearby. A platform, also covered with offerings of flowers provided additional space for people to kneel and pray. The location was in front of the Royal Palace, which was fronted by a huge billboard with a portrait of the king, celebrating 10 years of his reign. "Sixty-one years old, and no children," we were told by the well-educated, very talkative tuk-tuk driver we met the next day. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoUqxTOFUp6b-8Lc_Cj1AZjFHEBqIc8sH3uGjSsXHhdwPEpVuHsvJdzSUH5TaVGqn9S7ujmBxxKhJ2mU3kFPW1woCbNXcAqnGelG3Ift3exv-8AZTc-d-OzYwx7gpq9hHv6fD/s640/blogger-image--693156933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoUqxTOFUp6b-8Lc_Cj1AZjFHEBqIc8sH3uGjSsXHhdwPEpVuHsvJdzSUH5TaVGqn9S7ujmBxxKhJ2mU3kFPW1woCbNXcAqnGelG3Ift3exv-8AZTc-d-OzYwx7gpq9hHv6fD/s640/blogger-image--693156933.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YAPz2mExwAvOwRBFOR3LrTzJ5d78JrwWbfH3MTCL8wcyzO-_ZmDG8kBfvCcZcRsSJDkvuDGTdayXKGi2t9ozZ2f6iHWDP_-rDqVBEmsB935s3RRctfVIwKIwFtmSd7m6b2rM/s640/blogger-image--812565018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YAPz2mExwAvOwRBFOR3LrTzJ5d78JrwWbfH3MTCL8wcyzO-_ZmDG8kBfvCcZcRsSJDkvuDGTdayXKGi2t9ozZ2f6iHWDP_-rDqVBEmsB935s3RRctfVIwKIwFtmSd7m6b2rM/s640/blogger-image--812565018.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>6. The FCC was also famous for its food. Among the delicious things I ate there were prawn shooters in a lemon and chili sauce, a Caesar salad, a Portuguese salad with yogurt dressing and piriperi chicken, and a floating island dessert. Kent stuck with the marguerita pizza, which he loved, and for breakfast there were warm croissants and Eggs Benedict!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQwAOtI8h8VHVZuVm5a81s_utfLzebrbb0x2R0QYRJUPp3R1NS40uTLF3rhjtIJnzkP4rOU3LgX_jNJP9yD-1-_byFpH8TNgDSjO-EXdi94JCBgPhmndXBZq0fQy3rGo3cyte/s640/blogger-image--880445636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQwAOtI8h8VHVZuVm5a81s_utfLzebrbb0x2R0QYRJUPp3R1NS40uTLF3rhjtIJnzkP4rOU3LgX_jNJP9yD-1-_byFpH8TNgDSjO-EXdi94JCBgPhmndXBZq0fQy3rGo3cyte/s640/blogger-image--880445636.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>7. There is a picture book I loved, but can't remember author or illustrator, with lovely watercolor illustrations, called "The Caged Birds of Phnom Penh" about a little girl who saves her money to free the birds. I paid $1 to free two birds which I held in my hand for a minute, and made a quick prayer for peace and freedom for all creatures, but the tiny birds were weak. I suspect they were easily caught again, or lured back to cages with food. I need to find that story again.</div><div><br></div><div>8. Bathrooms, napkins, and temperature. This doesn't fit in anywhere, but while there were public toilets everywhere in China, they almost never had toilet paper or any way to wipe your hands. Vietnam and Cambodia, despite being poorer countries, tend to have clean toilets with toilet paper, Muslim showers, and even paper towels! I think I used only one public toilet in Myanmar, a hole in the ground with in a wooden shed with a dipper of water --less said about that one the better. China also had toilets at bus stops (on tourist routes and connected to restaurants) that had a series of squat toilets all in a row, open doors, and separated one from the other by perhaps a 3-foot wall, an open trench, really, with water flowing through it. A bush to squat behind would have been better and less odiferous, had there been any bushes. Also, in all but the fanciest, most expensive Chinese restaurants, forget about paper napkins. If you could get something, it would be a thin sheet of paper from a toilet paper holder set on the table, or sometimes they would pass a Kleenex packet. My bandana has come in very handy, and come to think of it it is due for another wash, as I've been mopping a lot of sweat lately, and I don't think there is any relief in sight. The weather forecast for Siem Reap is mid thirties, which translates to mid 90s, with a "feels like" rating in mid-afternoon of 103! I don't know how much trekking amidst the ruins, or bicycling to them we'll be able to take. Stay tuned.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7TEpxTpk4vZlbFne4TBP4QIaz8o3Jf2gHKJ0R1oy280LAm_rIlJnjVAg_2pJTvqCO4RBA-lm5vhoQl4bxOap_CBfTyEEuMdF1f4yhtcYNjtii4JYF2fGnl2Lq6yRaAElPA84/s640/blogger-image-744286664.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7TEpxTpk4vZlbFne4TBP4QIaz8o3Jf2gHKJ0R1oy280LAm_rIlJnjVAg_2pJTvqCO4RBA-lm5vhoQl4bxOap_CBfTyEEuMdF1f4yhtcYNjtii4JYF2fGnl2Lq6yRaAElPA84/s640/blogger-image-744286664.jpg"></a></div>All I could think of was Maurice Sendak when I saw this image in the decaying murals of the Royal Palace.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1jlyggmUWnHpy7osnVWBK6A2z3vdTCaChpK3M63EzwAb2dzmtvsawKfV88L9nZ30AYkrRzD1ByW6sSAMwFBzttrtO4S3BKXXcsA4b48rboKGhz2_r-ABhTcoROWnkUe_FYYV/s640/blogger-image-1128073411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1jlyggmUWnHpy7osnVWBK6A2z3vdTCaChpK3M63EzwAb2dzmtvsawKfV88L9nZ30AYkrRzD1ByW6sSAMwFBzttrtO4S3BKXXcsA4b48rboKGhz2_r-ABhTcoROWnkUe_FYYV/s640/blogger-image-1128073411.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>9. We could have done more in Phnom Penh, but I spent most of one morning arranging most of the rest of our trip, which as of now goes:</div><div><br></div><div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">November 23. depart for Siem Reap, 12:40 pm Cambodia Angkor Air K6109, arr, 1:20 pm. Pick up by Alliance Boutique Villas Bus 8 hrs. $15 ea., flight 45 min. $100 plus each. We chose to fly, based on recommendations from people who had done both. I know we are wimps, and while sitting in this clean, pleasant air-conditioned airport, at which we arrived by a rather exciting half-hour tuk-tuk ride, I've had time to write these notes.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">November <a href="tel:23-24-25-26" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0">23-24-25-26</a>, Siem Reap. Alliance Villas. Breakfast included. Angkor Wat, buy three day ticket</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">November 27 small river boat to Battambang, Cambodia, 7-10 hours</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">November 27-30 Battambang. Seng Hout Hotel, near Psar Market.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">Call ahead to reconfirm Lazy Beach.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">November 30. bus, taxi or mini van to Sihanoukville.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">Need to book room for one night.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">December 1-5 Cambodian island Koh Rong Samloem near Sihanoukville, 2 hours by boat. May have to swim to shore. Bungalow on island. No electricity, no internet 4 days.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">December 5. Return to Phnom Penh by bus. Need to reserve room for one night.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"> December 6. Air Asia AK 537, 8:35 a.m., to Kuala Lumpur ($80 each) </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">KL and around. Nothing booked yet Dec. 6 to 10</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">December 11. Singapore. L Residence </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">December 12 evening to San Francisco</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">December 14 afternoon to Albuquerque</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhLbzrqHvFa_wLhpjHjaOVF4-dZkVWZlnrCRFX8Or-tRBo0Ej4gboGpN1hb0OR_Wi3lDbkau6Rr3jprUPxjrqxX5pN3QSQDs6hHtFTl89XnmGqghh5F-v3gBSFVRzdxkPhoIh/s640/blogger-image-1995710648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhLbzrqHvFa_wLhpjHjaOVF4-dZkVWZlnrCRFX8Or-tRBo0Ej4gboGpN1hb0OR_Wi3lDbkau6Rr3jprUPxjrqxX5pN3QSQDs6hHtFTl89XnmGqghh5F-v3gBSFVRzdxkPhoIh/s640/blogger-image-1995710648.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);"><br></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-14937964637819319642014-11-21T05:51:00.001-07:002014-11-21T05:51:51.903-07:00Phnom Penh, Cambodia<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_8t-AdhH1hzUusZKRZE8B_Aa65RXjuQKnYbUQi76VAlNWhozRBoAqAmZhE_2PS_bko6lqOfqfsoSz1s7_4ymxmRgMt-6ISKnM3ZlsRRPkfAn_wKN1sfj1hSt5O5nmlRfJsPs/s640/blogger-image-850848370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_8t-AdhH1hzUusZKRZE8B_Aa65RXjuQKnYbUQi76VAlNWhozRBoAqAmZhE_2PS_bko6lqOfqfsoSz1s7_4ymxmRgMt-6ISKnM3ZlsRRPkfAn_wKN1sfj1hSt5O5nmlRfJsPs/s640/blogger-image-850848370.jpg"></a></div><br><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8nKZboiu6ExZOnMCtt4bPcVk-ahnOEytZVZYQeBpLOCNMNHPYwzh-vedKjigeFCK2AkYzWLoc_fjYnLsYes_R5kSdhZkD1HT7ZrlhFjFroA7t8pWkbPQ1zGqevPkflJ8O7-g/s640/blogger-image-769443205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8nKZboiu6ExZOnMCtt4bPcVk-ahnOEytZVZYQeBpLOCNMNHPYwzh-vedKjigeFCK2AkYzWLoc_fjYnLsYes_R5kSdhZkD1HT7ZrlhFjFroA7t8pWkbPQ1zGqevPkflJ8O7-g/s640/blogger-image-769443205.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1-GFyBxwfAjR5fpbdLAjenViJt-EqMVkUf0my3bfVovmObz9NZi9VipOJwjta_krDpjYeYVvsD-I1f43_5khNtTkYRy6oh5joO0hb877M2jfv5BwmavHA3fzBaqIhbXL7NyJ/s640/blogger-image--2120092994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1-GFyBxwfAjR5fpbdLAjenViJt-EqMVkUf0my3bfVovmObz9NZi9VipOJwjta_krDpjYeYVvsD-I1f43_5khNtTkYRy6oh5joO0hb877M2jfv5BwmavHA3fzBaqIhbXL7NyJ/s640/blogger-image--2120092994.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After two days exploring the backwaters of the Mekong Delta with a guide from Handspan Travel (with whom we'd gone to Halong Bay), we have made it up the river and across the border to Cambodia. The first part of the boat trip was 0.K., but then we went through an exit from Vietnam stop, which took quite awhile, and then a few miles further on, we exited again, to enter Cambodia. The passports were collected on the boat, and the visas cost us $34 each although official information says $25. We watched the officials sitting at a big table on the riverbank under a roof, scrutinizing all the passports, writing notes, stamping, checking on us by tablets and phone. Finally we were each called by name, one by one,to retrieve our passports and then walk to a window where we again relinquished the passports to be stamped at least 4 times,before they were handed back to us. We were able to get on the boat, after an officer checked the passports again, of course. But now 3 boatloads of people had been combined into one, and there were almost no seats left, so Kent and I had to split up, and no one would switch seats because they all claimed they had long legs, and the seats left were over the curve of the hull. So, Kent, who is not exactly short-legged, and I, who am more so, squeezed into the short-legged seats for what we thought would be another hour, but which turned out to be two. The arrival time of 12:30 p.m. had now become 2 p.m.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rbcsS1whHVDXvP95i_Vsp_ptngo5uKzGqbRQTApf7841RkZRyG4VN8PhW7tjqwEmYxulXGfWsgAzGkAsFbFPupaQbsPhieAztkf5_hk84hTTG7NY6usyaU4LugmS_YEg73xT/s640/blogger-image-1227596665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rbcsS1whHVDXvP95i_Vsp_ptngo5uKzGqbRQTApf7841RkZRyG4VN8PhW7tjqwEmYxulXGfWsgAzGkAsFbFPupaQbsPhieAztkf5_hk84hTTG7NY6usyaU4LugmS_YEg73xT/s640/blogger-image-1227596665.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Nevertheless, I enjoyed visiting with a young German man next to me, and when we got here tuk-tuk drivers fought to take us the six or 7 blocks to the hotel, after the enormous pile of luggage had been unloaded.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The Foreign Correspondents Club where we are staying, is indeed a fascinating,historic place, a little rough around the edges, but that story will have to be told later as I can't stay awake any more.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-85541792572683934182014-11-17T10:53:00.001-07:002014-11-17T10:53:30.830-07:00Ho Chi Minh City<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmmYMnL069mjez02OXul43DOeyBNYr60Hr3Lrz-VdEdRadCLwNOLng8HNqTmkN36Th0E5StY2XdZ9Kvm0dKJy4uEXgNt0IZs0iyVEBv79RubyIlc0A20QIZOXexrhkv-N-Rp5/s640/blogger-image-225804478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmmYMnL069mjez02OXul43DOeyBNYr60Hr3Lrz-VdEdRadCLwNOLng8HNqTmkN36Th0E5StY2XdZ9Kvm0dKJy4uEXgNt0IZs0iyVEBv79RubyIlc0A20QIZOXexrhkv-N-Rp5/s640/blogger-image-225804478.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We watched a hazy Sunday sunrise from our hotel window, ate a standard hotel buffet breakfast, then ventured out along what turned out to be a very busy chaotic market street, until we reached a bigger street, and eventually a lovely park, full of young people playing games, singing and playing guitars. Of course, there was one handsome university student who introduced himself and wanted to practice his English. I always think afterwards of questions I should have asked, and Vietnamese phrases we could have asked for help with.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvp4ETTajb0okCrmazIl32PeFsrt1z-cIX2zjFPX6F_1lpAjjGN-GLReG2i31HEkdDdM8kv86N0n-ZJdxJ8hH_CQzVxa3mQ3zBjO-ipU50KDjwgjzb0ecSeNJv9uVxT21Rbyt/s640/blogger-image-1633983140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvp4ETTajb0okCrmazIl32PeFsrt1z-cIX2zjFPX6F_1lpAjjGN-GLReG2i31HEkdDdM8kv86N0n-ZJdxJ8hH_CQzVxa3mQ3zBjO-ipU50KDjwgjzb0ecSeNJv9uVxT21Rbyt/s640/blogger-image-1633983140.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0nLcnEGzIBdMbrpKSlnqwXJvaKEsVFxJF-ufKR8Y_M66yxvFCNj1jKAkIJmlPsyJD8UsdoBjeKxTJobw4SuemtIR-BCznAlRKgmRpG8pR7qYhkk2fQEGMAWpQCXGI5Htyksh/s640/blogger-image--791625190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0nLcnEGzIBdMbrpKSlnqwXJvaKEsVFxJF-ufKR8Y_M66yxvFCNj1jKAkIJmlPsyJD8UsdoBjeKxTJobw4SuemtIR-BCznAlRKgmRpG8pR7qYhkk2fQEGMAWpQCXGI5Htyksh/s640/blogger-image--791625190.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Through another park also full of families and young people practicing sports (some doing amazing kicks to hit a paddle high above their heads), we eventually reached the War Remnants Museum, where were greeted by a man with no arms above the elbows, a victim of a land mine in 1977. We ended up buying a book from him, I think we were kind of in shock at the moment of meeting him. I can now see that the book was a pirated copy, and we paid way too much. But, our guilt at meeting him!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgha5-XtQtTsmlAierjmx7EzoKpbfOk8O-LFfekbYnQ1JcP-45bc8mc8BEu0Tw56LnTDwPHtFrIDJdOJfWbpe0lIs_DoBWviAzRlbF-q3GXv1JovpJ7UZuDY-YgaAvmC5abqHcr/s640/blogger-image-1135728911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgha5-XtQtTsmlAierjmx7EzoKpbfOk8O-LFfekbYnQ1JcP-45bc8mc8BEu0Tw56LnTDwPHtFrIDJdOJfWbpe0lIs_DoBWviAzRlbF-q3GXv1JovpJ7UZuDY-YgaAvmC5abqHcr/s640/blogger-image-1135728911.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoVVxQSnU0oBD-4EXSvOhWpoclJbou7tQMEFw9KMejB1C5p3L6Iu8p9t69XIiFno3DOxgDbGm7tn9-4Wa1gj5dntJgwaLMhd5caHMDBvVIhhPu_Lea4_SjXl7UtI1Z1vNmDtP/s640/blogger-image-235127109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoVVxQSnU0oBD-4EXSvOhWpoclJbou7tQMEFw9KMejB1C5p3L6Iu8p9t69XIiFno3DOxgDbGm7tn9-4Wa1gj5dntJgwaLMhd5caHMDBvVIhhPu_Lea4_SjXl7UtI1Z1vNmDtP/s640/blogger-image-235127109.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The War Remnants Museum was very powerful. A lot of it was devoted to victims of Agent Orange and dioxin, part of it a special exhibit for November. I was most moved by a large exhibit devoted to the photographers who documented the war, most of whom died doing so. The exhibit included many very famous photos, some of them taken from cameras after the photographers had died. It was a memorial to photographers from many countries, many of them very famous, some of them women, including many from North Vietnam, going as far back as the French war.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Outside were American tanks, bulldozers (the thought of those monsters being airlifted to remote mountains and rice paddies was mind-boggling), planes, and helicopters. There was also an exhibit of torture and prisons, some of it so awful I had to stop looking, including a guillotine (not sure I'd ever actually seen one before). Tiger cages made of barbed wire in which prisoners were confined, sometimes several in one cage on hot sand. They couldn't sit up inside them. Looking at all this in the heat, which didn't even approach what those confined in the cages endured, made the horror of it all even more real. The museum closed from noon to 1:30, perhaps a borrowing from the French sacred lunch hour or two when all shops close, at least in rural France.</span></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJej5F0v96M2-uyJBiYcIUVMPCpPRAcKEAr64tLfZhH7Mu-EUqZ4oQqMxpt69T54ECNrgBT35i02kIdLNUV1J1CF1kYtfaV0ggAqzFuFbU8tlrTy8rrB0q82Kd5ulVt9XBkm8/s640/blogger-image-1962802414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJej5F0v96M2-uyJBiYcIUVMPCpPRAcKEAr64tLfZhH7Mu-EUqZ4oQqMxpt69T54ECNrgBT35i02kIdLNUV1J1CF1kYtfaV0ggAqzFuFbU8tlrTy8rrB0q82Kd5ulVt9XBkm8/s640/blogger-image-1962802414.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We found our way to a nearby Mexican (!) </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">restaurant listed in our Lonely Planet guide. The food was good, probably not real close to what you would find in Mexico, and actually maybe more like you'd find in an American Mexican Restaurant -- burritos, enchiladas. The "Mexican rice" which I didn't eat, looked more like something Asian. It was yellow. The food was too much too eat -- we should have ordered one dish for two of us. A bizarre aspect of the restaurant was that in the air conditioned inside room where we chose to sit, they were showing what were supposed to be Spanish language films, and the first one was a cartoon in Spanish, but the second one some kind of Templar movie with Jon Voight and Nicholas Cage -- we'd never heard of this, but I just looked it up and see it was National Treasure. We didn't stay past a wild car chase through London, although a section with clues to Cibola was beginning. Maybe that was going to be the Mexican connection!</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSC6Yl-oxtRZfsB-pWn9nDLz2Z0XUj1Zfv2LX4ZY_EDC5bUzua5gEBHWSLMr8BluDgB1owSRaQDed9vixHmk3UBvbMNIyj_RFz4aH1qDu56a_J_Jei-x05Ra7d7Lsm3XaP9A7w/s640/blogger-image-1452189321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSC6Yl-oxtRZfsB-pWn9nDLz2Z0XUj1Zfv2LX4ZY_EDC5bUzua5gEBHWSLMr8BluDgB1owSRaQDed9vixHmk3UBvbMNIyj_RFz4aH1qDu56a_J_Jei-x05Ra7d7Lsm3XaP9A7w/s640/blogger-image-1452189321.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Then on to the Reunification Palace, also called the Independence Palace the fancy White House, all in very sixties/seventies style that was built during the war and where Thieu (I think) gave his two- hour resignation speech) and where the North came in, apparently without a fight and took over. Big, elegant rooms. I gave back the little brochure, or I would be more accurate. It was very lavish and beautiful, and still used for official function, set in the midst of a big park with tall trees, and replaced an older French building.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YFLHOHXMPBcWnH_ekIpXJo7sOn4-7P-lZslcxDox5fE-ctYn7n1Vm9VWrIgLAyG9CO_jwK-c7jVowBBIb-wPscFlgshxajDG73EW4QJ6KiL4kDN7YgpzUT02ooQB1_bNs4_C/s640/blogger-image--485343833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YFLHOHXMPBcWnH_ekIpXJo7sOn4-7P-lZslcxDox5fE-ctYn7n1Vm9VWrIgLAyG9CO_jwK-c7jVowBBIb-wPscFlgshxajDG73EW4QJ6KiL4kDN7YgpzUT02ooQB1_bNs4_C/s640/blogger-image--485343833.jpg"></font></a></div><br></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Here is a scene from right near our hotel, which is so typical. Women selling vegetables and clothes, a woman working on a sewing machine, and older woman smoking, squatting on the side </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">walk with cups of tea in front of her.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTidtvwSh1SAMmnbqEBmCHE_jFYYkiD4Sr1RNNzXZ85YKyb5A7gkUpLJnv3LqV-PhPKaMB8-EN0Nf9BCF1wBRdFmCJjNh5oc7m34dzocZYJXReMMISPqoYE2u0D3cfdnZSjqqH/s640/blogger-image--1656287970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTidtvwSh1SAMmnbqEBmCHE_jFYYkiD4Sr1RNNzXZ85YKyb5A7gkUpLJnv3LqV-PhPKaMB8-EN0Nf9BCF1wBRdFmCJjNh5oc7m34dzocZYJXReMMISPqoYE2u0D3cfdnZSjqqH/s640/blogger-image--1656287970.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We were quite exhausted after our hours of walking in humid 90 degree temperatures, and came back to our hotel room from which we didn't stir again!</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This hotel (Sunland) is rather odd, a tall tower with quite posh rooms, and a huge Las Vegas type sign shedding its light over the rooftop bar and restaurant (where the food is rather mediocre), but the views along the Saigon River and of the city lights are spectacular. There is also a quite pretty rooftop pool on a level just below the restaurant.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUep_AHThBKnp1CqgpwC13_uluMGShyIRPCd8foioG2X2HAP-OwRkIC-8J-w44Y8Egkh-YqkWZumjWx0cioPnznqPeHbAFLBG4onKPfyVtgeQw1y_y5QQvbSM-zv3mU6h1JnTG/s640/blogger-image-801482038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUep_AHThBKnp1CqgpwC13_uluMGShyIRPCd8foioG2X2HAP-OwRkIC-8J-w44Y8Egkh-YqkWZumjWx0cioPnznqPeHbAFLBG4onKPfyVtgeQw1y_y5QQvbSM-zv3mU6h1JnTG/s640/blogger-image-801482038.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFoDVSSZdHQrF5CvM5QKrSOu2MWHNe3Lij5PrhW2P7DfkuHZwlWONu4CzTwNhEdtwW7NH2Z71vT-b63FmFvloF8XEROVLUAxbrlXJMpg61OSIcAmwFO4QF5gVCAnk4uFX5hbw/s640/blogger-image--636461384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFoDVSSZdHQrF5CvM5QKrSOu2MWHNe3Lij5PrhW2P7DfkuHZwlWONu4CzTwNhEdtwW7NH2Z71vT-b63FmFvloF8XEROVLUAxbrlXJMpg61OSIcAmwFO4QF5gVCAnk4uFX5hbw/s640/blogger-image--636461384.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There is a big bathtub in our bathroom, which is divided from the room by a translucent panel painted with mountains and oceans. I'll try to capture a photo of Kent bathing behind it ( :-). However, the tub has a flimsy plastic shower curtain, and is surrounded by flat slate tiles that collects the water from the shower, which eventually runs onto the floor, no matter how careful we try to be.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I booked the hotel rather hastily, based on a good price (Saigon is more expensive than Hanoi or Hoi An), great reviews and several comments that it was easy to walk to major sights. The major sights are not that far away, but the streets are not easy to walk, filled with street-side markets and motorcycles that leave almost no room for walking. There are no charming little restaurants nearby, although there are many little holes in the wall, which after walking through the displays of fly-covered meat, flopping fish, and struggling frogs somehow don't have much appeal for us.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We followed a suggested walking tour through Old Saigon this morning, and went to the top of Saigon's premier flashy skyscraper, The Bitexco Financial a Tower, built to resemble a lotus bud. We and ended up at the wonderful Gustave Eiffel-designed post office, still in use, no air conditioning, fans whirring, air circulating through a raised section of vaulted roof and louvered ends. Nearby, Notre Dame Cathedral across the street, and Dunkin a Donuts to one side! iced coffee and donuts in cool air conditioning hit the spot, incongruous though it seemed in the heart of "old Saigon."</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFA40V8VrSdTErch1z6Yj6URTQmPm7duNtWzzbaivZ2HoJd2_1-KnwuvduNcsKR6jNZ6K8j0-Dh0CR-t5qZ8SErnEL3QlYGjC4tPYtGfr8a5E0pwOjHMxdJ8zNe7jR2nst-zr/s640/blogger-image--1261019632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFA40V8VrSdTErch1z6Yj6URTQmPm7duNtWzzbaivZ2HoJd2_1-KnwuvduNcsKR6jNZ6K8j0-Dh0CR-t5qZ8SErnEL3QlYGjC4tPYtGfr8a5E0pwOjHMxdJ8zNe7jR2nst-zr/s640/blogger-image--1261019632.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzMuer3J_0FhRbmjfpGYsavoZp08i45VauS1SO67Sb5xZTAJMKGHJS74mr5qz5YcEdoUYbZCwa8VxVI6x4IsRaeqfb0ZlhL_bsIDgd3I9KwBcBpjvZy6pPiVtUXhHfQmX_UZ8/s640/blogger-image--1757656900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzMuer3J_0FhRbmjfpGYsavoZp08i45VauS1SO67Sb5xZTAJMKGHJS74mr5qz5YcEdoUYbZCwa8VxVI6x4IsRaeqfb0ZlhL_bsIDgd3I9KwBcBpjvZy6pPiVtUXhHfQmX_UZ8/s640/blogger-image--1757656900.jpg"></a></div>Post Office</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJq5IwN-6KzMqQ89TG2jFByo97SHG0JRkfL-S-MrEAEgGpzod__ESp7A9Sr61XZa7mZtXaXd2GUa5MsjoR3cZsrLr7tjo3sCu2G70om17FrrpPCljJ9-T-G4gGJbPTMQ8_1H4Y/s640/blogger-image--1187272402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJq5IwN-6KzMqQ89TG2jFByo97SHG0JRkfL-S-MrEAEgGpzod__ESp7A9Sr61XZa7mZtXaXd2GUa5MsjoR3cZsrLr7tjo3sCu2G70om17FrrpPCljJ9-T-G4gGJbPTMQ8_1H4Y/s640/blogger-image--1187272402.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">On our walk up the posh Dong Khoi Street ( which was walkable), where I should have booked our hotel (and almost did), we stopped at the Opera House, now known as the Municipal Theatre, and got two of the few remaining tickets to what promises to be an interesting classical music concert tomorrow night. The theme is classic movie music, and features an award-winning young Vietnamese flutist.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LcMAJPFBMwlvtO0JcWz0x1M4PZ6WhX2e2JnrYAPMv-cYZi77HtmKUBpuBhk-m1oj4eRwKTW5Uf7NkAvTtalswEwlfQIQXmn_FBmWwji6iCl-qrZok9pUpkmlnVgi4P6GmJKT/s640/blogger-image-153780516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LcMAJPFBMwlvtO0JcWz0x1M4PZ6WhX2e2JnrYAPMv-cYZi77HtmKUBpuBhk-m1oj4eRwKTW5Uf7NkAvTtalswEwlfQIQXmn_FBmWwji6iCl-qrZok9pUpkmlnVgi4P6GmJKT/s640/blogger-image-153780516.jpg"></a></div>detail from needlework display in Bitexco Tower</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCl_o-R572uXTfklJBZbdEShAQ8BKbGuILnnFhp7IvhO3k6hvWS8OgSloybF6YEFPMrrgi80sPdqs_4SH1KoaK8qGxZz63JT7c8XVu3oULSLtGCEhcMyoXBBYd1mRFJtVuQBQi/s640/blogger-image--342782693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCl_o-R572uXTfklJBZbdEShAQ8BKbGuILnnFhp7IvhO3k6hvWS8OgSloybF6YEFPMrrgi80sPdqs_4SH1KoaK8qGxZz63JT7c8XVu3oULSLtGCEhcMyoXBBYd1mRFJtVuQBQi/s640/blogger-image--342782693.jpg"></a></div>Flowers on bare branches in the park</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I am still having trouble coming to grips with the horror of the Vietnam War, or the American War, as it is called here, and the beauty of the country and the people I see before me. There is so much poverty, yet such energy and optimism. So many people are working very hard for very little. So many people died during the war, and also in its aftermath when opponents of the communist Hanoi government were punished, and so many chose to flee. The lives of so many Americans were also lost, ruined, and the whole nature of American society changed in painful ways during those years. 1954-1973, are the dates they give here for the American War, but most of us didn't even know about it until the mid 1960s.</span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZR7PEb8ny42YTWHH8yfZAlAWotrKzk17Xt3YtJ016TSieptQ_526sTQp0b3IbqdUvsJkFmHZYXAVYz6qCuUrbziq7UAxCmFL27oL-IqUIFLdYU_3_mXRFtMgWRZhZYD3Bz7AI/s640/blogger-image-500507051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZR7PEb8ny42YTWHH8yfZAlAWotrKzk17Xt3YtJ016TSieptQ_526sTQp0b3IbqdUvsJkFmHZYXAVYz6qCuUrbziq7UAxCmFL27oL-IqUIFLdYU_3_mXRFtMgWRZhZYD3Bz7AI/s640/blogger-image-500507051.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-32512688614873333122014-11-13T17:31:00.001-07:002014-11-13T17:31:35.006-07:00Hanoi Sunday and on to Hoi An<br><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We hated to leave our honeymoon suite with balcony, but we had only one day to explore Hanoi. We were given a partial refund because of the non-working outlets and door lock, and the staff found places to charge my iphone and iPad. Unfortunately, I forgot to put a new battery in the camera, so I missed some wonderful opportunities for photos that morning.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXv1owZB9zlM9L8yGrfNLXHIO9AK4cxFPtfAOS-HUWvxn1P62g5hGdUkqR7rQpMH5CT1-wFNZ59Izh1BVu-xD8FwSHfgKUXbRojTuhAiiY0CI7ATfFrGH2E6FOW33wcPaIq5L/s640/blogger-image-136499824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXv1owZB9zlM9L8yGrfNLXHIO9AK4cxFPtfAOS-HUWvxn1P62g5hGdUkqR7rQpMH5CT1-wFNZ59Izh1BVu-xD8FwSHfgKUXbRojTuhAiiY0CI7ATfFrGH2E6FOW33wcPaIq5L/s640/blogger-image-136499824.jpg"></a></div>View from balcony, Hanoi Guesthouse, umbrellas covering terrace below</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">At the suggestion of the hotel staff, we took a taxi to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which turned out to be closed. We toured the Ho Chi Minh Museum instead, which, largely funded by the Soviet Union, heavily emphasized Ho Chi Minh's and Vietnam's close ties to the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, it contained some fascinating history. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1RJci9rF8vwUqwgtZvYjBPojQ4_vhRcLw-OR4RCBm4J8EzOoGLqZ33DpbRD0H0wn1dBNP8xs8sxFC3aUoPj4aGBTvwXA0tvPLhda_gR0gZUDoGYiXatvfD9C77eGCSNA2-18/s640/blogger-image-603074477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1RJci9rF8vwUqwgtZvYjBPojQ4_vhRcLw-OR4RCBm4J8EzOoGLqZ33DpbRD0H0wn1dBNP8xs8sxFC3aUoPj4aGBTvwXA0tvPLhda_gR0gZUDoGYiXatvfD9C77eGCSNA2-18/s640/blogger-image-603074477.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We lunched near the Temple of Literature, where graduates with robes, ao dai traditional dresses, diplomas, and flowers were having pictures taken with their families. We walked toward our neighborhood north Hoan Kiem Lake, and on a street along the lake found an optical shop. I had discovered that my prescription glasses had become so scratched that I could hardly see with them. I wondered why my photos where looking so hazy. It seems that whatever protective coating was on the glass just started to go. At first I thought they were dirty. We never saw a store like a Walgreens or Walmart where you could buy off the rack reading glasses, and the small antiseptic-looking pharmacies didn't carry them. A very nice young man looked at the lenses, insisted on doing a quick check of my eyes, and one hour and $35 I had new glass in my current frames. So, now I can see again, at least up close--I miss the graduated lenses, although I didn't wear them while out walking, but stuffed them in my waist pack, or under my hat, which I'm sure wasn't good for them. I now have a small envelope case for them, despite the extra room and bother.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6QDQIQl4Kalx7krBjyouAhC0RkQTv0uUZpdj3lixjZunOfKchd79o3IXNbGLMkyG5_PcpHZy0pPKncY-q3ChJ-U74PwGkMbepZQi8wKYEVbH8WlHKMWB-wROCGvpH5TmdjyH/s640/blogger-image-437563769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6QDQIQl4Kalx7krBjyouAhC0RkQTv0uUZpdj3lixjZunOfKchd79o3IXNbGLMkyG5_PcpHZy0pPKncY-q3ChJ-U74PwGkMbepZQi8wKYEVbH8WlHKMWB-wROCGvpH5TmdjyH/s640/blogger-image-437563769.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We happened upon St. Joseph Catholic cathedral, also near the lake, in a neighborhood of old buildings, narrow streets, and some fancy small shops, reminiscent of an older, shabbier, poorer, Paris. Hemingway and Gertrude Stein would have felt at home in the little cafe (with awful service, however) where we had coffee and pastries. When we left the cafe, I was astonished to find a crowd of people sitting on plastic stools and standing at the big door of the church. They were attending mass from the outside, as the church was totally full. I've never seen that anywhere except on Christmas or Easter! The priest preached while walking in the aisle in the center of the church. It was heartwarming to see this church, which had been neglected and even closed for many years, showing such enthusiastic signs of life.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8FQESnDVVJxze5u5P_AowcszzgOCh4yRupI0Qpjv6gmyrcOtpUioYS0kLBFPo68CnPxan5YtlcppGyh0UvOvLp6oE1CpIcBi6TPdx9fc2oLf9z_y7P27zI0Qch57xH7JSBik/s640/blogger-image--630077037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8FQESnDVVJxze5u5P_AowcszzgOCh4yRupI0Qpjv6gmyrcOtpUioYS0kLBFPo68CnPxan5YtlcppGyh0UvOvLp6oE1CpIcBi6TPdx9fc2oLf9z_y7P27zI0Qch57xH7JSBik/s640/blogger-image--630077037.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEq9EduhVV0a1Cu709P2S3H2g5ysXIRlFrNQNTS1IsUdK7NrP_DhFXg9kzihjGV8nLC-GB0Il_r65mCWhiQjDpQKnlMb7ZfuCzBZdhpGd37KoB7Iqs2JbFPfOdLTTbWboRy0Z/s640/blogger-image--364038411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEq9EduhVV0a1Cu709P2S3H2g5ysXIRlFrNQNTS1IsUdK7NrP_DhFXg9kzihjGV8nLC-GB0Il_r65mCWhiQjDpQKnlMb7ZfuCzBZdhpGd37KoB7Iqs2JbFPfOdLTTbWboRy0Z/s640/blogger-image--364038411.jpg"></a></div>Students at Hoan Kiem Lake who wanted to practice their English</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After a final meal at what had become our favorite New Day cafe, and a brief visit with an Australian couple we were seated beside, we were taken to the train station by taxi, accompanied by one of the employees from the hotel on his motorcycle. Sorry, we didn't get to ride the motr cycle! At the station he insisted on grabbing our bags, leading us through the station, which had none of the security we experienced in China, and got us settled in our compartment, shared with a Polish Couple traveling with a group of friends. The service we received from the friendly Hanoi Guesthouse was truly extraordinary.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The train was not in as good a shape as those in China, although there was toilet paper (!) in the toilet -- a surprise as the hotel had even offered us an entire roll as we left, but we still have quite a bit of the roll we brought from home. The ride was rough, with lots of clutnks and bangs and sudden stops, not conducive to a good night's sleep. In the morning the pillows and quilts were folded up and tucked away on the seats just as we had found them. I could see in the morning light that my quilt, which had felt quite comfy, was quite stained. Ugh. I wonder how often these things are washed? The train was well-over an hour behind schedule when we arrived in Da Nang, happy to find the driver from our hotel waiting for us.. The best part of the 13-15 hour journey, though, was between Hue and Danang where the train passed through a mountain range along the coast, with stunning views of both the mountains and the sea. I was able to open a window in the corridor, a good thing, since the windows were very dirty.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Our romance with train travel in Vietnam was short-lived. We will fly from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on Saturday, for only slightly more expense than the train, but in a little over an hour, rather than 18-20 hours.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINCV4h34tr_vCATcUAjy5zcWjr706HHNjIzkU86GMHBG1KpfGOO24CbcuJPjJtg5qQezZ87gzhUouzgLFg94-DQDUEG7DfVikaSKN4VADrsGu9aM9B6rTcFUAVIKmXOiU0mTP/s640/blogger-image-2057311836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINCV4h34tr_vCATcUAjy5zcWjr706HHNjIzkU86GMHBG1KpfGOO24CbcuJPjJtg5qQezZ87gzhUouzgLFg94-DQDUEG7DfVikaSKN4VADrsGu9aM9B6rTcFUAVIKmXOiU0mTP/s640/blogger-image-2057311836.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ww_O7ToIM4reSKdWzKNfpYXF5fh8SyfqrQFO3bnieIkmH9VUqCCObbFv_vGUk0srG4HTOIKNnZWTvrz2J1v9SD6J3ZRrWXkEcNBS6SCert_SaC5Ga_fQlho_KoiH0seL8UJd/s640/blogger-image--206212593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ww_O7ToIM4reSKdWzKNfpYXF5fh8SyfqrQFO3bnieIkmH9VUqCCObbFv_vGUk0srG4HTOIKNnZWTvrz2J1v9SD6J3ZRrWXkEcNBS6SCert_SaC5Ga_fQlho_KoiH0seL8UJd/s640/blogger-image--206212593.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We have taken a bit of vacation from our vacation here in small and relatively peaceful Hoi An, where we've been rather dismayed at the number of shops and tourists, but have enjoyed our stay at the lovely little Orchid Gardens Homestay, and extended our time from three nights to five, although it looks like our last two-three days are going to be stormy.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAyLEYa2sWlRNLDDDlOvylAHIOqNLScfihwj9oI4ZV_mS8S73J2aUPmzPXC4ZHuooSgmNXNxZfwA6d0dGpevQFFc8dmTulSFhZ5SY1EeGa_25L3WpgohQBKnhaCXPsfS5QESW/s640/blogger-image--565629084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAyLEYa2sWlRNLDDDlOvylAHIOqNLScfihwj9oI4ZV_mS8S73J2aUPmzPXC4ZHuooSgmNXNxZfwA6d0dGpevQFFc8dmTulSFhZ5SY1EeGa_25L3WpgohQBKnhaCXPsfS5QESW/s640/blogger-image--565629084.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7ihmLwE6zQkjpN0l8et2JzEltaFyjedeqpF5baHsOsuDBTD8dMJZ33HjErRMqELNWJMsF-lJ50wknUMMrdnWeq_6YQV-hequq89R3p7dCoCG9rWfUoP-8NRecP60PuFTkLas/s640/blogger-image-1310714355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7ihmLwE6zQkjpN0l8et2JzEltaFyjedeqpF5baHsOsuDBTD8dMJZ33HjErRMqELNWJMsF-lJ50wknUMMrdnWeq_6YQV-hequq89R3p7dCoCG9rWfUoP-8NRecP60PuFTkLas/s640/blogger-image-1310714355.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIGkJ55pMXaQD5NjxOhDSL_lqDzWV2mWivkV8BR0IxOlxTXu7OyfIjjrQUGg_F9GVGqEqMpSdZyh0YdYu1YJhz9m3ufvyQsKw7wlQG6SWk5TUr-NacqGdQHeHBz_4o3_iHCaH/s640/blogger-image--1142712573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIGkJ55pMXaQD5NjxOhDSL_lqDzWV2mWivkV8BR0IxOlxTXu7OyfIjjrQUGg_F9GVGqEqMpSdZyh0YdYu1YJhz9m3ufvyQsKw7wlQG6SWk5TUr-NacqGdQHeHBz_4o3_iHCaH/s640/blogger-image--1142712573.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We've had time to get some laundry done and plan some of the rest of our trip. I got a much-needed haircut and pedicure, and we had one glorious morning splashing in the warm waves at the beach, to which we went by bicycle. Unfortunately we both got a bit too much sun, especially Kent. Until yesterday (Thursday) when it rained most of the morning, we have had sunshine interspersed with occasional downpours. Yesterday afternoon, despite a fierce wind and lowering sky, we explored back roads by not very good bicycles, through rice paddies and past homes, ending up at the beach where the waves were high and wild, and people were picking up plastic bottles and other trash, I saw an entire glass lantern intact on the beach. No one picked that up. I gave a couple of bottles to an old woman whose smile revealed a totally betel stained mouth with missing front teeth. We had drinks of tonic water at the little place where we had parked our bikes previously, although the former calm, sunny scene was much changed, and there was only one other customer -- a man in Tilley hat who sat down with a beer and a book and proceeded to read in the howling wind!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SjMcaOgK2cYV00tf8QJ3qCwpMF1N9qJKP2ATRWKIrfMCHammR0KNYuBJOkzWBoC7_pN2K0CZkRe2e_hdSKabaUUNHZv2s063-GUe3otCHxyWhOtLPZsDbxWA7EZndjY80veG/s640/blogger-image-5492619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SjMcaOgK2cYV00tf8QJ3qCwpMF1N9qJKP2ATRWKIrfMCHammR0KNYuBJOkzWBoC7_pN2K0CZkRe2e_hdSKabaUUNHZv2s063-GUe3otCHxyWhOtLPZsDbxWA7EZndjY80veG/s640/blogger-image-5492619.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">At night the town is full of colored lanterns, and the restaurants (at least some of them) full of people.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSRewenRD1m2ORCOaQwbyeMhmijslxHBPVl5pEddZGIv7oA1Cj3YNUGuXkJyWta6wq7x5etq9rQOOCMwo4GI_0uAjVwK4grVOIAAQEyNY0Pms_uuEEnhhMLXLYnNL7vDnf7q9/s640/blogger-image--32953604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGriFUyijCjGIGrl5aW96AALke-okYYqLnm4XLn_mR3zwJdKLvH5id-iS14YtVuhL2F__iksbZOfDp7MJQMl-2duYlWSppBaHP7RdNh7yqODWx-jrlC3u8eGCC3WT8eifEIQvn/s640/blogger-image-1924192346.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2Z2MYCac-BqWdYM96vqcB72s3FJUsTGm-ll92qqBniu37kGdKCOJnp8vFLsbNQwihbmEfjkGSmHj6L_t92gJ2TRrkFkqZnbOpZrE-x5H7x-Ef7ypk36trO4g03SOGJ0_jOB_/s640/blogger-image--1961295167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2Z2MYCac-BqWdYM96vqcB72s3FJUsTGm-ll92qqBniu37kGdKCOJnp8vFLsbNQwihbmEfjkGSmHj6L_t92gJ2TRrkFkqZnbOpZrE-x5H7x-Ef7ypk36trO4g03SOGJ0_jOB_/s640/blogger-image--1961295167.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We weren't sure we wanted to visit Saigon, but I've booked a room there for 4 nights, and then we will continue to Phnom Penh and then to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, probably booking a Mekong trip with Handspan, the same people with whom we toured Halong Bay.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">You would think I'd have had time to write blog entries during this quiet week, but there's been no urgency to get anything done. Although now that we are leaving tomorrow night, our quiet time here is coming to an end, as we head off on the last month of adventures, not all planned yet.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-51946425806946633762014-11-08T18:54:00.001-07:002014-11-08T18:56:40.476-07:00Rain in Halong Bay<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYr3gzLbCHvmOUeBEJogbdwDGzMCOuS5PVMGqreICf-ftiNDEig2v_eEDDxlrAoYtG1poEUo7P3sDMdzVeBqBhrCinYv8MHIGSlYIll2sGOTJ7qPBvVLGmHvqQ7fTHL_rjPVa0/s640/blogger-image--390695108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYr3gzLbCHvmOUeBEJogbdwDGzMCOuS5PVMGqreICf-ftiNDEig2v_eEDDxlrAoYtG1poEUo7P3sDMdzVeBqBhrCinYv8MHIGSlYIll2sGOTJ7qPBvVLGmHvqQ7fTHL_rjPVa0/s640/blogger-image--390695108.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUrrQO_gqsliZDATesC-QcOhgpLVEYzaIuKQrlACVxjisUz1PB0UrjhUbwyIi5WLUsNd1npzdxibA4dOw8VETi5LV1DwxVkqhpIHMP_aZtjrLfZZEBP63317EBsc0O85D1qPV/s640/blogger-image-1667597077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUrrQO_gqsliZDATesC-QcOhgpLVEYzaIuKQrlACVxjisUz1PB0UrjhUbwyIi5WLUsNd1npzdxibA4dOw8VETi5LV1DwxVkqhpIHMP_aZtjrLfZZEBP63317EBsc0O85D1qPV/s640/blogger-image-1667597077.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">On Thursday morning after a real breakfast at Hanoi Guesthouse -- eggs over-easy that actually tasted like eggs rather than than leather, we walked across the street to Handspan Travel where we met a group of 30-year-olds and our charming and knowledgeable guide for the 3-plus hour cloudy and sometimes rainy drive to Halong Bay. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguD0QKZqMumfmTIEpFM27yZXxxk3RhA2eH8vYyTdVCPBs5OfKWNa0WklbWcRevdHMwzVx12fp2NxL0cCeqVYL-vNp2nQt4HxDWfDYadBLzbpFDU-1K85ot8wvQ9VrpVEOTEtUY/s640/blogger-image--609270495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguD0QKZqMumfmTIEpFM27yZXxxk3RhA2eH8vYyTdVCPBs5OfKWNa0WklbWcRevdHMwzVx12fp2NxL0cCeqVYL-vNp2nQt4HxDWfDYadBLzbpFDU-1K85ot8wvQ9VrpVEOTEtUY/s640/blogger-image--609270495.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We took a tender to the Treasure Junk, where we were assigned to our rooms -- ours was fine-- a standard room with big bed, two windows, and a bath. We've had a relaxing time on this two-night, 3-day cruise, although the weather has not been the best. Yesterday after an elaborate multi-course lunch that included hot and spicy soup, spring rolls, squid,and something that tasted like Swedish meatballs in broth, plus a fruit dessert, we had a kayaking lesson, and shortly after were launched onto kayaks, kent and me sharing. We had some trouble with ours as Kent couldn't get his long legs to connect with the rudder pedals, so we spent quite a bit of time trying to keep on course with paddle strokes. Nevertheless,we navigated in and out of a cave, and onto a sandy beach where we swam.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLy4P0Nr_VHYZ627EVuQXJcyHr43yJxi_UvWYZCNmdXQb2X4iwuM-MZQayjuOpQJrjP5T3_2EWHj0mUHtHHLRD-GHpi3VWLgehnKeOWd-U3wgwgRFrajNOgvyuAK1J_c2U2gDt/s640/blogger-image--2142026983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLy4P0Nr_VHYZ627EVuQXJcyHr43yJxi_UvWYZCNmdXQb2X4iwuM-MZQayjuOpQJrjP5T3_2EWHj0mUHtHHLRD-GHpi3VWLgehnKeOWd-U3wgwgRFrajNOgvyuAK1J_c2U2gDt/s640/blogger-image--2142026983.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Dinner was from about 7 to 8:30, and by the time it was over we were both having trouble staying awake. Again there were multiple courses, and by the time the main poached fish with vegetables and rice came, we'd already eaten more than we really wanted. We went outside to look for the moon, but there were too many clouds and too many lights on the boat.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I think I was asleep by 9 p.m., and could have slept longer than six when I awoke to the sound of the anchor lifting, then ran up to see what the day had to bring. Rain!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I joined in half-hour tai chi class,held in the dining room because of the rain. Then after breakfast our small group of those staying two nights had another couple of hours of kayaking and swimming. The sun actually came out for a brief glorious time on the beach. This time I sat in the back of the kayak and we got the rudder working, so our kayaking was much smoother.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rcKFvKib3-NH2RpHc_5XUTpAkvnAS4TErwMJtMzkYdj5aOq-bNVbhM1tWUfI3kQ5esMglRuy4l7nsAk6N2oxhsF9_WN8u-f_okWoD2iUblPTv5Mw2g4DrSR_655A9jN4z6Jj/s640/blogger-image-499007478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rcKFvKib3-NH2RpHc_5XUTpAkvnAS4TErwMJtMzkYdj5aOq-bNVbhM1tWUfI3kQ5esMglRuy4l7nsAk6N2oxhsF9_WN8u-f_okWoD2iUblPTv5Mw2g4DrSR_655A9jN4z6Jj/s640/blogger-image-499007478.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Halong Bay is a UNESCO world heritage site, and the sheer limestone rocks that rise out of the water are spectacular, even in rain and mist. We kayaked back to a second boat and lunch, and it immediately started to rain, sometimes very hard. I fell asleep on a bench after lunch, and we are now back in our room--no sun deck this afternoon--washing off the salt water, watching from our bed as we float through the amazing rock formations, and napping again....</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Hoping for a bit of sun tomorrow, our last day.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNm_UqBd5TI0VzcGJICBJJGQ_T3MZDGVx3IU2bJq-xefAMxIjcCkzN4yR7kMs2xgoRUlt-LWlG3PVAHCeBYkKEqwWripYeMdClvClKkXLDUpWxqVQjwnXfJfDhdlUiBR3UAAnt/s640/blogger-image-1938782176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNm_UqBd5TI0VzcGJICBJJGQ_T3MZDGVx3IU2bJq-xefAMxIjcCkzN4yR7kMs2xgoRUlt-LWlG3PVAHCeBYkKEqwWripYeMdClvClKkXLDUpWxqVQjwnXfJfDhdlUiBR3UAAnt/s640/blogger-image-1938782176.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Back in Hanoi. Sunday morning. We enjoyed our last evening on the boat and the morning excursion to the fishing village where we were rowed about by a boat woman and saw how they implanted the young oysters to make pearls. Then, after brunch, a long drive back to Hanoi in dense clouds. Back at Hanoi Guesthouse and another honeymoon suite, which however had its problems -- a balky door lock and impossible to figure out light switches (one was a remote control), and power outlets that didn't work so I couldn't change phone, camera, or iPad.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPefIq6dqg_0S1Bwgnl3ShELXWPRyWOB6ehcPx1848SedcE2sCVJ3PUwFN4jAx55d2zTc95uNMxkpSseoOI5XpVLzP2TtSikJlnEi87-_wQj6qPtfRaC69S-yQ8sBtB8CCEl01/s640/blogger-image--309987628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPefIq6dqg_0S1Bwgnl3ShELXWPRyWOB6ehcPx1848SedcE2sCVJ3PUwFN4jAx55d2zTc95uNMxkpSseoOI5XpVLzP2TtSikJlnEi87-_wQj6qPtfRaC69S-yQ8sBtB8CCEl01/s640/blogger-image--309987628.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We ended up eating at the lovely, delicious, and economical New Day across the street again. I've discovered "bun" which I think of as Vietnamese Swedish meatballs, served with noodles or sometimes rice, and a light delicious broth. We also lucked out on an evening streetside show at the end of out block. It was crazy before the traffic was blocked off, with numerous pedestrians, motorcycles, vendors (including women in traditional hats carrying baskets of fruit and vegetables balanced on a long stick before and behind), and an occasional big taxi crowding through the totally congested street, to which was added a stage and a ring of plastic chairs at the intersection.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">More clouds today, and cooler. I a back to skirt and leggings again,and we'll probably take our rain jackets when head out to explore Hanoi today.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-81438482327109469482014-11-05T03:20:00.001-07:002014-11-05T05:42:58.685-07:00Bangkok Dreams and Cognitive Dissonance<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">For twenty-six years Bangkok has been a city of my dreams, the most exotic place I'd ever experienced. Ed and I with Jesse, 8, and Psyche, 4, had arrived from Tokyo after midnight, and taxied through nearly deserted streets to the Royal Orchid Sheraton, where we were graciously greeted with wet towels and orchids, and ushered into a large luxurious room with soft carpets and a full wall of glass overlooking the Phraya Chao. I awoke at dawn a few hours later, and sat on the floor looking out <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">as the rest of the family slept</span>, mesmerized by the early morning traffic on the river that threaded its way past temples and amazing roof lines several stories below, I went downstairs and walked outside among trees and gardens, all the way to the edge of the old Mandarin Oriental Hotel, arrested by the sight or orchids sprouting from hollows in the big old trees.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Back in the room, the electricity suddenly went out. We ended up walking down the 15 or 20 or 30 flights of stairs, some on the outside, some dark on the inside of the building. The lobby was lit by candlelight, and eventually a few dim lights powered by a generator. Surely power would be back on soon.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Outside on the river, we found ferry boats that took us across and back, then we engaged a man with a small boat to take us along back waters and to the floating market that was pretty much over by the time we got there. We bought some tiny sugar bananas, the first I'd ever eaten. People, including naked children, living in ramshackle wooden houses on stilts bathed, washed clothing and dishes, and brushed their teeth in the brown river water. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Back at the hotel: still no power, so we took another ferry to the Grand Palace. On the way we walked through a market where we bought delicious rambutans. Suddenly it started to rain, and we were besieged by people selling bamboo and waxed paper umbrellas. First one: $4, second one 2, and third one, one. We kept at least one of them for years.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The Royal Palace dazzled me! I could have stayed forever. There were only a few people there. But we got a rickshaw ride back to the ferry and back to the hotel. Still no power. Out to lunch in a fancy shopping center nearby, then back to the hotel again. Ed decided we couldn't risk staying there and making our plane to Australia the next morning if there was no power, so, with the help of hotel staff the kids and I trekked up the many flights of stairs to retrieve our luggage, and we headed to the airport in late afternoon gridlock traffic, to a very boring hotel. We sat in traffic with no air-conditioning for so long, Psyche climbed onto the driver's lap. He missed his kids.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQikjx_BJVOfO4nbPihsFns3ekD-hQPMRLjeyA30WYDxcdDmDfWX_MeQG8iZwHp312fPYIByWrrdnxcqwavpQ2Gq0dQ1stHxaGT7ljUeFdrXjf8XEG1iwT7tsr-TNZHBz8OjdG/s640/blogger-image--2075843999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVbGCucr-EOTKzPadwSEpb826Y-c3X7UyUDc4Au1uNUNGxTCo4G7c7GC7su2vg6una9woA8aoEertT2W3HmNrPrpGXqyrf9R4n8dSq9Qn3OnO1z9cqqEcMxmh8TtwGu7fwSJW/s640/blogger-image--453557590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVbGCucr-EOTKzPadwSEpb826Y-c3X7UyUDc4Au1uNUNGxTCo4G7c7GC7su2vg6una9woA8aoEertT2W3HmNrPrpGXqyrf9R4n8dSq9Qn3OnO1z9cqqEcMxmh8TtwGu7fwSJW/s640/blogger-image--453557590.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRbZBGrgLDNQgv3YPAsPEQWOeyX35kul5dOr21wTCrhj0NmhMrp8si4Cw4ql0bV23uQYM2lgAwMjoHnbf2l6cIYc7mvzyel78J9k6MpP0JDZrZ5dB7zevtiGUS2cBq-UE-I4G/s640/blogger-image-2126612391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRbZBGrgLDNQgv3YPAsPEQWOeyX35kul5dOr21wTCrhj0NmhMrp8si4Cw4ql0bV23uQYM2lgAwMjoHnbf2l6cIYc7mvzyel78J9k6MpP0JDZrZ5dB7zevtiGUS2cBq-UE-I4G/s640/blogger-image-2126612391.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwj-A8_cWbfOSdG2to5T7Vqx_JL-MLCXjdTdO0uQ76ppBA_KGaidye9xEfr1ZLFUSoC0SSaST7aBL7DqMAtTYaF-XU-uqDJx7s0tGfAENSwZmBXuA55-UngDnb3AYAIRBiIY1/s640/blogger-image-1163364436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCwj-A8_cWbfOSdG2to5T7Vqx_JL-MLCXjdTdO0uQ76ppBA_KGaidye9xEfr1ZLFUSoC0SSaST7aBL7DqMAtTYaF-XU-uqDJx7s0tGfAENSwZmBXuA55-UngDnb3AYAIRBiIY1/s640/blogger-image-1163364436.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Alas,upon our return, Bangkok has not been so magical. The fancy hotels are gated and there is no walking along the river from one to another. The streets around were dingier than I remembered, and filled with shops selling jewelry and fabrics to tourists.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The ferry on the river was much the same, however, but everywhere was much built up with tall flashy buildings. The Market near the Royal Palace was much diminished, but the palace itself still dazzled. However, there was not just a handful of tourists, but thousands. We had a sudden rainstorm, too, but we were already inside the palace grounds. Later, near Wat Pho I saw one man hawking a bamboo umbrella. I was tempted to buy one for old time's sake, but hurried on. There were a few tuk-tuk drivers, but almost no bicycle rickshaws. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZDoRJOMz2vlur2n7BLpwqBKyvbbljlVLR87MB2lj983xfzHz6ytAlutb19C4sjeIdlmKclk59KqmXSnm4c8A0yCSyPqPlHXpsiC4TLZnVugO1IuUsoycWQdln51oopsOLA5A/s640/blogger-image-262979521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZDoRJOMz2vlur2n7BLpwqBKyvbbljlVLR87MB2lj983xfzHz6ytAlutb19C4sjeIdlmKclk59KqmXSnm4c8A0yCSyPqPlHXpsiC4TLZnVugO1IuUsoycWQdln51oopsOLA5A/s640/blogger-image-262979521.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrydBeuZ4BuaT9BTg1hnP-3zspezwd_Tt-p9PgYGOZg7FYfDiboBCbGj_0JhfFjYOvUOTbPaOKMMiAjCbDVueW6pWsscdEoL7dlVJqn6fPSp76GTQSThEAC1XJALZLA5QQdp3/s640/blogger-image--1444564194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrydBeuZ4BuaT9BTg1hnP-3zspezwd_Tt-p9PgYGOZg7FYfDiboBCbGj_0JhfFjYOvUOTbPaOKMMiAjCbDVueW6pWsscdEoL7dlVJqn6fPSp76GTQSThEAC1XJALZLA5QQdp3/s640/blogger-image--1444564194.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgMgG_BFDwxE8vUPRJ6q2jYFjNy0NOhoq-q4GZhYL59l8yR_TlUY-S8U5_NINiTNkATxLmhO-gs_sEydmULgPdGAB_Ot5M53tvfsp-kAGkFhqqo4P_lLuUp496xhH76P9QsgJ/s640/blogger-image-423590583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgMgG_BFDwxE8vUPRJ6q2jYFjNy0NOhoq-q4GZhYL59l8yR_TlUY-S8U5_NINiTNkATxLmhO-gs_sEydmULgPdGAB_Ot5M53tvfsp-kAGkFhqqo4P_lLuUp496xhH76P9QsgJ/s640/blogger-image-423590583.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We walked in neighborhoods nearby that felt more like the smaller, friendlier city I remembered, and found, among other things a display of old typewriters in the window of a repair shop. We had a nice late lunch in a little place that had no name or menu in a western alphabet, so I have no idea of its name, but it was clean and the walls covered with photos of what must have been friends and family. We were the only ones there for a short time, and I looked up to see almost the entire staff of half a dozen people sitting watching us. We then walked back toward the ferry along the Royal Field and along a street described as the Champs d'Elysees of Bangkok. I think not!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyj8lJ2A71g29jbj8mpzBVxAyokqYcVW9AV45kMT9ViIqQ_UFyN8qu8p3oc4AvsIg1cYHjYhn2kS3eiTh-d7QtrZakWf4iiR3R4ChjHoZXt6ElPzcemJfjN-REH7No2fxTX-P/s640/blogger-image--1023286808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyj8lJ2A71g29jbj8mpzBVxAyokqYcVW9AV45kMT9ViIqQ_UFyN8qu8p3oc4AvsIg1cYHjYhn2kS3eiTh-d7QtrZakWf4iiR3R4ChjHoZXt6ElPzcemJfjN-REH7No2fxTX-P/s640/blogger-image--1023286808.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvVjX6QiaPOUxjAOH1ZrdO5KjQDR3FMfWHcR4NrYrCThIT0SIxJ3O6y9dXXzHGbj-kxQ1ncWSUI4Y74XZEm9o5qKrus8cNyips__sMcu9rSiuFnNlByskG_J678H-7vxSTx-F/s640/blogger-image--2134871238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvVjX6QiaPOUxjAOH1ZrdO5KjQDR3FMfWHcR4NrYrCThIT0SIxJ3O6y9dXXzHGbj-kxQ1ncWSUI4Y74XZEm9o5qKrus8cNyips__sMcu9rSiuFnNlByskG_J678H-7vxSTx-F/s640/blogger-image--2134871238.jpg"></a></div>Typewriter display, Bangkok</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">So, Bangkok in reality, is no longer that romantic place that has occupied a special place in my dreams, but I suspect, like so many times and places, the new and old will continue to share space in my memories.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Now in Hanoi! What cognitive dissonance! This charming, ramshackle old city comes close to what I'd imagined an old city in Asia would be. I cannot yet hold all the horrific images and memories of the Vietnam War and its impact on my young life (and on the lives of my contemporaries), together with the altogether different place I see before my eyes: French patisseries, street-side markets full of flowers and vegetables; and backpackers far too young to know much about the war, toting copies of their Lonely Planet guidebooks, of which I'm hoping to find a copy. Here we are, two old honeymooners upgraded to the honeymoon room at the Hanoi Guesthouse, right across the street from Handspan Travel, with whom we depart in the morning for Halong Bay and two nights aboard a junk.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Linnea and Kent (napping when we should be exploring, but now there's an afternoon rain -- and when have we ever scored a honeymoon bed strewn with rose petals? Although we did carefully collect them to not make a mess.)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SeXB5vVwCOl0Rra1sCcqczlCG-MI9r83sdc8SRQSuyzlDmIZqDhqZ3-uD9Mw1DMao39gJ4ziu2dceaGwzbWAGPAWJRBZGNPq9po_w3EZDEKv8rvQLtgR-HsWP0b_kU3Dzekz/s640/blogger-image-1449660255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SeXB5vVwCOl0Rra1sCcqczlCG-MI9r83sdc8SRQSuyzlDmIZqDhqZ3-uD9Mw1DMao39gJ4ziu2dceaGwzbWAGPAWJRBZGNPq9po_w3EZDEKv8rvQLtgR-HsWP0b_kU3Dzekz/s640/blogger-image-1449660255.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-31748647795826668952014-11-04T20:23:00.001-07:002014-11-04T20:23:17.206-07:00Farewell, Lovely Myanmar<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">November 3, Mandalay International Airport</span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I'm sad to be leaving beautiful Myanmar without having seen more of the countryside.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">It was a very long drive to the airport through green flooded fields, some dotted with egrets, some plowed by ox teams. The road was lined with bougainvillea.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After a second day's drive with our taxi driver to outlying villages and historic sites, that evening we headed to a street-side restaurant we had noticed the night before, which had included a handful of Europeans. We were warmly welcomed by a beautiful, English-speaking hostess wearing sparkling jewelry and a dazzling blue dress. A table was cleared from a spot near the edge of the street, moved closer to the center, wiped clean and covered with a clean blue plaid table cloth. Then we were beckoned to the stove in the center of the space, given small bowls and tastes of 3 bubbling hot dishes. We chose one spicy chicken dish and one pork and some corn and zucchini and other squash, and were soon seated with those plates plus a huge bowl of rice and small bowls of various condiments. We were offered chopsticks, spoons and forks, and they kept coming back to check on us. We also got a plate of crunchy raw cabbage, sweet and delicious of which dared eat a little, followed by a plate of watermelon chunks. All was accompanied by a shared bottle of Myanmar beer, and everything was very delicious, although I hadn't been eating much in recent days. It was such fun, obviously a neighborhood spot, where people were queueing for take-home food. What a great business these folks have! Fast, efficient, friendly, with excellent, fresh,y cooked food. Total bill, with a second beer was about $8.50 or 8,500 Myanmar kyat.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRloBiDaVMwUEkzPQiWkBagXIdETxu3TVPlQghonoej6PiA9myjI-_7jIqabdWEdV5ssQlCMEKg8XibXZMTW_mDpUsW_O88Lf7ubzxaIhrxiLnXXc3diAtctupgQCCXyNWoJh5/s640/blogger-image-1350724931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRloBiDaVMwUEkzPQiWkBagXIdETxu3TVPlQghonoej6PiA9myjI-_7jIqabdWEdV5ssQlCMEKg8XibXZMTW_mDpUsW_O88Lf7ubzxaIhrxiLnXXc3diAtctupgQCCXyNWoJh5/s640/blogger-image-1350724931.jpg"></a></div></div>Street side eatery with lovely hostess at Shan Ma Ma in Mandalay<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We were a bit dazed after all the time we had spent in a car that day. There are almost no traffic lights or stop signs in Mandalay, and traffic moves sort of like a dance, a constantly moving, swerving, stopping, with gentle honking. Even in the country, there were constant starts and stops, and many potholes and sharp dips, speed bumps, and curves. The main vehicles were pick-up trucks with covered backs, into which people crammed, some also occasionally riding on the roof. One young man perched on the tailgate of the truck/bus in front of us, holding on with one arm? I kept expecting with every jolt and sudden stop to see him catapulting out of the truck to splat on the road where we would surely then run over him. Then there were the couples, often holding one or two small children weaving in and out of the cars and trucks on motorcycles. Sometimes the adults wore flimsy helmets, but the children did not.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08L8e81MPmjVS5gUHK56jAI49BOK4PF3dYBa9zwShip0D5p8ReYJ62n11lsBzgADIguKpiPybH8RMSx-BbMMTKQJlSLD_-MixmhYIArzTVg8a-m3AQoVEXT8hSzSWKj9qmu9S/s640/blogger-image--1089622364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08L8e81MPmjVS5gUHK56jAI49BOK4PF3dYBa9zwShip0D5p8ReYJ62n11lsBzgADIguKpiPybH8RMSx-BbMMTKQJlSLD_-MixmhYIArzTVg8a-m3AQoVEXT8hSzSWKj9qmu9S/s640/blogger-image--1089622364.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I haven't had time to write, as I've been collapsing at night. and one night must have fallen asleep with my finger on the backspace, as everything I had written disappeared.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">On our first day in Mandalay, we visited the restoration of the wooden palace destroyed by the Japanese during World War II. And many temples, including those on top of Mandalay Hill.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">That evening, we walked to a cake and ice cream store several blocks away, and happened upon a street fair, with fire trucks, food cooked over open fires (maybe that's why all the fire trucks?), and loud music from a traditional band with percussion, but also clarinets, saxophones, and violins, all with electronic enhancement. It was lively enough to dance to, but only small children were dancing. Several people talked to us and families with children gathered around us and smiled. Someone told us this style of band, or maybe the original of this band, dated from 1925.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3uvexLbXLJl002ibA8sZowD_ITAgrUzwkblAlmqiJIQh797cEexydPOkSwwZItuCOzrTbOWxe0Ffm_vAjosr24aHoOvP9djtRSxQeJoOsKlnSWf0nIhUEflGvxpO5pC8W-v8/s640/blogger-image--293165677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3uvexLbXLJl002ibA8sZowD_ITAgrUzwkblAlmqiJIQh797cEexydPOkSwwZItuCOzrTbOWxe0Ffm_vAjosr24aHoOvP9djtRSxQeJoOsKlnSWf0nIhUEflGvxpO5pC8W-v8/s640/blogger-image--293165677.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">A word about the airport.there were lots of foreign tourists waiting in a huge un-air-conditioned hall when we arrived almost 3 hours ahead of flight time. There was a little shop at one end of the hall that turned out to actually serve food, so we had tuna sandwiches, pastries, and tonic water. A fake bouquet of orchids sat next to a floor fan. At last the entrance to the check-in area opened, and we got to talk to several young backpackers as we waited in line. We didn't even have boarding passes, just the online confirmation. When when we finally got through it all, what do you know, there were actually some duty-free shops on the other side! So we were able to use up some of our leftover kyats on chocolates and munchies -- chocolates not such a good idea in hot un-air-conditioned places.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-MI24ZUGRwaHQRwJb8SdCVo59u-MB1bwSOWlXlntSz_fZAfQIG4A9z1DXDrLLavZCcnLBHqHDK2JbsHLJ_PrWboRm_Tbl3d2AEoxG71BJEhKkuMx9Z9O00jAA4EvgnSJ7ON5/s640/blogger-image--1660712736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-MI24ZUGRwaHQRwJb8SdCVo59u-MB1bwSOWlXlntSz_fZAfQIG4A9z1DXDrLLavZCcnLBHqHDK2JbsHLJ_PrWboRm_Tbl3d2AEoxG71BJEhKkuMx9Z9O00jAA4EvgnSJ7ON5/s640/blogger-image--1660712736.jpg"></a></div>Mandalay International Airport</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJww79kg4q7lq89JSmlhzYvwFvyexRBp241btP5JVHBlmSC_G3NcvA-aTArSnLD246lcQW7IQvHnDYzW2t7Vcyt6oN02RxvKvnaQXGg5Ec2lPz-Af8Qu0BbKIYEoMCS1GvpM8o/s640/blogger-image-1862895949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJww79kg4q7lq89JSmlhzYvwFvyexRBp241btP5JVHBlmSC_G3NcvA-aTArSnLD246lcQW7IQvHnDYzW2t7Vcyt6oN02RxvKvnaQXGg5Ec2lPz-Af8Qu0BbKIYEoMCS1GvpM8o/s640/blogger-image-1862895949.jpg"></a></div>Inside The third largest bell in the world at Mingun</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayvMCXbi93j3dtO-ILz79ue074PYZcbIelhMzgBJgyTwybyN_uLyWF2nxv9r1IqLYfcqJGkWjAEEbcRojsLc4MnmX5lPpPxFrUQUL1o7d9oqzfaTi5XFZpbGsVHgOy_nTBhaR/s640/blogger-image--1933453178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayvMCXbi93j3dtO-ILz79ue074PYZcbIelhMzgBJgyTwybyN_uLyWF2nxv9r1IqLYfcqJGkWjAEEbcRojsLc4MnmX5lPpPxFrUQUL1o7d9oqzfaTi5XFZpbGsVHgOy_nTBhaR/s640/blogger-image--1933453178.jpg"></a></div>Royal Palace, Mandalay</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkyYTfyYze6j2orcg5AnR1jY_TWdQmotIVU9s-95NOCMChdO6rgT-NLdVdoFBloVfPlGDco9R5oEz_cOArCz62gMW41RIDAQdrmD5Sbf-TXJLFNLFfqkoqF_Usy0rrVsmfK2i/s640/blogger-image-344095770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkyYTfyYze6j2orcg5AnR1jY_TWdQmotIVU9s-95NOCMChdO6rgT-NLdVdoFBloVfPlGDco9R5oEz_cOArCz62gMW41RIDAQdrmD5Sbf-TXJLFNLFfqkoqF_Usy0rrVsmfK2i/s640/blogger-image-344095770.jpg"></a></div>crescent of Buddhas </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQxCZ_ZZkB__azQeFGDdsmeTOBsIkjwi5gShRsMOg3gUzNHoNaRXy1rTjzzLsWntfkvdMToDVfEoHoEoiOUBzDm_cj8_ztoqau0Ycuk0tPHzQ70W9hDSWeUXA-PPlYcwBPnZI/s640/blogger-image--1987521131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQxCZ_ZZkB__azQeFGDdsmeTOBsIkjwi5gShRsMOg3gUzNHoNaRXy1rTjzzLsWntfkvdMToDVfEoHoEoiOUBzDm_cj8_ztoqau0Ycuk0tPHzQ70W9hDSWeUXA-PPlYcwBPnZI/s640/blogger-image--1987521131.jpg"></a></div>Boys at monastery in Amurapura</div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We are now at the end of a busy day in Bangkok, about which I have things to say, but we leave this hotel at 4 a.m. to catch our flight to Hanoi (Hanoi!) -- just writing the name brings a flood of emotions -- so I'd better try to sleep. Everywhere we've been on this trip I've been reminded of the toll and destruction war has caused over many centuries. And we're all still at it. I don't get it. When will we ever learn? Jesus, Mohammed, and Buddha all preached love, forgiveness, peace and reverence for life. Why is it so difficult to settle differences and create just solutions without killing and destruction? Even without meanness and pettiness, as I think about our relatively peaceful, but still flawed political process as Americans vote today.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-45634984487538376422014-11-02T08:14:00.001-07:002014-11-05T05:43:41.754-07:00Temples of Bagan October 27-30 2014<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Temples of Bagan</span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Over 3000 temples, pagodas, and stupas, many in ruins, and all in various states of disrepair, are scattered across the plains of Bagan, capital of a Myanmar empire between 1000 and 1300. The Irriwaddy River, which runs beside our door, still supports peanut farmers who have been been ploughing and planting on the sandy banks with oxen teams during the four mornings of our stay. Tomorrow at 5:30 a.m., we depart on the express boat to Mandalay, a journey of 11 1/2 hours. the slow boat takes two days, and even the bus takes seven hours.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmD7rxALV26-ayD7n6v_eJH_ge9KMjHwth4XNLLIh5yoFs8_jdeegtFbBKKxFVANkINQQMJIdS6j-2W4jj2hCaMO3_63-2hJHwVbZNDpvN_wE7SiKOIx8fS19gL64RgBUNRwD/s640/blogger-image-691149523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmD7rxALV26-ayD7n6v_eJH_ge9KMjHwth4XNLLIh5yoFs8_jdeegtFbBKKxFVANkINQQMJIdS6j-2W4jj2hCaMO3_63-2hJHwVbZNDpvN_wE7SiKOIx8fS19gL64RgBUNRwD/s640/blogger-image-691149523.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi604ukiZ6WlRb9zRadXsjiPrD7U01FYY5HrIciNQn9jLa4DovXHkcWBd5h-Wgc_aBtpyPQmjODjCwmuH06hRJHW3H9GBvXt3AC72OfN-3rpaMmuJwBxBky5akD7dvN9TlZ0kl5/s640/blogger-image-464980245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi604ukiZ6WlRb9zRadXsjiPrD7U01FYY5HrIciNQn9jLa4DovXHkcWBd5h-Wgc_aBtpyPQmjODjCwmuH06hRJHW3H9GBvXt3AC72OfN-3rpaMmuJwBxBky5akD7dvN9TlZ0kl5/s640/blogger-image-464980245.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLVFaH0c7X6Dj_qK9k9YRqn8uNOZgPFFVeVZgOm5pzxd13ilZQg3HYdASELwXwRxbFHF0-Lx6SOQBGwoa3m3JJy6dj1vL6cUZsPhKY2iPBHg-ewa1bCFoJ-vaDkTWcN8zEvVi/s640/blogger-image-1520023667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLVFaH0c7X6Dj_qK9k9YRqn8uNOZgPFFVeVZgOm5pzxd13ilZQg3HYdASELwXwRxbFHF0-Lx6SOQBGwoa3m3JJy6dj1vL6cUZsPhKY2iPBHg-ewa1bCFoJ-vaDkTWcN8zEvVi/s640/blogger-image-1520023667.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">View from our terrace at Bagan Thande Hotel</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The days have been hot, the nights pleasantly cool. Every morning but our first, when we walked and hired a ihorse cart to take us home, we have rented bicycles for the mornng, which we have found quite long enough, as by noon the heat and sun become really oppressive.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLVgUr5ftPm-uCWBDUBLmPF08VpzPS4uZqdjFN4ekuCaz1pdcDwqYSaQmyCkJXJ0m4WlTAuMP9urU7pzMr4Kx4roGJ-XElefqhtjykZznsf2wpowx6c8OBxcDWBtzOwQBcrTL/s640/blogger-image-1747377236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLVgUr5ftPm-uCWBDUBLmPF08VpzPS4uZqdjFN4ekuCaz1pdcDwqYSaQmyCkJXJ0m4WlTAuMP9urU7pzMr4Kx4roGJ-XElefqhtjykZznsf2wpowx6c8OBxcDWBtzOwQBcrTL/s640/blogger-image-1747377236.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We are staying at the Bagan Thande Hotel, the main building of which was built for a visit of the Prince of Wales (later Edward viii who abdicated) in 1922. The rooms are bungalows set in the gardens, with some, including ours, overlooking the river with a terrace outside. I really have enjoyed this, even opening the door in the middle of the night to look at the stars and see how warm it still is. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDkj6E6lqDJoU_hv3irm9x4f7EumVzC4U3BQgK6SVLUA-6bTN5fgnOBdHETIkArK7wiP5rLg0a9R_VWTKdCN3k78nN5M2rdoWNdA8zZeNw6WTQrkepzezgooxtpSVrMtp64oA/s640/blogger-image-2067598710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDkj6E6lqDJoU_hv3irm9x4f7EumVzC4U3BQgK6SVLUA-6bTN5fgnOBdHETIkArK7wiP5rLg0a9R_VWTKdCN3k78nN5M2rdoWNdA8zZeNw6WTQrkepzezgooxtpSVrMtp64oA/s640/blogger-image-2067598710.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">On our first evening in Bagan, we walked to Shwesandaw, said to be THE place to watch the sunset, if you'd like to share it with a few hundred other folks. On the way, we took a shortcut on paths through fields where we saw deserted temples with interesting carvings, to which we intended to return, but never did.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkkmQAU08B2zhtWFA4avs8A7FsJe6kbpAjUIL5yoeIOHfNyPmqHHnO0d8Zi2vY5xO0rCh4eXZjlpZBaBJTrx2E8fSANiFEK1ofpj_V5xejc8nGFMyxFCpkJXNsG8AEhWuOptI/s640/blogger-image--353210480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkkmQAU08B2zhtWFA4avs8A7FsJe6kbpAjUIL5yoeIOHfNyPmqHHnO0d8Zi2vY5xO0rCh4eXZjlpZBaBJTrx2E8fSANiFEK1ofpj_V5xejc8nGFMyxFCpkJXNsG8AEhWuOptI/s640/blogger-image--353210480.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFDvYSwcqAZTBJ_KYerDuQ62_z8jOYYm3l0sI_bJyZpHWFxIWM673g2CYPUJ6Qbf-ahG39rq_x5serX1jggl09oORqBUfjrvozGC16iZaf7DBbjwOY92TVE_x6JAz37dkM6ri/s640/blogger-image--2063177316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFDvYSwcqAZTBJ_KYerDuQ62_z8jOYYm3l0sI_bJyZpHWFxIWM673g2CYPUJ6Qbf-ahG39rq_x5serX1jggl09oORqBUfjrvozGC16iZaf7DBbjwOY92TVE_x6JAz37dkM6ri/s640/blogger-image--2063177316.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWIOpJqKgF1GhSld_sp64WnMj8LjlW933bkwlHpp-Bd-wCnw6z0caHw95VB9p7AZatUuNWYarS6iPy9UYC7iCoJ5lz2pMieoYbil8BiIU7S2LkoGzsIAd8f_rK91h60EuieCc/s640/blogger-image--90251609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWIOpJqKgF1GhSld_sp64WnMj8LjlW933bkwlHpp-Bd-wCnw6z0caHw95VB9p7AZatUuNWYarS6iPy9UYC7iCoJ5lz2pMieoYbil8BiIU7S2LkoGzsIAd8f_rK91h60EuieCc/s640/blogger-image--90251609.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Our favorite temples tended to be those we just happened upon, rather than the "must see" temples which tended to have parking lots, a few tour buses, and lots of hawkers of souvenirs, some very persistent. After awhile we found them quite tiring, and the art they sold the same at every site. One man had a painting of birds that was somewhat amateurishly done, but had a certain charm. "Are these Myanmar birds?" I asked him. "Yes," he said. I was rather dubious about the Cardinal. "Where in Myanmar do you find them?" "In the zoo," he said. No sale.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We took our sandals off at every temple, ruined or not, sometimes trotting through pigeon-infested interiors with a stench so awful we had to go outside. We climbed countless stairs to upper levels, sometimes inside and sometimes outside the buildings. The temples were in various states of ruin. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7f-DFN_mDXhZHPxFAROecrMC2isAIWEEw7KCQA_sDc3pKWplK3jfznHvZrnKQXqVHKvBohHln_HVzGJzyAk2uU5ydR72_p5P1Bdl965WOna46QvRmiCEla5EyzHJBYxCZpky_/s640/blogger-image--1743669123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7f-DFN_mDXhZHPxFAROecrMC2isAIWEEw7KCQA_sDc3pKWplK3jfznHvZrnKQXqVHKvBohHln_HVzGJzyAk2uU5ydR72_p5P1Bdl965WOna46QvRmiCEla5EyzHJBYxCZpky_/s640/blogger-image--1743669123.jpg"></a></div>We put our shoes on and off countless times!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">It was lovely to be in the countryside on quiet roads and dirt tracks. Some of the temples felt peaceful, while others were heavy and oppressive. All were Buddhist temples, but some had Hindu elements as well.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-VVZGvKwFfY5aFe9pup5iOL5usvrmRBFq2qCHQhXwa30shmvK92nm0i88oPEufBcQNQVRJxYlLNKuATIW_ff35pCEqRq-3Ayyo4oA92thEuducClzJ76m50c5l3FN4MJ_qXn/s640/blogger-image-948197363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn-VVZGvKwFfY5aFe9pup5iOL5usvrmRBFq2qCHQhXwa30shmvK92nm0i88oPEufBcQNQVRJxYlLNKuATIW_ff35pCEqRq-3Ayyo4oA92thEuducClzJ76m50c5l3FN4MJ_qXn/s640/blogger-image-948197363.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Some of the Buddhas were lit up with neon or LED lights, a modern invention!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQ5xDgvab3B0m2PNNI33U4CN8c6tLRsItlAUgLTTVH-ZiRH4bv5hlXXcFrO5DFq0LqGoxSvMcOW67Sz6zt35nr3rlOcs8el-kWdZhUtFx1qlT1TT8j6YqD53_A4Nm0NzjBu-C/s640/blogger-image-1386059993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQ5xDgvab3B0m2PNNI33U4CN8c6tLRsItlAUgLTTVH-ZiRH4bv5hlXXcFrO5DFq0LqGoxSvMcOW67Sz6zt35nr3rlOcs8el-kWdZhUtFx1qlT1TT8j6YqD53_A4Nm0NzjBu-C/s640/blogger-image-1386059993.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We loved our time at the relatively luxurious hotel. The bathroom was huge -- perhaps 8x8 feet. The pool was lovely, and I enjoyed cooling off after an expedition in the heat. Everywhere in Myanmar the people have been smiling and welcoming, and often genuinely interested in practicing their English with us.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rGlCcjR_rE9Dw3W4aKu5oT8DNjeO3Cb9TGSE2HJiSgg6PN2wsf_60mHt0dYewC_AaMT0YrCr3_ptPlPFcvyKHRgaLMMO_fZn0IyWXRs34HBZ2CStqt5YSfcn25SCM_N4zuIM/s640/blogger-image-806117694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rGlCcjR_rE9Dw3W4aKu5oT8DNjeO3Cb9TGSE2HJiSgg6PN2wsf_60mHt0dYewC_AaMT0YrCr3_ptPlPFcvyKHRgaLMMO_fZn0IyWXRs34HBZ2CStqt5YSfcn25SCM_N4zuIM/s640/blogger-image-806117694.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">On our final afternoon at the hotel we tried to vote by our absentee ballots, which would not download onto my iPad. So we used the hotel desk top computer available in the lobby. One of the clerks managed to transfer the downloaded PDF files to a thumb drive, something I usually have along, but hadn't brought this time, so she could print the files on their office computer. We managed to read the lengthy small print ballot about which Albuquerque voters have been complaining, and fill in all the little ovals. I am sure ours, on standard-sized paper was even harder to read. Kent fetched our flashlight as hotel lights were very dim, and light was fading fast outside at shortly after 4 p.m. I then scanned the ballots by photographing them with my iPad, and emailed them along with copies of our signed affidavits. I haven't yet heard if the ballots arrived and are legible enough to count, and whether we did everything right.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEx53lYbbq_40NJiHjPbNZ4A5udytpfS3ZRYwwprGYBpMhSc_025pIYn9wHiqPcit_Pga-rpnpamPdu1YHfATGwBHfEuuyVBxNC1TnQsKLvzi7woQqkvSM_Vyoty6lkzJolR3s/s640/blogger-image-1315281893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEx53lYbbq_40NJiHjPbNZ4A5udytpfS3ZRYwwprGYBpMhSc_025pIYn9wHiqPcit_Pga-rpnpamPdu1YHfATGwBHfEuuyVBxNC1TnQsKLvzi7woQqkvSM_Vyoty6lkzJolR3s/s640/blogger-image-1315281893.jpg"></a></div>Cool drinks in the outdoor dining room.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We are now on our third and last night in Mandalay. Tomorrow, Bangkok!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I don't know how much I can write about fabled Mandalay, famed perhaps mainly for its rhyming possibilities.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-48482240957617198792014-10-31T19:27:00.001-06:002014-10-31T20:54:22.425-06:00Arrived in Mandalay<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I still have more to write about Bagan, where we explored temples via bicycle for 3 days, and walked and took a horse cart on one day. I intended to write Blog notes on the long riverboat ride to Mandalay yesterday Halloween!), but as I explain below, that is not what happened.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9KlO-2XYyhcZ_3vCKvhzbQJVrzI0Zcc5UV5zc7zF22STsc-wiHtI3P9W78mslCAvLOOeXAkafb5avEF7v6BjeRTdcVvPMJrFVEUw_N3c9TIO4y1NXdvz-5iCElBvHEF55B-a/s640/blogger-image--1495860701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9KlO-2XYyhcZ_3vCKvhzbQJVrzI0Zcc5UV5zc7zF22STsc-wiHtI3P9W78mslCAvLOOeXAkafb5avEF7v6BjeRTdcVvPMJrFVEUw_N3c9TIO4y1NXdvz-5iCElBvHEF55B-a/s640/blogger-image--1495860701.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcU3T8EjH4ot28RYzi0Z-LbBQgzo7UPtO04lyWJ3CnXeyhF5dAjAFLzNWFJ6-nPetl5KoLzN7vPWExNbpIKteveVofeCy9AmaSNpNbyPfj7EdoIv1OBr4yCUp9b9oTgPuOaoj3/s640/blogger-image--466654495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcU3T8EjH4ot28RYzi0Z-LbBQgzo7UPtO04lyWJ3CnXeyhF5dAjAFLzNWFJ6-nPetl5KoLzN7vPWExNbpIKteveVofeCy9AmaSNpNbyPfj7EdoIv1OBr4yCUp9b9oTgPuOaoj3/s640/blogger-image--466654495.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtHFp2GP1JBKc7QawjyucjRq5NG1mQ-FFRC-BRZjljj3vks7_Ds_j2bjIyxnOHQsmpYi1JkyMOzTPfpqpP88z2Uwm7S3744xYrXmDm-egDzVV0LEmfsrF0F0cAhBJ6M8DfQoE/s640/blogger-image-1488121927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtHFp2GP1JBKc7QawjyucjRq5NG1mQ-FFRC-BRZjljj3vks7_Ds_j2bjIyxnOHQsmpYi1JkyMOzTPfpqpP88z2Uwm7S3744xYrXmDm-egDzVV0LEmfsrF0F0cAhBJ6M8DfQoE/s640/blogger-image-1488121927.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsO2gNThcuNaFY49ZbBapTyJSj8XhAI9kdHeZrNujt_7SPMl88wDvMzv0U6ChXVuX4Nay-GCn0gfEaMDcQW3kaGEiYL1zSt83IBmEGpcgfYNmIfEWB9NsxZychDELD8Kn105iZ/s640/blogger-image--1342578941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsO2gNThcuNaFY49ZbBapTyJSj8XhAI9kdHeZrNujt_7SPMl88wDvMzv0U6ChXVuX4Nay-GCn0gfEaMDcQW3kaGEiYL1zSt83IBmEGpcgfYNmIfEWB9NsxZychDELD8Kn105iZ/s640/blogger-image--1342578941.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdjLLUYISWZKWYzLCfl0av566kj83f122BZIG_KXGZ5tyAnbDHqcspPWcPYVuYufYbsz2Nu1MASeKyHR0mU3YczUp73Y08veDMaV5AvYPO2O2uHTX0RyVcRghTrJWj07hJnCw/s640/blogger-image-1510568388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdjLLUYISWZKWYzLCfl0av566kj83f122BZIG_KXGZ5tyAnbDHqcspPWcPYVuYufYbsz2Nu1MASeKyHR0mU3YczUp73Y08veDMaV5AvYPO2O2uHTX0RyVcRghTrJWj07hJnCw/s640/blogger-image-1510568388.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We were on the riverboat from 5:30am until 7 pm. Boat was pretty shabby. All of Myanmar is pretty shabby, except for the exquisite temples, and a lot of them are in ruins, too.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I came down with what I think must have been a mild case of food poisoning. Fever, diarrhea, and no appetite. I ended up going to sleep on the boat,stretched out across 3 airplane type seats. I think I slept in about two-hour segments from about 9:30 a.m. to 4 pm. I just couldn't stay awake. But there was not a lot to see between the brilliant sunrise and beautiful sunset, anyway. Mostly wide river between sandy and muddy banks and other than passing boats, not much sign of life. There were not many passengers on the boat, mainly tourists.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4eLJ0tdgK6ydjeNa8P6jzVrxHTsFEWk43Sw-j0vwnh37bIRwxI98xbxd3ldMOtZ4zjxlaf6gkfU3XjCAqyQ2g40jG_CmzlFlt9UXUdbdUr_XvyQzjQuj4WkwBfCBF4tlEh7s/s640/blogger-image-1897415449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4eLJ0tdgK6ydjeNa8P6jzVrxHTsFEWk43Sw-j0vwnh37bIRwxI98xbxd3ldMOtZ4zjxlaf6gkfU3XjCAqyQ2g40jG_CmzlFlt9UXUdbdUr_XvyQzjQuj4WkwBfCBF4tlEh7s/s640/blogger-image-1897415449.jpg"></a></div><br></div> Sunrise on the Irriwady</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, I'm hoping that with a good night sleep tonight I'll be better tomorrow and up to exploring Mandalay. It is very third world-looking, although we couldn't see that much in the dark. Lots of little shops and restaurants lit up, with people eating at tables under trees. The boat arrived 2.5 hours late, and to disembark we had to walk a plank to another boat, then across a wobbly double plank to a dirt bank, and up carved dirt steps, all in the dark with the help of flashlights. Rather chaotic!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This hotel is apparently in the middle of downtown, but it doesn't look like we are in a city at all. No stop lights or stop signs.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Next morning. I stopped writing and have just slept for another 10 hours or so. Still feeling a bit wrung out and tired, but eager to see what this place looks like in daylight. Right now from the window I see more buildings and a rooftop garden completely surrounded by razor wire, which I think says something about life here. I can see a church steeple, but no pagodas or temples, although we saw many lit up as the boat came in last night. What an adventure!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Whoever wrote the song about Mandalay must never have been here. No bay, just the muddy river, and China is a couple of hundred miles across the mountains.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">More later!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-56671702124973584772014-10-28T08:38:00.001-06:002014-10-30T02:42:34.252-06:00Yangon,Yangon, Day 2<br><blockquote type="cite" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="gmail_extra"><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;">Yangon was hot, dirty, decaying, and full of surprises.</blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;">On Sunday morning we set out to walk to the large golden temple, Shwedagon, but on the way we came to Trinity Catholic Church where mass in English was about to begin. I couldn't pass it up. It was the feast of Christ the King, which had been celebrated in Albuquerque some weeks before. We were warmly welcomed by greeters who ushered us in. The hymns, mostly familiar from my Protestant childhood surprised me. "All people that on earth do dwell... ," "O worship the King...," "Jesus shall reign where ere the sun," and a final rousing, "Hold the fort for I am coming!" ( I don't know when I'd last heard that one!). During the communion I am sure I heard playing that imperialist "In Christ there is no East nor West..."</blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;">Halfway up the aisle to take communion, I realized that everyone but me was barefoot (the tradition in Buddhist and Hindu temples) so quickly took off my sandals and left them by a column to retrieve later. As I knelt at the alter I realized that everyone else had held their host to dip in the cup (not accepted practice back home), but too late for me, so I drank from the cup, and young minister didn't hesitate at all. Then I looked up to the side and glimpsed through arches overhead, Christmas trees in storage. The service was well over an hour long, but with a lovely message about all of us through Christ having the power of kings, and that we should be aware of the power of our actions and words to help and bless or thoughtlessly hurt others. Alas,I never took any photos inside the church. </blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXifeo7HKy3DYODeh6rwDFGP8Gr53XfEvX5GRaJqug5lEMPkSDlxkIIXbPiFpMwEDwktKxagB_idCKi7jSW1XAzKIggquIQ9CToytZ8My9QTlha-ifplEZdI7hg53d1u-q28t/s640/blogger-image-1962245192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXifeo7HKy3DYODeh6rwDFGP8Gr53XfEvX5GRaJqug5lEMPkSDlxkIIXbPiFpMwEDwktKxagB_idCKi7jSW1XAzKIggquIQ9CToytZ8My9QTlha-ifplEZdI7hg53d1u-q28t/s640/blogger-image-1962245192.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;">It was very warm in the church, despite open doors on two sides, and even hotter as we went out along the street to resume our trek to the temp,e. On the way we passed a smaller temple, richly decorated with mirrors and colored glass. There were families everywhere making offerings. We also passed ruins of once grand houses along what must have once been a great boulevard with mosaic sidewalks, not in sad disrepair. Watch for holes in the sidewalk, our driver had told us. Indeed, there were some very large and deep holes. Near the outskirts of the temple we came to the mausoleum of U Thant, Secretary-General of the U tied Nations, 1961-1971.</blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5OuZ_RE5S-BG-WgfMhdPxAIwhgwaITt1RA7R-vdCyT1CscIYCcQqJlmjQKt7nXusDoVDXIUDKnkNALJgP4E-Hr25jZ8OBxLGzwZV6U5D6eNnkV_zW5jTKpd9Q9ekL5Z0x2Ge/s640/blogger-image--2013415095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5OuZ_RE5S-BG-WgfMhdPxAIwhgwaITt1RA7R-vdCyT1CscIYCcQqJlmjQKt7nXusDoVDXIUDKnkNALJgP4E-Hr25jZ8OBxLGzwZV6U5D6eNnkV_zW5jTKpd9Q9ekL5Z0x2Ge/s640/blogger-image--2013415095.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55r8o_8KzaoM6EQuJxyoz5KF9KfZQrJCcq74gNPEkxeZLjOetPEj_YbQHosIybGJmeWEUgj5vgUeYbsb5W133N0Ble5m8YipDjZle52ryOafUSKsK2HU3-c6R73A4FBfjg2-0/s640/blogger-image-1498019273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55r8o_8KzaoM6EQuJxyoz5KF9KfZQrJCcq74gNPEkxeZLjOetPEj_YbQHosIybGJmeWEUgj5vgUeYbsb5W133N0Ble5m8YipDjZle52ryOafUSKsK2HU3-c6R73A4FBfjg2-0/s640/blogger-image-1498019273.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8XX0DsCTOxd8Z4p-8tpavsJRdzFoTjDgVl4LFSFY11znYWUo05jd7ECj1BGtR0-_TQEZs39ff_aSk6X_QEdyNMTtc2wjNZwzfaHrnp1uEHnY5PYtvAkJjZmAYU-61FKV4Ey7/s640/blogger-image--2026510684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8XX0DsCTOxd8Z4p-8tpavsJRdzFoTjDgVl4LFSFY11znYWUo05jd7ECj1BGtR0-_TQEZs39ff_aSk6X_QEdyNMTtc2wjNZwzfaHrnp1uEHnY5PYtvAkJjZmAYU-61FKV4Ey7/s640/blogger-image--2026510684.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpLLToxlisAs_m4BsOzCAvbEPmx6lTBH1Ulk4UiXtMPBh-IcxE1Lrd4biL6l2tu16zW_tJI2sfiHJXafIsynDhZ0noRUeIMy9Nxj2HAzFcx7P4emW4SLSCCmfkRVkCgxf9gc3/s640/blogger-image-1058592283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpLLToxlisAs_m4BsOzCAvbEPmx6lTBH1Ulk4UiXtMPBh-IcxE1Lrd4biL6l2tu16zW_tJI2sfiHJXafIsynDhZ0noRUeIMy9Nxj2HAzFcx7P4emW4SLSCCmfkRVkCgxf9gc3/s640/blogger-image-1058592283.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-wi1UVIZF-sEaXRQsbkQSenZ2kJUpZui_ggknI_yUOFKOkXg_UhwgGAx-heTpKYV2Uo54OgaK3HD0oOe7MsW269DYFIykVUmmywUXgRM33UUr_kOv_m38jfdAFRlF6jZ1u0s/s640/blogger-image-1271097444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-wi1UVIZF-sEaXRQsbkQSenZ2kJUpZui_ggknI_yUOFKOkXg_UhwgGAx-heTpKYV2Uo54OgaK3HD0oOe7MsW269DYFIykVUmmywUXgRM33UUr_kOv_m38jfdAFRlF6jZ1u0s/s640/blogger-image-1271097444.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"> On to the grand Shwedagon at last, up a long inside staircase lined with souvenir stands. I was most impressed by the alligator with large rows of teeth that formed the edging of the staircase. We emerged into the almost blinding light reflecting off white marble and countless gold pinnacles. The stones were almost too hot to step on in our bare feet, and the green mats were only slightly cooler.</blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Oj4qHZM7lTkVs9kQvEu-kJUCYrNfDmN1Nct2mHi1VnYx5WkZ-fBDabW8xgfv4FpX35AaHTU47_IYi160j5AyBWWeyieMEXJ4WHkmCq_m9qiWeU2XvLC4EumnyuZNY4-LIk27/s640/blogger-image--149196612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Oj4qHZM7lTkVs9kQvEu-kJUCYrNfDmN1Nct2mHi1VnYx5WkZ-fBDabW8xgfv4FpX35AaHTU47_IYi160j5AyBWWeyieMEXJ4WHkmCq_m9qiWeU2XvLC4EumnyuZNY4-LIk27/s640/blogger-image--149196612.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;">The temple was jammed with families making offerings, praying, picnicking, and even checking their email and messages. Kent said he saw a sign at one point for free wi-fi.</blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFSxcjPgRDZRUVXJukbM8345-3QxoPD7PuqNAySBKo9zK41LnunnbH08etKCi8wSQtpwpPRbySQNi4GQceEeHjuiYVLqLLs15TDOMy_fCZ2ZUIBJcwYLdbeZ0L7A6U30AOymt/s640/blogger-image-1510681407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFSxcjPgRDZRUVXJukbM8345-3QxoPD7PuqNAySBKo9zK41LnunnbH08etKCi8wSQtpwpPRbySQNi4GQceEeHjuiYVLqLLs15TDOMy_fCZ2ZUIBJcwYLdbeZ0L7A6U30AOymt/s640/blogger-image-1510681407.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlG0XPyTwPy4zWTkk85qXrqk67TbGj6irSYlSrhH_RHD6QekcAgLlHsiKZ_pwUvf8-if4axAWPGWIV1tZKUICP7tUUuxfa2LRBP05k5ekG_dzajXa0l13YSa81mxpeNHIJXop/s640/blogger-image--298089012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlG0XPyTwPy4zWTkk85qXrqk67TbGj6irSYlSrhH_RHD6QekcAgLlHsiKZ_pwUvf8-if4axAWPGWIV1tZKUICP7tUUuxfa2LRBP05k5ekG_dzajXa0l13YSa81mxpeNHIJXop/s640/blogger-image--298089012.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"> Unfortunately we didn't have water with us or think to buy some before we got into the temple, where all that was available was water from a glass jug, with a tin cup attached. Both Kent and I ended up drinking that water from that cup. Mid-day was definitely not the time to be there! We ended up taking a taxi back to the hotel where we had a quiet, cool lunch and a nap before heading out in the evening past more decaying buildings, shanty towns, the riverside and another crowded, magnificent golden temple.</blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJxW51b3S2M9ZFgLrtBW7YAeRnuclwdXanH4O1BIS8xR8W-PqUCi2C-w6LtY1njsFff4dBIVVGRbPkxd-UjoZokIehNo8TQYJPrPxtLEZP7FkcYOMU9J-t5YMYt8QArxn_PdM/s640/blogger-image--1887585596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJxW51b3S2M9ZFgLrtBW7YAeRnuclwdXanH4O1BIS8xR8W-PqUCi2C-w6LtY1njsFff4dBIVVGRbPkxd-UjoZokIehNo8TQYJPrPxtLEZP7FkcYOMU9J-t5YMYt8QArxn_PdM/s640/blogger-image--1887585596.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjro4LuRIpgHoQO-LdWUJ9qZQPEzq5F_eI3U3yTCUeHnTLmjHoexmSYb8SVqkCdf9nozEigp9V3KK1UtWjdOAkNcO7H044Gvkcps5rtIA2gCPE6cfB7YcOrbdgyOb778sDuSvUn/s640/blogger-image-2042684993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjro4LuRIpgHoQO-LdWUJ9qZQPEzq5F_eI3U3yTCUeHnTLmjHoexmSYb8SVqkCdf9nozEigp9V3KK1UtWjdOAkNcO7H044Gvkcps5rtIA2gCPE6cfB7YcOrbdgyOb778sDuSvUn/s640/blogger-image-2042684993.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZaNj7qfAF02Ov2YfTyYPch-qkhxURJeWmqZrEZ0l9Bo-gtrP5qwfLI0ZhU-QNTjMFbeWGFHI199mpHQCMAadirL2n4pmAQ3R_1ii7WnfdOZFNo1z4Ykaf0Mumd4M04r1i_s8/s640/blogger-image--135236329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZaNj7qfAF02Ov2YfTyYPch-qkhxURJeWmqZrEZ0l9Bo-gtrP5qwfLI0ZhU-QNTjMFbeWGFHI199mpHQCMAadirL2n4pmAQ3R_1ii7WnfdOZFNo1z4Ykaf0Mumd4M04r1i_s8/s640/blogger-image--135236329.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXDE8Upv3wclP900ZdJnG8cGT5oGeMBge4Lv1C7tCM3YetzLTrM9TlPO631cOT3Zi-payfWfJJbCNu1bqM7zIpRqUkGwq6iBpA04E5YG2FqBgC6Qo5acVfl3hRLuL_x2TzhAO/s640/blogger-image--1937878249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXDE8Upv3wclP900ZdJnG8cGT5oGeMBge4Lv1C7tCM3YetzLTrM9TlPO631cOT3Zi-payfWfJJbCNu1bqM7zIpRqUkGwq6iBpA04E5YG2FqBgC6Qo5acVfl3hRLuL_x2TzhAO/s640/blogger-image--1937878249.jpg"></a></div><br></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="gmail_extra"><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><br></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30814391.post-31235590445358370152014-10-28T04:30:00.001-06:002014-11-05T05:45:44.074-07:00Tiger Leaping Gorge<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Tiger Leaping Gorge: Adventuring with Zhou, October 20-21, 2014</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Even with Zhou's expertise, plotting our way through Tiger Leaping Gorge was not easy.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Even getting the bus tickets was a challenge, as like so many other places in China, the bus station we were heading for on foot had recently moved several kilometers farther away, and even the locals seemed unsure of its location. It was a good thing we caught a local bus, or we would have been searching for many more hours.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Lijiang's old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, but like so many other historic sites in China it has become almost totally devoted to souvenir shops, restaurants, and guest houses that have taken over the historic buildings, and the streets are tightly packed with holidaying Chinese. As with Pingyao and Dali, the historic walled city was surrounded by a huge modern city.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpp1gVyhFJvBEin3qTuJfUSIgEyS1MyonrGNPjVRXDT0IdTX6Qjtx_6YCTsW79tz7632x71Mb-WHe2kbMLcTDEZ_hhlAnyshuLI96kY-iy6gpzrSYHP3GoQ3fULkY8Rh-kOUN4/s640/blogger-image-1504669356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpp1gVyhFJvBEin3qTuJfUSIgEyS1MyonrGNPjVRXDT0IdTX6Qjtx_6YCTsW79tz7632x71Mb-WHe2kbMLcTDEZ_hhlAnyshuLI96kY-iy6gpzrSYHP3GoQ3fULkY8Rh-kOUN4/s640/blogger-image-1504669356.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">However, on the road between Lijiang and Qiaotou we finally saw some small, traditional farming villages, some actual countryside, with corn fields, forests, and apple orchards, and traditional family compounds.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">As Jeff Grant wrote in his reminiscences of visiting Tiger Leaping Gorge a few years ago, the road was still rough and narrow, although a super highway, which for some reason our rickety bus didn't take (maybe it couldn't go fast enough, or maybe it needed to pick up passengers on the roadside), wound nearby, often overhead.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">From Jeff: "<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I do remember our trip to Tiger Leaping Gorge. We had a professional driver supplied by Yunnan Normal. He was well trained and experienced having been a driver in the military before coming to the university motor pool. Even so, I found the roads some of the scariest of my life. We were on one lane, dirt roads, hardly roads at all, with hundreds of feet straight down into the river on one side, and sheer cliffs on the other. Fortunately there was hardly any other traffic. Don't know what cars would have done had they met head on.</span></div><blockquote type="cite" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"I also remember the walk down the stairs to the water level in the Gorge. It must have been 12 stories or more down and back up. There were four guys carrying a chair that would take tourists down and back up for a price. We walked. At least I was thankful to get out of the car. Not sure my knees would be able to </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">do that now."</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Fortunately, we had to travel that most hair-raising part of the road one way, as we had walked high above the road on the way in. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I was glad Kent was sitting next to the window. One man moved to the other side of the bus. I wished I was still walking. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The day before we had taken what is known as the high trail ( and now know why it was so named!), and we never actually made the 3 hour round-trip trek down to the bottom of the gorge that Jeff describes, since had barely more than the required three hours remaining when we arrived at Tina's Guesthouse where the trail met the road.</span></div></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Our walk:</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEial9Q8HT8PdMVxDlXRDRwwt_xJek344Bh1kopukA2tazs3_-KTuEOu53Y5sE7Y0Dz2aU1FDdXtXvFCYQP7cpaaTar5cWbHG-OXkDHGCU8fEInI9Yc1R-tM5P697Os6xHQkM8as/s640/blogger-image--1412956463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEial9Q8HT8PdMVxDlXRDRwwt_xJek344Bh1kopukA2tazs3_-KTuEOu53Y5sE7Y0Dz2aU1FDdXtXvFCYQP7cpaaTar5cWbHG-OXkDHGCU8fEInI9Yc1R-tM5P697Os6xHQkM8as/s640/blogger-image--1412956463.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There we only a few other people on the trail--mostly young--. We were followed by cigaret-smoking guys on horses wanting to carry me (!) since we had only our small packs, and I carried only my fanny pack. We had left our bigger packs at the Swiss Snow guesthouse in Lijiang. I wasn't sure how long it was going to take me--it was hot and in the southwest sun. I was insulted, and thought I'd much rather be on my own two legs on this practically vertical trail, than up on top of a horse! I can still hear those tinkling horse bells taunting me, following me like vultures waiting for me to drop as I struggled up the endless,ever steeper, ever hotter trail. You have to cross three mountains, they told us! This was an ancient trail for horses to bring tea down from the mountains in Tibet.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjISUeSjUfshOpApgs5Pbm34VZ_8uF_sR8Vni2nJ2ayNAOfeTaWWRz8bURUrRXsgXBXnEIN56R9p66ILc2GCpzyDzto-uU22zxx64e9YvHnPw8bkw4A6k-TdSkPKvdpcdDXuZ/s640/blogger-image--1243798798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjISUeSjUfshOpApgs5Pbm34VZ_8uF_sR8Vni2nJ2ayNAOfeTaWWRz8bURUrRXsgXBXnEIN56R9p66ILc2GCpzyDzto-uU22zxx64e9YvHnPw8bkw4A6k-TdSkPKvdpcdDXuZ/s640/blogger-image--1243798798.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Finally, Zhou paid them 20 yuan to leave us. They were sure I wasn't going to make it, and I'm not sure that Kent thought I was going to make it, either, as he was worried about getting to a guesthouse before dark. Despite the difficult ascent, the scenery was beautiful. "This is paradise!" Zhou exclaimed at every new vista. "thank you, Thank you!"</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I was worried that with all the sweating I would run out of electrolytes and hit a "wall," as has happened to me before. Every soften along the trail there would be a little shelter where someone sold drinks and trinkets. "What I'd really like," isaid at one, "is something like Gatorade," remembering how a stranger's Gatorade helped me get those last few hundred yards up to the rim of theGrand Canyon. "Gatorade!" The young woman said, "we have Gatorade!" And she pulled it out of an ice chest. We three split the bottle. How unexpected to find this in a remote corner of Chona!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JxujRUdcOw6P0626dAPX4DzFG38S7Oqn85L9S4oIFJiSVDiQ4C_r1WmCI6wzhiB-iWkxOCLZrB9yQBa7BT2lKJJNK7IcyzjOGwEu4rYA6-RYzJeRwJr56wPIDzlrU9RDef14/s640/blogger-image-2096038295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JxujRUdcOw6P0626dAPX4DzFG38S7Oqn85L9S4oIFJiSVDiQ4C_r1WmCI6wzhiB-iWkxOCLZrB9yQBa7BT2lKJJNK7IcyzjOGwEu4rYA6-RYzJeRwJr56wPIDzlrU9RDef14/s640/blogger-image-2096038295.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The scenery was spectacular as we approached the height of the jagged peaks across the fabled river Yangtze, and I relaxed a bit without the pursuing horses. We topped out at a promontory where a man had a little shelter and wanted 15 yuan per person to walk out on the ledge to see down into the gorge. Kent paid for me, but I was so shaky and the wind was blowing so hard it almost took my hat, so I only went out a little way. From that high point the trail descended steeply. Zhou had bought a bamboo stick for me on the way up, for which I was most grateful. All that climbing had been to get to this spot where a man wanted money so we could take a picture! We could have cut out that whole section of the trail, had we realized how high the climb was going to be.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY6DuORlWC1TDnrdaj3v9lmyVXR8wK391xeCJ9IbwxNsnqJc7RSBDjiOP3mkzI-yK6-e1HAyfgK8eR6nN2IwomUW33RFO37d_fv9a30IucnAc6c9L-_kSJXYwwLwbg_TYcr00/s640/blogger-image-138509515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY6DuORlWC1TDnrdaj3v9lmyVXR8wK391xeCJ9IbwxNsnqJc7RSBDjiOP3mkzI-yK6-e1HAyfgK8eR6nN2IwomUW33RFO37d_fv9a30IucnAc6c9L-_kSJXYwwLwbg_TYcr00/s640/blogger-image-138509515.jpg"></a></div></div><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The steep descent was almost as hard as the ascent, but it was cooler now, with a breeze, and in the late afternoon light the views were even more beautiful.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9DM5xlxQwJ8gYppJUgJEtgoZluft-bK_attbpydHEodJ0eREx637ZrrY3cUAc4I2aeuidvV_ZX-lWhqyWgvF_UmCOXEGMauTIgqCCHNJ6XPfN5Hc6mbnWMd0kYqtOkS6U6jB/s640/blogger-image-812210703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9DM5xlxQwJ8gYppJUgJEtgoZluft-bK_attbpydHEodJ0eREx637ZrrY3cUAc4I2aeuidvV_ZX-lWhqyWgvF_UmCOXEGMauTIgqCCHNJ6XPfN5Hc6mbnWMd0kYqtOkS6U6jB/s640/blogger-image-812210703.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7eFVhIDZuyo360m5XJ5Yb2f5dIIoeoYj6QvqKdH3iijfGZZRCeYLvZAFJa2FyM6Na8zugfve2D2fw4TT4_AmnHO8ooeKBNAQ8YU4NIb9xWGfhIBdz94eemBqJoMCKFSilpAU/s640/blogger-image-1273957310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7eFVhIDZuyo360m5XJ5Yb2f5dIIoeoYj6QvqKdH3iijfGZZRCeYLvZAFJa2FyM6Na8zugfve2D2fw4TT4_AmnHO8ooeKBNAQ8YU4NIb9xWGfhIBdz94eemBqJoMCKFSilpAU/s640/blogger-image-1273957310.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At last we could see a village in the distance, although we had to cross a canyon to reach it. Ah, a bed, beer, dinner and showers, in a friendly spot with spectacular views. I was so stiff that evening that I could hardly get up and down all the steep, uneven stairs throughout the Tea-Horse Trail Guesthouse.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After a good, long night's sleep, like mornings on my Caminos, I woke eager to go and without pain in the beautiful clear light of early morning. We encountered flocks of mountain goats, waterfalls, more breathtaking views, and wildflowers in the remaining 3-4 hours of walking, much of it fairly level, but with a last very steep descent before the end. We really had walked very high. We were glad to have our down jackets.</span></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuM2IY4I_BtEBbZYVAI80gwUS2AXyErJ9H9YVNUw6GsfweGMWtYIKOdluuMRQ6-sESjbsjHTmkzZrlLlUm3LpAfErGYpO0WkPT2FIIKoPgfJ9W-JC7Et7PnaRx35sS5zJTw9U/s640/blogger-image-1271960329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuM2IY4I_BtEBbZYVAI80gwUS2AXyErJ9H9YVNUw6GsfweGMWtYIKOdluuMRQ6-sESjbsjHTmkzZrlLlUm3LpAfErGYpO0WkPT2FIIKoPgfJ9W-JC7Et7PnaRx35sS5zJTw9U/s640/blogger-image-1271960329.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With the bamboo stick in the morning!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCFeyfyFI7Qz2yLr5xm0ErbyOpK0eD_01YgrieWPL8L0NhFW-IvfjCpkvBqY_sFOqkZduxxZ8McnyyQmqvcsQPIByiPRhg6Uf5haenD696Kihqn7kbHezwJIYI-PBDr3Qlx1U/s640/blogger-image--685826389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCFeyfyFI7Qz2yLr5xm0ErbyOpK0eD_01YgrieWPL8L0NhFW-IvfjCpkvBqY_sFOqkZduxxZ8McnyyQmqvcsQPIByiPRhg6Uf5haenD696Kihqn7kbHezwJIYI-PBDr3Qlx1U/s640/blogger-image--685826389.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhVjcSzjJjxYAfloBoldQQa_fybNDSWgaG80-l6usNdNGp6BhmTltxJ6t5fZxBLPR-Qy8-HR4Tqk-QwHYfxmkxPgOPVFuoGSXJuOpcEJqPOUf2SsPLRz5u3xvjERR9z8Ln_xU/s640/blogger-image--778433864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhVjcSzjJjxYAfloBoldQQa_fybNDSWgaG80-l6usNdNGp6BhmTltxJ6t5fZxBLPR-Qy8-HR4Tqk-QwHYfxmkxPgOPVFuoGSXJuOpcEJqPOUf2SsPLRz5u3xvjERR9z8Ln_xU/s640/blogger-image--778433864.jpg"></a></div>The trail crosses the middle of this waterfall!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We arrived low enough to descend to the bottom of the gorge with about 3 hors to spare before the bus was to pick us up. The estimated time to go down and back was 3 hours. I am sure it would have taken us longer, and none of us wanted to try it. The people who came up (young people!) looked totally wiped out. it was not something to tackle in the heat of mid-day with a tight deadline. So, we missed out on descending to the gorge, although the entire walk was so wild and beautiful, I don't feel I missed that much.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We went by bus on that scary road through the gorge, back to Lijiang, then overnight on the train (with sleeping compartment for 3, a dining car and a bar with flashing lights) to Kunming and the comfortable if unexciting Home Inn. Unfortunately we were too tired to enjoy the bar and dining car although Zhou and I checked them out. It was 9:30 pm when we boarded the train, and not long before we were all asleep.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQDAbrPdl_dKKCH1mmJLWyntY5kMFUFUg7B8ExayP5HHoKM9MQvgyQqSCjYzr1i58t91Z7wV4cDhxp3Z7gCD-6FCMaZIuPGVDxIkKKlMgD6sPXdYuOHAIiIjHzJZIafmG1G_R/s640/blogger-image-1815430056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQDAbrPdl_dKKCH1mmJLWyntY5kMFUFUg7B8ExayP5HHoKM9MQvgyQqSCjYzr1i58t91Z7wV4cDhxp3Z7gCD-6FCMaZIuPGVDxIkKKlMgD6sPXdYuOHAIiIjHzJZIafmG1G_R/s640/blogger-image-1815430056.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFchlIk4MFw8nYLE6hAuUt0pH-CkQYVaO5gSs6-9n-wSIljCQrOmUUta6vTN7yYIWMd8kgSWEulv3TevzfIiM84RxhWASAWq1kQB7y5qCW4SmcXd_SP_JVgYhpoCblizkWmRN/s640/blogger-image-1378610256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFchlIk4MFw8nYLE6hAuUt0pH-CkQYVaO5gSs6-9n-wSIljCQrOmUUta6vTN7yYIWMd8kgSWEulv3TevzfIiM84RxhWASAWq1kQB7y5qCW4SmcXd_SP_JVgYhpoCblizkWmRN/s640/blogger-image-1378610256.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><blockquote type="cite"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">End of Tiger Leaping Gorge trek.<br><br></span></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><br><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br><br><br></span></blockquote></div></div></blockquote></blockquote><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><blockquote type="cite"><div class="gmail_extra"><div class="gmail_quote"></div></div></blockquote></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Hendrickson Philips happy-chickens.blogspot.com</div>Linnea Hendricksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515139429308847279noreply@blogger.com0