Days 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 - Hanoi, Vietnam; Bangkok, Thailand

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First installment written on Tuesday: We're sitting in an internet "cafe" (I wouldn't really call it that...it's more like a dirty room full of computers and video game systems) on Khao San Road, which is a haven for backpackers and young travelers outside of central Bangkok. This is the street made famous by Leo in "The Beach," which was set here in Thailand. We're actually checking out of here tomorrow and heading to a slightly more civilized hotel closer to the rest of the places we want to go while we're here. (I'm actually finishing this entry from the business center at the Lebua Hotel in Bangkok, which is a hundred times more upscale than our place on Khao San Road.)

Backing up to Sunday morning, Will, Rich and I woke up a little late after our night out with the Forman sisters and headed to the restaurant at the Sofitel Metropole Hotel in Hanoi (probably the nicest hotel in the city) for brunch. Jenny and her parents had been for brunch on an earlier trip and insisted that we go...and it was awesome. We sat for a little over 2 hours and ate leisurely the entire time. The food was amazing...all kinds of meats, cheeses, sushi, pastries, etc. It was a very cool experience.

After brunch, we headed to the Hoa Lo Prison, known during the Vietnam War as the "Hanoi Hilton." We had ridden past it on Saturday during our rickshaw rides, but we didn't go in for a tour. It was an experience...kind of a strange feeling to walk around knowing what went on there during the war. Most of the prison was torn down in the early 90s, I believe, to make way for a new high rise building (the prison sits right in the middle of downtown Hanoi). What remains is now open as a museum (I imagine the portions torn down were those that held American soldiers during Vietnam.) There is a great deal of historical information on display througout the prison, most dealing with its use before the Vietnam War, but there are a couple of rooms dedicated to Vietnam War displays. The flight suit worn by John McCain when he was captured by the North Vietnamese is on display, as well as a number of items and photographs that are intended to show how "well" the American soldiers were treated while they were imprisoned there. Right.

After the Hanoi Hilton, we started exploring the intricate and vast markets of Hanoi. In the old part of town, every single street is a market. The locals are selling everything you can possibly imagine. It could potentially be mass chaos, but they have somehow managed for each street to have a theme. You might walk down one street and find all glasses and sunglasses. One street might be all toys. The next street might be all antiques and the next all doorknobs. You could seriously find just about anything you could think of in the streets of Hanoi. The most surprising thing that the locals have to offer is art. There are art galleries all over the place, all selling pieces done by local artists. I'm bringing several things home. I got one large painting and several smaller things that were ridiculously inexpensive.

After spending the day walking around the markets, Rich wanted to check out mass at the Catholic cathedral near our hotel. We walked up a few minutes late, and it was standing room only...outside. We couldn't believe the strong presence of Christianity in Hanoi. It was really a sight. Headed to dinner for some local fare later on, then back out into town. Sunday was a day of historical significance for Vietnam (maybe independence from the French?), so there were masses of people out and about. We caught a spot on the balcony at the "Balcony Bar" to watch the people (on their motorbikes) go by. Speaking of the French, one other unexpected thing about Hanoi is the city's layout...it was obviously influenced by the French. Many of the streets are wide and tree-lined...really much prettier than you would expect.

We spent most of Monday back out in the markets. It's really very cool...you never know what you're going to find at the next stall or down the next street. Had some beer and cheese at the Metropole before heading to the airport. Will almost missed his flight back to KL (those Air Asia workers are very strict on their check-in times), but they finally agreed to let him board. Rich and I had a flight a little later to Bangkok...on the shadiest plane I've ever seen. It was definitely circa 1980, and, to make things worse, there were only about 30 people on board. Of course, I was thinking to myself...they've assigned this crappy plane to this route so that, if it goes down, they're only losing 30 people. On top of that, the weather was a little rough on the approach into Bangkok, but, we made it in one piece. I typically say a little prayer when I board a plane, but I said several this time...

We arrived in Bangkok around midnight and headed to our (first) hotel, the Buddy Lodge, on Khao San Road. It's basically the Bourbon Street of Bangkok. I don't think we exactly knew what we were getting into with our hotel there. The first sketchy sign was the cab driver's remarking that he couldn't drive down the street because it was pedestrian only. So, Rich and I hauled all of our bags about 300 yards to the hotel, the lobby of which looked and smelled like Bourbon Street. Actually, the room ended up being fairly nice, although we were put to sleep both nights by the music blaring from the bar across the street (American music, of course). Our guidebook described the Buddy Lodge as a "splurge." I'd hate to see what they considered to be low budget...

Tuesday morning, we hopped on a cab and headed to Raja's Fashions to have clothes made. Greg O'Shea, a friend of Will and Jenny's in KL, referred us there for suits. The store is owned by Raja and his son, Bobby. When you walk in, there are rows of signed pictures from various foreign dignitaries, etc. who've had suits made there (including the Bushes, Bill Clinton, John Kerry, Tommy Thompson, etc.). Bobby was out of town on Tuesday (moving his daughter to college in the States), so Raja did our initial measurements. They have a pretty good business model...stick a beer in your hand (or three) when you walk in the door, and watch your wallet empty. Seriously, they have awesome fabrics. Rich and I both racked up some good stuff. We went back for additional fittings on Wednesday and today (I'm typing this on Thursday). I've never done the custom suit and shirt thing...it was pretty fun to get the real deal. All of the clothes we ordered will be delivered to our hotel in the morning before we leave for the airport.

After Raja's, Rich and I headed to the Jim Thompson house for Thai food and a tour of the house. Jim Thompson was an American entrepreneur who was a big promoter of Thai silk to Western markets. He moved to Thailand and built the aforementioned house, then, while vacationing in the Malaysian Cameron Highlands in 1967, he disappeared. Investigation into what happened has been unsuccessful. His house, however, is spectacular. It's right in the middle of Bangkok and built from salvaged components of traditional Thai houses. I honestly wasn't expecting much, but it was very cool. We then headed out into the streets of Bangkok to try to figure out what to do next. Bangkok is a huge city (7 million people in Bangkok proper and another 4 million who travel into the city for work). It's a bit like navigating NYC, except everything is written in Thai, and hardly anyone (cab drivers included) speak good or any English (that may be like NYC, actually). It's a cool city, but not quite as "charming" as Hanoi. I actually got my first feeling of "I've eaten something bad" on Tuesday afternoon while we were walking around town, and it continues to a certain extent. Rich thinks he's picked up something today. We've been as careful as possible about what we've eaten and drunk (we haven't been too adventurous), but it's tough to know exactly what you're getting. Whenever presented with water or ice, even in "real" restaurants, I've felt a little like the defense lawyers in Erin Brockavich (sp?) when she handed them water from the polluted town to drink. We obviously don't have the stomachs that the locals do...as they eat from street stalls that, I'm pretty sure, wouldn't pass the health code in the States. In any event, I think we'll live...and the food tastes great.

After wandering around town for a little while, we headed to the "Night Bazaar," or the "Night Market," which is a sight to see. It is, as the name implies, only open at night, and involves a MAZE of vendors, once again, selling everything you can possibly think of. There's definitely some junk involved, but, if you're patient enough, you'll eventually come across some good stuff. Had some good Thai food in the market for dinner, got a foot/leg massage in one of the stalls in the market (I think Rich's lady bruised his foot...not exactly relaxing) and headed back to our backpacker's paradise, Khao San Road, for a little bit of carefree culture. Rode in Bangkok's version of a tuk-tuk back to our hotel...by far the most dangerous thing we've done on the trip. The tuk-tuks here are basically little motorized carts, but they go pretty dang fast, weaving in and out of traffic (traffic is TERRIBLE here), and the fumes are enough to make you wear one of those surgical masks over your mouth and nose. Anyway, we made it, thank goodness, back to Khao San Road. It's pretty dirty and disgusting (not exactly the kind of place I thought I'd be visiting at age 29), but lots of character, huka pipes, beer and people from all over the world. There are some pretty shady folks...Rich got one very interesting proposition that I probably shouldn't elaborate on. We decided after our night out on Khao San Road that we needed a new hotel.

After our second fitting with Raja yesterday, we checked into our new hotel, the Lebua, in the State Tower in Bangok. It's very, very nice...5 star quality, but we got a great Khao San Road-type rate. After a mid-afternoon snack at Mickey D's (yeah, we gave in just once), we walked down to the river and jumped on a longtail boat for a cruise up the river and through a canal where a lot of locals live. Waterfront living is a way of life for Thai people, but not exactly what we consider the waterfront lifestyle. Most of the structures are basically shanties (sp?), almost sitting in the water. They bathe, drink, swim, cook, etc. all right by the river. They do have running water and electricity, so it's not as primitive as what we saw in Cambodia, but it's still pretty eye-opening. I will say this...there is something very cool about this culture that we lack sometimes in the States. The people are mild mannered and seem generally patient, kind and respectful of each other. Even in the city, there is a sort of calmness (and safety) that I don't think you feel walking around the streets of NYC or another big US city. Anyway, we saw Wat Arun, a Buddhist temple, and the Grand Palace from the water. We're going to try to visit the Grand Palace up close tomorrow before we leave. It's interesting to compare the flashy colorful temples here to the sandstone temples of Angkor in Cambodia...quite a contrast. Next, we hit some more cool shops around town. Seriously, I didn't come on this trip with intentions of "shopping," but you really can get some amazing deals. Croc belts, silver cuff links...things that would be very expensive in the States just aren't here. Of course, the good bargains can add up...we may actually have to declare (and pay for) some things at Customs.

Headed to dinner last night at a place recommended by Greg and his wife called "Bed Supperclub." Wow. What an experience. The restaurant and bar are in what appears to be an old airplane hangar or warehouse, but it's redone in all white and lots of weird neon lights. True to its name, you actually reserve a bed for dinner. There are bed-like matresses all along the walls with short tables on them, so, you strip off your shoes (just your shoes), lean back on the pillows and order up. (As an aside, Rich and I both wondered why Greg and his wife had suggested that two dudes have dinner here together, and we both agreed that it would be more fun with a date of the opposite sex, but, hey, we enjoyed it anyway.) The place was a real scene...and it got to be more of a scene as the night went on. The food and drinks were awesome, served by hot Thai women dressed like spaceage airline stewardesses. There was a big projector playing old movies onto a wall at the end of the building, a weird band and a very diverse crowd. We wandered over to the bar side after dinner, which was all techno, very European. Again, quite a scene...everybody was dancing, lots of attractive ladies. Very fun. We closed it down and headed home for our 6:00 a.m. wake-up call.

So, that wake-up call didn't work so well, and we woke up at 6:55 (we were supposed to meet our guide for the morning at 7:00). But, around 7:20, we finally met up with Pat (I'm sure his name is much more complicated than that), our local Thai guide, and a driver from the hotel to visit the floating market. We opted for the premium package, which included a 7 series BMW, to take us in style to the market. We drove about 100 km outside of Bangkok, boarded another longtail boat and headed through a canal to the floating market. It was really awesome. The floating market is a morning market, and, it literally is done on the water. We boarded another smaller boat in the market, paddled by a Thai woman, and you float down these canals where local vendors await in their boats or in shoreline stalls to sell you, again, anything and everything. Many of them have souvenir items, artwork, etc., while others are actually cooking on their boats to serve food. Some have loads of fresh fruit. We steered clear of most of the food, although we did have some fruit and some coconut pancakes, which were awesome. (I'm sure we'll pay for it later.) It was a very neat experience...such a different world. It's unreal that this is the livelihood for countless of these local folks. It was pretty funny, though...many of the vendors would pull our boat over to them to try to push us to buy their stuff. I guess I should qualify all of that nice stuff I said about the locals with this...they don't like it when you show interest and then don't buy. And, showing interest to them literally means turning your eyes towards a hat, a piece of fruit...whatever it is they're selling. Pat had told us to make sure to bargain with the vendors in the floating market...they generally will come down as much as 70% on the original price they ask for. Again, though, it was really, really neat.

After the floating market, our chariot took us to an elephant village, where I finally got to ride that elephant I've been wanting to ride. It was really cool...we rode through some jungle-like terrain, through some pretty deep water (the poor elephant was almost completely submerged). Pat was telling us about the relationship between the elephants and their trainers. He explained that it's more of the elephant picking the trainer than vice versa. They're really odd animals...it was a fun thing to do, and one you have to do in Thailand, right?

We headed back to the city for our final fitting with Raja, ate some rice and headed back to the hotel. Not sure what's on tap for tonight, especially given that we're both not real enthusiastic about putting more unknown material into our stomachs. But, there are several very cool retaurants and bars here at the top of our hotel (64 floors, I believe), so we may do that. Also may check out Patpong, an entertainment area of town that we've walked through during the day this week but not visited yet at night. We have a few more things to check out in the morning before heading back to KL tomorrow afternoon. We'll spend tomorrow night and Saturday with Will and Jenny before getting on our homebound plane late Saturday night.

Hopefully, I'll have a chance to do one more blog entry in KL. What an awesome trip. Cheers.

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Photos

Hanoi
The "Hanoi Hilton"

Hanoi
The "Hanoi Hilton"

Hanoi
Sunday Night Mass in Hanoi

Bangkok
The Jim Thompson House

Bangkok
Night Bazaar

Bangkok
View of Bangkok from Room at Lebua Hotel

Bangkok
Wat Arun

Bangkok
Floating Market

Bangkok
Elephant Ride

Comments

[Herschel Walker]

wow
Man. Are you sure you don't have a degree in creative writing. No offense, but I get somewhat overwhelmed in reading these things. You are so good at details.I feel like I am right there with you in Ecuador....or wherever the heck it is you are off galavanting. A very detailed person usually makes a good mate. What's your problem exactly? So- it seems like Crofter is back at home with the Bird wells. I feel better now knowing that they are the one's taking care of him. Tell them if they get overwhelmed due to his hyperactivity that they can call my mom. She would be more than happy to keep him some as long as his ears don't make our whole house smell. So- yes Courtney. My mom did get a cool necklace made of green jewels last year for keeping Crofter. Come to think of it....Where is that necklace? I can't remember. Either it broke the first time she tried to wear it or it broke her neck out in hives becyase it was not real green jewels like Mr. Andrew Nix Attoryney at Law promised. "Allegedly" Oh well...I better run. I am supposed to go back to Birmingham this weekend, but my mom had to have surgery on Friday and has another one on Tuesday. Something about hernias? As my aunt Caron said, the only people she knows who have had hernias are Blanche and Rose from the Golden Girls. She is so good at making people feel better. My mom is 29 going on 94. Oh well- have fun and be safe. Holla.....

[Judy Campbell]

Thanks
I have enjoyed reading about this incredible adventure as it is unfolding. It is so much fun to look for entries on the blog and to hear and see (great photos) what you two are doing. Thanks! Of course, there are parts ("shady" airplanes) that are best read by moms after the fact. Love to my son (his dad received his birthday message) and safe journey home!