Hoi An and Myanmar

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Vietnam is growing on us

Traveling in Vietnam is not about feeling free to do as you like. It is not about meeting the locals, having a cultural dip, engaging in conversation. No, traveling in Vietnam goes by organized tours. If you want to see old Champa ruins, take a bus tour. If you want to visit Ha Long Bay, take a bus-boat-kayak-resort-boat-bus back tour. And, not to anyone’s’ surprise, we do not feel like touring the country by organized tours. Therefore, frustration has been growing.

Our most frequently asked question is how to get off that beaten track. Our most frequently heard answer is: you don’t. Two days ago we spoke with an Australian working in Vietnam for about 1,5 year. He explained us that 87%!o(MISSING)f the population in this country is rice farmers. They don’t have any understanding of freedom as we know it. They get up in the morning to hear the loudspeakers in the streets telling them what to do today. A communist directed collectivist approach.

Moreover, the Vietnamese do not understand westerners as we do not understand them. Therefore this tourist containment strategy, in order to prevent cultural shocks for both. The 13% of the population who do get in contact with tourism has learned some valuable lessons on resource management. We feel like walking ATM’s or business propositions on two legs. :-) As long as nobody loses face all is well. Yet, as soon as we have a chance to get out of the tourist tracks, people are very friendly and helpful.

We have been renting a motorbike here in Hoi An to visit My Son, the most important ruins of the ancient kingdom of Champa. American bombs have reduced many of the towers to ruins, yet it still breaths ancient Hindu culture. It has been occupied as a religious center from the 4th till the 13th century and most temples are dedicated to Shiva, regarded as the founder and protector of Champa’s dynasties. A beautiful ride to a hot, but beautiful site.

We also very much enjoy traveling with a laptop to be able to follow international news. Two major disasters occupy our thoughts. And whereas the Chinese seem to handle the aftermath of the earthquake as good as they can, the Burmese Junta does not care about their own people at all. Those who have died might be better off than those who try to survive. Coincidently, Lili received an email today from Radio 1, de ochtenden. She was asked to comment why the public response to both natural disasters is so cold. That is difficult to determine in general and especially from over here. One thing which does seem striking is the lack of opinion in the internet-media. Do we not care or do we not understand? Or is it because everyone understands that any help given will not reach those who need it?

If the latter is the case, we’d like to draw your attention to Avaaz.org. (https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/) Avaaz is raising funds for the International Burmese Monks Organization and related groups, which will transmit funds directly to monasteries in affected areas.

In many of the worst-hit areas, the monasteries are the only source of shelter and food for Burma's poorest people. They have been on the front lines of the aid effort since the storm struck. Other forms of aid could be delayed, diverted or manipulated by the Burmese government--but the monks are the most trusted and reliable institution in the country.

While the politicians in this world have been debating for two weeks now, the Burmese Monks are actually working to provide some of the help and relief which is so urgently necessary. Spread the word ;-)

So far for now, soon an update on our next travel destination, Lili misses studying, so we found ourselves a new challenge!

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Photos

Hoi An Fishermen boats
Relaxing on the river

Harvesting rice
A day before it started to get really wet overhere

Fascination for the lense
Can i see, can i see?! Yep, that's me!

Hoi An Market
All is about negotiation until you reach an age where the world and their tourists just fly by

My Son
One of the best preserved temples

My Son too
But not all is preserved that well

Lili on the laptop in the Hotel
Where to get the best signal...

Hoi An Beach
This is where we'll be heading now ;-)

Comments

[Gertien]

Burmese kloosters
Fijn dat jullie weer wat gepost hebben. Mooie foto's ook. Maar het allermooiste was toch je stem gister via de telefoon, Li!!!! In dat oude vrouwtje op de markt herken ik wel wat van mezelf. Zo'n oranje broek draag ik toevallig ook:) Wat betreft de ramp in Burma: we worden hier goed op de hoogte gehouden, hoor. Netwerk besteedde vrijdag de hele uitzending aan Burma. Een journalist had als toerist vermomd opnames weten te maken. Inderdaad de kloosters staan centraal, dat was in beeld. Helaas stond er meteen in de krant dat de regering de vluchtelingen weer uit de kloosters haalt en naar kampen zonder voorzieningen zendt die totaal niet berekend zijn op het aantal mensen. Zeer bedroevend. Ook woedt hier in de media de discussie over al of niet met geweld hulp opdringen gezien de humanitaire ramp. De site van Avaaz.org is inderdaad bekend, hoor. Er wordt heel wat email rondgepompt om hierop te wijzen. Hopelijk genereert dat ook donaties waarvan we zeker weten dat het op de juiste plaats terecht komt. Geniet nog van dat prachtige zandstrand! Dikke kus, Gertien

[Jur]

Hmmm...
Bonsoir Michel et Lidewij, Thanks for the update! Even though the two of you are quite far away, I enjoy the fact that you share your thoughts with us :-) The Junta in Birma was VERY reluctant in allowing foreign aid to reach the ones in need. It took quite some time and all that bad press doesn't really help in boosting the altruistic feelings (considering others in need). Thanks for the link; it sounds promising! Your article in Mind magazine was fun to read. "If helping others in need makes us feel better, we should help out much often" or something like that :-) I loved it. So true. David and I met in 'De Toeter' last night. I encouraged him to post a comment on your blog as well. And I'm pretty sure he'll do it! But what about you and missing the studying? You're not off to some sort of monastry, are you? My God... finally you are excused to play the tourist for an unlimited amount of time.... well.. ok. I'll quite nagging, and you probably know best what makes your heart tick, so if it's off to a monastry (celibate?), enjoy.... Anyway, some things here never change and I (we!) still miss you. A big hug for the two of you... Jur

[outandabout]

complicated situations in Burma
Hello loveliez! How nice to hear from you again. We really enjoy your comments on our blog since it keeps bridging the distance. ;-) Today we found another interesting article on axisoflogic.com on how the US are hampering aid in Myanmar, imposing new economic sanctions one day before Nargis hit land, and fully aware of what the storm would cause. From the article: "The new sanctions prevent U.S. humanitarian organizations and individuals from donating money directly to causes within impoverished Myanmar. U.S. aid organizations, such as the American Red Cross, found they could provide only supplies—not personnel or money—to the relief effort under the sanctions rules. While the U.S. corporate media have carried hundreds of reports arrogantly lecturing Myanmar on what is not being done, they are not even mentioning the impact of the new U.S. sanctions that were imposed as the storm barreled toward the country." The full article is to be found here: http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_26749.shtml Thanks for the compliments on the Mind article ;-). Mark my words, altruism is gonna be HOT soon! ;-)) As far as the studies are concerned... no, we're not heading for a monastery but you're pretty close Jur... I'll inform you guys soon. It will be in Kathmandu, Nepal and yes, buddhism is involved ;-). Big kisses for the both of you, and also kisses for all other readers lurking around ;-) M&L

[david]

hmmmm
Ha Lili et Mimi....For weeks..or is it now months I am thinking of contacting you. But you know me and I still have not done it. This week it was really time to do something about it but you heard. My neck refuses me to sit behind my comp. So yet another week passed and still I am a bad person ;-) But the good news is I am getting a bit better. And if I read things like lili misses studying my fingers are itching to write you something about that. Soo, very very soon I will send you an update about everything cause its about time. (whispering) mayby its because I miss you guys. Lots of kisses and een little hug. Doeg doeg ;-)

[outandabout]

Apekoppieeee !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is so nice hearing from you! We miss you and Marloesje terribly too. Happy to hear you are getting a bit better now. We hope it will disappear completely soon. We spent last week going to the beach for a little dip every day by the end of the afternoon. Guess what: Mimi's psoriasis is allmost completely gone! Finally... after four years of harsh dutch weather conditions ;-). Tomorrow we're leaving at 4.30 in the morning to our next destination: Ninh Binh (23.30 tonight for you). After that we're gonna write you an email too, we promise ;-). And no worries, don't feel bad about not keeping in contact, we love you all the same ;-)). Big kisses from the both of us for the both of you. (btw, i knew that this study story would trigger some reaction *grin grin*)