schmidtyjeff

Likely the final major cultural event on my trip, the temples of Angkor do not disappoint; a marvel of ancient architecture complimented by charming nearby Siem Reap. The town has seen the obvious effect of tourism as it is crammed with western style bars, restaurants and hotels. After a walk through town, I settle in at the Ivy Guesthouse just across the street from the bustling “Psar Chaa” marketplace. With a busy bar/restaurant downstairs and 6 guestrooms upstairs, I’m lucky enough to snag the large corner room with French Quarter style window shutters and French doors that open onto a small balcony overlooking the busy street. Picture Bourbon Street without the hordes of drunk college students. Rather than being steps from the Superdome, Siem reap is a short ride from the awe inspiring temples of Angkor. ... read more

Hanoi, while distinctively Asian, has just enough French arrogance to to give it a confident edge without being stuffy. The architecture mirrors that attitude. Colorfully balconied French colonial style buildings, three to four stories tall are squeezed into narrow city blocks as if they were in a vice grip. The people are friendly and even those who are peddling are likely to engage you in conversation. There are more English speakers here than in other cities I've visited and most seem to have a working knowledge of French as well. Perhaps Hanoi's biggest distinction is the obscene number of motorbikes that fill the streets. I've been told that in this cramped city of 4 million residents, there are over 3 million motorbikes. They are everywhere - the streets, the sidewalks, lobbies of hotels, lined up outside ... read more

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it seems to me that Chiang Mai has a bit of a split personality. By day, the city gleams with understated charm. There is nothing strikingly beautiful about it, but it seems proud and authentic.The markets and busy cafes offer frequent smiles and the best in Northern Thai cuisine perfectly curried to combat the heat and humidity. At night on the other hand, the store fronts seem to magically transform into loud and raucous western style bars and clubs with "massage parlors" on every corner and most places in between. What attracted me to northern Thailand, however was first the food and second the jungle so that's the way I have chosen to explore Chiang Mai. My first day in town is spent at the famous Chiang Mai ... read more

I think I am running out of adjectives. Just when I think I have seen it all, China surprises me with a town like Lijiang. After a short uneventful stopover in Kunming, we've booked a room in Lijiang's "Old Town" which is completely closed to everything but pedestrian traffic. Despite the fact that most of the centuries-old homes have been converted to shops and restaurants, the charm and beauty still shine through and a snapshot of what must have been is not hard to imagine. Narrow canals steadily channel water from the nearby river to feed the soul of the village while stone walkways and bridges follow along side and lead through the maze-like steps and terraces up the hillside. At night, Lijiang is anything but a sleepy mountain village. The local "Bar Street" is the ... read more

In the last 48 hours I've utilized just about every means of transportation available. After my motorcycle and bamboo raft trip in Wuyishan, I hopped a plane to Guangzhou where I took a shuttle bus to one train station to purchase an advance ticket to Guilin. From there I took a cab to the other train station to catch an express train to Hong Kong. In HK, I crossed Kowloon Bay on the famous Star Ferry and took the skytram to Victoria Peak. After taking the express train back to Guangzhou I'm now aboard a slow train Guilin. I'm starting to think I should have hitched a ride on a rickshaw somewhere in there just for good measure. At any rate, my first night in Honk Kong was no fun. I had been really looking forward ... read more