History Lesson

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I'm still in LA but will be leaving for Vietnam in 7 days, arriving in Hanoi on China Airlines. I am curious to see what this airline is like, they say it has a better service record than most of our alirlines, between a 3 & 4 star. The planes are all pretty new too. Besides Hanoi, I'll also be hitting Halong Bay for a Cruise, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon, Cu Chi Tunnels & the Mekong Delta before heading into Cambodia on a river boat.
In Cambodia I'll be hitting Phnom Phen, Siem Reap, Angkor Wat and then heading to Bangkok where I'll be staying 2 days before heading home. I'm still debating (well not really) whether taking a plane from Seim Reap to Bangkok. Let's see 10 hours on a bus over some of the worst roads in the world (bumpy) or a 45 min plane ride. Not really much of a dilema there although it does cost $140 dollars since there is a monopoly by Bangkok Airlines until 2009.
I'm not sure if anyone knows this about me but I am a huge history buff which is part of the reason I wanted to go to Vietnam & Cambodia. I have to say that I really didn't know a lot about these countries so have been doing tons of reading and research. I grew up in the 70's & 80's and was born when the Vietnam War was still going on but don't remember learning about Vietnam in my history classes, which is shocking when I think about it. It could be my memory though and not that it wasn't taught. Until recently, I thought that the reason we left Vietnam was because it just wasn't popular and not that we actually lost the war. I guess one led to the other though.
One thing that has really affected me is what I have learned about Cambodia and the horrible things that these people have gone through. I had heard of Pol Pot but really did not know much about his reign of terror on his own people. I started planning this trip based upon really wanting to go to Vietnam and since I was over there I would also hit Cambodia to see the temples at Angkor Wat. Now I am most intrigued by Cambodia. One of the things I want to do while there are donate to an orpanage and hospital in Cambodia. I found a blog on this website that inspired me to do this: Children In Need
How cute are those kids and how can you not give to them.

Cuuutttee

February 14th 2008
Children In Need

The Orphans & Disabled Arts Association is located right on the temple grounds and the best time to visit is at 5pm after the kids are back from school and work.
The hospital's website:
The Swiss man who runs the hospital holds free Cello concerts twice a week so hopefully I'll get to see one. They desperately need blood and money to keep the hospital running.
Also if you are interested in learning more about any of these countries I found a great website:
Another shout out is to some of the movies I watched: The Killing Fields (1984). This is now one of my favorite movies. Also Full Metal Jacket (1987) is my favorite Vietnam movie. I thought that one looked the most authentic from that genre. National Geographic's "The Real Vietnam" about a British War Photographer who goes back to Vietnam to meet with the other side's (Vietnam) War Photographers was also very good.
Other movies worth watching are: Platoon (1986), Apocolypse Now (1979), & The Bridge Over the River Kwai (1957)
A good book to read about what happened in Cambodia is "First They Killed My Father" by Loung Ung

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