Vietnam/Cambodia

November 2022

A 17-day adventure by Merilynn Read more

18footprints
4countries
17days
223photos
16videos
33.8kkilometers
30.6kkilometers

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Traveler Vietnam/Cambodia
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- Nov 1, 2022, 7:04pm
- ⛅ 17 °C
- Altitude: 1,277 m
- United States Utah Salt Lake County West Salt Lake Salt Lake City International Airport 40.788333, -111.9940°47’18” N 111°59’24” W
Day 1
Salt Lake Airport
November 1, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
First leg of a very long journey- short flight to LAX, then 18 hours to Singapore, followed by the last flight to Ho Chi Minh City. It will certainly be an adventure! We're fortifying with dinner and dessert at Gourmandise.Read more
Martin Vifian Have a good flight! 👍
11/1/22Reply
Traveler Bon voyage!
11/2/22Reply
Traveler Thanks. Definitely off to a good start!
11/2/22Reply
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Traveler Vietnam/Cambodia
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- Nov 1, 2022, 10:32pm
- ⛅ 16 °C
- Altitude: 32 m
- United States California Los Angeles County Westchester Los Angeles International Airport 33.943333, -118.4133°56’36” N 118°24’36” W
Day 1
LAX
November 1, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
On board, and belive it or not in Business Class! It's going to make all the difference on our 18 hour flight! We enjoyed a glass of champagne in the lounge and are now getting settled into our seats. Looking forward to actually getting some sleep!Read more
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- Nov 3, 2022, 8:17am
- 🌧 26 °C
- Altitude: 11 m
- Singapore Kampong Ayer Gemuruh Singapore Changi Airport 1.351667, 103.9883331°21’6” N 103°59’18” E
Day 3
Singapore Airport
November 3, 2022 in Singapore ⋅ 🌧 26 °C
Well, I'm definitely spoiled after our wonderful flight. The upgrade was worth every penny. Arrived here feeling refreshed after a good 8 hours of sleep, delicious food and great service. The airport is very modern and offers every luxury brand imaginable. Great window shopping! Waiting for our connecting flight to Ho Chi Minh City.Read more
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- Nov 3, 2022, 12:50pm
- ⛅ 28 °C
- Altitude: 10 m
- Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City Quận Ba 10.78, 106.6910°46’48” N 106°41’24” E
Day 3
Ho Chi Minh City - first full day
November 3, 2022 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Arrived yesterday, checked into our hotel and spent the rest of the day relaxing and acclimating to the 13 hour time difference.
Today we did a very interesting tour of the local markets with our guide, Jecky. We met him at a nearby market, and took a bus to the colorful local wholesale markets in the "Chinatown" section. You can find literally anything you might need, and so many fruits and vegetables that I had never seen before.
The traffic here is unbelievable, hundreds of motor scooters as well as cars, busses and trucks. They all drive with one hand on the horn, so it's very chaotic and noisy. Jacky did an amazing job of getting us safely across many busy streets.
I treated myself to a wonderful 90 minute massage in the late afternoon, then at 6pm we met our Road Scholar guide and traveling companions. I think it will be a great trip.Read more
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- Nov 5, 2022, 9:17am
- ⛅ 27 °C
- Altitude: 17 m
- Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City Đa Kao Rạch Cầu Bông 10.786667, 106.70166710°47’12” N 106°42’6” E
Day 5
Ho Chi Minh City - day 2
November 5, 2022 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
We started the day with a lecture on Vietnam history and culture at a local university, and afterwards had time to meet and talk with one of the students. It was interesting to learn how contemporary Vietnam balances a vibrant capitalist economy with a communist government.
Our next stop was the Reunification Palace, which served as the Presidential residence of South Vietnam and is now open to the public when not being used for official functions. Saigon fell in April 1975 when North Vietnamese tanks crashed through the gates and deposed the president.
After a delicious lunch at the Propaganda Cafe we did a walking tour of the main highlights of the city, including the main Post Office, the Rex Hotel, the Opera and City Hall. We saw an interesting balance of colonial French and modern architecture.Read more
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- Nov 6, 2022, 8:40am
- ☁️ 26 °C
- Altitude: 9 m
- Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City Quận Ba Vuon Tao Dan 10.775, 106.69166710°46’30” N 106°41’30” E
Day 6
Day 3- Ho Chi Minh City
November 6, 2022 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
We started the day with an optional walking tour. I particularly enjoyed visiting a local park and seeing how the people spend a Sunday morning. A delightful little 10 year old girl who spoke amazing English had a lovely conversation with us. Even on Sunday the streets were full of motor bikes.
After checking out of our hotel we had Pho for lunch, visited a Taoist temple, and then checked on to our river boat.Read more
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- Nov 7, 2022, 8:35am
- ⛅ 26 °C
- Altitude: 7 m
- Vietnam Tỉnh Tiền Giang Tân Thuận Rạch Cau Khé 10.346667, 106.3610°20’48” N 106°21’36” E
Day 7
First full day on the Mekong
November 7, 2022 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
We used a tender to go ashore, where we visited 2 temples in My Thou. The first was Vin Trang Pagoda Buddhist temple where we saw the monks in procession. The 2nd was a Cao Dai temple. Cao Dai is a new religion, founded approximately 100 years ago in Vietnam. It incorporates elements of most major religions, sort of like a Unitarian approach. It has only 2 precepts, Love and Justice.
Our afternoon excursion started at a huge brick and pottery factory where workers labored all day in the heat for a few dollars. It was fascinating to see them loading a huge kiln. I can't imagine how hot it must be when the kiln is fired.
We also visited a workshop where we saw them making popped rice and coconut candy.Read more
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- Nov 8, 2022, 6:28am
- ☁️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 11 m
- Vietnam Tỉnh Đồng Tháp Ấp Phú Thuận Kinh Đốc Phủ Hiền 10.291667, 105.76833310°17’30” N 105°46’6” E
Day 8
Day 2 on the river
November 8, 2022 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
We left the boat at 6am to visit the local market at Sa Dec, where we watched the locals doing their morning shopping. Lots of fruits and vegetables, fish, live chickens, etc. One lady was skinning frogs!
We also visited "The Chinaman's House", made famous by Duras' novel "The Lover". It is one of the few remaining examples of an elegant Colonial home.
We spent rhe afternoon cruising up the Mekong, and I took advantage of the opportunity to have a relaxing foot massage on the sun deck.
At 5pm the ship docked at Chau Doc, and we went to Sam mountain, the highest point along the river, with a view of the rice paddies and the Cambodian border. We also visited the Temple of Lady Xu before returning to the ship for dinner.
After dinner we walked across the street to check out a very modern supermarket and a highly recommended ice cream shop.Read more
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- Nov 9, 2022, 8:54pm
- ⛅ 26 °C
- Altitude: 5 m
- Cambodia Kandal Banteay Daek Phum Kândal Leu 11.47449, 105.14425111°28’28” N 105°8’39” E
Day 9
Day 3 on the river
November 9, 2022 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
Today we spent the whole day on the river, crossing from Vietnam into Cambodia. We were supposed to sail on to Phnom Pen, but due to the Asian Summit the river was closed and we had to dock at the container port, along with all of the other cruise ships. This means we'll have to travel by bus for our daily excursions, returning to the ship for dinner and sleeping.
Cruising on the Vietnam side we passed mainly rice paddies, while in Cambodia we saw lots of fruit orchards and Buddhist temples.
In the afternoon the chef gave a lesson on making spring rolls, followed by a tour of his kitchen.
After dinner a talented troupe of young dancers performed traditional Cambodian dances.Read more
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- Nov 10, 2022
- ⛅ 32 °C
- Altitude: Sea level
- Cambodia Phnom Penh Tuŏl Kôk Beng Kok 11.575647, 104.91473111°34’32” N 104°54’53” E
Day 10
Phnom Penh
November 10, 2022 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
We had a somber morning devoted to the Khmer Rouge genocide of 1975 - 1978, when 2 million Cambodians were murdered or starved to death by the Pol Pot regime. We visited the Choeung Ek killing fields where numerous mass graves were discovered. Afterwards we visited S-21, the infamous detention and interrogation center where Cambodians were forced to confess to crimes that they did not commit. It brought back memories of visiting some of the Nazi concentration camps. Only 7 people survived S-21, and one of the 2 living survivors was there, bearing witness to the atrocities that had taken place.
Cambodia had a population of 4 million prior to 1975, and only 2 million afterwards. Today the population has grown to 16 million, and everywhere you look there is new construction and signs of economic development.
We had lunch at a lovely restaurant on the riverfront, followed by a very interesting lecture and a visit to the National Museum.Read more
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