Southeast Asian trip a delight
Priscilla Yamano
Cambodia is out of this world ... WONDERFUL!
We came to see Angkor Wat, and though Angkor Thom was the one we
fell in love with, none of us were disappointed. Giant tree roots
strangling the stone temples that were unearthed in recent history
reduced us to lilliputians. The roots alone were as thick as some
Redwoods. The ancient jungle-city was like stepping into National
Geographic.
In Siem Reap we stayed at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor (as did
Jackie Onassis) like the days of the Raj with beautiful old colonial
architecture and grounds. The immense blue pool mirrored a grove of
plumeria, ginger halyconia, and lotus ponds. Truly a Garden of Eden!
The Cambodian people are sweet, but it was gut wrenching when we
chanced upon some with limbs blown off and faces marred by exploding
land mines.
We flew into Vietnam with Robin William’s “Good morning Vietnam!”
reverberating in my head. Then it was on to Hue (hway) which was like
China 100 years ago ... delightful! It’s the oldest intact city in
Vietnam and full of history. We have so much and people here have
nothing, but the guides and people we have met were lovely.
We had dinner at a private mansion in a garden lighted with lotus
lanterns. It was a magical evening. Equally excellent were other
restaurants of French-Indochine cuisine. Everyone agrees that up here
in the north it is most interesting with the rice paddies and
villages around the waterways. We visited Marble Mountain and at the
base of it are stonecarvers trying to emulate Michelangelo. We had a
great day in the rain traveling along the Mekong River to the
Forbidden City and Imperial Tombs.
One could imagine a fabulous court in its heyday, but now its
palaces and gold throne room sit in silence -- housing the ghosts of
the past. The tombs were stripped of their once colorful mosaic walls
but the rain added to the drama, as if lost souls were still mourning
for their emperors.
Hello Myanmar! The Burmese are a true and gentle folk. In Bagan it
felt like heaven atop a towering pagoda as we viewed hundreds of
other pagodas on red ochre soil and became part of the magic with the
sun sweeping over the expanse and beyond the horizon. In the very
last days we glided across Inle Lake in canoes and somehow this
surreal surrounding was the crowning glory! Fishermen rowed in a
one-legged style and each one carried a large cone shaped fishing
basket on their head.
Twenty-six days and 10 flights later, I realize that a picture is
worth a thousand words. This trip to Shangri-la has afforded me
priceless images that border on perfection!
* The success of this adventure through Thailand, Cambodia, North
Vietnam and Myanmar is from the enthusiasm, knowledge and
organizational skills of Darrell and Deborah Ebert.
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