Day 24 Homestay, Cambodia

Photo Tags (in order of upload) [Bananas/clams/roasted Bananas w/rice in banana leaf at Local market] [The pack of Kids at the temple with their scarves] [Sambor Prei, temple and tree eating an arch] [Homestay, house @left, still room ahead, well to right] [Sleeping places at homestay] [Main street in the homestay village] [Sunset over the river, note trash at lower right] [Milk Fruit] [The rice wine still close up] [Our homestay house group, Gary, Neal, Tim, Wife and husband (girls already at school) them me] 

Day 24, Phnom Penh -> Homestay (1/2 way to Siem Reap)

Woke really early to meet in the loby at 7:30am, took the Public bus again to their lunch spot, then got us and our bags off and transferred to a Private bus. We ate at the same resturnt though. I got a "pork bun" Looked somewhat like a regular pork bun, tasted like minced steamed pork and vegties and had 1/4 of a HB egg in the bottom! Wasn't expecting that but it was pretty tasty, I also had chicken noodle soup, very bland with ramen noodles and veggies in it. At least when it's bland you know there is probably not any MSG. 

After lunch we walked across the street to a local market where I saw Beetle nuts and Green leaves (apparently the old people chew the combo to keep their teeth strong??), also roasted clams with salt and chilies (teensy, about 1/2" in diameter) some of our group tried them but I was a bit wary of seafood sitting out in the sun for hours. Ew. 

Long had us try pounded rice (turns into flakes like coconut, but tastes odd, very rice intensified), Sour leaf, (not bad, just as it sounds, it's in a lot of food here, so good to know what it is fresh), sticky rice and toasted banana in banana leaf, and also fresh squeezed sugarcane juice. Tasty and almost citruslike. There were a lot of people and stalls and meat out in the sun, P and I both bought some fruit, Wax Jambu (or Rose apple as long calls them) for me, and P got Chinese apples and local bananas. They had Jazz apples from the US in one of the stalls, funny. 

Then back across the street and onto the bus and onwards toward the Homestay. So far everyone in Cambodia (other than the somewhat pushy sales people) have been amazingly friendly.

We stopped at Sambor Prei Kuk Comservation Project (temples) on the way to the homestay and the local guide who had met us at the lunch stop showed us around. We were met at the temple by a pack of children trying to sell us scarves, persistent buggers, we had 9 of them trailing us the entire time. Probably ranging in age from 6 to 13 or so, though they looked younger. We met up with another group at one point and the total of children reached 20. When we split up again though we were back to our original 9. :P Pretty neat ruined temples, some partially restored. It was a very beautiful walk, many of the temples were covered in vines and crumbling. After the 2nd or so building the guide and I started picking up trash we saw lying around and dropping it in the trash bins, eventually many of the kids stared to help us. I did eventually get talked  into buying a cotton scarf from the one that was helping me pick up trash at the end. Such a pushover I am. Oh well who wants a pretty pink scarf? :P

Back in the bus we headed to the little village where the homestay is. With 9 of us we were too many for one house so we split up. Long and 4 of us in one house, the other 4 in another house across the way. Our house was raised on stilts, with the animals beneath it. They had a western styke toilet on the ground level (though you flush it with a scoop of water from a tank), along with the still for making rice wine, and the pigs, and chickens, and puppies, and dogs and cattle when they came in. In the house, up a VERY steep staircase, was a big room with cloth seperated "cublicles" with a pallet and a pillow that we were sleeping in along both sides, with a open slatted floor area in the center. Looked like the couple's room and the kitchen were in the back. I didn't go explore. It felt odd. They didn't speak ANY english at all, though they had 2 daughters who spoke a bit of english. The girls were 13 and 16. The 13 year old wants to be a doctor.

After getting situated and dropping off our day packs, we went wandering through the village with the guide to explore. Saw sunset over a bridge (and TONS of trash under it, god) and then wandered down near the river to get better sunset shots. Walked back in the dusk to arrive at yet another house for dinner. Directly between the two houses we are staying at, it had the most room outdoors to set up tables for us to eat apparently.

Dinner was Chicken soup that had an odd taste I didn't care for, Stir fried veggies that were great, Steamed rice and deep fried fish bits that were also wonderful. They brought tea to the table as well as beer, the tea was pretty horrid. Ew,  haven't the foggiest idea what kind of tea it was, but it tasted rancid. After dinner they brought out a new fruit I hadn't had before called Milk fruit, has a milky juice, Color runs from green (not quite as ripe) to deep purple, though the sap from the rind is glue sticky. I highly recomend eating it with a spoon rather than biting in, the sticky lips was annoying though the taste was good. 

After fruit Long brought out a CAKE! :) Piotr cut the cake but there ended up being so many family members who wanted a piece that we all only got a teenst taste. Oh well it was good.Since it was fully dark by thew time we started dinner, we all stayed around the tables and chatted for a bit where there was light, then gave up and retired to our houses about 7:30ish where we tried talking to our host family. Gary had brought some whiskey so we shared, but it was too strong for them. Around 9 I gave up and turned in.  

Woke at 2:30 needing to go to the bathroom, it was an adventure to get down the steep stairs, around all the junk under the house and to the toilet, then back without breaking my neck. When I got back (very glad for bright moonlight) Gary, Tim and the large pig below the house were having a snore chorous. It took me a bit to fall back to sleep for the need to giggle.

Day 22-23 Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Photo Tags (in order of upload) [Public Bus ] [Houses in Cambodia ] [My room in Phnom Penh ] [The Buddah inside Lady Penh's temple] [The whole family of 12? in a tuk tuk] [The lotus flower seller] [Snack time (tarantula, waterbugs, silkworms, crickets, lotus seeds)] [The Russian Market] [The monument at the killing fields]

Day 22 Saigon -> Phnom Penh (pronounce Ph nom pen) Woke in the sunny morning waaay too early and called my mommy on skype! Then had breakfast at the buffet. Egg omelet with tomato and onion and sliced baguette, coffee, and passionfruit juice, along with a slice of something that was marked Guava but looked and tasted like unripe mealy pear. 

At 8 we all met in the lobby with our bags to walk down 1/2 a block and get on the "public" bus, had about 50 people on it, but orderly in seats and mostly foreigners, not too uncomfortable.

Two hours to the border, where we went through departure stamping for Vietnam, Visa application (taken care of by the bus staff, yeah) and arrival stamping in Cambodia. The border on the Cambodian side was LINED with Casinos, though apparently only foreigners are allowed to gamble in them. Then stopped at a restaurant for lunch, horrible food. :( No one seemed to like their choices. I ate the cold breakfast (meat stuffed pastry, and cake roll) that had been provided by the bus and I hadn't wanted earlier since my pork spring rolls were gross. Some sort of herb that was really unpleasant, and the pork was just gristle and fat. Ugh.

Another 3 hours after the lunch stop, along roads with rice fields and few houses or people on either side, and much, much less traffic than in Vietnam we reached the Phnom Penh bus "station" a parking lot filled with cars and carts and market stalls. :) PP is a city, but "same same but different" than the others we have seen so far. Many more cars for one, and fewer people. The population of the whole country is only 15 million. Up from 4 million in the 70's. Over 50% of them are under 18 years of age. Les than 8% are over 60. The people here are darker skinned than elsewhere, and it is much hotter. 

Took a private bus the 10 min or so to the hotel where we checked in. 

Nice room, sunshine coming through the window and a fun tan and white checker bathroom, :) After an hour we met to do a tour of the city, took tuk-tuk's to the temple the cities named for and saw a statue of lady penh. :) Pretty temple on the hill. Then a look at the unification monument? (keep forgetting what it is called, it was tall and pointy) for sunset. Actually was a bit of one too, we haven't seen many this trip. There was a large family taking xmas pictures, about 7 kids in santa hats posing in front of the palm trees. After the photos they all piled into a tuktuk. I think the total was 7 kids, 4 adults and 1 baby in a smallish Tuk Tuk. :)

After sunset we took tuktuk's to the park where we watched lots of different groups of people dancing to music "exercise classes" that were amusing to watch. Some big groups, some smaller. We then walked along the wall to the royal palace till we got to the FCC bar where we climbed 3 flights of stairs to the upstairs bar area and watched the city (and river) go by. Had a local Cambodian beer and tried fried tarantula legs (very much like soft shell crab), crickets(crunchy flavored), and silkworms(oh EW, they are squishy). Wasn't brave enough to try the waterbugs that Long got, though the lotus fruit tasted like peas. (he bought the bugs at a street stall and brought hem up to the bar with us, where we were thankful for the drinks to wash down the taste (and mental issues of eating bugs, for me at least). 

After our "snack" and drink we walked to a nearish by place for dinner. I got Khmer Curry (red curry) with chicken, rice, and a pot of hot tea. Curry was pretty good, tea was bland. Oh well. At one point everyone piled out of the restaurant to see the lunar eclipse. :D Then back to the hotel for me.

Day 23, Phnom Penh, Cambodia: [free morning]  Woke really early and watched a movie before meeting J for breakfast at 8:30. We walked down the block and randomly picked a place, I think she saw a latte sign. ;) It was ok. I got a cheese omelet with toast and pineapple juice. Omlet was coated with pepper so I only ate a tiny bit and the bread was dry but J's eggs and bacon seemed decent and she liked her Latte. Oh and the pineapple juice was fantastic. 

After breakfast we got a tuktuk and headed to the Russian Market. A BIG low roofed building STUFFED with shops in rows 4-8 feet apart. Mostly junk, and way more expensive than expected, not much interesting. Lots of silk scarves but not the best color selection. I found my "cambodia" box though. It's a small (ish) black metal toucan. Didn't manage to find one in Vietnam, guess that means I need to go back. :P

After about an hour wandering through the market J and I were tired of bargaining and pushy shopkeepers (though WAAAAY less than Hoi An or Saigon, they at least didn't grab you) so we took a tuktuk to "street 178" which was supposed to be the "art street" in the guidebook. There were a bunch of shops with cookie cutter paintings in them, one real art gallery, and a bunch of neat clothing shops. We walked along it towards the water, stopping about 12:30 for lunch at a place that smelled good. I got Tamarind Fish, which was fried crispy small slices of boneless white fish with a dipping sauce, could detect no tamarind, but still pretty tasty. Also got an Avocado Shake. Just couldn't resist trying it. It tasted like green mango more than avocado but was actually really good, I may order that again.

Then back to the hotel to meet the group and go on our included tour of S-21 and the killing fields. Whee? The Khmer Rouge were pretty horrid. Lots of deaths. Of the population of 7million, 3 million were killed or missing or died of starvation during their rule. Our guide was 6-10yrs old when they were in power and had a personal grudge, made it interesting and not particularly in a good way. The killing fields were smaller and more peaceful than I was expecting. As horrid as it was, bones and teeth and clothing bits everywhere, there was still a peaceful stillness to it.

Back to the hotel for an hour then all of us met up to go see Cambodian kick boxing! Long got us ring side seats. (it's outside) and it was fun. We stayed and watched 2 fights then headed to dinner. Dinner at a special Orphanage run place. Pricy but pretty tasty. I got {beef in penut curry} and it was at about my max for spicy. Just a few chunks of tough beef in the cury, no veg, but good flavor. Long got Beef with red ants, sorry, I was a wus and didn't taste it, enough bugs for me this trip so far. After dinner we all went back to the hotel then J, D and I walked to the Night market, which was totally not worth it, just more stalls of cheap junk, and western style clothing like the russian market earlier. Then we walked back to the hotel.

Next, onwards to the Homestay!

Sorry, been busy, still alive!

Been busy doing fun things. I have the update mostly written. I promise I'll get it out soon! Cambodia was fantastic, and Bangkok has been fun.

Heading to visit Sean tomorrow. Hope you all have a fantastic winter holiday of your choice!

Love!

-me

Day 20-21 Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam

Day 20, Hoi An -> Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam: In the morning, breakfast (this morning I had an "omelet" on a baguette spread with cheese. Plus fruit of course and ginger tea. Then the Post office lady showed up with forms, weighed the fabric and put it in a box. I paid her, she sealed and addressed the box and took it away with her. Sent by sea, takes 3 months, but it's not like I'll be home much earlier than that anyway. 

Bus showed up, loaded on the way to the airport. Wheeee.. Quick 45 minute flight to Saigon. 

Van ride to the hotel where we got to cross the street. Whee, the traffic's even more insane here than in Hanoi! Then after dropping our bags we all headed out to lunch at this place called Pho 2000. Aparenlty Bill Clinton ate here once. (they have pictures) I had Pho Bo (beef noodle soup) that was very tasty (though I WAS starving at this point so it might have affected my taste buds) and a fresh coconut to drink, which was ok. While we were in the resturant there were several intense rainshowers but it let up in time for us to walk back to the hotel and meet our Cyclo Drivers. 

The Cyclo tour was an experience. A cyclo is a small 1 person, 2 wheeled  chair type thing with a bicycle seat and single wheel in back that is "pushed" by a driver. Most of our drivers spoke no english at all (including mine) so it was a interesting experience mixing with the traffic, having no clue what we were seeing or where we were going for the most part. This city is pretty new, only 300 years old. Very, very noisy and colorful with lots of electric lights and neon and traffic. Not really to my tastes.

On the tour we stopped to see museaum on the war, I decided not to go look and chatted with the local guide and Long instead. Then stopped in front of the People's unification palace, Briefly saw the outside of the Cathloc Church and the French designed Post office then were dropped off at the Sherraton to have a drink up on their Rooftop bar. I seem to be feeling a bit poorly, really, really tired. Back to the hotel for a quick shower then most of us met to go to dinner. Ate at a little place nearby, I got roasted pork with fresh noodles, very tasty, and ginger tea. Hoping to prevent myself from getting sick. :( After dinner I was done in so headed back to the hotel, only to end up with a bit of roommate drama. Whee fun. Looks like I get to room on my own for the rest of the trip. Oh well, I guess I can live with having a room to myself for the same cost as sharing.

Day 21, Saigon, Vietnam: Took a day off. Feeling like I am getting a cold. I don't have a great desire to explore this city anyway, so it seems the best time to rest up. Didn't leave the hotel room except for a brief breakfast, tea, passion fruit juice and a scrambled egg (omelet) on a slice of baguette. (included) The buffet had a bunch of Asian breakfast foods. I was interested but just not feeling up to it. Perhaps tomorrow for breakfast. Then back to bed. Dozed and read and worked on the computer a bit all day. Not much of a sunset, it's still gray outside and insanely noisy. CONSTANT honking. *sigh*

7pm met up with some of the rest of the group and we walked to dinner. Still not feeling 100% I got ginger tea and Rice noodle soup with vegtables and chicken. The skinny rice noodles, but it was full of garlic and tasted pretty good. I added a chili slice towards the end and oh wow made it too spicy. Cleared everything RIGHT up. :P Then had a mango shake for desert. (and to put out the fire) and picked at the end of Julie's fish that she was finished with. She had gotten Fried "chinamen fish" with butter garlic and green onion. Very tasty whole fried fish. Sorry, forgot photos again. There seem to be many X-mas decorations here, especially in the touristy areas. The Restaurant had some pretty lights and ornaments on the balcony top where we were sitting. Our hotel has a tree outside, I'll try to remember to take a photo tomorrow morning before we leave. Tomorrow we head into Cambodia. 

Ta!

Day 17-19 Hoi An, Vietnam

Day 17, Hue -> Hoi An, Vietmnam: Woke early and repacked the bag, getting complicated with all the dirty laundry! It's raining, boo. Then breakfast, this time they had crepes on the buffet! I had mine with yogurt and jam. After breakfast we all piled into a van. 1 restroom stop at a resort where we got to stop and take pictures of the ocean with a short walk on the beach, it wasn't raining anymore  but really, really gray. 6km tunnel was pretty neat, then a second, brief, stop at another beach in Dan Nang for another view point. Arrived in Hoi An at 12:20. 

After checking in to the nice hotel with amazingly nice staff (we got a free glass of tea as a welcome drink) we all headed out to have lunch. I got a Hoi An Pancake (Banh xeo Hoi An) Rice flour pancake with shrimp, pork and bean sprout, Served with Fresh Herbs, Starfruit, Green bananas and peanut sauce. It was the smallest version of this dish I have ever had, but still very good flavor wise. The starfruit were green, so very tart, and I didn't like the green bananas at all, very tannic like banana peel. Ice Vietnamese tea to drink, pretty much tasted like slightly green tea flavored water, a bit odd. 

After lunch J, D and I wandered through the markets looking at things. The shopkeepers here are crazy pushy. It gets really annoying. They will even follow you down the street trying to get you to buy stuff, and the manicure/pedicure/hair removal (with thread) ladies are even more annoying if it is possible since they follow you longer. If they weren't quite so off puttingly pushy I would probably GET a $1 mani or pedi, but just couldn't deal with them. After a while we worked out a (mostly effective) system where one person (who wasn't interested in the shop) asked to see a few things so the other two could browse a bit without stuff being shoved at them or annoying "you buy something please" or "make it my lucky day" or other variations. I swear those two phrases are all the English some of them know.

It started to rain in earnest so we headed back to the Hotel to dry off a bit and gather umbrellas and such, then Headed off for dinner. Place called the Mermaid cafe, very pretty and right on the river, but oh goodness pricey! We started with a drink (I got the "Miss Hoi An" Lemongrass, ginger, Mint, Kumquat, Sugar, Seven-up and Sugarcane rum) then Had dinner. I got the Chicken hot pot with mushrooms that was recommended. It was ok, but not much food and not all THAT tasty. The chicken was good but there were only about 6 small bites of it! (total for Drink and meal was $14). After dinner a few of us wandered out back to look at the river, which at high tide was over it's banks and spilling onto the street in places. Saw the line and date on the wall of the restaurant where it flooded this year in November, it was shoulder height. Came back in to the restaurant to a cake for Gary! (2 birthdays in a row!) this one was a sponge cake with huge whipped cream roses, very tasty, sorry I forgot to get a picture. 

Afterwards J and D and I walked home and the boys went out to drink somewhere. I just can't deal with the smoking in bars (AND RESTAURANTS!!!) they do here, ugh. 

This city is also known as the city of lanterns, they are everywhere and it's very beautiful at night. Small and walk-able though. My favorite in Vietnam so far other than the cigarette issue.

Day 18, Hoi An, Vietnam: Slept in till 8, hadn't been able to sleep the night before so I watched a silly movie. At 8 I got up and had breakfast by myself (first meal totally alone yet) and then after a rest went out to wander. Spent a bunch of time wandering through the market, bought few bits and pieces. Ordered and got measured for two custom made dresses. One in "silk" and one in cotton, similar styles.

Wandered back through the market for a while, randomly met some people from Portland who are at the beginning of a year long trip and struck up a conversation, then wandered with them for a while in and out of shops. We picked up lunch at a little stall in the market for 20,000D ($1). You get a plate with rice, then you point to what of the dishes you want some of and she piled it onto our plates. Pretty good but not my favorite so far. Came with corn? broth soup. ( i think it was the lack of freshness rather than anything else that was offputting, the stuff had been out on the plates for a wile and some tasted a bit off.

After lunch they wanted to buy coats so after wandering through a few (dozen) tailor shops, we found a place they liked and they proceeded to pick out fabrics, man that's an annoying task. Met another woman who was there ordering stuff and immediately hit it off. Traded info and arranged to meet her later for a drink after dinner, then we all split up to go our own ways. At this point it is very hot and humid, the sun is out again. I went back to the hotel to rest for a bit and take a shower to cool off. Went back out for my dress fitting at 6pm, had to take it a little in on the sides along my ribs, but pretty good.

Dinner at 7 with most of the group, Fantastic place, Miss Ly's, Had the tasting menu. White Rose (steamed shrimp in rice dumplings with garlic, lemon and chili), Cao Lau, (sliced roast pork, thick noodle, fresh greens and crouton) Fried Wonton (Sauteed meat, shrimp, tomato, onion and sauce) and Grilled Pork (rolled in rice paper with fresh herbs and peanuts) and a glass of iced Vietnamese tea (this time it appeared to be plain green tea). I loved the Wontons, the stuff was piled on top like nachos, and the White rose and pork rolls were fantastic. Wasn't that fond of the Cao Lau, the noodles were a weird flavor and it was a bit spicy for me.

After dinner I caught up with Julia (new friend) and had a beer and talked, and talked, and talked! :) We've decided to hang out together in Bangkok, she gets there the same day the tour ends and is there for 3 days. Closed out the little restaurant we were drinking at, then both went to our hotels to sleep.

Day 19, Hoi An, Vietnam: Another free day in this shopping mecca. (there are over 300 tailors here!)  It was grey and threatening rain again so a few of us decided to go to a spa. They came and picked us up on motorbikes and drove us to the spa! I got a 70min "Vietnamese massage", 1/2 leg wax, and pedicure (with paraffin and a scrub and a masque?? for $34 us total. Probably a bit pricey but very good. the massage was ok, not great but not bad, Kind of like Swedish, but with more rubbing with the thumbs along the muscles, but the oil she used was lemongrass scented. My new absolutely fave massage oil scent. It was fantastic. After the massage she rubbed me with a ginger scrub, Supposed to be heating, just made me cold but it smelled good! The Pedicure was great and they even had OPI nail polishes. I got "red about the blues"?? which is a dark red. I am happy, my feet are nice and soft now! 

After being returned to the hotel (in a taxi this time, it was raining again) I turned right around and ran out to meet Julia at one of her fittings. We wandered around for a little bit through the market then picked up lunch at a little place on the river with "fresh beer" which was really good. It's in a small (10oz?) mug and from a keg, local and tasty and 4,000dong each (20 cents) :D For lunch we got the tasting menu, White rose (dumplings) again, and grilled shrimp with sugarcane (chopped shrimp rolled around sugarcane then grilled, mmmm), and my main was Lemongrass and chili duck, and her's was lemongrass and ginger fish in banana leaf. Desert was Bananas, apples and pineapple. Very, very tasty though the duck and fish were a bit spicy for me, the flavors were amazing and the guy who works there (runs it?) is very nice. 

After lunch we went to our various fittings/pick ups. I had the final for the dresses which fit nicley, and Julia for shoes she had made and pickup of her jackets. Then met back up, dropped off clothing at various hotels and decided to visit the cloth market then get another beer. 

Oh I was bad. The cloth market is insanly beautiful full small shops, all full of every type of fabric in precarious stacks to the ceiling. Almost 30 meters later, I have so much silk in 2-3 Meter lengths. It's gonna be fun seeing what all gets made from it! Then back to the place from lunch, This time I just got the grilled shrimp with sugarcane and a beer. I also bought another wax jambu off a lady walking by with baskets, remembered to get a photo this time! 

Julia had to leave at 7:30 to De Nang so we hung out and chatted until it was time to go meet her taxi. After which I headed back to the hotel, made sure the post office was going to be open early enough in the am to ship the fabric (they will come to the HOTEL!! Nifty) and repacking everything else back into the bag. Tried to watch a movie and gave it up as a lost cause. Actually went to sleep before D for the first time this trip. (Midnight)

Day 16 - Hue, Vietnam

Picture heavy, so it has it's own email. :)

Day 16, Hue, Vietnam (pronounced something like Whey) Unable to go back to sleep in the morning  I watched rural Vietnam pass by the train window. Pretty neat, lots of water and flooded fields. At 5am there was REALLY  loud music that woke us all up, and Doro and I couldn't stop giggling since it was the second morning in a row to be awoken really early from loud music. Marina got up to go the the bathroom and apparently figured out how to turn it off, for a few more minutes of sleep. (at least on everyone else's part). Around 7 it got noisy and everyone woke up, then we shared fruit and cookies while waiting to arrive at the station. 

8:30 arrival, van to the hotel, actually located within the citadel walls! Really, REALLY nice hotel, though we have NO Water pressure. :( Had a buffet breakfast, really tasty, with coffee, really orange juice, deep fried eggs (again) some sort of dumpling? and yogurt. All very tasty. There were also bready things and sweets and fried rice, and other things I did not try. 10am arrived and we met in the lobby for out Motorbike tour! It was optional but all of us had decided to take the "motorbikes" (100-130cc scooters, that we got to ride on the back of) rather than the included taxi's. So very, very glad we did. 

The weather was pretty perfect for it, a bit gray but not too hot or cold. I got to ride on the back of our guide's bike, and he was a total character! Easy to understand and very amusing. We first went to the entrance to imperial city (2nd wall) and looked around while he told us way more than I wanted to know about the emperor's wives and concubines. :P Then we wandered into the innter wall and saw a bunch of partially restored buildings and the foundations of others. We saw the king's private lake and the restored opera house, I got some pretty pictures. Then back to the bikes! Out to the villages we went, the drivers were going pretty slow, probably a max of 40 miles an hour, and not too much crazy driving, though we did go on really narrow local roads. and one bridge that was only about 5ft wide! We checked out a bridge from the 1700's, a museum where the lady showed us all the steps to harvest rice -> flour and all the spteps between along with a few neat things to get water to the fields and a waterproof cloak from palm leaves. Also pretty scenery, flooded rice paddies,  and someone hearding ducks. :P

Back on the bikes we went back the narrow roads to town to visit a hat maker (the conical hats) who showed us all the steps to making one (well our guide talked and she demonstrated) she was disabled with one arm ending just below the elbow, but she was born that way so it didn't seem to slow her down any. She made hats with 2 layers, and a silhouette between the layers so when you look through it in sunlight you can see the design. Very neat and I regret they are too bulky for me to have gotten one. I haven't seen any others like it since. Here's hoping I'll find another nearer the end of my trip. We went down this REALLLLY narrow and winedy alleyway (4-6ft wide with corners and turns, and opposing traffic!!) both going to and returning from her place. Unfortunately no video, stupid camera. :( Though I may have gotten some of other parts of our ride, haven't looked at them yet. 

After her we wandered off roading a bit to see a killer view of the river and some bunkers where they train the army recruits. There were some young people collecting fruit from the bushes and they had us try them, odd but not bad, tasted kind of like passionfruit but small olive sized and dark purple. No clue what they are called. Sorry.

Next up narrow windy roads to a buddhist temple where we got unexpectedly a FEAST. All vegan and I cannot really describe it adequately for you. There was a delicious cabbage soup to start, then 9 or 10 small plates of various things, noodles with vegies, fried tofu, fried rice, crispy dumplings, seitan, and other things. I took a picture. :) Very beautiful garden with bonsi in pots all over and hanging vines, the view from lunch was peaceful in the extreme. (80,000 each, $4US) (the hanging vines photo and the water lily are from the monastery)

Back on the bikes on more narrow windy roads to check out how incense sticks are made then on to a king's tomb area, though his body is apparently buried somewhere in the jungle and they don't know where. Still neat to look at, though many tourists (not nearly as many as the Ho Chi Minh Complex though) and we ran into a GAP group on the similar tour that we have seen a bunch of times recently. Same restaurants, etc. Sun came out for a bit.  

Back on the bike and down to the river where we got on a "dragon boat" flat bottomed boat with 2 dragon heads on the front, and went to see a pagoda (temple) complex, then drifted down the river for a bit. (eh, it's grey again, not too exciting) then back on the bikes for a final few minutes back to the hotel where we have to say goodbye to our guide. :( This one has been my favorite by far. 

Met at 7 to go to dinner. Took 2 taxi's to the resturant. It had a fantastic ceiling made of flat baskets, I am trying to get into the habit of looking up around here. I had the recomended caramel pork, came in a hot pot still bubbling. Very sweet. Much sweeter than previous versions. The pork was a bit tough but overall pretty good, not sure I'll order it again, also "vietnam tea" Which seemed to be lemongrass. Tasty. After dinner the staff brought a cake for Tim, it was pretty impressive with flowers made out of white chocolate and his name in whipped cream letters! After dinner we went a bit further down to a bar, but they can smoke in bars (and restaurants, UGH) here so after about half hr I couldn't stand it anymore and Julie and I caught a taxi back to the hotel.