It's a holiday in Cambodia! A week into it but can't say it's been all lovely. Phnom Penh turned out to be just a place to visit if your intrested in the Khmer Rouge regime and the horrific genocide it commited. Killing fields and the S-21 are probably the main attractions of the town, with the shooting range of course.
The Killing Fields the of hundreds of cambodian civilians that perished during the Khmer Rouge rule. There are to mass graves that have been dug up and some say there probably are more beyond the small pond on the far side of the site. A pagoda full of skulls stands as a memorial of the events that occured there. Im not sure what was eerier - the khmer wedding music echoing just outside of the site or the two kids chanting their begging mantra on me. How dare some people put their kids to beg into these kind of places. The S-21 was more of a torture/interrigation office than a mass grave but gave me the chills none the less. The pictures of people executed and tortured just make you think what can human beign endure and have to suffer. A few people had written messages on the walls of the prison cells asking questions of mans inhumanity and looking at it really makes anybody want to cry.
A part from that the city really doesnt have much to offer. It's just one of those noisy, dirty, big asian capitals. This gave the tag team Sas-T a good excuse to bail out and head for the coast in hope to get some sunshine (It's been raining here every day). So we close our eyes and pic a point on the map - KAMPOT IT IS BABY YEAH! In reality its a small river town near the coast of Cambodia with not much to offer in itself but once you get the motorbike out and cruise the coast your rollin'. 4 hours on a bus turns out to be 6 hours - nothing new in Asia I would say - and we arrive there. After being harassed to death by touts and nice dinner we go to bed and get ready for a nice bike ride.
First thing we run for the coast to see the old abandoned colonial town of Kep. A big french resort in the 70's now only has concrete outer walls left of the once mighty hotels that stood there. The place was invaded when the Khmer Rouge took power and was probably burned down after the Vietnamese "released" from the evil grip. This probably has more appeal in the sunny season and for now it still has some of that local charm left although major tourist attractions have started to pop up here and there.
On the way back we stopped at a local fisherman village to take some pictures of the kids and pigs. Together they are almost as photogenic as me although Sas thinks I look more like a pig. Those hogs were huge and in true pig manner they were eating anything that came near their mouth. As the evening sun began to descent we took the opportunity to use the closest thing Cambodia has to a freeway in the country. The road between Kampot and Sihanouk Vill is by far one of the smoothest roads I've been on in SE and we decided to go check out the Bokor National Park/Hill station entry point not far from town. Apparently they have some illegal tree cutting going on those deep forest as they didnt want anybody to enter the park. Then again maybe our bike was not ment for that muddy road.
On a sidenote I would like to mention that I will start to write this blog only once a month soon so dont expect any fast updates. Photos will still be uploaded.
More photos on:
picasaweb.google.com/timo.laaksonen
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
We be tubin'
Forget the elephant rides! We got tubes! Thats right. Turns out the 4 legged beasts are quite expensive to ride so it was decided to tame some of the wild versions later on to save some money. Maybe find some in Cambodia or Thailand? Tube for now.
The photogenic Luang Prabang was only viewable from the rear view mirror when we started to check out what the next city, Vang Vieng, had in store for us. Horrors! But before that we had a nice little 6 hour roadtrip ahead that the WRC could easily add to their yearly schedule because the curves that are endless! As always the scenery is amazing and the pictures dont do them justice. The center of Vang Vieng is useless. The streets are full of restaurants serving "happy" pizzas, fruit shakes, beerlao and a neverending list of Friend's episodes. There really is no difference here. The are all the same. Looking at the other travelers, I feel a sense of disgust going through me and I want to leave. Who comes to South East Asia to watch friends? The first night is spent getting settled and having dinner.
Vang Vieng still has a lot to offer though. The have canoes, rock climbing, trekking, caves and of course TUBES! The stay started off with a visit to the nearest cave that was situated 2 km from the TV-hell. Easy walk except for the mud obstacle course setted up by a couple of trucks and a digger. As we get there a little bit early I decided to take a dip at the bluegreen shining lagoon right outside the cave. Running water might be cold but it definately is relaxing with the temperatures going through the roof. The cave in it self was a massive complex that didnt suffer from that horrible blue/green/red light syndrome that makes the staligmites look like pop sicles. Just natural light and a light bulp here and there. We had some monks as company and I became a light bearer with my head lamp as the monks wanted to venture outside the guided tour into the darkness Sas right on my tail. Messing with the lights caused some giggles and claustrophobia in the team but we got out in the end. Sas was being a big girls blouse about the whole darkness thing and a hug made it all better.
A little lunch companied by mango shakes which I'm totaly addicted to now and we leave for the main event the city has to offer: tubing. Prices going at a steady 3 euroes a pop and a ride to the up stream starting point, it is a fairly good deal. The idea is to ride down the river for a hour along the slowly running river of Nam Song. The main attraction of course is not the tubing itself but the abbundance of bars the place has to offer on the river sides. Catch up with the other travelers, have rice wine shots or a beerlao and try out the crazyest swings know to man all at one spot. I managed to scare everybody by breaking on of the swings while on it but I came out alright at the end with a small bumb on the head and a scratch on the knee. Instead of crusifying me the barowners paraded me with free shots of Lao Lao and icecubes. Apparently not the first time this has happened..
Been six months on the road I must say that the tubing has got to be one of the most chilled out things I have done so far during this trip. Once your out of the range of the towering boom boxes owned by the restaurant, the whole riverfront becomes your own personal ether. You only hear the steady sound of running water and see the sun setting behind the magnificient limestone cliffs. Not too shaby.
More pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/timo.laaksonen/
The photogenic Luang Prabang was only viewable from the rear view mirror when we started to check out what the next city, Vang Vieng, had in store for us. Horrors! But before that we had a nice little 6 hour roadtrip ahead that the WRC could easily add to their yearly schedule because the curves that are endless! As always the scenery is amazing and the pictures dont do them justice. The center of Vang Vieng is useless. The streets are full of restaurants serving "happy" pizzas, fruit shakes, beerlao and a neverending list of Friend's episodes. There really is no difference here. The are all the same. Looking at the other travelers, I feel a sense of disgust going through me and I want to leave. Who comes to South East Asia to watch friends? The first night is spent getting settled and having dinner.
Vang Vieng still has a lot to offer though. The have canoes, rock climbing, trekking, caves and of course TUBES! The stay started off with a visit to the nearest cave that was situated 2 km from the TV-hell. Easy walk except for the mud obstacle course setted up by a couple of trucks and a digger. As we get there a little bit early I decided to take a dip at the bluegreen shining lagoon right outside the cave. Running water might be cold but it definately is relaxing with the temperatures going through the roof. The cave in it self was a massive complex that didnt suffer from that horrible blue/green/red light syndrome that makes the staligmites look like pop sicles. Just natural light and a light bulp here and there. We had some monks as company and I became a light bearer with my head lamp as the monks wanted to venture outside the guided tour into the darkness Sas right on my tail. Messing with the lights caused some giggles and claustrophobia in the team but we got out in the end. Sas was being a big girls blouse about the whole darkness thing and a hug made it all better.
A little lunch companied by mango shakes which I'm totaly addicted to now and we leave for the main event the city has to offer: tubing. Prices going at a steady 3 euroes a pop and a ride to the up stream starting point, it is a fairly good deal. The idea is to ride down the river for a hour along the slowly running river of Nam Song. The main attraction of course is not the tubing itself but the abbundance of bars the place has to offer on the river sides. Catch up with the other travelers, have rice wine shots or a beerlao and try out the crazyest swings know to man all at one spot. I managed to scare everybody by breaking on of the swings while on it but I came out alright at the end with a small bumb on the head and a scratch on the knee. Instead of crusifying me the barowners paraded me with free shots of Lao Lao and icecubes. Apparently not the first time this has happened..
Been six months on the road I must say that the tubing has got to be one of the most chilled out things I have done so far during this trip. Once your out of the range of the towering boom boxes owned by the restaurant, the whole riverfront becomes your own personal ether. You only hear the steady sound of running water and see the sun setting behind the magnificient limestone cliffs. Not too shaby.
More pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/timo.laaksonen/
Friday, May 2, 2008
Takes five..
So close yet so different. Thats what the feelings have been for first few days here when I've been comparing Vietnam and Laos. Can easily say that its been much more pleasant here in the country that holds the newest stamp in my passport. Capitalism has really exploded in the red edged star country and it shows. Motorist drive after you in the search of a few bucks, pineapple sellers stalk you and the word customer service has not yet reached the dictionary.
We spent a few days in Sapa in hopes of better weather because the whole city was inbeaded in clouds this time around. After three days of waiting and touring some of the local minority villages that I missed last time we decided to head for the Laos border by bus. The good thing about bad weather was that I had time for some books once more. At the moment I'm eying the last pages of Neil Gaimans American Gods book which my lovely Sas brought out for me. Couple of friends from back home had already recommended to me but it doesnt seem to be available anywhere here in SEA. Before that I managed to go through Dan Browns Digital Fortress which reads like a Hollywood moviescript and Henri Charrières Papillon. Great true story book about a young man escaping multiple times from the prisons of French Guynae and his adventures on each side of the bars.
Back to the maters at hand. The road to the border crossing had to be the worst one I've been on so far during the 6 months I've been on the road now. Needles to say I found completely degrees pain in my ass after that. Stayed at a hotel that god had abandoned or had allowed to be created by accident because there is nothing good to be said about it. Just take my word for it. We had heard that the border crossing should be now open to international tourist and everything should go smoothly. Still there is always room for doubt in Vietnam. In the end the worries were worthless. Ofcourse the were! I said that everything would go smoothly and Sas could spare my thumbs. Two thumbs up for the Tay Trang border officials in Laos for excelent work.
The bus ride was actually a bit more better than the one to Dien Bien Phu because there werent that many people onboard this bus, just a shit load of noodles which almost killed Sas in a moment of collapse. The views were amazing as the whole horizon was filled with every shade of green that which the eyes can feed the brain with. The tiny little villages on the way down through the endless jungles could only be described as accient and the motorbikes and satelite dishes (that served as nice shades for the pigs) were really sticking out of the scenery.
The road lead all the way down the river village of Muang Khoua where we decided to stay a couple of days. During this time we managed to meat two french canadian landscape gardeners that were riding their bikes through SEA, uninvitedly entered a street party that had been going on for a couple weeks and visited a massive collection of local schools. The people here seem really more chilled out than in Vietnam and it really shows. Ricshaw drivers dont follow you, there are no touts in sight and the street vendor owners are busy sleeping on the fake t-shirts their selling. The country is a little bit more expensive than its eastern neighbor but thats the price you pay.
The latest issue would be Luang Prabang where we landed a couple of days ago. Like it read on the Lonely Planet, it really has to be the most photogenic city in the whole country. Every street, every building, every river (there are two) and every hill seems like a work of art. Be it the mahong wood on the French colonial buildings or the lantern lights on the street corners, it just blows anybody away. The day has been spent admiring the scenary, playing water games with the kids on the banks of the Mekong and watching monks change light bulbs on the temple cealings. How many it takes you ask. It's five.
More pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/timo.laaksonen/
We spent a few days in Sapa in hopes of better weather because the whole city was inbeaded in clouds this time around. After three days of waiting and touring some of the local minority villages that I missed last time we decided to head for the Laos border by bus. The good thing about bad weather was that I had time for some books once more. At the moment I'm eying the last pages of Neil Gaimans American Gods book which my lovely Sas brought out for me. Couple of friends from back home had already recommended to me but it doesnt seem to be available anywhere here in SEA. Before that I managed to go through Dan Browns Digital Fortress which reads like a Hollywood moviescript and Henri Charrières Papillon. Great true story book about a young man escaping multiple times from the prisons of French Guynae and his adventures on each side of the bars.
Back to the maters at hand. The road to the border crossing had to be the worst one I've been on so far during the 6 months I've been on the road now. Needles to say I found completely degrees pain in my ass after that. Stayed at a hotel that god had abandoned or had allowed to be created by accident because there is nothing good to be said about it. Just take my word for it. We had heard that the border crossing should be now open to international tourist and everything should go smoothly. Still there is always room for doubt in Vietnam. In the end the worries were worthless. Ofcourse the were! I said that everything would go smoothly and Sas could spare my thumbs. Two thumbs up for the Tay Trang border officials in Laos for excelent work.
The bus ride was actually a bit more better than the one to Dien Bien Phu because there werent that many people onboard this bus, just a shit load of noodles which almost killed Sas in a moment of collapse. The views were amazing as the whole horizon was filled with every shade of green that which the eyes can feed the brain with. The tiny little villages on the way down through the endless jungles could only be described as accient and the motorbikes and satelite dishes (that served as nice shades for the pigs) were really sticking out of the scenery.
The road lead all the way down the river village of Muang Khoua where we decided to stay a couple of days. During this time we managed to meat two french canadian landscape gardeners that were riding their bikes through SEA, uninvitedly entered a street party that had been going on for a couple weeks and visited a massive collection of local schools. The people here seem really more chilled out than in Vietnam and it really shows. Ricshaw drivers dont follow you, there are no touts in sight and the street vendor owners are busy sleeping on the fake t-shirts their selling. The country is a little bit more expensive than its eastern neighbor but thats the price you pay.
The latest issue would be Luang Prabang where we landed a couple of days ago. Like it read on the Lonely Planet, it really has to be the most photogenic city in the whole country. Every street, every building, every river (there are two) and every hill seems like a work of art. Be it the mahong wood on the French colonial buildings or the lantern lights on the street corners, it just blows anybody away. The day has been spent admiring the scenary, playing water games with the kids on the banks of the Mekong and watching monks change light bulbs on the temple cealings. How many it takes you ask. It's five.
More pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/timo.laaksonen/
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