southern Cambodia and the Vipassana Dhura Buddhist Center from Oudong mountainWe reached Phnom Penh on Thursdsay after five hours on the Mekong River.
Cambodia should be viewed through the lens of the Khmer Rouge (Cambodian Communist) regime led by Pol Pot, 1975-79. An estimated two to three million people (about a quarter of the population) were killed, the currency eradicated, religion outlawed, hospitals shuttered, and schools closed, setting the country back hundreds of years. Genocide targets included professionals, intellectuals, artists, foreigners, diplomats, and any other suspected political enemies. A slower death faced urbanites who were forced out of the cities and onto collective farms. Cambodia has managed an incredible recovery in only 40 years, yet the after-affects are still visible, and it is considered an LDC (least developed country). Currently described as a constitutional monarchy, it has a single party and the second-longest serving prime minister in the world, so you can drawn your own conclusions.
S-21 prison, now Tuol Sleng museumFormerly a high school, the prison was primarily used for interrogation and torture.Shrine at Choeung Ek killing field, the location of many mass graves. This is just one of countless sites.The archives program is going strong as cultural memory and education. Let us learn from the mistakes of history, in part through preserving and promoting its documentation. lotus, in memoriam
Phnom Penh to Kampong Thom, 20 flat miles, overcast with occasional light rain, mid-80s Kampong Thom to Siem Reap, 40 flat and fast miles, partly cloudy, mid-80s
Phnom Penh and the royal palace. We’re here at the beginning of rainy season.Most of the country roads are constructed of red sandy dirt brought from the mountains. Inside of the Vipassana Dhura Buddhist temple, which I think is kind of like the national temple.bridge on the way to Siem Reap built in 1181 during the Angkor periodat the spider market in SkuonThe empty back roads are cycling heaven. It is less busy here than in Vietnam.Old and new: traditional stilt house beside a modern home.a common sight – an overworked motorbikeseeing a lot of these interesting transport vehiclesSiem Reap’s large tourist quarterThe lemongrass flavor of the soup, the fish curry, and the coconut chicken skewers were all divine.Things we did not eat: scorpions.tarantulas and grasshoppersred ant egg saladKampong Thom market I like how in Cambodian markets, the stalls are elevated instead of on the ground.
The Vietnamese coffee maker is infamous for making a slow, thick brew. Put sweetened condensed milk in the glass first for a “white coffee.”See the coffee beans on the bush?Da Lat pizza (banh trang nuong): a beaten egg spread on rice paper cooked over an open fire with green onions, a mystery sauce, and some pork floss. Dragon fruit is the product of a cactus they train to grow up concrete poles.I’m in love with these sweet little bananas. I hope to find them at the Asian markets at home.Bananas hanging out in the wild in the Mekong delta.banh canh (thick noodle soup) fine dining at the Temple Club in Saigon as part of the Spice Roads tour: fish, veg, ricecoffee panna cotta, citron mousse, sesame seed mung bean ballTous les jours bakery in SaigonThis was a fantastic green papaya salad at Saigon’s hip restaurant Anan. I chatted up famous chef-owner Peter Cuong Franklin at the bar without knowing who he was until much later.Sticky rice is my favorite food, ever. I tried all seven flavors: red bean, peanut, black, pandan, carrot, purple, and coconut.Rambutans have a tasty white flesh inside the wild outer covering.This delectable goodness is a creamed avocado base with a scoop of coconut ice cream and some shredded coconut and crunchies on top.
It is more beautiful and fascinating here than I could have imagined.
Our first glimpse before going in.
Monday: Ben Tre to Tra Vinh, 40 flat miles, overcast, low 80s, afternoon shower Tuesday: Tra Vinh to Can Tho, 57 miles, sunny, 90s, afternoon shower Wednesday: Can Tho to Chau Doc, 44 flat miles
Tuesday was not only a lot of miles, they were technical with mud and rough “roads.” There were also bridges out and impassable sections, so our guide seamlessly rerouted us at least three times.
We shared these little roads with two-way motorbike traffic. My new tour comprises the lovely Mark and Kirsten from the UK, a guide/mechanic, and the van driver.Sometimes the mud was so deep that we had to walk the bikes.tributaries and therefore bridges everywhereA rare wooden house; modern construction is concrete.taking a break for some homemade sugar palm candy with these adorable entrepreneursWe rode over hundreds of bridges of all types, usually concrete or wood, but this one was the most fun. We took at least 10 ferries during 3 days.I though the bike would shake apart on these rough riprap sections.The Mekong Delta was previously part of Cambodia, so about one million ethnic Khmers live here. Their Buddhist temple architecture is distinctive.drying freshly made incense sticksDid I mention the bridges?or, the occasional lack thereofWe ended our Vietnam cycling at Sam Mountain.
Agriculture
The delta is teeming with food production.
Coconut is big business, and they use every part of the fruit. Men in the warehouse are dehusking with floor-mounted machetes.“coconut girl”Chickens (and dogs) are omnipresent.water buffalodrying riceherding ducks out of the rice fieldsempty cargo boatIn keeping with tradition, the boats have “eyes” to scare away crocodiles (now extinct in the wild).Chau Doc floating wholesale produce market, where the item on the pole lets buyers know what is for sale.(photo by Mark)
By some apps, we climbed more than 6,000 feet in 44 miles on our way to Da Lat, an area renowned for its temperate climate, great produce, and romantic vibe for Vietnamese tourists. The climbing was only possible as we traded the upper 80s of the lowlands for the 60s of the mountains.
miles of greenhouses, primarily for the commercial flower trade, but also for vegetablesDa Lat, high up in the mountainsThe Crazy House is a fun architectural attraction and a whimsical boutique hotel where the owners also live.I thought this was the best market, by far, in Vietnam.
The next day was 42 miles back down to the coast. An amazing 15 miles of that were downhill through coffee and dragonfruit farms.
This was the second “traffic jam” (or “cow jam?”) of the day. It’s a different kind of rush hour, I suppose.This is a building for luring swiflets to build their nests, the key ingredient in bird’s nest soup. Loudspeakers play a soundtrack of bird sounds to further the attraction. The nests are primarily sold to China, where a bowl of soup can set you back $30-$100. photo by MickiThe quiet coastal town of Phu Thuy was a good stop for the night. Granite is plentiful in south Vietnam, so it is used for public spaces where we would use concrete.
It was 36 miles to finish outside of Saigon on Friday; rolling hills along the coast flattening out at the end with strong headwinds. Throughout the tour we dealt with headwinds in pace lines when possible, drafting off each other to ease the strain. I brought a few of us home, several folks jumping on the Jane Train to finish out the ride.
That’s 400 miles complete, with about 400 more to go across Cambodia to Thailand.
Celebratory bia (beer) at 11am. Congratulations!
Saigon
I had a little more than a day to explore this lovely city, which is not enough. View from my hotel rooftop bar.central post office, constructed 1886-1891view from Independence Palace roofI became fascinated by the restrained, modernist interiors (not so much the exterior) of this (south) Vietnam “White House,” 1955-1975.state dining roomNow THAT is a closet! Note the shoe drawers on the left.Though technically no longer a communist country, there are still a lot of hammer and sickle images everywhere.Bitexco Financial Tower is currently Saigon’s tallest building. I’m quite taken with the 52nd floor’s helipad that juts out to the right. Of course it has a bar! the Heli BarBen Thanh, the central market“Madame, you buy Prada, Michael Kors, Gucci bag, yes? Good price, good price!”
Hoppity hop hop! We all tried the crickets at the Mai Chau homestay. The consensus: crunchy and grassy.Shared dinner platter in Mai Chau: fried chicken, papaya salad, spring roll bites, steamed fish in banana leaf, green beans, and rice.Com chay: break and dip the rice crackers into the middle bowl of deliciousness. Excellent chicken pho soup on the right. (Ninh Binh)Nem lui: in a rice paper, place vegetables and minced pork. Wrap, slide out the lemongrass skewer, and dip in peanut sauce. Banh beo chen: round steamed rice cakes topped with dried shrimp, pork crackling, and shallots that you fill with sauce and scoop out of their cups. (Hue)Banh khoai: crispy rice flour crepe filled with bean sprouts, pork, and shrimp. Depending on the region, can be wrapped in rice paper with vegetables and dipped in a sauce.Banh xeo in Hoi An is like banh khoai, but with the addition of turmeric in the pancakes. This feast was just over $5 per person and way more than we could eat.Probably the best sandwich I’ve ever had: Madam Khanh’s in Hoi An. It does not seem to bear any relation to banh mi sandwiches in the US. $20,000 VND, or about $1 USD.Build a banh mi: start with fresh, crusty French baguette, apply at least 3 sauces and spreads, add some mystery meat and pickled vegetables, and experience a symphony of flavors.Quy Nhon’s hotel buffet breakfast was the best. So much variety!Banh hoi: fine rice vermicelli, shrimp powder, scallions, pork cracklings, a pork sausage, carrots, green papaya, and fish sauce. This was one of my favorite meals, found along the street in Nha Trang’s non-tourist area. $20,000 VND, or about $1 USD.Cashews are plentiful and roasted to a nice, crisp crunch with their skins still on. These are approximatley 40lb bags.
The Journey in Between 