Saigon and Phnom Penh

Saigon is manic with more motorbikes than we have ever seen - 50% of the population of 10million own one. Having enjoyed an afternoon in the hot springs and mud baths of Nha Trang after doing some sightseeing - white Buddha and Pagoda, Champa tower - rather like a mini version of Angkor Wat - we caught the overnight train to Saigon and arrived after a couple of hours sleep at 5am. We than had an excursion to the Cu Chi tunnels - a heavy place but rather vamped up for tourists. Had to have a rest then, so started to catch up on sleep. The following morning we travelled to the Mekong Delta and had a superb lunch of various seafoods - including elephant ear fish - with artistic sculptures of fisher folk made out of cucumber! We spent the aftyernoon on a boat visiting various cottage industries - very interesting to see how they make floor tiles, bricks and palm leaf rooves. We stayed overnight in a homestay which was better equipped than our previous ones although we all slept together in one room in army canvas cots. After an early breakfast we were rowed in twos on sampans to see a bonsai garden and then visited a floating market and a sweet factory where they made poprice - like popcorn - and cocnut candy - all very basic and health and safety would have a field day but it tasted good! Back on the coach to Saigon and we visited the Reunification Palace - a white elephant completed in 1966 which is now just a tourist attraction and used for conferences. For example the library contains a random assortment of books, in Vietnamese, French and English. We walked our feet off the next day but the Pagoda and the Cathedral we wanted to see were both closed! The War Remnants Museum was somewhat biased as you would expect apart from the journalists photos and copy which were distressing but interesting. There were also many drawings by children on the subject of war and peace on display, not all politically biased.

Now we are in Cambodia, in Phnom Penh, after a very random border crossing. As soon as one crosses the border there are many huge casinos/hotels cheek by jowel with hovels and rubbish. We drove through many miles of flat plains, many rice fields but also areas of apparent barren land. There seem to be many schools on the way into the city - and hordes of school children - presumably reflecting an increasing birth rate post war; but sadly also many handicapped youngsters. The streets are much less busy and one can usually walk on the pavements which makes a welcome change after Saigon. We walked this afternoon to Wat Phnom, a hill where an old woman called Penh discovered a Buddha statue in a log of wood, from which the city got its name. It has a fine Stuppa and Buddhist temple which show an interesting mix of Hindu influences and Buddhism. As to be expected there is a lot of new building work including many new pagodas and temples. Thats all for now, so lots of love, and we will try and update in Siem Reap next week. Happy Christmas to everyone.....Ann and Iain

Dear Hilary, Lizzy and Iain - good to speak to you the other day...hope Iain has a good birthday party and that we manage to get to speak to you all at Christmas when we are in Bangkok. Love to you all including Andrew, Erin, Phoebe, and Ryan...xxxxx Mum and Dad