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When I had the opportunity to use frequent flyer miles for an overseas trip, I decided to use them to go over a different sea than usual for a trip to Asia in November 2002. Here is a report on that trip to Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
TRIP TO ASIA, NOVEMBER 2002
Amc2004-09-13 14:42:34
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and places, and these worked out. I went to adjacent sites; some of these didn’t check for admission passes, and I ran into the problem of vendors pestering me on the grounds. Some young men who spoke good English started pleasantries with me, then talked about the sites without us having agreed to anything, so I was pressured to give a tip. After two of these I had to find a way to stop these at the beginning, since I didn’t have the right bills for this, but it didn’t happen again.
I had lunch at a restaurant (open air, but with a covering) across from Angkor Wat. Then I had the afternoon to spend at the Wat, and it was worth spending that whole time there. It was great to see the temple in its vastness and good preservation, and it was nice to enter at 1 p.m. while most tour groups were at lunch. It was a strain to climb to the top level, but worth it with everything to see there. Rain showers started while I was in a covered area, and they offered a soothing feeling, contributing to the magical feel of the place. I noted the intricate battle scenes in the bas-reliefs and the motif of apsaras, dancing women who look similar at first but with interesting slight variations. The afternoon passed and the crowds increased, with groups of many nationalities; I heard local guides speaking French, Spanish, and Italian.
It was raining as I met my driver. There was the option of going to a spot to observe the Wat at sunset, but it wasn’t advisable today. I also could have gone to a show of present-day apsaras, but I preferred to be on my own. After a brief stop at the hotel, I went off. There were signs of how much of a developing country this is: muddy sidewalks and no street lighting, just the lights of businesses. I was hassled some and didn’t want to walk far; I stopped at a nearby restaurant with $2 main dishes. So on this day I observed how the country was trying to rebuild its economy through tourism. Within memory of Cambodians
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See photographs from:
Vietnam Gallery
,
Macau Gallery
,
Hong Kong Gallery
,
Cambodia Gallery
