Seoul - Day 2, Part 1

For my second full day in South Korea, I headed towards one of the most tense places in the world: the DMZ. This is where North and South Korea collide, separated by so little distance but so much rhetoric. I unfortunately did not join the more extensive tour, which gains entrance into the actual Joint Security Area (JSA), but instead just toured the area.

Embarking on this tour, I was surprised to learn that the theme was 'reunification'. As a foreigner, it's easy to forget that there are still some South Koreans with family up north. It was also easy to see and feel the pride that South Koreans had towards their country, the democracy that has been established, and the immense economic growth they have enjoyed.

Before entering the area, each tour bus was checked by special members of the South Korean army, called the Military Police. We had to show our passports and do a head count before the bus was allowed to cross the bridge.

For our first stop, we walked down a tunnel that was found in the late 70s, supposedly dug by the North Koreans to infiltrate South Korea. At the very end of the tunnel, behind three concrete walls, lay official North Korean land. While there wasn't much to see (and cameras weren't allowed), it was eerie to imagine North Korea so close. Afterwards, we were taken to an observatory point where you can see into North Korea land, where a fake propaganda village with a giant flagpole has been erected. It was unfortunately a foggy day so pictures didn't come out clearly.

I was here

Heavy on the symbolism, reuniting two pieces of a whole

Super hazy, but in the distance is North Korea! The black
line in the middle is the North Korean flag pole with its
flag flying on top!

The final stop within the area was the Dorasan train station. This station is heartbreaking in its hope, for its rails run up north all the way to Pyongyang (the capital of North Korea). This was once a working train route, until the borders closed. South Korea has renovated and maintained the station and tracks, in preparation for the day when trains can leave northward. For now, only 4 trains a day run to this station from Seoul.

We were able to buy a ticket and go view the train platform itself, and see the train tracks run northward. The slogan on the ticket read "Dorasan. Not the last station from the South, but the first one toward the North".

One day this will be true!

Beautiful modern station. So spacious, but only serves
four trains a day.

Train tracks, northward. 

I wonder if I will see reunification in my lifetime.

Food in Cambodia

Mmm. Cambodian food. It kind of makes sense, but since Cambodia is situated in between several other Asian countries, their cuisine reflects a multitude and mix of flavors borrowed from these neighbors. It has been a lot of fun to try a few local dishes, which ended up tasting like a friendly cousin to many dishes I've had before.

Like Vietnam, Cambodians often have noodles for breakfast. The default is an egg noodle as opposed to a rice noodle though, and the broth is slightly fishy and garlicky tasting. This version was from a hotel breakfast. The noodles were suitably springy, although I think I prefer rice noodles. It came with chicken, which was disappointingly catered to Westerners... boneless white meat. Blah.

The most famous of Cambodian dishes is probably Amok. This can be cooked with chicken, beef, fish, or any other type of protein. Traditionally, this is a coconut-based stew that is served in a banana leaf. Each establishment cooks it a little differently though, so I'm sure there are thousands of slight variations. At our hotel in Sihanoukville, it was flavored with some kaffir lime leaves as well, and was not spicy at all. I decided to try the fish version, which was perfectly cooked and tender, and soaked up all the delicious coconut-y flavors.

In Phnom Penh, we had lunch at a local shopping mall. One entire floor was dedicated as food court space, and I walked around like a kid in a candy store, trying to decide what to get. It seemed like most noodles were served with broth (as opposed to stir-fried noodles), and deep-fried items (fish balls, shrimp, beef balls) were popular.

I finally decided to try a rice dish (noodle soups are yummy but so hot!). Marinated pork and an egg is cut up and served on top of rice. I thought it tasted a lot like Taiwanese food, with the sweet/salty soy-based marinade. It also reminded me a tiny bit of char-siu (Chinese roast pork). Either way, it was delicious and I gobbled the whole thing in about 10 minutes.

Then last night, we had a dinner that was specially arranged by G Adventures. Here's the description from our itinerary:

During your stay, you will enjoy a local Khmer dinner with your group, at a nearby village. Supported by G Adventures, this particular meal is kindly prepared and served by our local partners – Philar and New Hope for Cambodian Children. Philar has set up school teaching English to Cambodian children while New Hope for Cambodian Children - NHCC is the local charity organization that provides a comprehensive healthcare and education for vulnerable children and their families. The meal here has been voted the best meal in Cambodia by most of our passengers...and even better, the money for your meal is going directly back to supporting these local grass roots projects.

At dinnertime, we took a 20 minute tuk-tuk ride out to a quiet residential neighborhood. The village had a very different feel compared to where we were staying; much poorer, with many houses that had tin roofs. However, we were greeted warmly by our hosts, and we soon settled down in a comfortable area.

Plates and endless plates of food began to come out of the tiny kitchen. The itinerary was not kidding; this was truly the best meal I've had in Cambodia so far. There were noodles with pork, little packets of chicken amok, big bowls of vegetable curry, stir-fried chicken with ginger, a spicy-sour soup, and fresh salad greens from the garden. Plates were replenished as soon as they were emptied, and we were all subject to food coma before this meal was over. Best of all, this tasted like a truly home-cooked meal. Here's a (badly lit) picture of one of the many plates I put together to eat.

I wasn't sure what to expect about Cambodian food before my visit. I am glad to say that I have been pleasantly surprised at the freshness and gentle use of spices in this cuisine. I will definitely be looking to see if there are any Cambodian restaurants in New York!

Heart of Darkness

Serious entry today. 

I've been writing a lot about the fun parts of this tour; the pretty beaches, the cheap food and beer... and indeed this trip has been a lot of fun. In addition to this though, we have been taking the time to revisit some of the less pleasant history that is associated with Southeast Asia. While difficult at times, this is a part of my trip that I will stay with me for a long long time and I wanted to dedicate some thoughts to it today. Both Vietnam and Cambodia has been through a lot of bloodshed and pain this past half century or so. I can't help but contrast and compare how each country has fought to survive through the difficult times, and where they are today. 

Everything I know about the Vietnam War came from the U.S. public school system. It was quite simple, actually. Communism = bad, Americans = freedom. And upon arriving in Vietnam, I found that the opposite is preached. The Vietnamese government has implemented a sort of haughty pride about the war; I guess it's appropriate, since they basically won and all. But there's nothing subtle in the way they try to flaunt their propaganda to the masses. 

The message is that Vietnam as a country has been enslaved and subjugated for years, from the evil French colonialists to the heartless Americans. The current government is credited with freeing the people from the tyranny of the aforementioned American devils. Ho Chi Minh is the father and hero to all. We visited the Cu Chi tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City, which was a sample of where the Vietcong ambushed and trapped American troops. 

We had to sit and watch a propaganda 'documentary'
prior to entering the Cu Chi Tunnels

Homemade weapons and traps are demonstrated by local workers. Murals of American soldiers being caught in these traps of death are proudly displayed. Segments of the underground tunnels are available for exploring... you too, can feel what it's like to be a brave brother in the Vietcong!

I left Vietnam firmly believing that the U.S. should never have gotten involved in the Vietnam War. They were ill-equipped to deal with the surroundings. They had no way to differentiate between the regular population and the Vietcong. It was a mess. 

But then I visited the Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields today in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia. In the mid-1970s, Cambodia went through their version of Hitler (to make the comparison simple): a guy named Pol Pot who led the Khmer Rouge Regime. He cleared the cities of Cambodia and forced residents into the countryside to work as farmers. He killed intellectuals and the wealthy, and destroyed books and libraries and places of worship. He eventually executed thousands and thousands of civilians, accusing them of being spies. Estimates round out the fatality number to be close to 2 million people, or about a third of the total population.

Both the museum and the fields were brutally emotional in different ways. The museum is located at the former grounds of where many prisoners were held and tortured and killed. These were mainly people who the Khmer Rouge regime wanted confessions from. There is no sugarcoating it; photographs of starved and beaten prisoners were displayed on the walls. Prison cells remain, tiny cubicles that were 3x6 feet big, some with old bloodstains still present. Instruments of torture are displayed, with images depicting how they were used. The final estimate of deaths at this one compound? Twenty thousand.

In contrast to the concrete cells and barbed wire of the museum, the Killing Fields exuded a weird sense of tranquility instead. I like to imagine that this provides some form of peace to the dead, but in reality I don't think they rest easy.

Located about 10 miles from Phnom Penh, the Killing Fields are exactly what they seem to be. Truckloads of Cambodians were transported to this place, executed, and then dumped into mass graves. There are an estimated 300 of these killing fields located throughout Cambodia. While most of the bodies and bones have been removed, indentations in the grass indicate where the graves used to be. The audio guide explained each point of interest in the most macabre of ways.

- Tread lightly, for bones are still uncovered as rainstorms pass by.

- Here is the Killing Tree next to the mass grave containing mostly women and children. The tree is named so because bits of hair and blood and brains have been found on it; indications are that the Khmer Rouge soldiers used it to bash in babies' heads before tossing them into the grave.

- Here is a Sugar Palm Tree. It provides shade and sugar, but its stalks can be filed to a sharp edge and were used to slit the throats of prisoners, thus negating the need for expensive bullets.

This went on and on, each fact more horrible than the last. 

Remains are displayed and honored
in a memorial building

The U.S. did nothing while this genocide went on. Did we enter the wrong war? Could we have done something? I don't think that ultimately there is a correct answer for this. But the closing statements from my audio guide probably sums it up the best. While the events in Cambodia are heartbreaking, it is not the only instance of senseless genocide in the world. It has happened before, and it will happen again. Sites like these are certainly don't fit within the standard of a 'fun' vacation, but it is important to see and feel these places anyway. 

We have to remember. We have to learn from it.

Hauling Pavement

Wow; by a rough google maps guess, we've covered about 300 miles by bus over the past 2 days. Let's rewind and get caught up!

After a day in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), we started on our journey towards Cambodia and headed to the border town of Chau Doc in the Meekong Delta. Despite the murky color of the river, this region is actually rich with wildlife and is famous for its rice growing (it produces half of Vietnam's total rice output!). After settling into our simple rooms, some of us took a boat tour around the river to see some local sights.

Chau Doc is surrounded by the river and dotted with various fishing communities all around. Because of the flooding in the area at certain times of the year, most of the dwellings are either built to float, or are mounted in stilts. Many of the abodes contain a small fishing farm inside; a cage lines the underwater area of the house, and fish are placed there until they are large enough to send to market.

Fish splashing around as they are fed

Once again, this area was obviously poor, and the people lived in very simple surroundings. I saw children bathing in the river, while adults rowed boats around to deliver their day's fare to the markets. All of it highlights the fact that I lead a very luxurious life.

The next morning, we prepared to say goodbye to Vietnam. We were taking a 45 minute bus ride to cross the Vietnam/Cambodia border. Prior to that, my breakfast: a banh mi sandwich filled with meat and pate, pickled veggies and cilantro. It's a baby version of what I usually have in New York (it's a 6-incher or so), but it cost only 50 cents USD.

For the price, I could have 4 of these!

Found a new snack! Lychee flavored Sugus!

Once we arrived at the border, we were required to leave the bus and cross on foot. I was a little wary about the situation and so there are no pictures, but the whole process was interesting. The officials were overall on the friendly side (I suppose that they are happy to have money-spending tourists in their country), and the visas were easy to obtain. Within an hour or so, we were all back into a van heading towards the beach town of Sihanoukville. The ride to Sihanoukville was long and bumpy, but it was totally worth it once this view opened up in front of us.

This may be paradise!

The hotel is beautiful, with large rooms and comfortable bathrooms. I am going to sit back and relax for the rest of the day!

Got a great night's sleep!

And now for some gratuitous pretty beachy pictures.

The way to Saigon is through your stomach

Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City as it is called now) is one bustling place! By far the most modernized city we have visited so far, I have been amazed by the variety and amount of local food in the streets. From early morning breakfast vendors to a bustling warehouse market, I can't even begin to identify some of the dishes offered. All I know is that some of this looks seriously tasty, and that everyone seems to be pretty hungry most of the time. While I don't have the time or stomach to try eating it all, here's a brief pictorial of what I have seen during one morning/afternoon in Saigon.

Skewers for breakfast?

Fruits and veggies

Sweet pastries

Waiting for business

Pho is a popular breakfast choice

Banh Mi assembly line

I have no idea what is in that pot

Dried Shrimp, anyone?

One way to keep hydrated in this hot city

Some kind of fried dough, I think

Clams and snails waiting to be sauteed

I have no idea what she's serving

Mmm. Ingredients for yummy drinks

She certainly has lots of customers!

Nha Trang

Wow, I can't believe that I'm halfway through the tour!

We are now in Nha Trang, home to one of the most popular beaches in Vietnam. The background is stunning, with the contrast between white sands and mountains in the distance. There is so much to do in Nha Trang, and I have so little time! Cable car rides and snorkling and island hopping... ehhh... I think I'm going to take it easy tomorrow and relax on the beach. And maybe get a massage. :)

As for today, I visited a mud bath! No pictures, since I didn't want to ruin my camera. I wasn't sure what the experience would be like, but it ended up really interesting. I pictured that I would go to an outdoor area with pools of thick mud which I would spread all over myself. In reality, you pay $5 to get into a resort-like area. After rinsing off, you are directed into an outdoor tub that is then filled with a muddy slurry. You sit in there for about 15 minutes, rinse the mud off, and then go soak in another tub filled with hot mineral water. I think the mud and water are supposed to be good for your body and skin. I don't feel too different, but it was kind of fun to get dirty!

Tonight was a lot of fun as well, as it was the first time I've gone dancing in a while (it was a... club-by bar?). I definitely didn't last too long though; it's time to call it a day and get to bed!

Hoi An

Another day, another hotel. In Hoi An, my luggage got its own bed!

Hoi An is well known for its many many tailor shops, so the group went off to have custom dresses, jackets, and suits made. The workers are incredibly fast, with a 1 day turnaround on most items. I really didn't need any more clothing, but it was a lot of fun to window shop. These tailors can pretty much make anything you want; casual clothes to cocktail dresses, shoes and handbags too!

We've been incredibly lucky with the weather so far. Yesterday morning was overcast and ended up perfect for a 3-hour bicycle ride around the Hoi An countryside. We biked past multiple rice paddies and got to see where exactly the rice comes from (harvest is about 3 weeks away). There were small family farms everywhere, with neat rows of vegetables and herbs. Chickens would randomly cross the road, and children ran around waving at us happily. It was so serene and idyllic that you have to admire the people for their simple way of life.

Rice stalks. Once it blooms, the 'flower' portion becomes
the actual rice grains.

Low-tech but efficient way to water the farm

Peaceful and quiet

It seems like every day brings a new mode of transportation as well. During our bicycle ride, we had the opportunity to get close to some water buffalo, who are resting until harvest begins in a few weeks.

These gentle giants were incredibly patient; they were obviously trained to help around the farms. Most of them were grazing in the fields or lying in the shade, but one of them was brought into service for us to ride! I wondered if he would get annoyed at carrying a bunch of tourists around, but he didn't seem flustered at all. I imagine that it is probably harder work to pull a plow around the fields.

Cute little fella!

buff-a-lo, buff-a-lo

It didn't feel like we went very far, but the tour guide said that we had cycled for 18 kilometers (around 10 miles)! I'm definitely working off all the food I'm eating. We rode a boat along the river with our bikes to return back to the hotel.

Fishing for lunch

Hoi An is an interesting city to visit. Tourism is very high and the price on goods mostly reflect that. I really enjoyed seeing the countryside; life was simple, and the people worked so diligently. And even though they lived in tiny houses, the locals seemed content to be working alongside the earth. It's a reminder that happiness is a choice and not something that just gets handed to you; there can be satisfaction in the most mundane of tasks.

Next stop: another overnight train ride, and then the beautiful beaches of Nha Trang!