Exotic Indochine

The Land of Smiles
The Land of Smiles should have been called the Land of Sex. Thailand, more specifically, Bangkok is well-known for finding easy sex. One visit to Pat Pong should prove that beyond a doubt. A whole street of go-go bars, passing which, one glimpses unclad lissome ladies and occasionally, a not-so-lissome one is what Pat Pong is about. Men carrying leaflets and lurking around corners, pouncing at you as you saunter past, almost dragging you into the closest bar to watch young Thai girls twirl around a pole, bars at regular intervals to provide relief from the excess display of skin, and a drink to slake the thirsty.
Apart from the sex, there is more to Bangkok, of course. Namely shopping and food. Both of which can be found in great quantities as well as quality. Thai street food is rather interesting- pieces of meat, fish, and veggies skewered on a stick with condiments drizzled over it, sweet sticky rice with slivers of mango on it and barbequed squid was just some of the exotic fare we sampled.
Then there is Khowsan Road. That was a breath of fresh air after the rest of Bangkok. A touch of rustic charm found in the street full of stalls of food, beer and young musicians amidst bars for those who don’t enjoy street culture, Khowsan Road has something for everyone after the sun sets. Walk down the street, grab a beer and some skewered meat, watch young musicians making new tunes on the sidewalk as you munch your snack, then get up and head for a rooftop bar when you’ve had enough of the street.

I just got back from a 15 day long trip to three South East Asian countries- Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, in that order. The route we followed was Bangkok-Siem Riep-Phnom Penh-Saigon-Nha Trang-Hoi An- Hanoi-Bangkok. Yes, it was an express tour, and rather hectic at times, but worth every bit of it. Each moment was an experience. Each day beheld new wonders and sources of amazement. And no place failed to surprise and delight in some way or another.
Thailand has lots of things to see for the sight-seer. There are temples, there’s the famous reclining Buddha and the Royal Palace. And of course, Thai food needs no introduction. After two days of orienting ourselves to Bangkok, it was time for the next destination- Cambodia.

The Land of Temples
The small town of Siem Riep was the first stop. We got in at night and were pleasantly surprised to find that our hotel was right across the street from all the bars and nightclubs. The Temple, not one bit as reverential as the name suggests, was a bar on the ground floor with live Apsara dancing on the first floor. And then there was “Happy Pizza”. Literally advertised as “Happy Pizza”, this pizza is guaranteed to do more for you than any other pizza you’ve eaten so far. The marijuana baked into its crust and offered as extra flavoring ensures your night isn’t going to be a quiet uneventful one. Siem Riep also has the most charming little night market where one can buy souvenirs, clothes and other delightful knick knacks. The next day, we went to see what we’d travelled all the way to Cambodia for. Angkor Wat. The city of temples. The sheer scale of the expanse of temples is, in a word, breathtaking. It took us the better part of the day to see just three of the many temples. We started with Ta Prom (translated as Grandfather Prom). This temple has trees growing over it, and roots have spread themselves all around it and penetrated into the temple as well. The irony is that the roots are, on one hand, holding the temple together, and on the other, breaking the temple bit by bit. Bayon was the next temple we

visited, which is famous for its giant faces on the temple’s minarets, gateways and walls. And then the famous Angkor Wat itself. Enormous and magnificent, Angkor Wat, like the other temples, displayed a lot of Indian culture and mythology. Cambodian culture and history, we learned, has a lot of Indian influence owing to Indian traders and Indian kings. Then there was the marvel of floating villages on the Tonle Sap lake. The lake housed numerous houseboats, where people were leading thier lives just as easily as we do on solid land. Pigs, chickens, dogs and crocodiles either in cages and tanks or flapping freely around, children playing fearlessly on the edges of thier boats, men lounging in hammocks, soaking in the evening sun, a vegetable market that goes door to door, selling fresh veggies and even a makeshift floating bar, wherein two little girls hopped into our boat trying to sell us beers.
Oh, and as for Cambodian food- where do I start? With hairy black tarantulas floating in greasy orange oil, or crispy fried grasshoppers? Or barbequed ostrich and snake? Maybe I should just stick to tales of the wonderfully fresh seafood and crisp green veggies. :)
From Siem Reap, we took the bus to the capital city of Cambodia- Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh gave us a glimpse into the country’s violent history. A memorial housing seven stories of skulls, Killing Fields where Pol Pot massacred countless men, women and children, fragments of bone on the paths we walked, stories of mass graves, children being thrashed against trees until they died, and axes and bamboo sticks being used to kill people in order to save bullets. Stories of how DDT was sprayed into the mass graves to hide the stench so nobody knew about the bodies lying six feet under. Stories of how the graves were only discovered in the 1980’s, when the DDT began to wear off, and sights of the victims’ bones, clothes and mug shots.
It was really sad to see these things, especially given the fact that Cambodians are such gentle folk, not given to violence at all. We didn’t see one angry or violent Cambodian during our visit, which made the irony of their past starker. And then it was time to move to the next country whose past was no rosier than the one we were leaving….

The Land of the Dragon People
Vietnam. Makes me think of war and death. Sad and depressing images tend to come to mind. The Vietnam I saw was, however starkly different. Happy, smiling, friendly people who’ll try and help you when they can. Ho Chi Minh City aka Saigon is a rather well-developed city with no trace of the jungles and rainforests one in their ignorance has come to expect. Wide roads panning across a bustling city, motorbikes crowding every inch of free road and cyclos looking around for customers. Of course, the very sobering war museum doesn’t allow you to forget the fact that the country wasn’t always so, but it also makes the Vietnamese spirit that much more admirable. The Cu Chi tunnels are indisputable evidence of their resourcefulness and determination. Having crawled through one of the tunnels, I find it unimaginable to believe that people actually lived this way during the American war. 30 meters of crawling, and I almost had a panic attack. The language problem here is no more than the other countries we’d visited; but there were enormous cultural differences. For example, the evening we reached Saigon, I was walking down the street, looking for a good hotel, when a man on a bicycle started following me around, ringing his bell and grinning. “Take me, take me”, the man kept repeating in his broken English. The more I nervously hurried along to escape him, the more he followed me. It was only much later that I was informed that these men were offering massages and no more. The only incident that blemished Saigon in my mind was the fact that my cellphone was stolen in the city; by a friendly, kind looking man, who was smiling at the world and selling them newspapers. Obviously, he wasn’t above flicking a cellphone if the opportunity arose. But for all the wonderful memories and experiences the city has given me, the unfortunate incident is forgiven. Vietnamese folk are, in general, a peaceful, happy people, who will try and help you in their own almost heartbreakingly innocent way, despite the differences. Like the young man who saw me sitting outside a bar, reading my Lonely Planet, and noticed that my slippers were tearing. He dove under the table to grab my footwear off my feet, leaving me barefoot and bewildered while he stuck the sole back on. Or the young prostitute who found me a cheap cellphone to replace the one I’d lost, and even offered to give me her sim card.
From Saigon, it was on to Nha Tran- the Goa of Vietnam. Long stretches of clean sand, sparkling blue water, perfect for snorkeling, and party boats. The boat we got on was called Mama Linh. We cruised around the bay, stopped to swim and snorkel, lounge on the beaches, and even sang a few songs and danced with complete strangers in the middle of the ocean. It is also a great destination for clubs- The Sailor’s Club we went to was right on the beach, and the “jam jars” they served ensured we were all flying after Round Two. There is certainly something to be said about dancing barefoot on the beach!
From Nha Tran, it was on to Hoi An- the city that is famous for its tailors. These miracle workers will tailor anything for you overnight. And I mean anything. From suits to dresses to pants to even shoes. We all got tailor made clothes and shoes back from Hoi An, and apart from one messed-up piece, overall, they did a damn fine job. Hoi An is also famous for its Old Town; one of the very few that escaped American bombing. It has been declared a Heritage Site, and some of the old yet perfectly preserved buildings now converted into restaurants and shops, do indeed cause your jaw to drop.
After Hoi An, we entered the rude shock that was Hanoi. Our very first experience in the capital of Vietnam was extortion. A hotel we went to held my luggage hostage and demanded money. After settling down at another one which was a safe distance from the first, we went out looking for a bar that would dull the shock….and found that the city shuts its lights by midnight. The next evening, things were somewhat better, though, given that we found a bunch of Dutch residents, who showed us that little holes-in-the-wall bars may pull their shutters down, but that doesn’t mean the party’s not swinging inside. The next day, we went to see the spectacular Halong Bay. This Bay is full of limestone formations, which your boat weaves around. One of the stops allowed us to view a cave which was full of stalactites and stalagmites- and truly, the sight is breathtaking. One has to be prepared to be able to take in the true extent of wonder these caves have hidden inside.

Halong Bay was a lovely way to end to the holiday. From there, it was a flight to Bangkok, and 24 hours later, one to New Delhi. Definitely one of the best trips ever and well worth all the inconveniences.