Halong Bay - One of the highlights of this trip.  Pictures do not do this place justice.  Miles and miles of islands rising from the ocean as far as the eyes could see.  We spent a couple of days on the bay and an overnight on the boat.

We stopped at this viewpoint which included a deep cave full of stalactites and stalagmites.

Below - These floating markets are everywhere.  They follow the big boats around and you can basically get whatever junk food and drinks that you need.

Below - We took a kayak trip on the bay, reaching an enclave accessed by going through an opening under one of the islands.

Above - One of the islands included a beach and an observation lookout.  We of course docked and trekked up to the top.

Right - Steps to get to the observation deck.  Surprisingly very well maintained.

Below - As we said throughout the trip, a couple of Vietnamese on bikes can move the world.  There is nothing they did not carry on these things.

Left - Our overnight train from Hanoi to Hue.  This made the overnight train we took in Kenya seem like first class.  The first class cabin included 4 beds, the second class included 6 beds and the last cabin was just seats.  Roaches, sheets washed during the Clinton administration were some of the challenges.  But as usual, while not as fun during the trip, these things make great stories afterward.

Below - Some of the sights from the train.

Left - Our first class train cabin.

Below - We took a bike ride (we did not drive, just hanged on for dear life) through the streets of Hue where honking is a national past time.  They should theoretically drive on the Left hand side of the road, but as you quickly find out, they will pretty much go wherever they can squeeze by.  The left, the right, on the sidewalk, etc...

Above - Arena where Tigers and elephants used to fight.

Left - There isn't a kid that did not benefit from meeting our friend from Canada.  She pretty much bought whatever they were selling and then gave them some more :)

Below - Some of the US bunkers from the Vietnam war on Bunker Hill.

Left - These bikes were glued together with bubblegum.  Several broke down during our 2 hour trip.

Below - A Monk in front of one of the monasteries.  One of my favorite pictures.

Left - A relic from the Vietnam war.  I was not around to remember this, but I am sure others might.  A Monk drove into Saigon and lit himself on fire to protest the war.  Other monks surrounded him to prevent people from stopping him.  This was the actual car he drove and his burning picture hangs behind the car.

Right - You are never too young to start driving in Vietnam.  After all you need all the time you can get to be able to drive in this country.

Below - Our group at one of the many dinners

Below - While walking through one of the Historic places, I came across this lady who was all dressed up and walking around the site.  I asked for picture and she obliged.

Below - Giddy Up!

Below - One of our lunch sites.  The ocean was warmer than I expected.   I was on a peace sign kick throughout this trip, so you will see that quite a bit, I guess I was just stressing the fact that we come in peace :)

Below - Our group of four.  We pretty much stuck together throughout this trip.

Above - One of the remains of a US lookout point on some very high pass.  Some of the group veered off the path to the dismay of our tour guide who warned of armed mines that still litter the place.

Below - The streets of Hoi An.  We spent 3 days in this city by the river.  Very nice places to eat and shop.

Above - We were in Hoi An during the full moon, which included a festival where kids place candles inside these flowers and launch them into the river which overflows its banks every night.

Left - One of the shots we did.  Still not sure of its point, you are supposed to light it up, place your hand over the fire and the cup to extinguish the flame, do the shot, close your palm again over the cup and breath in the fumes.  Well, let's just say that it did not quite go this way for me.  I burned my hand and my lips and the only fumes I smelled were those of my flesh :)

The My Son ancient civilization ruins.  Some of the sites, like the ones around this text box were spared.  Others around the site were not as fortunate as they were destroyed during the war.

Below - One of the sites at My Son that was destroyed.

Below - Bike ride around Hoi An and some of the scenery.

Left - Fishing boats in Hoi An.  Not easy to navigate as you can probably guess.

Above - A kid playing with his siblings on the beach.  He was showing off his moves to us.

Below - A beer moment...

Above - I came across these 3 kids fishing while I was on a bike tour.  They just looked so content it was amazing to witness.

Below - From all the different ways she could go, she decided to run right through the crack in the pavement and got stuck to the amusement of the locals.

A fisherman casting his net in the river like he has done so many times before.

Having some time to kill in Hoi An, we stopped by the pool of a resort which could have rivaled any the states could offer.  Again, an unexpected surprise.

The Hoi An market.  Enough to make anyone go vegetarian.

Left - Some lady threw her bucket of dirty fish water on one of our group's pants...  Not a happy camper.

Left - I wonder what this cat is wishing for.

Cooking class in Hoi An. 

Left - the front of the restaurant.

Below - The back of the restaurant.  It was pretty much a 1 stop place for the family to work and live.  The food was excellent.

Above - The ingredients for our meal

Right - The kitchen.  Nothing more than a couple of camp site burners.

Below - The results.  The fish in banana leaf was excellent.

Below - The front of the restaurant with our teacher and her mother.

Left - Traffic in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) City

Below - When beer is cheaper than water, you tend to drink lots of it.

Left - Drinks at the Rex Hotel.  The watering hole of the journalists during the Vietnam war.

Below - the Cu Chi Tunnels.  This place was immense, I think it was some 250 square kilometers of tunnels.  In all practicality, they were impossible to detect. 

A tight squeeze even for me.

Below - They built this natural looking mounds to let fresh air into the tunnels.  These were hard to spot in a paved path, let alone in a jungle.

Below - The firing range.  I fired an M60, not sure where the bullets ended up but I am sure they were no where close to their intended target.

Left - Who does not belong in this picture?  No matter how many bullet belts you put on me, I would still stick out...

Below - The Cu Chi tunnels that have been widened for tourists.  yes you heard me right, these have been WIDENED...  We went on a 70 meter stretch and came out the other end completely drenched in sweat.

Left - They have these alcohol bottles where a snake takes center stage with some other bugs around it.   We got as far as pouring some out into a glass, but never were able to drink it.

Below - The reunification palace.  These were the gates that were smashed down by tanks at the end of the war.

Below - Salsa dancing in Saigon.  A amazing night...  My dance partner was a Salsa dance instructor in Saigon.

Not sure what we were laughing about, but I am sure it was funny.

Below - The town of Chau Doc at the border of Vietnam and Cambodia.  We grabbed some bikes and headed to the top of the mountain for a view of the sun setting over Cambodia and Vietnam.

Left - To the right is Cambodia and to the left is Vietnam.

Not a bad way to spend an evening.

Left - Customs at the Vietnam / Cambodia border.  Needless to say, we did not have to take off our shoes or go through any metal detectors.

Below - We took a 4 hour trip up the Mekond river into Cambodia.

Left - Tuc Tucs in Cambodia.  The fastest and easiest way to travel.

Below - On the other hand, I could have done without the Cyclo tour.

The killing fields in Cambodia.  A sobering moment.  The more people see these places however, the better our world becomes...   Some 3 million people perished during a 4 year period under the Khmer Rouge rule.

Left - Haggling Cambodia style.

Whitie - How much

Seller - $20

Whitie - No no no, that is way too much

Seller - How much you pay?

Whitie - $3

Seller - No no no, that is too little

Whitie - How much do you want?

Seller - $15

Whitie - $5

Seller - $14

Whitie - $6

Final Price - 2 for $15 (Seller wins)

Soccer playing on the streets of Cambodia.

Below - The Royal Palace.  It looked like Disnelyland

Left - A replica of Angkor Wat

Below - No that is not mood lighting... Power outage at a restaurant in Cambodia.

The temple of Angkor Wat.  An amazing structure.  We arrived at around 5 am at the site hoping to see the sunrise over the temple, but it was too cloudy and foggy.

Above - The beatles were in town.

Below - This is my absolute favorite picture of the trip.  It was taken at the Angkor Wat temple.  I sat next to this little kid waiting for a shot that I was looking for.  Once I got it, I gave him a thumbs up and he smiled back at me.

Below - The gates of the Angkor Thom City.

Below - These guys looked like they needed me to pick up some slack...

The Bayon Temple Ruins.  When completed, it included some 54 towers each with face carving like the ones shown in the pictures below.

Above - I love taking these weird shots.  I waited some 10 minutes until people cleared out of the other side of this wall in order for me to get this picture.

Below - A wider shot of the Angkor Wat complex.  The first set of walls are not the temple, they are the gates before you get to the temple.

Right - The Angkor Thom Temple.  The other temples you saw have been restored and / or maintained.  This one was left as is for time and the jungle to do with it as it wished...

A truly amazing place.  It was as if the jungle was eating the temple one stone at a time.

After you get templed out, you go for some ATV riding in the country.

Life in the countryside of Cambodia

We stopped at an orphanage and had the most amazing experience.  The kids were wonderful.  The people in charge were all volunteers.  They took us around the site showing us the sleeping and cooking rooms, classrooms, etc. 

Left - A few kids were eying the ATVs.  I went back to them and one by one carried them onto the bikes, they all smiled, gave me the peace sign and laughed hysterically.  And on to the next batch of kids, I had a line as far as I could see.

Below - Another one of my favorite shots.  If they did not point to her, I would have missed her altogether.  She seemed like she was having the time of her life building her own castle.

The town of Siem Reap (Next to the Angkor Temples) was a party town, plenty of bars and clubs and we made the best of our time in this city.

Left - The backpackers area in Thailand.  Cheap food, cheap motels ($1 per night) make for a grand old time.

Since I was there, I visited the bridge over the river kwai.  Another historic structure I read about in high school.

Below - I went on a small bamboo rafting trip.

Left - A bridge over the river.  Only the best construction around here.  Safety is number one concern.

Below - Elephant riding in Thailand.

The Tiger Temple.  The disclaimer pretty much says it all.

Above - Falling on the tigers would probably have not been a good idea.

Lastly, the royal palace in Thailand.  Another hugely decadent structure.

Left - The emerald Buddha.  No picture are allowed inside, you could only take it from outside.