# Vietnam & Cambodia



## merlin (Apr 6, 2015)

Lisa and I spent a month in January in Vietnam and Cambodia; we found both countries fascinating and the people in general very kind, helpful and gentle, particularly the Cambodians. 
We stayed in family run guest houses and “Homestays” where you live with the family in their home, so you get to know the people and their culture a lot better.

One of the highlights of the trip was “Angkor Wat” in northern Cambodia; the area consists of a complex of ancient temples, Hindu and Buddhist, mainly built during the 12[SUP]th [/SUP]and 13[SUP]th[/SUP] centuries.
We spent a week going around many of the temples, and though busy with tourists during the early part of the day, when we revisited them in the evening they were deserted and the atmosphere was amazingly calm and tranquil. 

It’s hard to reconcile all this peace and beauty with the horrors of the more recent history the country endured.
Corruption is rife there and evidently a third of the people live on less than a dollar a day, but on the whole to us (a tourists view of course), they came across as being much happier than a lot of us in the west who have generally so much more, in a physical sense.

Here are a few photos of the sites we visited.


----------



## merlin (Apr 6, 2015)

Some more pictures











A third monkey


----------



## Ameriscot (Apr 6, 2015)

Nice photos! I'd love to visit Ankgor Wat.


----------



## oldman (Apr 6, 2015)

I spent 14 months in Vietnam and have no, nada, zip, nein desire to return. I never knew it could rain so hard for so long in my short life at that time. I was ready to start building an ark. Other times, it was so hot and humid, my Hershey bars never had a chance. I could have sucked them through a straw.


----------



## Morty (May 15, 2015)

Beautiful pictures, merlin. I spent quite a lot of time in southeast asia as a youngster before I met my wife. Good times.


----------



## merlin (May 15, 2015)

Morty said:


> Beautiful pictures, merlin. I spent quite a lot of time in southeast asia as a youngster before I met my wife. Good times.



 Thanks Morty I must post some more, would you ever go back, or are your travelling days over?


----------



## Cookie (May 15, 2015)

Great shots, Merlin....fascinating ruins.... and I like the monkeys, all of them, LOL


----------



## merlin (May 15, 2015)

Cookie said:


> Great shots, Merlin....fascinating ruins.... and I like the monkeys, all of them, LOL



Thanks Cookie, yes I like monkeys too, all kinds as you say :monkey: The ruins in Angkor Wat were truly amazing and the atmosphere in and around them was sublime.


----------



## Shalimar (May 15, 2015)

Loved the pics, Merlin. Loved the monkeys too.


----------



## Glinda (May 15, 2015)

Great shots, Merlin.  I have visited Vietnam and loved it but have not been to Cambodia yet.


----------



## merlin (May 15, 2015)

Glinda said:


> Great shots, Merlin.  I have visited Vietnam and loved it but have not been to Cambodia yet.



Which parts of Vietnam did you go to Glinda?


----------



## 911 (May 15, 2015)

I agree with you, oldman. I was there as well and fought in the Tet Offensive. Collected my Purple Heart and Bronze Star and never wanted to go back. There are plenty of other more beautiful places to go in the world that lack the memories that I have of Vietnam.


----------



## AZ Jim (May 15, 2015)

The peacetime tourist has entirely different appreciation for Nam than the men who were sent there to a war.


----------



## jujube (May 15, 2015)

Great pictures!


----------



## Glinda (May 15, 2015)

merlin said:


> Which parts of Vietnam did you go to Glinda?



Saigon and a "resort" called Jungle Beach.


----------



## merlin (May 16, 2015)

AZ Jim said:


> The peacetime tourist has entirely different appreciation for Nam than the men who were sent there to a war.



Very true Jim, sadly war stains us all and of course our soldiers often suffer terribly, but in time thankfully, countries with their new generations of citizens recover.


----------



## merlin (May 16, 2015)

.
A few photos of Saigon and its food

Its famous post office, which is still fully functional





One of its main railway lines goes through the centre and trains travel quite fast


----------



## merlin (May 16, 2015)

.
Some of the meals we had in Saigon, the food was tasty and not very spicy, we ate in some traditional local ones, and some touristy ones, both were relatively cheap, and the food was fresh. 

There were several lovely restaurants featuring waterfalls and streams running through them, mainly frequented by locals, as they were generally off the tourist map. Our host where we were staying introduced us to them.






The Food


----------



## merlin (May 16, 2015)

More Food...


----------



## Ameriscot (May 16, 2015)

You're making me very, very hungry, Merlin!!!


----------

