Luang Pra Buang, Laos (Currently in Vien Viang)
After that, we (Curtis, Sebastien, & Jacob) visited a museum in Hanoi. Curtis had a family friend named Phuong, who lived in Hanoi and took us there. He knew a lot about the history and we were very grateful to see him for a few hours. The museum was focused on the war between the French and the Vietnamese in the 1950s. It was interesting to see and to learn about events which inspired the deterrence of colonialism. It was great to see the Museum before visiting Dien Bien Phu.
After that we visited the one pillar pagoda in Hanoi, which was also pretty cool.
From that point, we traveled to north to Sa Pa. We took an over night bus, which entailed a 13 hour journey. In Vietnam, they often have people who sit on the floor of the bus. As per usual, the person who sold us the tickets, sold us floor seats without our knowledge. Curtis and Jacob had to lie on the floor all night. They actually claimed it to be better; I did not enjoy my seat. At 5 am. the bus randomly stopped and more people came on. They started blaring Vietnamese pop music and little kids were walking all over Curtis and Jacob to get to their seats. It was one of the funniest moments of the trip, by far. We arrived in Sa Pa at 6 am for total fog and coldness.
The next day, we ran into two people the boys had met in Hanoi. Dave from Kelowna, Canada and Matt from London, England. We discovered this super amazing market within the town. Really really cool, sit at any of the dozens of tables and get served.
We were then harassed by swarms of local people. This was another great moment. Jacob could not say no and ended up buying so many souvenirs. At one point there were about 15 people huddled around Jacob and I. They were trying to make us buy shirts, but it being Asia, size was an issue. Jacob found one that fit and I was the next experiment. After a few tries I finally got one to fit and the little old ladies all screamed in excitement. It was a a great moment. All that to say, I bought the shirt.
We then planned a trek for the next day and went to a local bar for a little bit. In the bar, they only played Eminem, it was a pretty random scene.
I expected the trek the next day to be pretty intense, but intense cannot describe it. We had a trek guide named Minh who was super helpful through out the journey. The weather was so cold and rainy and we had 17 km to hike up the mountains. Through out the journey there were many villages along the way, it was amazing to see.
During the whole hike, most of the mountain was very muddy. There came to a point where it was pure mud downhill and there was no alternate route. The rest of the boys basically slid down it on their feet and I was next. I had ridiculously old basketball shoes which made things extra slippery. Needless to say, I took a huge tumble and slid down the mud path over rocks and other things. It was a mud slide and I was just drenched. It was actually a lot of fun but being muddy for hours after was not. A video exists, but I chose not to post it. After that we continued our trek in the cold and finally made it to the village of Ben Den. The whole trek took about 7 hours. Very intense.
In the village we had a homestay. We stayed at the home of someone who lived there. They cooked us one of the most amazing dinners I have ever eaten.
During dinner, the cook and our guide insisted that drinks of rice wine must be taken every 3 mins. It was certainly an experience. The rice wine was homemade and common everywhere in Vietnam. The next morning, we were made banana crepes and an awesome lunch as well.
The next day in the village, there was a huge gathering. Since Tet (New Year) had just passed, the whole village gathered together to pray for good rice crops for the upcoming year. It was awesome to see everyone get together for positive vibes. One of the traditions was to catch a goat while blindfolded and receive good fortune for the year. Curtis and Jacob did that and Curtis came out on top.
This is a photo of the 4 of us, Dave from Canada and Matt the England. The other man was our guide, Minh.
We got back to the town of Sa Pa in a van and just hung out with the same boys. We knew we had a few days of heavy traveling ahead so we took it easy. We wanted to get to Luang Pra Brang in the country of Laos.
The next day we woke up at 7 am and jumped on a minivan to Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam, which is 30 km away from the border of Laos. The van was absurdly packed and I had my legs to my chest and Vietnamese people falling asleep all over me. The view of the drive was absolutely amazing though. We drove through many mountains. It took 8.5 hours to get there.
Dien Bien Phu is a very important site for the Vietnamese people. It is where the attacked the French to take back their country. It was awesome to see the museum in Hanoi, but even more amazing to see where Vietnam took back their country. Basically in 1954, the French had their base situated in the middle of mountains in Northern Vietnam and figured the Vietnamese could not attack without heavy artillery and the artillery would be seen. So thousands of Vietnamese took apart thousands of weapons, carried them up and through the mountains and then assembled it all back together. The French did not see anything coming and eventually surrendered.
The next morning we woke up at 4:30 am for our next bus. This was another ridiculous experience with many Vietnamese falling asleep on me. There were about 37 people in a 20 person van. Even if you try to imagine it, you cannot. After crossing the border and another 8.5 hours, we were in Muong Khua, Laos. The distance was only 90 km and it took 8.5 hours; good times. It was a super small village along a river. The journey was brutal, but once again, the drive was wonderful. The village was so beautiful and we ended up playing soccer on the sand with some locals.
That night, Jacob and I were eating at a tiny restaurant made for tourists and these 7 Laotian kids were in the corner listening to Akon on a very large stereo. I just could not believe I was in a random village in Northern Laos listening to Akon. Needless to say, within 30 mins Jacob and I were dancing up a storm with them. It was great.
The next morning, we woke up and boarded a boat. This boat ride was probably the most beautiful ride of my life. For 6 hours we boated south through the mountains. Photos cannot do justice to how amazing it actually was.
In the middle of the boating, we stopped in a village and bought some scarfs. Everything was so beautiful.
We continued on and made it to the Nong Khiaw.
We arrived there, had some Buffalo Curry (amazing, by the way) and got on a bus to Luang Pra Bang. Another 3 hours and we finally made it to the city. It was a ridiculously long journey, but an amazing feeling to get there. The city is so touristy, I could not believe. It was the largest concentration of Caucasian people I had seen in my travels so far.
In Luang Pra Bang, we journeyed south to perhaps the most beautiful spot I have ever been. It was these waterfalls which was visited by most tourists. We went and swam in some pools and hiked up the mountain. The falls were very high and created many pools down the mountain.
We also ran into the Laotian army who apparently hang out at the waterfalls and drink.
We were able to find the 'secret' pool on the mountain and spent hours there. The beauty of it cannot be described. I posted as many photos as possible but it is not enough.
The city of Luang Pra Buang is amazing. They have an amazing night market which is set up within 30 mins and disassembled in 30 minutes every single night. It is a sight to see.
So much happens while being in Southeast Asia, I cannot do justice with my words or photos.
I am leaving so many things out of this post and it will still be very long.
Immediately after the last blog I had my first real bowl of Pho in Vietnam... simply brilliant. I had many more after...
I am leaving so many things out of this post and it will still be very long.
Immediately after the last blog I had my first real bowl of Pho in Vietnam... simply brilliant. I had many more after...
After that, we (Curtis, Sebastien, & Jacob) visited a museum in Hanoi. Curtis had a family friend named Phuong, who lived in Hanoi and took us there. He knew a lot about the history and we were very grateful to see him for a few hours. The museum was focused on the war between the French and the Vietnamese in the 1950s. It was interesting to see and to learn about events which inspired the deterrence of colonialism. It was great to see the Museum before visiting Dien Bien Phu.
After that we visited the one pillar pagoda in Hanoi, which was also pretty cool.
From that point, we traveled to north to Sa Pa. We took an over night bus, which entailed a 13 hour journey. In Vietnam, they often have people who sit on the floor of the bus. As per usual, the person who sold us the tickets, sold us floor seats without our knowledge. Curtis and Jacob had to lie on the floor all night. They actually claimed it to be better; I did not enjoy my seat. At 5 am. the bus randomly stopped and more people came on. They started blaring Vietnamese pop music and little kids were walking all over Curtis and Jacob to get to their seats. It was one of the funniest moments of the trip, by far. We arrived in Sa Pa at 6 am for total fog and coldness.
The next day, we ran into two people the boys had met in Hanoi. Dave from Kelowna, Canada and Matt from London, England. We discovered this super amazing market within the town. Really really cool, sit at any of the dozens of tables and get served.
We were then harassed by swarms of local people. This was another great moment. Jacob could not say no and ended up buying so many souvenirs. At one point there were about 15 people huddled around Jacob and I. They were trying to make us buy shirts, but it being Asia, size was an issue. Jacob found one that fit and I was the next experiment. After a few tries I finally got one to fit and the little old ladies all screamed in excitement. It was a a great moment. All that to say, I bought the shirt.
We then planned a trek for the next day and went to a local bar for a little bit. In the bar, they only played Eminem, it was a pretty random scene.
I expected the trek the next day to be pretty intense, but intense cannot describe it. We had a trek guide named Minh who was super helpful through out the journey. The weather was so cold and rainy and we had 17 km to hike up the mountains. Through out the journey there were many villages along the way, it was amazing to see.
During the whole hike, most of the mountain was very muddy. There came to a point where it was pure mud downhill and there was no alternate route. The rest of the boys basically slid down it on their feet and I was next. I had ridiculously old basketball shoes which made things extra slippery. Needless to say, I took a huge tumble and slid down the mud path over rocks and other things. It was a mud slide and I was just drenched. It was actually a lot of fun but being muddy for hours after was not. A video exists, but I chose not to post it. After that we continued our trek in the cold and finally made it to the village of Ben Den. The whole trek took about 7 hours. Very intense.
In the village we had a homestay. We stayed at the home of someone who lived there. They cooked us one of the most amazing dinners I have ever eaten.
During dinner, the cook and our guide insisted that drinks of rice wine must be taken every 3 mins. It was certainly an experience. The rice wine was homemade and common everywhere in Vietnam. The next morning, we were made banana crepes and an awesome lunch as well.
The next day in the village, there was a huge gathering. Since Tet (New Year) had just passed, the whole village gathered together to pray for good rice crops for the upcoming year. It was awesome to see everyone get together for positive vibes. One of the traditions was to catch a goat while blindfolded and receive good fortune for the year. Curtis and Jacob did that and Curtis came out on top.
This is a photo of the 4 of us, Dave from Canada and Matt the England. The other man was our guide, Minh.We got back to the town of Sa Pa in a van and just hung out with the same boys. We knew we had a few days of heavy traveling ahead so we took it easy. We wanted to get to Luang Pra Brang in the country of Laos.
The next day we woke up at 7 am and jumped on a minivan to Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam, which is 30 km away from the border of Laos. The van was absurdly packed and I had my legs to my chest and Vietnamese people falling asleep all over me. The view of the drive was absolutely amazing though. We drove through many mountains. It took 8.5 hours to get there.
Dien Bien Phu is a very important site for the Vietnamese people. It is where the attacked the French to take back their country. It was awesome to see the museum in Hanoi, but even more amazing to see where Vietnam took back their country. Basically in 1954, the French had their base situated in the middle of mountains in Northern Vietnam and figured the Vietnamese could not attack without heavy artillery and the artillery would be seen. So thousands of Vietnamese took apart thousands of weapons, carried them up and through the mountains and then assembled it all back together. The French did not see anything coming and eventually surrendered.
The next morning we woke up at 4:30 am for our next bus. This was another ridiculous experience with many Vietnamese falling asleep on me. There were about 37 people in a 20 person van. Even if you try to imagine it, you cannot. After crossing the border and another 8.5 hours, we were in Muong Khua, Laos. The distance was only 90 km and it took 8.5 hours; good times. It was a super small village along a river. The journey was brutal, but once again, the drive was wonderful. The village was so beautiful and we ended up playing soccer on the sand with some locals.
That night, Jacob and I were eating at a tiny restaurant made for tourists and these 7 Laotian kids were in the corner listening to Akon on a very large stereo. I just could not believe I was in a random village in Northern Laos listening to Akon. Needless to say, within 30 mins Jacob and I were dancing up a storm with them. It was great.The next morning, we woke up and boarded a boat. This boat ride was probably the most beautiful ride of my life. For 6 hours we boated south through the mountains. Photos cannot do justice to how amazing it actually was.
In the middle of the boating, we stopped in a village and bought some scarfs. Everything was so beautiful.
We continued on and made it to the Nong Khiaw.
We arrived there, had some Buffalo Curry (amazing, by the way) and got on a bus to Luang Pra Bang. Another 3 hours and we finally made it to the city. It was a ridiculously long journey, but an amazing feeling to get there. The city is so touristy, I could not believe. It was the largest concentration of Caucasian people I had seen in my travels so far.
In Luang Pra Bang, we journeyed south to perhaps the most beautiful spot I have ever been. It was these waterfalls which was visited by most tourists. We went and swam in some pools and hiked up the mountain. The falls were very high and created many pools down the mountain.
We also ran into the Laotian army who apparently hang out at the waterfalls and drink.
We were able to find the 'secret' pool on the mountain and spent hours there. The beauty of it cannot be described. I posted as many photos as possible but it is not enough.
The city of Luang Pra Buang is amazing. They have an amazing night market which is set up within 30 mins and disassembled in 30 minutes every single night. It is a sight to see.
One of the coolest things about Luang Pra Bang is that the city is on the Mekong River. A few nights ago we just hung out beside the Mekong River, like it was no big deal. We also went bowling because the only place open after 11 is the bowling alley, which is all foreigners. There has been many random moments on this trip, that was certainly one of the most random.
This past leg of the trip has been remarkable; every time I think something cannot be topped, it is. There is a noteworthy event almost everyday. We have currently been in Vien Viang for 5 days now, but that is a new blog entry in itself.
Most Valuable Buds
The MVBs of this leg of the trip is Minh Ngo. He was our tour guide for our trek through Sa Pa.
He was super nice throughout the whole trip, waited up for me when I lagged behind and made sure we were safe the whole way. He was also a great guy.
This past leg of the trip has been remarkable; every time I think something cannot be topped, it is. There is a noteworthy event almost everyday. We have currently been in Vien Viang for 5 days now, but that is a new blog entry in itself.
Most Valuable Buds
The MVBs of this leg of the trip is Minh Ngo. He was our tour guide for our trek through Sa Pa.
He was super nice throughout the whole trip, waited up for me when I lagged behind and made sure we were safe the whole way. He was also a great guy.
Driving on a scooter through the hills was amazing.
Along the way, rain came and it became cold. I had a few layers on and thought it would be fine. Then it just turned into hell. Pure fog, pure rain and the temperature around 2 degrees. We stopped at a random lodge. Myself and James had our own scooter, while Dave and Chris shared one. Within 10 mins the lodge said it was closed and we had to leave. We were completely soaked and frozen with still 2 hours to go. We got back on our scooters and kept going. The next 20 mins was probably the coldest I had ever been. Hail, sleet, everything came down.
Taiwan is full of things no one knows about, as there is not marketing towards their tourism. We visited a temple on the hill and then had some dinner.
