Kawagoe, "Little Tokyo" Near Tokyo?

What?  There's a "Little Tokyo" near Tokyo?!  Well, actually, there's a "Little Edo" in Kawagoe, which is a suburb of Tokyo.  Edo was the original name before the city became Tokyo, so technically, it is "Little Tokyo" near Tokyo.

Kawagoe is a little town full of traditional Edo Period (1603-1867) architecture in the Kurazukuri Zone. Most of the Japanese clay-walled warehouse buildings are now stores catering to every tourist's dream of traditional Japanese souvenirs, foods, and crafts.  Besides its throwback era charm, this town's claim to fame is the Kitain Temple, the old bell tower that still chimes 3 times a day, and for some reason, a variety of treats made from sweet potatoes.  Hmmmm.

It is quite the tourist trap, and recently, Seibu Shinjuku train line added a reserved seat Limited Express train line from Shinjuku or Takadanonaba to Honkawagoe Station.  For an extra ¥410/pp, this cuts the transit time from 70 minutes on a local train down to 20 minutes.  Totally worth it in our opinion.  

If you find yourself needing to kill about half a day in Tokyo, head to the outskirts of Tokyo and wander around the "Little Edo" streets of Kawagoe!  It's quite charming.

Here are some photos...

Tokyo's Current #1 Attraction is 451.2 Meters in the Sky

The 634 meter
Tokyo Skytree casts a
shadow onto Tokyo
below.

We officially made it all the way around the world when we finally arrived at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo on Friday morning, December 7th at around 4 am after being delayed in Incheon, Korea for about 5 hours due to a huge snowstorm from which the airport was still trying to recover from.  Amazingly, after approximately 18 flights during our entire trip, this was the first and last snafu we had with any flights.  We secretly wished our flight would get canceled so we would have to spend the night/day in Korea and get one more country under our sabbatical belt.  It didn't happen that way, and we were actually glad to have finally arrived at Akiko's dad's house around 7 am.  We were planning on a relaxing week, unwinding from all our backpacking.

We already spent 2 full weeks in Tokyo back in May when we officially started our Travel Sabbatical 7 months ago, not to mention this is Akiko's second home and Mike has visited at least 6 times.  So, it would seem that we've exhausted almost every touristy thing there is to do in Tokyo over the years.  Not so, especially when they keep building new things!

Our "Next, and Last Stop" of our Travel Sabbatical, Ogikubo in Tokyo where we started this RTW adventure. 

Incheon International Airport, Korea.  Delays due to snow and ice. 

The much anticipated Tokyo Skytree actually opened on May 22nd, 2012 while we were here previously, but advanced tickets were already sold out for the next several months.  We didn't have a chance, nor did we feel much appreciation for long lines and the feel of a packed observation deck at 1500 feet up in the air.  

Akiko's dad, Shinji, and Mike with Skytree view from Oshiage Station. 

Cruising the Bai Tu Long Bay (Northeast of Halong Bay) with IndochinaJunk, Inc.

Halong Bay. Ha Long means "descending dragon".  Local legend says that a family of dragons descended onto the bay to protect Vietnam from invaders by spitting large jade and jewels into the water, forming thousands of island barriers against the invaders.  Afterwards, the dragons decided to stay and make these waters their home.  We think you will quickly see that the islands are reminiscent of dragons resting in the water.  

Apparently, we saved the best experience for last! We think this UNESCO World Heritage site and 7 New Wonders of Nature is one of the most stunning natural landscapes we've seen so far on our trip. Right up there with Plitvice Lakes in Croatia.  Yes, Machu Picchu (Peru), Angkor Wat (Cambodia), and the rice terraces of Sapa (Vietnam) were also awe-inspiring, but they are largely man-made wonders.  The two thousand limestone formations that pepper the northernmost bay of Vietnam was formed naturally over millions of years through erosion.  Even more amazing are all the hidden caves and lakes inside these hollow islands, where many have yet to be discovered.  

Mike relaxing on the top deck
of Dragon's Pearl I junk cruise.

As a result, Halong Bay was definitely on our "must-see" list, but we didn't know how to best experience this place.  Do we just find transportation to Halong Bay on our own, then find a day boat to take us around?  Do we sign-up for a one or two night cruise?  Should we just go to Cat Ba island, the backpacker capital, and admire the limestone formations from the shore?

Although we prefer DIY travels, this is one place that is best experienced by joining a tour.  Unfortunately, it seems every hotel and business in Hanoi has a cousin or brother-in-law that supposedly runs a tour.  There are soooooo many tour operators to Halong Bay that it is hard to know what's legitimate and what's not.  After much research, we decided on a 3-day/2-night cruise through the less touristed Bai Tu Long Bay just northeast of Halong Bay for a full and unhurried experience.  

We wrote an unsolicited infomercial on how we researched and selected Indochina Junk as well as other options at the end of this blog.*

Go Take A Hike...With Us in Sapa!

I'm not ashamed to admit that I had to get some (okay...A LOT of) hands-on assistance from a 12-year old (who probably weighed 70 lbs. soaking wet) and a lady in plastic sandals with a baby strapped to her back, in order to prevent myself from sliding down the cliff during our muddy and slippery trek through the rice terraces of Sapa and the Lao Chai and Ta Van Hmong villages.  Welcome to "real trekking" in Sapa, Vietnam.

Fog dissipating, revealing the beautiful rice terraces and river valley below. We were about to start trekking down into the valley.

It's pure dumb luck that on the second day, the sun came out and the fog decided to dissipate.  Especially since we talked to several people who were leaving without having had a single fog-free day in Sapa.  We took full advantage by going on a day hike. 

We woke up to this promising view on our second day in Sapa!  Beautiful blue skies above the cloud line. 

There's many trekking options.  A few popular ones take hikers and cyclists to Heaven's Gate or Ham Rong Mountain, or the real adventurous may attempt to climb the summit of Fansipan.  On a clear day, we hear the view from atop the mountains and the highest mountain pass (Heaven's Gate) is well...heavenly, but we wouldn't have been able to see much of the valley.  We decided on a guided hike that took us below the cloud lines into the villages instead of going higher.  

Sapa: A Mountain Town Covered in Thick Fog

In front of Tien Sa waterfall
near Cat Cat Village.

We finally made it into the northwestern mountains of Vietnam near the China border to an area called Sapa, famous for the patterned rice terraces carved out of the side of the mountains.  Once you've seen the view, it's easily recognizable as belonging to Sapa.  

As if the rice terrace landscape wasn't good enough, they are surrounded by sheer granite walls rising from crystal clear river canyons, bamboo forests soaring into the heavens, peppered with villages of Hmong tribes dressed in their colorful attire.  Sapa couldn't be more picture perfect.

Picture perfect, unless surrounded by dense fog with a visibility of about 20 feet...which was our Sapa experience on our first day here.

Here's what we should've been able to see in Sapa: 

Postcards of scenic Sapa area. 

Here's what we actually saw:

The fog gave the landscape a unique, mysterious shroud that was equally beautiful, but we wished we'd seen the dramatic views today.

The Vibrant Sunday Market at Bac Ha, Vietnam

Photo opportunity with a Hmong
woman and baby.  (Baby is trying
to pull Akiko's hair out.)

We've seen lots of markets throughout our sabbatical, but Bac Ha's Sunday Market has to be one of our favorites because it is an actual working market for the local Hmong hill tribes who bring their produce, goods, clothing, and livestock from their mountain villages and spend the day selling, buying, trading, eating, drinking, and socializing with one another.

The major draw for tourists who come in bus loads from Sapa is the vibrant and intricate traditional clothing that the Hmong women are seen wearing at the market that makes this experience seem like we've been transported back in time, except for the ubiquitous presence of motorbikes that bring us back to reality...  

Because we were staying in Bac Ha, we got to the market before too many tour buses started arriving.  It started as a misty, rainy day but that didn't stop business.  We felt a little like intruders, however it was definitely worth experiencing.

View the photos and feel yourself transported to a different time and place!

A DIY Itinerary from Hanoi to Bac Ha, Vietnam

A popular tourist destination is the Lao Cai Province in northwestern Vietnam near the border of China where people from all over flock to view the beautiful rice terraces of Sapa, climb to the summit of Fansipan, and trek to many of the Hmong hill tribe villages in the mountains.  

As with many scenic places, the tour groups have practically taken over Sapa in the past few years and everything we've read cautions travelers to brace for overcrowded trails with a constant stream of persistent villagers trying to sell you something.

Transportation is always a challenge when trying to get around in the mountains, so it's no surprise that the majority of visitors to this region join one of the hundreds of organized tour groups departing from Hanoi.   

After much research, we decided to stick to a do-it-yourself itinerary.  The cost wasn't all that different, but we didn't want to feel rushed and confined to a group itinerary. We definitely have plans to spend a couple of days in Sapa, but we also desired a more quiet mountain town to settle in so we ended up choosing Bac Ha. 

Why Bac Ha? 

• Fresh mountain air
• Very friendly locals
• Sunday market
• Hiking
• Not too many tourists stay overnight
• Easy transportation from Lao Cai train station

Hoi An, A Day at the Cooking School

Where best to take cooking classes than in the culinary capital of Vietnam?  There are lots of cooking schools here in Hoi An.  It seems almost every restaurant offers some kind of class for very cheap.  After perusing through a few offerings, we settled on the cooking class provided by a reputable restaurant in town called Dao Tien River with Chef de Cuisine, Viet. For $25/pp we got a tour through the Central Market to buy some ingredients, then a boat tour of Hoai River and watched the fishermen cast their nets and catch fish (!), then we returned to the restaurant to start cooking.

We had a full day.  You can see our blog entry on the market tour at the start of the day.  We didn't think we were lucky enough to have the chef to ourselves for 6 hours for $25/pp, but we also didn't expect 17 other French tourists who happened to be an hour late for the meeting time either!  Wandering through the market and delivering cooking instructions to 19 people is quite challenging.  As a former educator, I can relate, so we think Chef Viet did an amazing job of keeping us on track, especially since the menu was quite ambitious for a mixed crowd.

The entire upstairs of Dao Tien was set up as a cooking school with 19 stations.  2-3 people shared propane burners. We loved this cooking school because although it took a long time to get through the instructions of 4 dishes with such a large crowd, it was all hands-on.

Mekong Delta, The "Rice Bowl" of the World

The Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam is one of the world's richest agricultural regions, and according to our tour guide, just surpassed Thailand as the number one exporter of rice.  The climate, fertile soil, river waters, and centuries old cultivation techniques gives the Mekong a distinct advantage by being able to harvest rice 3 times a year.  Besides rice, there's a large commercial fishing industry and many tropical fruits grow in this fertile land.  Well, that sure sounded like a fifth grader encyclopedia report on the Mekong Delta (do they even do that in school anymore?  What's an encyclopedia? Ha, ha). 

Breakfast, pho ga, on our way to the
Mekong delta.

Our time in south Vietnam is short, but we didn't want to miss the opportunity to visit the delta, and especially the famous floating markets that grace many postcards from Vietnam.  However, the delta is a large area and is difficult to get around without a boat.  One can easily get lost amongst the rice fields, mangrove forests, stilt houses, floating houses, tributaries, and canals...never to be found again.  It reminds us somewhat of the Louisiana bayou.  To visit the Mekong properly, we should've probably devoted at least a week to explore the "bayou".  Unfortunately, we didn't have that kind of time so we did something very touristy.  After much deliberation, we joined an organized tour (*gasp*)!  We decided that it was the most efficient way to visit the delta. 

Old Saigon Walking Tour

Monument of Ho Chi Minh
in front of the People's Committee
Building (City Hall).

Our starting point for our one-month trip through Vietnam is this bustling, sprawling metropolis in the southern part of Vietnam called Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly Saigon.  It's a big city divided into 19 urban districts with even more new developments underway.  We are staying in the historic district, also the backpacker district 1, where it is still known as Saigon. 

One of the best ways to get to know a city is to explore by foot.  We decided to follow the path of Lonely Planet Vietnam's self-guided Old Saigon walking tour that covers 4 kilometers and approximately 20 sites.  The book said it takes 3 hours, but it took us more like 5 hours for a couple of reasons.

A Real Horror Story in Cambodia, The Khmer Rouge

There are very few places on earth where evidence of genocide is so well-preserved as they are at the Choeung Ek Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng S-21 Prison in Cambodia.  

The Killing Fields.  Buddhist prayer
bracelets left on bamboo fence
surrounding a women and children's
mass grave.  The Killing Tree in
the background.

This isn't some morbid fascination in visiting haunted places with tortured souls. In fact, we were hesitant about going at all because we didn't know if we could handle the information.  However, they have been preserved to reveal the horrific story of the Khmer Rouge past to the world with hopes of never repeating this dark history again.  

Prior to our arrival in Cambodia, we did a lot of reading on the Khmer Rouge and the genocide that killed approximately 2 million or 25% of the country's population from 1975 to 1979.  One of the most poignant books was the autobiography, Surviving the Killing Fields, by Dr. Haing S. Ngor.  As a first-time actor, he actually won an Oscar for best-supporting actor for his role as Dith Pran in the movie, The Killing Fields.  

Dr. Haing S. Ngor's
autobiography.

We encourage you to learn more about the crazed-paranoid leader, Pol Pot and his communist party who had a social engineering policy of exterminating any evidence of any culture, capitalism, and religion from the face of Cambodia in favor of a self-sufficient agrarian utopia.  He succeeded in extermination but failed miserably in any sort of utopia.  More like hell on earth is what they created. 

Anyone that was a reminder of the former society (intellectuals, professionals, teachers, merchants, ethnic minorities, monks, even those wearing glasses because that indicated they could read and therefore, educated, etc.) were killed.  Those suspected of spying for the CIA (they'd never even heard of the CIA, but that didn't matter) were tortured, forced to falsely confess names of friends and family who were "also CIA spies", and summarily executed.  The worst torture was reserved for Khmer Rouge's own rank and file suspected of treason.  Many also died from being worked to death in the rice fields, starvation, and disease.

A calculated, mass-murder of your own people is difficult to fathom.  Yet, thanks to Khmer Rouge's own meticulous record-keeping and the lack of time in getting rid of the evidence when the Vietnamese liberation army drove them out, we were able to witness the remnants of this horror.  

Phnom Penh, A City in Mourning with a Promising Future

This post covers not only King Sihanouk's passing, but also a variety of Phnom Penh, Cambodia experiences this week, including the Royal Palace, National Museum, river view, wats (temples), the food scene, brewery tour, etc.  The Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng S-21 Prison is a different posting.  

Mercurial.  That's how the foreign press described the personality of Cambodia's ex-King Sihanouk, when they reported his passing away on October 15th, 2 weeks shy of his 90th birthday.  His personality may have been volatile and unpredictable, but Cambodians don't refer to him as "The King-Father of Cambodia" for nothing.  He was very loved and admired.

Ex-King Norodom Sihanouk, lying in state at Royal Palace, Phnom Penh.

Temples at Angkor Archeological Park - Day 2 (Angkor Thom & Grand Circuit)

Part 2 of our 2 day itinerary at Angkor Archeological Park.  Read the introduction and tips from Day 1 here. 

Typically, a tour of the large Angkor Thom complex concludes the Small Circuit itinerary from Day 1.  However, it was already 2:30 pm and Angkor Thom would've taken another 3 to 4 hours to complete, so we decided to postpone Angkor Thom to Day 2.  Day 2 included Angkor Thom and the Grand Circuit. 

Temples at Angkor Archeological Park - Day 1 (Small Circuit)

Angkor and its temple ruins. 

Some say it is more impressive and mysterious than Machu Picchu in Peru.  Having had the privilege of visiting both,  Angkor is certainly more vast with Angkor Wat being the largest religious complex in the world.  It covers 400 square kilometers and was the center of the Khmer Empire for 600 years from 9th to 12th century while sustaining a population of over 100,000 Khmer inhabitants.  Both are mysterious and awe-inspiring.  Both, a testament to what was once advanced civilizations.  Khmers in Indochina. Incas in South America. 

Visiting Angkor Archeological Park has definitely been a must-do/must-see on our bucket list. For purposes of this blog, there's a lot of information on the internet and in books about the history, architecture, and explanation of the details of the temples.  Therefore, there really is no need to reiterate what's already out there.  For a brief overview, Angkor Archeological Park -WikiTravel site is quite explanatory. 

The recurring theme is that depending on which Khmer King built the temple, the temples were either dedicated to the Hindu deities of Shiva or Vishnu before the mid-12th century, while temples built by King Jayavarman VII - who converted to Buddhism - were dedicated to Buddha from mid-12th century on.  Although, we found carvings dedicated to both Hinduism and Buddhism in many of the temples as religious preferences waxed and waned amongst subsequent Kings after Jayavarman VII.

For anyone trying to organize how they should "tackle" the enormous park and dozens of temples, may we suggest an itinerary that doesn't leave you completely exhausted and immobilized after the first day?  

Elephants, Hiking, and Bamboo Rafting in Chiang Mai

There are tons of things to do in Chiang Mai, but one of the star attractions is to ride an elephant.  There are several options for elephant camps.  Those catering to the ethically-minded treatment of animals offer a full-day or multi-day visits to elephant rescue parks where you can adopt an elephant for a day, learn about them, bathe them, feed them, etc.  These parks do not offer rides because they feel it is "inhumane".  We love animals but didn't stop us from finding a place where we could climb aboard one for an hour or so.  What we didn't want to see was a bunch of chained-up elephants in a "show" performing tricks for the audience, which there are plenty of as well.  

We made a day out of the elephant ride by going into the Doi Inthanon (tallest mountain in Thailand) National Park with a group of about 13, and rode elephants, hiked around the national park, visited some hill tribe villages, and rode a bamboo raft down the river.  All this for 2 hours worth for transportation, front-door pick-up/drop-off service, lunch, and guide cost $30/pp.  We usually avoid group tours, but it was the most economical and efficient way of getting to do everything in the national park that we wanted to do.

The rest is all photos!  Really, no explanation needed.  The only photos we don't have are from the bamboo rafting.  We didn't take anything with us that could potentially get wet, including our camera.

Wat Phrathat temple Atop Doi Suthep Mountain

Most people refer to the Wat Phrathat temple on Doi Suthep Mountain as just "Doi Suthep".  It is one of the most visited temples in the Chiang Mai area not only for its 309 brick steps, beautiful temple grounds, but also the panoramic view of Chiang Mai, weather permitting. 

The short version of the story goes like this.  A monk found Buddha's shoulder bone, claiming to have magical powers.  He took the bone to King Dharmmaraja but it displayed no such powers for him, so the king was uninterested.  Instead, the monk took the bone, which split in two, to King Nu Naone of the Lanna Kingdom in northern Thailand.  The smaller piece of the relic was enshrined  at Suandok, but the King couldn't decide where to keep the larger bone fragment relic of the Buddha.  He placed the relic on the back of a white elephant, which roamed the area until it climbed Doi Suthep, trumpeted 3 times, then died.  Seeing this as a sign, the king decided to build a temple to house the relic here in 1383.  Since then, the temple complex has expanded.

Flying Through the Jungles of Chiang Mai - Treetop Zipline Adventures

We were advised that there are 3 main (and legitimate) outfits in Chiang Mai operating a treetop jungle zip lining adventure with internationally approved safety equipment.  The most popular and also most expensive is The Flight of the Gibbons zip line tour at 3300 baht (~USD$110/pp).  They claim to fly through the jungle with the gibbons (type of ape).  The Jungle Flight offers 3 packages, A, B or C with A on the low-end having 22 platforms.  Cost for A is 1990 baht  (~USD$65).  For almost the same cost, Eagle Track offers a similar tour, but through rice paddies and other scenery.  All three offer front door pick-up and drop-off service; free t-shirt or something like that; water; and a meal.  Our hotel receptionist was saying that for some reason, for those who decide not to go with The Flight of the Gibbons, most Asians go with Eagle Track while westerners go with Jungle Flight.  Who knows. 

Although our $19/day hotel cost leaves us a lot of room for spending, we still didn't want to spend 3300 baht/pp so we went with the 1990 baht Jungle Flight and was not disappointed.  By the way, there were also plenty of Asians in our group.  :).  They picked us up promptly at 8 am and took about an hour of mountainous nausea-inducing drive to their home base.  We quickly got outfitted with the proper gear, including a very "attractive" pink net to wear over our hair before putting our helmet on.  After getting the waiver signed, we got a short briefing and we were on our way to the 22 different platforms.  Most of them were zip lines atop or amongst very tall trees.  The view was breathtaking.  We also crossed swinging bridges, went down spiral staircases built into the tall trees, and finished off with a 100-foot free falling rappel station that we had to jump off of.  We spent about 2.5-hours zip lining, just in time to hike back UP the mountainside for a lovely traditional Thai meal, buffet style.  We even got a commemorative t-shirt.  The staff were entertaining but professional and the whole experience felt safe.  We were back in our hotel, 6 hours later!

[photos and videos below]

We Love Chiang Mai!

So far, we haven't done anything substantial (by checklist tourist standards, anyway) in Chiang Mai, but we really like its vibe.  It's the  largest city in Northern Thailand, but it's not that big, has a small town feel, waaay more laid back than Bangkok, is surrounded by mountains, and plenty of things to do...or not at all.  Whatever floats your boat.

Well, what the heck is there to do in Chiang Mai?  It's an adventure sports dreamer's dream.  In the mountains, there's trekking, rock climbing, zip lining, white water rafting, cave exploring...whatever.  There are hundreds of temples (wats) to visit if that's what you're into.  The tallest mountain in Thailand, Doi Inthanon, is here at 2500 meters.   Not to mention spending time with elephants, of course - whether it be elephant riding or being a "caretaker for a day" or visiting the elephant nature preserve, etc.  At night, there's the Night Bazaar full of artisanal crafts and flea market finds, plus bars and restaurants galore.  Although, there may be more Thai massage parlors than bars...it's a toss up for sure. 

Historic Bangkok: Grand Palace and Wat Po

At the Grand Palace

We can't remember the last time someone said they're going to Bangkok for the historical sites.  Usually, it's the food, nightlife, and shopping that attracts the visitors.  However, as capital of Thailand, there are some very cool historical things to see in between the hangovers from previous night's gluttony. 

Here's a few interesting tidbits about this area:

Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia never colonized by a European power and is sometimes referred to "the land of the free".  The Thai monarchy has been in continuous existence since the founding of the Kingdom Sukothai in 1238.  King Rama IX (HRH Bhumibol Adulyadej) is the ninth ruler under the Chakri Dynasty since 1782, and is the world's longest-serving head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history since 1946.  He was actually born in Massachusetts while his father attended Harvard University (so, that makes him American by birth?). By law, it is a crime to criticize, insult, violate, or defame the royalty, punishable by imprisonment.  Yup.  No texting, Facebooking, hypothesizing, etc. about the King out loud.

Chao Phraya River and Wat Arun
in background on west bank 

The history of Bangkok dates at least to the early fifteenth century, when it was a village on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River that eventually grew into the current capital on the east bank of the river under King Rama I.  Before most of the canals were filled or built over for city expansion, Bangkok was referred to as the "Venice of the East".  The full Thai name of Bangkok is, "Krung thep mahanakhon amorn ratanakosin mahintharayutthaya mahadilok popnoparat ratchathani burirom udomratchanivetmahasathan amornpiman avatarnsathit sakkathattiyavisnukarmprasit" (กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลกภพ นพรัตน์ราชธานี บุรีรมย์อุดมราชนิเวศน์มหาสถาน อมรพิมานอวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะวิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์) and is listed as the world's longest location name by the Guinness Book of Records.  In English it means, "The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city of Ayutthaya of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn".

As far as historic places, our visit focused primarily on the two main ones: (1) The Grand Palace and (2) One of the more famous buddhist temples - Wat Po.  Home of the Reclining Buddha.  These 2 sites are right next to each other in the Old Bangkok, Rattanakosin District.  Just when we thought we couldn't take another cathedral, church, or mosque; we have gladly welcomed a whole new level

of architecture and religion to admire!