回到家里已经是第3日. 从26日中午顺化烈日逼着去上网看到二姨留言后心急如焚44个小时内陆路奔走五千里赶回福建, 经过几日的剧烈身心冲撞总算基本安定下来.然而以为能看外公最后一面的希望还是落空.  今天给外公上了次香,真是一生的遗憾.

 

生活依然要继续. 今天第一次见到了海外舅舅的两个孩子(大的男孩算是阔别11年以后首次见面). 用在老挝柬埔寨锻炼出来的还马马乎乎的口语英语应付了一天. 这两个孩子都蛮机灵可爱的.大的丹丹看来比较具有科技头脑,上午老跟我谈论电学原理, 搞的我这个非物理英语专业人士词汇严重匮乏.

照片还需要整理. 牧师提及的有关越南的一些见闻记录也马上需要开始整理整理头绪.从社会经济角度来说,越南比其他两个国家更可圈可点, 欣欣向荣中潜藏着隐患, 对于新闻人来说更算的上一块可以开发的宝藏. 然而我没有能够在北越停留,实在是一大欠缺遗憾---唯一的观感是北越 带绿军帽的先生们更多, 苏联式的方尖纪念碑更多, 破烂锈蚀的房子更多-----无论在河内还是在凉山都是如此.

It is now 7:16, August 24. I will leave for Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam in 1790s-1950s. Not very far from China now!

 

it is my 3rd day in Hoi An. I spent almost 2.5 days in Nha Trang, southeast coast. Nha Trang is famous for its blue sea and the long ,white and clean beach. I joined the boat tour in the 2nd day , enjoying the boat tour to 4 islands and took the mud hot spring bath in the 3rd day.

 

In Nha trang I met with a Chinese, Mr Wu Run, accidently on the boat. He told me his experience in Hoi An, and as well as other Northern Vietnamese cities. Few Chinese tourist could be found there, that is why we are always thought to be Japanese, Korean, Singaporian, Malaysian, or Thai. He said that Hoi An town disappointed him -- as the town is far less attractive than Lijiang in Yunnan province.

 

I arrived in Hoi An in August 21st morning. soon I found that Vietnamese here-- central vietnamese became quite harsh and hostile to foreigners, especially Asians(except Japanese). There is lots of traces showed that Vietnamese here does not like Chinese very much. The officials in Hanh Cafe--in Saigon and Dalat Hanh Cafe the Hanh Cafe staff are very helpful and warm-hearted, well here, they are very impatient about custmor's questions. The guesthouse(they are all called Hotel here) staff are not very kind as well.

 

The 1st day in Hoi An is pretty hot and the town , under the strong sunshine, turned quite dull. The 2nd days is much cooler, as Typhoon are approaching to central vietnam, I guessed. I visited the My Son relics, another world heritage-- Quang Nam province are so fortunate to have 2 world cultural heritage! Commemorative stamps and FDCs are quite expensive there so I have to give up. When I returned to Hoi An town I wander around the street, bought something for my mother and family. The most interesting thing is that I met two Chinese-ethnics here, so I enter Fujian and Canton Chinese congretion hall ( Fujian Hui Guan and Guang Zhao Hui Guan) without any fee! A Fukien-origin old man guided me through the Fukien Congretion Hall, which is quite nice after the 1971 restoration. But he said that lots of --thousands of Chinese here fleed from Vietnam after 1975, and Northern Vietnamese government, who control the whole country after 1975, applied much more restriction over Chinese than former South Vietnamese government. The most important street in Hoi An town, named with  Canton street before 1975, which is full of Chinese residence, now is almost empty with Chinese. There is still near 2000 Chinese-ethnic here( Hoi An town has 80,000 people). But they are forbidden( pre-1990s) or has little opportunity (1990-2000) to practise their languages. Mr Shen Jun Fa, the fukienese old man, is very unsatisfied with current Vietnamese government -- as the government set some ticket point in front of the Fukienese congretion hall-- the ticket is sold for 5 dollars for all of the sites ( there is 5 sites need tickets)in Hoi An town, Chinese-ethinics inside the congretion can not get any cent from the income.  After that I met with a Canton-origin Chinese near Canton Chinese congretion hall, we chatted a lot about the life of Vietnamese Chinese and their current conditions. I got the information that Vietnamese Land price started to rise since 1995, till 2005. Now Hoi An's land price, in the "new district" which many hostels locate in, is 400 USD/m2. while in the old town, facing the former canton street, is more than 300 thousand USD for each house, while these houses are sold from Chinese by 20 liang (25 ounce) gold each to Vietnamese in 1977, when they fleed from this country.

 

I will leave for Hue tomorrow morning, and stayed there for 3 days, then north to Ha Noi, 3 days for the city and 3 days for Halong Bay, then enter China in Sep 1st.

 

As the amazing tour in August 16th, I decided to stay one more day in Da Lat yesterday evening. Today, different from yesteday, sun comes out and makes this moutainous city unbelievably beautiful.  Riding the moutainous bicycle through the hilly street  continuing my explory into the peaceful local residence, I got lots of bonus in photography.   I also met a Korean teacher ( volunteers orgernized by South Korean Government, similar to peace corps of USA) in Dalat University. With her lovely students (the teacher herself is also young and lovely) , we share sweet snacks together.  I also saw the second most beautiful sunset today. Riding on the road across the hill station, seeing the buildings and forests which are oranged by the last ray of the setting sun is really a great great enjoyment of life.  It is only a pity that I did not get the chance met the Vien Thong ( WEN TONG) monks in Lyn De Te Temple --- maybe he has started his world round tour to see his former guest and visitors.

 

My trip, I estimated, would be end in September 1 st or 2nd,-- On that day I will arrive in Vietnam-China Border (Youyiguang, Guangxi), then I arrive in Naning in that evening and stayed in my friend-- Wang Yan's home and will order the train ticket tomorrow. Then I will arrive home in September 4th. I will leave for Beijing in September 9th or 10th. So , my parents need not to worry about me. I am quite fine with my friends along the trip

 

My time table:

CHINA

July 5th afternoon: leave Beijing, train to Kunming

July 5th-7th afternoon: 45 hours train ,arrived in Kunming

July 7th-8th Kunming

 

LAOS

July 8th afternoon-July 10th 1:00 in the morning, long-route bus from Kunming to Luang Prabang

July 10th-12th, Luang Prabang

July 13th noon, arrived in Vang Vieng

July 13th-14th, Vang Vieng

July 15th noon arrived in Vientaine, Laos Capital

July 15th-18th, Vientaine

July 18th evening, took VIP bus to Pakse

July 19th morning ,arrived in Pakse, southern Laos, no stay, continue to Champasak, the 3rd capital of former Lao Kingdom

July 19th noon, arrived in Champasak

July 19th afternoon Wat Pu Champasak

July 20th morning set off to Si Phom Dom Islands, noon, arrived in Don Det Island

July 20th-21th Don Det Island, the southern most of Laos

 

CAMBODIA

July 22nd leave for Phnom Penh, "VIP" bus tour-- rather amazingly terrible. Passed through Stung Trung, Kratie, Kongpong Cham

July 23rd 1:00 am, arrived in Phnom Penh.

July 23rd-25th, Phonm Penh

July 26th morning , left for Sim Reap(Angkor Wat, = WU GE)

July 26th- August 2nd, tour around Angkor Wat, accomodate in Sim Reap town.

August 3rd, left Sim Reap, arrived back to Phnom Penh

August 3rd-4th, Phnom Penh, applying Vietnamese visa

 

VIET NAM

August 5th, left Phnom Penh, arrived in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

August 5th-6th, explore city individually around District 1.

August 7th-9th, in my Vietnamese friend, Hoang Ngi Quang(Huang Ri Guang)'s home. August 9th, went with his father and driver to Cao Dai Temple and Cu Chi tunnel.

August 10th-11th, Mekong Delta tour with Hoang Ngi Quang. slept in Cai Tho city, the traditional capital of Mekong Delta in August 10th(it is the southern most point of this trip)

August 12th Ho Chi Minh City

August 13th ,set off to Mui Ne (NI JIAO) in Southeast Vietnam

August 13th-14th, Mui Ne

August 15th, set off to Da Lat (DA LE) in south part of Central Highland, Southwest Vietnam

August 15th-17th, Da Lat.

 

TIME ARRANGEMENT

August 18th-19th, Nha Trang (YA ZHUANG), southeastern coast of Vietnam

August 20th-22nd, Hoi An, central Vietnam

August 23rd-25th, Hue, Central Vietnam

August 26th-28th, Hanoi, northern Vietnam

August 29th-30th, Ha Long Bay, northeast Vietnam

August 31th, Hanoi

 

CHINA

September 1st, Pingxiang/Nanning

 

 

 

 

wow, it is amazing!!! I am now in DALAT, just in BINH YEN
07 HAI THUONG ST. DA LAT ! and I am just in front of the right-most computer that you mentioned! Yes, the room of this guesthouse is just wonderful, free internet and free breakfast. The host is very kind and warm-hearted. Room is very big and comfortable, and the water is extremely warm!!!!Raining ,cold and foggy, warm water shower is the most importatnt thing!!!

I think that Muine is nice, espceially when driving on the motorcycle on the highway along the beach, or across the desert terran, or grassland. Yes, I have also been to the "local beach", which is indeed a little bit dirty and tedious, but other sights are wonderful. We live in SAIGONCAFE, 2 km west of Hahn Cafe, it is 6 dollars for 2 persons' room. just on the beach, it is nice to sleep with the singing of the sea. In the evening you can chat a lot with friends from other parts of the world, in a world I think Mui Ne is enjoyable. The only pity is that it is raining all the afternoon-- while we are just in the white sandune!

For Saigon, I stayed there for 7.5 days!!!(Inculding Mekong RIVER delta,2 days.August 5th afternoon-August 12th). Because I live with my Vietnamese friends since August 7th-12th. I spent two nights in the "illegal guesthouse" in PHAN NGO RAO district, the price is 5 dollars/ a big bed room. The room is clean and interesting, the host put some kitty toy along the way and the window. It is also an interesting experience to witness the life of local people. Someone mentioned an illegal guesthouse called "NGO" in the forum months before. I searched it, it is "NGOC" guesthouse, NGOC is the family name, in CHinese it is called "WU". I think the room is less comfortable than the one that I stayed. The prevailing price in those illegal guesthouse is 5 dollars/ room. 6 dollars-7 dollars for double bed room. It is very hard to bargain it down. My friends' home is much more comfortbale -- so I got the chance to see the life of different Vietnamese--poor and rich. Wealthy Vietnamese family enjoy wide house and comfortable life, sharply contrast to the hard life in PHAN NGO RAO ghetto. Many of these families has some relative relationship with the former high governors of the North Vietnamese regime, but some others who do real-estate bisness also enjoy a rocket-high income.

It should be noticed that the price level in Vietnam has been risen a lot in recent one or two years, some reason, according to my friend, would be attributed to the ever-rising oil price. In HO CHIN MINH CITY, Vietnamese price for the pho bo(rice noodles with beef, big bowl, famous restraunaunt in District 3) is 12,000 dong. For the snacks from Central Vietnam is sold at 9,000 dong for a big plate of "orange-shrimp ?????"(I DO NOT KNOW THE NAME, BUT WILL PASTE THE PIC AFTER MY RETURN TO BEIJING).I enjoy various kinds of Vietnamese cursine(free, of course) with my friends' family, they are rather hospitable!

 

 

 

add:

it should be mentioned that the price of the land in Vietnamese urban areas is horribly high, almost unbelievable. My friend's house, which locates in the district beyond DISTRICT 3, is 4000 USD/square meter(land price),so the land of their house worth 600,000 USD. I saw the ad of some land in District 3, it is around 6,500 USD/square meter. I guess the land in PHAN NGO RAO will be around 10,000 USD/square meter! So it would be reasonable the guesthouse is rented at the price of 5-7 dollars/ night.

今天进入西贡.也就是这个叫胡志明市的城市. 胡志明市之大,实在是这次旅行中之最了.市郊甚有中国的开发区的风味. 基础设施之好的确超出我的预期.我想西贡的基础设施应该能够和东部沿海的省会城市相比了. 不象万象,西贡的共产风味(我说的是各种口号宣传,形式主义上)并不浓厚,只有很少的与 政府有关的建筑前有国旗和党旗.

 

这里是赚钱至上的社会.然而政府在社会上 控制仍然严格. 我目前住的是所谓"illegal guesthouse---Lonely Planet给它的称呼."就是一个欧巴　桑带领你去传巷弄入住的民宿.台湾的论坛上本来说的是这些其实也都是半合法的民宿,---因为这里住宿不需要押护照,而欧巴桑其实是政府的沿线,所以在社区里 有很大权力.---现在看起来这个权力更合法化了,因为我跟几个一起走的加拿大女孩说这就是所谓的illegal guesthouse guide的时候,老婆婆好像听懂了我的话,特地点了点她的制服:上书英文:住宿向导.大概是纳入政府正式系统了.

 

如同台湾朋友一样,我也对这里的巷弄生活很有兴趣,因为这里就是最典型的60年代的老西贡----或者80年代的可怜的胡志明市的市民的生活了.里面各种饮食齐备,还可见越南邻里坐在门外的小矮凳上拉家常.但我怀疑这里也有妓女等各种人等. 不管怎样,这里比几米之外的范老五区域的喧闹大街要更真实,更越南的多.然'而我刚刚开始我的巷弄之旅,就遭遇了一次真实的越南版"城管"抓人记.刚在巷弄里转幽的时候,我就注意到很多拐角的地方都有穿绿色然'而不整的制服的,带着写字的红袖章,耷拉着拖鞋的人. 正在怀疑的时候,突然在一个三角形小空地上,一个越南女人被一个小眼睛"绿制服城管 "纠到某个关者的店铺门前,另一个年轻一点的绿制服随即跟上,立刻一片喧闹,那女的做申辩状,流泪,小眼睛的绿制服揪着那女不放,象人群说明着.周围的人群,又看热闹状,有埋头吃饭装作不知道的,还有个老婆婆立刻把铁栅门一合,只露出一条缝向外洞察情况.我则注意到旁边有一群四五个越美混血儿-----大概有5-7岁左右的样子,就上前小声问,果然他们会英语,他们便告诉我,越南人在这里---这个城市里居住需要一种passport,如果被这监视的公安怀疑儿旁问拿不出来的话,拿就是这种下场了.不久,二公'安警察押这此女离开了巷弄.

 

 

8月2日 下午 .漫长的一周门票的最后一天. 在上午前往洞里萨湖体验第五世界人民的水深火热生活之后 .鄙人神使鬼差的在三点钟离开客栈前往吴哥窟去看告别一眼. 老天有眼.就在我走到桥头,踏上自行车准备离开的时候,我看到了这雨季罹难得一见的吴哥最壮美的一幕. 久被云层遮蔽的太阳,在他落下地平线之前,突然猛地从云层中窜出来,绚丽的阳光穿透丛林,通过西边的大道,越过池塘,穿透吴哥的每一个窗户,把小吴哥的塔身,乃至前面的外围环道,映成最美丽的透着桔红的金黄.  当然,这壮丽只维持了大约40秒,便消逝淡去了. 如此短暂,以至于无法用相机把他记录. 我不知道以后还有没有机会来吴哥. 据说,旱季的时候,每天都有这样的享受. 但也许这种雨季里稀见的美丽更值得珍惜 吧. 如果相机不能把它记录,那么,就让他留在头脑里好了.

昨天，非常惊喜地遇上了自老挝以来第一批中国的学生自助旅游者。 陆桢（中央音乐学院）和郭小天（中央美术学院）。一起看了Beanty Kdei, Ta Prohm，晚上一起吃晚饭。 特此纪录！ 可惜她们是从越南过来的。和我们的顺序正好相反。 真是遗憾。

 

吴哥一周票明天到期。明天前往洞里萨湖看看。后天一早返回金边。大后天中午出发前往胡志明市。

国籍误认：

从进入老挝到现在（吴哥第6天）。

被认为是日本人：30次以上

被认为是韩国人：5次

被认为是台湾人：3次

被认为是越南人：3次（因为在老挝买了顶斗笠）

被认为长得像柬埔寨人：3次。

 

正解：一下子就被认为是中国人：4次。

 

最美丽的城市：Luang Prabang （琅帕拉邦）

最凉快的城市：Luang Prabang （琅帕拉邦）

最善意的城市：Luang Prabang （琅帕拉邦）

最混乱的城市：金边

最令人失望的城市（城镇）：万荣（该镇最有特色的就是成百的TV BAR,睡在一个“鸦片床“上，要一杯果汁，开始看friends吧，当然，该镇的周围的喀斯特地貌还是不错的）

最有共产色彩的城市：万象（全城到处是两面旗：老挝国旗和老挝党旗——锤子镰刀！欧也，连修车铺上夜耷拉着两个脏兮兮的旗子。我们的房间阳台上也有两面相当大的旗子！）不过估计马上要输给河内和西贡了）。

最小的城市：占巴塞（老挝19世纪三个王国之一的首都，有后来老挝统一时国王的行宫-两个法国别墅两座，现有人口500人左右）。 东达岛算村，排除在城市以外。

最便宜的住宿点：（相对）老挝首都万象（其实一个人只要1.5美元就可）、柬埔寨Sim Reap。

最贵的住宿点：金边第一晚 Sunday Guesthouse，5美元！