Blue Mountains Australia

After our eight day excursion in Sydney, Albert and Alan (see Sydney blog about these fellows) drove Gene and me to the Blue Mountains two hours away in their Bentley.  They took us to many vistas in Leura and Katoomba which were easily available by car and we walked out to the points.  The Blue Mountains are indeed blue.  A very serene sight although there are a lot of tourists, primarily Chinese in tour buses, but being winter it wasn’t quite so busy (see photos below text).

We particularly enjoyed a long hike along the Prince Henry Cliff Walk and then hiked back to town. Half way along the trail we were surprised to come upon an emergency rescue crew who were retrieving the body of a man who fell off the cliff a few hours earlier. Few of the natural environments we visited in Asia Pacific or South East Asia had the restraints or restrictions that are prominent at US sites; you have to be extra careful.

We stayed two nights in Leura, a quaint town with great coffee shops, restaurants, and unusually good shopping! I mean inspiring art galleries, handmade furniture, woven clothing and creative jewelry.  Yeah, no tourist stuff, no t-shirts, fridge magnets, nothing but some postcards at the post office. The attractions with the vistas, cable cars, trams etc. actually have lots of nice souvenir stuff, but it seems to be limited to those businesses.

We went to dinner at the Alexander Hotel and the food was so good we ate there both nights; the food reminded me of Fyfe’s and it was quite cold so we didn’t want to go far. After dinner we went to the hotel’s nearly empty bar and had scotch and warmed up at the fireplace. Two young blokes were watching Rugby and Gene asked them if they could explain the major points of the game and they were happy to oblige. Then they asked us, as in Gene, about some of the rules of American football and she was able to educate them in return. Now, I have a better understanding of both of these sports!

The last day we caught the train back to Sydney sitting on the top level and took it back to the Sydney Harbour.

Sydney Australia

We really saw Sydney over eight days. Lovely, fun, so much to do. Instead of seeing a lot of Australia by taking several flights and staying a couple of days at each place (each city or major attraction can be 12 or more hours apart by car) we chose to spend eight days in Sydney and two in the Blue Mountains a couple hours away. We know, we know, there are so many things we didn’t see. But, we wanted a real vacation, relaxing, not hanging out at airports, or having tightly planned itineraries. We wanted to understand this harbour city and what it has to offer. We stayed at the 5 star Intercontinental Hotel two blocks from the Harbor. This was one of the nicest hotels I’ve stayed in with the best buffet breakfast to start our days of site seeing. Even though it was late winter in Australia in late August, it was about 55-65 degrees, a welcome relief to our daily temperatures of 90 degrees in Singapore (see photos below the text.  Yeah, I wrote a lot).

Australians seem to live up to their reputation as being very friendly. They call themselves Aussies, but I think also ‘Ozzies’ as in Wizard of Oz. Our Sydney friend, Dani, who now lives in Singapore, goes ‘back to Oz to visit family’, and hoped we enjoyed our trip to Oz. People passing us on the streets would engage us in short conversations, not just hello. One woman passing by said, ‘Good morning! Isn’t it beautiful out? I hope you enjoy your day,’ and then strolled away.

Case in point. I visited my mom in Texas last fall and she reminisced about her world cruise eight years earlier. My mom, the social butterfly, met two lovely men, Alan and Albert, from Sydney on this cruise and the three really bonded. Since Gene and I were visiting their city in nine months I thought I’d try an internet search and give them a ring. I left a message and they kindly called back. I explained who I was and that Gene and I were going to visit. They generously offered to show us around Sydney and the Blue Mountains for two days, in their Bentley no less! This personal tour helped us to see many more beautiful sights and landmarks than we could on our own, and understand the many neighborhoods all around Sydney. We couldn’t have imagined anything better.

The artistic and comfortable feel of this city is everywhere, through architecture, urban design with its beautiful parks, outdoor dining and markets, art galleries, performance spaces, and inviting neighborhoods. And, the water. Sydney Harbour is stunning and the beautiful Sydney Harbour bridge is truly a gateway. It frames the iconic Sydney Opera House that juts into the harbour, and connects to destinations like Manly which is a lovely community with several gorgeous beaches and home to many people who work in Sydney and ferry back and forth.

Mass transportation here is brilliant. The water taxis, ferries large and small, whale watching boats, and on land the trains, subways, light rail, and bikes are abundant. Riding in a car or taxi, on the other hand, is rather frustrating because of the congestion. The octopus like land features due to the many waterways certainly help this problem. And, this is a very hilly city. Walking from one neighborhood to another is fun to do but will require taking a couple of steep outdoor stairways that have been cut into the rock. These stairways are not marked, but seem to appear when you need them.

Animals. Australian animals. Like no other. It is very true what they say. On our first day out with Alan and Albert, we saw Kookaburras sitting in trees in a park, Ibis, large birds with curved beaks, and Sulphur-Crested cockatoos, giant white birds like our domestic birds, and Rainbow Lorikeets, which look even brighter than out parrots. The cockatoos and Lorikeets are considered pests who love to land on your restaurant table and eat sugar packets and anything else available.

Leaving from the Sydney Harbour, we went whale watching and were thrilled to see several juvenile whales playing in the Pacific Ocean. They breached a couple of times where we could see them somewhat airborne and landing with a dramatic splash. They seemed happy to hang around. Getting photos of these whales were unsuccessful which is not surprising. Our boat really rocked and rolled, it was hard enough to stand still.

The Sydney Fish Market was very fun to see. Many locals didn’t think it was of great interest, but to Midwestern Americans it was marvelous. As an avid cook, it was fun to see so much fresh and exotic fish and seafood. We had a great lunch outside the market, along with the seagulls and pelicans.

We saw some great live music at a basement bar, and “Matilda the Musical” at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in the Darling Harbour area.  The singer was really good, but the musical was fantastic! It was performed by the Royal Shakespearean Company and the lead child actress playing Matilda was incredible. We didn’t know this Roald Dahl story, but boy did the audience know it. When walking out of the theatre, I asked Gene about not understanding a point in the story when the woman next to us who grew up with the book enthusiastically explained the scene. She was so happy to bring her daughter to see this story she grew up with.

On one of our eight days, we spent it in Manly, the lovely enclave across the bay from Sydney. It is a suburb of sorts where many people live who work in Sydney. They take the 20 minute ferry everyday and you couldn’t have more lovely views.  There are at least three beaches in Manly. On the ocean beach we watched surfers, and many walkers with and without dogs on the paved path on a Tuesday during Australia’s winter.  We took a beautiful walk into the park that led to a high rocky point that held a naturally occurring pond.

We were delighted to get to know Sydney and Manly. Next stop is to the Blue Mountains with Albert and Alan two hours away.

Hanoi Vietnam

Hanoi has been the capital of Vietnam for over 1,000 years and it shows, especially in the Old Quarter. Like the City’s beginnings, there are still some streets that primarily sell jewelry, fine art and crafts, silk, and now beer. The Old Quarter is noisy, crowded, and hazy from the traffic with its motorbikes, scooters, and tuk-tuks often laden with goods to be sold: fruits and vegetables, clothing, house plants, precarious boxes stacked high and wide (See all photos under the text).

Motorbikes are the family cars. We frequently saw up to 4 people on a motorbike, often with kids wedged between parents (this is also true in Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia). Also an interesting trend we have seen in Asian countries are women, urban and rural, who are completely covered head to toe with special clothing to avoid sun, and the pointed Non La or palm leaf hats. I think I’d pass out from heat stroke by wearing all that, but I did get a Non La hat. And, in Singapore many women carry umbrellas for the sun. Pale skin is revered in many Asian countries, and skin cancer is a real concern, too.

One of the unique aspects of Hanoi is getting around on foot, negotiating traffic with virtually no traffic signs and rarely breaks in traffic. We watched and learned how to the cross streets. First we joined a few people who were crossing, and then on our own we did what they did, walked slowly into oncoming traffic which slowed down and went around us. It was a bit daunting but also rather exhilarating.

The food vendors set up shop on the narrow sidewalks and cook on creatively made carts with small plastic seats for patrons. It was explained to us how so many people can sell in Hanoi (I don’t think I can say that they are making a living). Shop space in Hanoi is limited and very costly. Informal and likely illegal agreements are made where, for example, a shop space will have a coffee vendor set up from 6-9am, then promptly shut down and then the clothing store will pull out its merchandise and sell from 9-5pm, and after it closes, another food or beverage shop will open from 6-10pm. Many of the street vendors come from the rural areas with goods to sell from their bicycles or carts.

Hanoi’s Old Quarter has a big festive Night Market on the weekends with pubs, drink and food vendors, and many shops, like jewelry vendors, that stay open late. During the day, we walked around the huge indoor markets (a couple of square blocks 2-3 stories high, some with clothes, shoes, household goods, souvenirs, and the other markets that sell an amazing array of foods, most of which we couldn’t identify. And, Vietnam makes a lot of nice clothing. We purchased a traditional water puppet sculpture and a painting by a well-known local artists at a small gallery.

The city really opens up with its dozen lakes. We also wondered around the impressive former French Quarter. In the early 1900’s, this area was under French control and called French Indochina. During those years, the French built extensively adding beautiful government buildings, palaces, and hotels in the classic French style, and planted big tree lined boulevards.

Gene and I really wanted to see the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, a big four story building where we learned so much about the critical roles that women continue to play here, even fighting during wartime. And, interestingly, although this is a communist country, religion (primarily Buddhism), animism, spirit worship and superstitious beliefs are strongly held and openly practiced. There is at least one alter in every Vietnamese home (we saw impressive alters at each of the homes we were at in rural Yen Duc).

Tranquil Yen Duc Vietnam

When planning our trip to Vietnam, I really wanted to experience, if possible, rural life.  We’ve been to several large Asian cities in different countries and they all share vibrant but chaotic environments. In my research about Ha Long Bay Vietnam, the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site, a couple travelers described their amazing experiences at Yen Duc. It was exactly what I was hoping for to balance out Hanoi, the high octane 1,000 year old capital. Life here is very simple, rustic, colorful and full of tradition. And in this communist country, spiritual beliefs and religions, primarily Buddhism, are practiced openly.

Indochina Junk, a tour operator that I found to be the best fit for us (and the first tour company we have ever used), has a wonderful guide named Thuy (twee). She was born and raised in Yen Duc, is fearless, and knows everyone in this beautiful village including a number of neighbors who are happy to share pieces of their lives with nosey tourists. We stayed at Mr. San and Ms. Tam’s new homestay, one of the few in the village. They started this business now that their three adult children are gone and have families of their own.  San and Tam don’t speak English, but between body language and Thuy’s insightful and continuous translating, we were able to communicate; they were very sweet and wonderful hosts.

Yen Duc is made up mostly of small, simple homes surrounded by large courtyards made of stone or brick walls. It was fascinating to see courtyards and streets covered with newly harvested drying rice. Many daily activities happen in the courtyard and is an extension of the home. Home cooking is of primary importance, and makes up a lot of time each day. At Tam and San’s in the morning shade we had a traditional breakfast in the courtyard; in the heat of the afternoon we lunched on many fresh vegetables on the living room floor; and after dark, we dined on the open front room floor. Afterward, Thuy showed us how to make two dishes including a dessert, while a couple of San’s friends came by to play Chinese Chess. As a sign of respect, shoes are never worn in the house, slippers are provided or you go barefoot (This is common throughout Asia. It is so prevalent that we do not wear shoes in our condo in Singapore or at anyone’s home).

We had a number of fascinating experiences in our action-packed stay. When we arrived around dinner time from Ha Long Bay, Thuy had us jump on bikes and go to the fishing pond to try our hand at catching fish using wicker baskets. The pond was shallow with deep mud and water plants. We had on waders up to our waists and I thought for sure the mud was going to suck the boots off my feet and knock me into the muddy water.  I caught a few fish but not without the help of a local directing them to me. Afterward we threw them back. The next morning, we rode bikes to the fresh market which was filled with mostly women who seemed pretty interested in us. We met three girls who were preparing fresh river clams, tiny crabs and things I’ve never seen before. I bought the requisite hat that nearly every woman wears in Vietnam.

Thuy took us to visit a Bee Keeper and his wife at their home. We had some lovely tea, sampled honey, toured his beautiful gardens of exotic dragon fruit trees, and saw his many bee hives. Then we visited a broom maker and her husband. She tried to show Gene and me how to make a particular type of broom but we were pretty hopeless. You need strong, nimble hands, infinite patience and lots of practice. As time drew near, we didn’t want to leave.

For anyone wanting a rural travel experience, Yen Duc is a delightful journey off the beaten path in a very beautiful part of the world. Oh, and ask for Thuy to be your guide. We are still in touch with her.

Urban Ubud Bali Indonesia

I love that nearly every place we want to explore in Asia is within a 2-3 hour flight from our home in Singapore. Gene and I had a great get-away to Ubud (pronounced Ah-bood), on the island of Bali, Indonesia in late April. It is one of eight major islands of the 13,000-17,000+ islands of Indonesia (see photos below the text).

Since we are not beach bunnies (not that into sun burning, or scads of kids and surfer dudes), we headed north to Ubud, 1.5 hours inland. It has a reputation for impressive art and artists, spas and retreats (apparently the Julia Roberts movie, Eat, Pray, Love took place there), ancient temples, traditional dancing, and affordable shopping.  Surrounding Ubud are swaying rice fields, lush forests, deep ravines, thatched houses and huts, numerous temples, and the Mount Batur Volcano which is supposed to have spectacular sunrises.

Although we were warned about motorbikes, we were still surprised by their sheer numbers and how they were used.  A common sight is an entire family, up to 5 people, riding together. And large quantities of goods are transported this way, too, an entire vendor stall of products are tied and balanced on these bikes.

Ubud is an interesting random mix of urban and rural sites everywhere you go.  As we walked down the busy shopping street of Jl Raya with it many ancient temples along the way, some of which are now homes and art studios, there is an expanse of forest which plunges deep with homes and shops in the canopies and shacks below.

Indonesians have a reputation of being friendly and they really are.  We had many warm conversations with a variety of people: artists, shop owners, and the hotel manager who were happy to share information about life in Bali and answer our questions.  This was the first place we traveled where we didn’t see any Muslims although we knew that Islam was the predominant religion of Indonesia. The Hotel Manager, who is from Jakarta, explained that Bali is the only island in all of Indonesia with a high Hindu population, and the multitude of other inhabited Indonesian islands have high Muslim populations.

I have to say that Indonesian currency tested my math skills. We felt pretty rich temporarily when we took out 1 million Rupiah on our first day, but it only amounted to $80 USD. We were having trouble knowing whether we were giving rupiah worth $1, $10 or $100 and often gave too little because of the enormous bills. It took a lot of effort to spend $30 a day. The food was wonderful, fresh, and creative. We had a fantastic barramundi, a thick white fish with aromatic herbs that I love to cook with.