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Photos from the Far East: Lisa's Last Photos of Her Trip to Vietnam & Cambodia

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I'm just now getting over jet lag, and definitely still thinking about my trip, so I thought I'd share a few more photos that I didn't put on Facebook.

As I said before, I learned a lot from this trip to Cambodia and Vietnam…about both the history and the people. As human beings, it seems natural to approach our world through an understanding based on comparison. So the more we learn about others, the more we learn about ourselves. It's one of the gifts of travel, or knowledge, however you obtain it. ${#emotions_dlg.biggrin}$

Cambodia was a country of extreme temples. Angkor Wat is the largest and this picture gives you an idea of its incredible size. If you look at the lower level, you'll see very small people below in the courtyard. Amazingly, this temple is one of thousands that once existed.

One of the favorites in Cambodia is coconut juice (or milk, or water—whatever you want to call it). You can, for a couple dollars, have them cut open the top of a coconut as this girl is doing. Then, they put a straw in the triangle-shaped opening and hand it over. It's as fresh as fresh it gets.

This little piggy went to market. Actually, this is how most piggies big and small go to market in Cambodia. The farmer makes a basket and attaches it to the back of the motorbike to carry the pigs into the city to sell. ${#emotions_dlg.biggrin}$

This little girl was collecting anything recyclable to turn in for a few cents. She was not asking for money, although, how could you not offer her some? The people were beautiful, but the poverty areas of Cambodia were heartbreaking.

Our first stop in Vietnam was Hoi An. It has a charming historic section of town and this bridge is a noted landmark. We donned the traditional hats, as the Vietnamese are very good about sun protection, and I have to say, they work very well. Kym's kept falling off, so I was reaching around to hold it on her head for the picture. ${#emotions_dlg.biggrin}$

On the drive from Hoi An to Hue, we stopped at a well-known pagoda with a cave nearby. This cave has different rooms that house different symbols of beliefs. The local people of varying faiths would worship here in the protection of the cavern. This large Buddha was in one of the rooms.

This is a photo of a very different cave. On our day-long motorbike ride out of Hue, we visited a large complex of tunnels dug by the Viet Cong. This tunnel runs 1,700 meters and has three different levels. There are 13 entrances and exits, not counting the air holes and wells. Around 500 local families would stay here when there was bombing. This small room is where an entire family would sleep…for as long as it took.

The children of Vietnam are as at home on a motorbike as they are on solid ground. We were taking pictures of this adorable little one out the back window of our van. The mother saw us and took off the boy's mask so we could see his face. We waved and he waved, we blew kisses and he blew us kisses (which is what he is doing here). You could tell his Mom was happy that we thought her child was as adorable, as she knows he is, and she stayed with us until we got all the pictures we wanted.

I wish I had time to write a book about this trip although I know a million have already been written. It was the most thought-provoking trip I've ever taken, and I'm so glad I was able to go. Once again, thank you for sharing with trip with me, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you. ${#emotions_dlg.biggrin}$

See you soon!

—Lisa