Day 488 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

It was a short work week, just three days, and Len and I were back up in the air...China Southern this time, through Guangzhou, South China on our way to bring in the New Year in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

On our layover in Guangzhou, we had pizza in the airport
that also served Samos wine.  How appropriate for Dr. Len
Olsen, the philosopher :)

We got to the Blue Diamond Hotel rather late,
before midnight, but neither of us felt much like
bringing in the New Year. We took a late night walk
around the neighborhood to get our bearings,
mapped out our game plan for two whirlwind days
in Vietnam, then called it a night. The next morning,
we headed out and we were quickly greeted (accosted!)
by this man wanting to sell us a fresh coconut water.
Len tried his baskets on for size :)

It was pretty tasty!

  

I had two things I wanted to see on this 'teaser trip' of Vietnam
(I intend to backpack Vietnam/Cambodia/Laos next February).
First, I wanted to visit the War Remnants Museum.

Political propaganda from back in the day :/

A map showing the various companies of troops
and where they did battle.  South Vietnam,
the Saigon area, (now Ho Chi Minh City)
suffered the most casualties.

Some would say these estimates are high...
at any rate, any amount of KIA or
civilian casualties is too much, if you ask me.
The US lost 58,156 men and women, 75,000
returned disabled (over 23k 100% disabled),
2,338 were MIA and there were 766 POWs,
114 of whom died in captivity.

"At 10:45am on April 30, 1975, the liberation army
attacked and occupied Independent Palace, forcing
the Saigon administration to surrender unconditionally.
This terminated the resistance against foreign invaders
and helped to restore national independence and unity
for the people of Viet Nam"...so the placard said.
We took a walk around Independence Palace after 
our visit at the Museum. 

My favorite exhibit was called Requiem, a collection of war
documentary photos taken by 134 journalists from 11 nationalities
that were killed during the IndoChina War. I was captivated, and
poured over each and every photo.  Maybe because I have
(step)daughters in the Air Force, maybe because my youngest
went to USAFA, and she at one time had aspirations of being
a war correspondent herself.  She now is a local news reporter.

"The title of the exhibit says that it is a requiem for a war, but as much as anything, it was paying a form of homage on the part of those who came back from Vietnam, and to the memory of those who did not. The photos evoke dual images, not just those of a terrible and violent time and of all the casualties of that war, both civilian and military, but images as well for many of us- of the faces of men and women who were there, who were our friends, and who took these very photos. We are reminded of their bravery, of the terrible risks they took, and of course, constantly, of our good fortune.  War correspondents always know who is real, and who is not. A war zone is not a good setting for the inauthentic of spirit and heart."

"We, who were print people, who only dealt in words and not images, always knew that the photographers were the brave ones. They held in that war- which began in an era of still photography and ended with color film and videotape beamed by satellite to television stations all over the world- a special place in our esteem. We deferred to them, reporter to photographer, as we did in few other venues." As I continued to look over photographs, I learned many of the images were found in canisters in their vests and camera bags, which had been taken off of their dead bodies.

"These photographers have given us something special. a remarkable record of that distant war, many of their photos were taken when few people cared about what happened there. They have given us images that have had the power to endure long after the war was over. Now that the war is past, consigned to the normal negligence that accorded to history in America, those images remain powerful, a critical part of what constitutes modern memory. We are grateful to those who took these photos, now as then, forever in their debt."

A wet nurse was tending to an infant who
lost both of his legs. and parents.

 

I started to go through the Agent Orange exhibit,
but after a dozen photos or so of emaciated
children, deformed children, and orphans,
I couldn't stomach any more.  I waited
for Len outside. 

...and then it seemed the remainder of my stay there, I saw disabled, deformed adults on the streets. Seeing so many cleft palates, deformed hands and feet, and missing limbs was almost too much to bear. Many of those born with these congenital defects received the agent orange contamination by eating fish from the area rivers, which is still many of the Vietnamese' way of life.  The next day we planned to take a tour of the Mekong River Delta, and the people who live in the 'river cities'.

Tell me again why we entered the Vietnam conflict?

Ho Chi Minh City was beautifully decorated for the New Year-
at night time, the lights were gorgeous.  Chu'c Mu`ng Nam Mo'i!

I cannot pass by a beautiful old door....
I wish I could get one of these home :)

Next stop was the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral.

Sadly, I couldn't go in and light a candle for my
father and grandmother, as I have done in
cathedrals and churches all over the world.
The doors were locked that day :(

Next we went across the street to Central Post Office.  It is
actually a bit of a tourist attraction; to mail post cards from here.

The interior is gorgeous, and a bit
like a street market.  So, I bought
some postcards, mailed them, and
we were on our way. Family, have
any of you received your post cards yet?!

Upon the advice of our hotel concierge, we
went to a beautiful restaurant, in a traditional
indoor/outdoor building with rich wood beams
and carved panels, and authentic Vietnamese food.

First on the menu was some cold drinks, as it
was ever so hot and humid walking about town!

We feasted on a variety of foods, including pho, of course.

We made lettuce wraps with shrimp, noodles,
vegetables, cilantro and fresh pineapple- delish!

...and I wish I could remember the name of this place
but it escapes me at the moment.  It was full of
historical artifacts, pottery and paintings, too.
I could get you there; it was near the Independent Palace.

After our late lunch, we cooled off with a nap
in the AC back at the hotel, before venturing
back out to the streets for the evening.

We went to Cho Ben Thanh Market which was just a few
blocks from our hotel. It was nearly closing time,
but it was still nuts- you could buy produce, spring
rolls, purses, trinkets and souvenirs galore....

...and genuine fake watches (at least they're honest!)

...and traditional Vietnamese coffee in which the coffee
beans are 'harvested' from weasel poop.  We had to buy some, lol.

As we left the Cho Ben Thanh Market in search of dinner,
the streets were more chaotic than usual, with a steady slew
of garment carts being wheeled right down the middle of the road!

Not two blocks from our hotel (we really were in a perfect
location :), we went to the nightly street food market in
search of delicious things to eat for dinner.

The sights and smells were overpowering-
too hard to decide!

I'm not sure what all we ate, but it was fabulous, less
than a few bucks, and no tummy troubles afterwards- Score!

And I finished off the perfect touristy day with a
phallic ice cream cone!  I mean, really, it was like a
churro filled on both ends with chocolate deliciousous-ness!

G'nite, y'all! Tomorrow is the Mekong River Delta tour :)

Day 484 Trying to get back to the 'jing

If you remember, my Christmas vacation got a three day jump due to the Red Smog Alert in Beijing. Once it was announced on Friday, December 18th, I spent the next 36 hours furiously trying to reach Orbitz to see if I could move my ticket up.  I wasn't supposed to fly out until an overnight flight on Tuesday, 12/22.  I didn't want to take a chance getting 'smogged in', or worse, having the trip cancelled altogether.  I never could reach a live person at Orbitz (remember I have to call internationally through Skype or Google mail with requires the VPN. Even at that, my lousy connection often gets disconnected- which is what happened over, and over, and over again).  I finally gave up, took a risk, and bought a one-way ticket leaving early on Sunday, 12/20.

I knew it was a gamble, so I arrived to PEK on Sunday, 12/20 over three hours early.  I wanted to get checked in with Cathay Pacific (my one-way flight), then to go see Air China and Sri Lanka Airlines to let them know I would not be traveling with them on 12/23. I intended to use my return ticket on 12/26, and I did not want it to get cancelled.  I went to the counter of both of these airlines, and I was turned away.  They said I must deal with my original booking agent (Orbitz).  I explained that I was not able to reach Orbitz, and could they please make a note on my reservation that I would not be traveling on 12/23. I said I was willing to 'eat' the cost of that fare, I just wanted them to be aware that I would be returning on 12/26.  No such luck.  Call Orbitz, they said.

While I waited at my gate that morning, I tried repeatedly.  Again, no live person.

I had a four-hour layover in Hong Kong.  I spent the better part of three hours trying to call them.  If I ever got to a live person, the connection was so garbled we could not hear one another. Most of the time the call would drop mid-sentence, or it disconnected while I was on hold listening to terribly garbled Christmas Muzak.  Ugh. I burned through all my Skype credit and had to buy more, and STILL I never could get through to Orbitz.  I boarded the plane in Hong Kong, bound for the Maldives and never gave it another thought....

...until I arrived at Male airport on my last evening, December 26th, after a glorious seven day vacation in the Maldives.  

I went to check in with Sri Lanka Airlines; I gave them my confirmation email.  I was told my reservation was cancelled.  I was directed to another counter, where I was told an agent would help me.  I waited over an hour, no one ever came.  Now folks are lined up at the original counter checking in, as it is about 1.5 hours before flight time- MY FLIGHT- to which I have no seat.

Multiple times Len or I would go back and bug the first agent to tell him that nobody was ever showing up at the other counter to help us.  It turns out, the person was coming from the main office in the capital city, Male. The airport is on another island, Hulhumale, which was two 15 minute taxi rides and a 20 minute ferry ride away. Meanwhile, my anxiety was beginning to go through the roof.  

In the end, Sri Lanka Airlines said my only option was to buy my seat back. It was still available. For only $770.00 ONE WAY.  I really had no other choice.  The only other planes to get me to Beijing had me on the Maldives for two more days, and I would miss going back to work that coming Monday which was not going to work. At all.  So I bought the ticket, figured I would sort it out with Orbitz, and hoped for the best.

I was the very last person to board the plane.
Thank goodness for 'have backpack, will travel.'
Len's flight was the following day, (we had made
our reservations separately) so I was flying solo.

Sri Lanka airlines cabin attendants wear some
very sexy outfits- and lots of make up!  Though it
was only a 1.5 hour flight to Colombo, Sri Lanka,
they served us a full meal of delicious Indian
food, and the drink cart passed by twice- nice!

...and then the strangest thing happened.  The
Captain made an announcement for everyone
to cover their eyes and mouth.  The attendants
came down the aisles, each holding two cans of
spray (Lysol?) as we made the final descent.
What the heck?! Cough! Cough! Gasp!
The guy sitting next to me says they always
do it before landing in Sri Lanka, because
apparently Sri Lanka is paranoid about
getting foreign insects, bacteria or viruses?!
I find it funny that they spray disinfectant when
LANDING in and around India; it seems to me
it should be the other way around!

More twirlygigs of a language I do not understand.
It took awhile to find my gate as it was not in the main concourse area.

I passed by a Buddha, where I could leave
monetary gifts or burn incense and pray
for traveling mercies.  

Then I passed about 20 monks who were also heading to
their gate. This just struck me funny seeing a gaggle of
monks in and 'amonkst' the Christmas decor ;)

I was able to stretch out over a couple seats
and promptly passed out from all the pre-travel
stress.  It was an overnight flight to Singapore. I
looked out my window as the sun was coming up
to see container ships lined up for miles and miles,
waiting their turn to get in to port. I was reminded
of the last time I saw a container ship with "SINGAPORE"
on it's stern. It was when we had our close encounter while
sailing Marquesa,on the overnight crossing in the Gulf Stream
 to the Bahamas in April of 2012.  Boy, that was a scary night.
To relive it, click here: The Crossing (to the Bahamas) Day One

Before landing, we were offered our choice for breakfast:
shrimp and rice, or chicken and noodles.  Clearly, I am back
to Chinese food- not the chicken and noodles I had in mind.
Wanetta, you may just starve in China next September!

I landed in Singapore, and it is a MASSIVE
airport, and oh, so modern.  I think I want to
come back for a visit to Singapore- drink a
Singapore Sling, and sit under one of the palm
trees I see outside. And it's HOT here, too!
This sign just struck me funny- I did not use one
of the "inter-terminal travellators"-  but try to say
that three times fast.  No, seriously, try it.
I was amused :))))

After three planes, two stops, and another fifteen hours of travel, I finally got back to the 'jing by the early afternoon on Sunday.  I no sooner started laundry, and began trying to reach Orbitz to start the process of requesting a refund on my cancelled flight.  My beef with them was two fold; I never received an email or text alert that my flight was cancelled since I did not show up for the outgoing flight.  The second issue was I tried REPEATEDLY to let them know I would not be on the outgoing flight, and what would they advise me to do??? I saved screen shots on my phone of the disconnected Skype calls- three pages of calls.

I spent the next 13 days upon my return, via Skype calls, Google mail phone calls, and emails too numerous to count, trying to get the matter resolved with Orbitz once and for all.  I kept my cool, for the most part, as I was passed from person to person, none of whom had the authority to issue my refund.  I finally sent a scathing email telling them they would not only lose a faithful and valued customer (just look how much world wide travel I book through you, and have done so for years), but I also threatened to blast them on my 'travel blog'.  Nearly two weeks later, I got this letter- finally.

So all's well and end's well.  Until the next big adventure...

Which is in less than four days....

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, here I come!!!!

G'nite, y'all!

Response By Email (Shalon) (01/07/2016 10:59 AM) Dear Ms. McDaniel, Thank you for your patience. Please know I have received a response from both Air China and Sri Lankan Airlines authorizing a full refund for your original reservation; therefore, we have processed a refund for the amount of $682.80. This amount will appear back to the original form of payment within 7 to 10 business days. Furthermore, as we do value you as a customer and and as a gesture of sincerity for your disappointing experience, Orbitz has added $100 in Orbucks to your account. They are valid until January 6, 2017 and are available to be used on your next qualifying prepaid hotel booking. If you have any further questions or concerns, please let me know. We appreciate your business and hope you will continue to use Orbitz in the future for your travel needs. Sincerely, Shalon Orbitz Customer Relations Chicago, IL

Day 483 From Mafuushi back to Hulhumale, Day 6 in the Maldives

The Masaaree Boutique Hotel where we
stayed on Mafuushi had a 'fish spa', so after
breakfast on our last morning, I decided to give
  it a try.  For a girl who loves to scuba dive,
I hate for things to touch me in the water!

I mean, I really hate for things to
touch me in the water....

It was more than I could bear...

I could not hold still to save my soul, yet
I look across the way and there's
Mister Calm, Cool, and Collected
not moving a muscle.
Ellie, you squirm at a getting a pedi;
I would have paid big money to
see you do a fish spa, lol!

We checked out, and walked down to meet the ferry to
take us back to Hulhumale.  Some local fisherman were
already back mid-morning with their catch of the day to sell.

A local Muslim woman was sweeping
the sand in front of her home.

I tried out one of the 'rebar' swings while
we waited for our ship to come in :)

As we waited on our ride, we lamented the fact
that we never did call on the 'floating bar' to say we did!

Soon we were saying goodbye to Mafuushi, and were back on the water...

...with this little cutie patootie sitting next to me :)

It was a hot, thirsty ride back to
Hulhumale, so I got a baby Coca-Cola
that had twirlygigs of a language
I do not understand :)

It was a beautiful day to be on the water :)  About 45 minutes
in to our ride, we passed Adaaran Resort on Vadoo-
where we spent the day on Christmas yesterday.

We checked back in to the Orchid Hotel, where our Maldivian
vacation began nearly a week ago.  My flight was heading out
that evening, but Len's flight was not until the following night.

With one afternoon left in the hot equatorial
sunshine, what's a girl to do but head to the
beach- where I had to stay covered up,
according to the sign...

...until I didn't. 

Just kidding, they would have thrown me under the jail for that one, lol.

Because this is how they do the
beach in the Maldives ;)

The beach on Hulhumale has a sweet set up- floating docks
tied and anchored together to form a public swimming pool!

  

Happiest girl in the Maldives!

For real; happiest girl in the Maldives :)))

On our walk back to the motel, I passed this
lovely who was being taken outside by his owner.
He was beautiful, very sassy, and he reminded
me of Betsy and Sally back in Middletown :)

And I can't pass by children in my travels without
engaging them in a little play, and then
asking for a photo of them <3

As the late afternoon sun was setting, it was time for me to shower up, change back in to long pants and clothing for colder weather, and leave for the airport. I had fourteen hours of travel, three planes, and two layovers before I was to land back on planet China....if all goes well.

Until it didn't....

But that is tomorrow's blog.

G'nite, y'all!