A-Z of living in London

this was written as a motivational guide for a friend in the USA... truth is I could write reasons all day.. and the negatives about L'don? who cares?
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Anything goes. whatever your fantasy, eccentricity or curiosity you'll find someone, something or somewhere to indulge it!

Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood. crammed full of toys and children's antiques from dolls houses to the PlayStation, you'll feel 8 years old again

Cinema. the Prince Charles still does £1.50 entry, the Soho Curzon has a great bar and The Notting Hill Gate has sofa's just like that one in Woodstock, NY! no other city in the world can compete for the range and depth of film on offer

Dance. between the Laban Centre & The Place you have the best contemporary dance schools in Europe, not to mention the countless theatres showcasing anything and everything dance related

Energy. 15 million people, the largest urban transport network in the world and more nationalities than a UN conference.

Fashion. the centre of the fashion world. best place for people watching = Shoreditch, full of style victims, models and futurists

Green Spaces. Some of the best kept and most beautiful parks in the world, the royal grandeur of Kensingston Gardens and Holland Park along the Serpentine to the rugged nature of Hackney Marshes... and all free!

Hidden gems. London is full of lanes, parks, squares and buildings that most people have no idea exist.. get lost to get inspired

Insanely expensive BUT strangely still seems worth it... however you can still live on £1 a day if you really need to (Tesco Value!)

Jubilee Line extension. it's the future, a vision of glass. steel and concrete speeding you across town.

Ken Livingtston. he may be a little shifty, but a he's good major and he's brought the city together speaking from the heart

Live music. there's at least 800 events a week, many of them free not to mention the countless summer festivals

M. Brick Lane and Portabello (best vintage clothes shop in the world and junk to die for), Columbia rd (flowers!), Spitalfields (handmade designer goods), borough (mouthwatering deli style stalls), Broadway (indie shops and treats)

No 5 Leonard Street. home of the Dragon Bar and 100's of friends you have yet to meet

Olympics are coming! good or bad the show will both hilarious and breathtaking

Plane... train or bus and you're in Paris, Amsterdam or Barcelona in before dinner! even a ticket to NYC is affordable

Queer, camp, gay, transsexual, bisexual, heterosexual or just curious London has clubs, bars and hangouts to suit anyone

Rivers and waterways. The Thames goes from countryside to concrete and has hidden spots at each turn (even a beach) and a walk along the regents canal or river Lee is a delight

Street Art. the best art in London is not inside on the gallery walls,sprayed, stenciled and plastered on the exterior

Tate Modern. the massive turbine hall alone is worth the trip but the main exhibitions are always worth checking (plus it's a great walk along the Thames from London bridge passing Shakespeare's Globe theatre and other smaller galleries

Unbelievable and Unexpected weather. no other city can do four seasons in four hours. nothing compares to a perfect summer's day in London because we REALLY appreciate it

V&A museum. has one of the best collections of art and antiques anywhere and a stunning courtyard.. and it's FREE + a stones throw from the Natural History Museum, Science Museum an the Royal Academy

Waterloo Bridge. looking west you see the London Eye & houses of Parliament, east skyscrapers, St. Paul's, the OxXOTower and the South Bank's imposing concrete monuments, nothing like it

X- make up your own reason here!

You'll never be the same again... London changes you for the better, you may leave but part of you remains

Zombie watch. monday morning on London transport is like dawn of the dead, both hilarious and entertaining to observe

Amsterdam in Winter

back from 10 days in Amsterdam, a city that is really my second home after London. my father has his music shop called 'Palm Guitars' on the banks of the Amstel neat the flea market and I often watch over the 'emporium' while he takes trips for business and pleasure.. always returning with another pile of curiosities.. the shop is like nothing else on earth, crammed floor to ceiling with all manner of music instruments. the business started on the old flea market 20 + years ago selling handmade leather bags and belts, Afghan carpets and random things he picked up on voyages. moved into the shop about 10 years ago and then the Internet came along and a whole new group of customers appeared. the shop now attracts all kinds of musicians and collectors, what's cool is that unlike recorded music, the musical instrumentsmarket is not harmed by the net, in fact the demand in niche markets is only intensified.

this time it was a welcome escape from the hyper commercial Xmas which permeates London, more focus on 'buy buy buy' then 'love love love'.. the difference between the euro and pound sink in, while London drains your wallet at an unbelievable rate, in Amsterdam you can still eat, travel and visit places without breaking the bank. the city retains it's fairytale charm, and will always do so. fortunate to escape the German bombs (apparently Hitler saw Amsterdam and was so taken by it's beauty he called off the bombing).. Rotterdam was not so lucky, although is is now considered one of the most innovative places for modern architecture. many old Amsterdamers will moan that it's not like it was back in the day (but then that's kinda the point no?). in the 60's the city centre became a hippy traveller mecca, where all passed through on the way to India or some far flung place.. many never made it passed a'dam due to the freely available drugs and squat style living.. in fact many are probably still there.

Holland is built for the bicycle, this alone gives the streets a sense of peace and tranquility. as you cruise around silently the bike paths and other cyclists flow seamlessly.. the traffic is often heavy (Amsterdam is one of the most densely populated cities in the world). anyone trying to drive in the centre will have a tough time, especially if they find a parking place (almost 20 euros per day). this creates a less hectic vibe, almost every Amsterdammer has a bike (700,000 at least).

the centre area of the city is dated from the 17th century and one of the largest in the world, the narrow streets are built around the main central canals (Singel, Herengracht, Kaisergracht, Princengracht and the Amtsel). you can't help but feel connected to the past centuries as you roll over the canal bridges and slip in and out of the passages.

it's a city divided between business and tourism, both of which bring in the money. the central Dam Square (which is incredibly dull), the museums (world reknowned) and red light district (not as sleazy as you mght think) keep the tourists happy, so you won't find many wandering around the Jordann (old residential neighbourhood west of the centre), if they are there it's usually because they are lost. the Jordann is crammed full of art galleries (often 'ateliers' or studios of the artists who live above), lovely cafes, curious independent shops and markets.. it's one of the best areas to wander in the world. check for Distortion Records, Paradox Coffeeshop, a multitude of cozy cafes and the old comics & film posters shops... easy to spend money but equally fun to browse! the Jordann was originally a working class area and home to countless strikes an demos if centuries gone by.. now it's moved up to house some of the most expensive and desirable housing in Holland.. still retains the old charm though..

Amsterdam has a fantastic free newspaper (English language) called 'The Weekly' which observes the city through delightfully tinted glasses... event listings, articles and reviews sit alongside humorous views of the city.

some restaurants and eateries I would recommend

Green Planet - lovely vegetarian, small and perfectly formed. check the specials for soups and drinks.. the menu is not extensive but should have something to please everyone. they also have lovely organic wines and beers
Spuistraat 122 (625 8280

Vlieegnde Schotel (flying saucer)
huge portions, very cozy and serving proper filling veggis grub in the Jordann. there's a resident cat who lounges around on the furniture. it's not a place to rush your meal, as in many dutch restaurants the speed and efficiency takes second place to atmosphere and chilling time.
Nwe Leliestraat 162-168

Moas falafel - delicous and cheap takeaway option, you fill your own from the veg and sauces on display. also quick and friendly.
can be found on the Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein or Dam Square, open 10am-11pm

markets are plentiful.. antiques, books, records, flowers and junk.. the flea market is nothing like it was, more expensive and less stalls make for rather dull browsing.. you can still find the odd nice jumper or jacket but you're better off in the cities second hand shops..

more to come on amsterdamage and Rotterdam..

thoughts of SE Asia

It's Christmas eve, a long way from Vietnam although it feels like only yesterday I was there immersed in the humidity and culture of that wonderful country.

the trip passed far too quickly for my liking, part of the sensation of seeing everything for the first time is that time itself seems to speed up, there's so many sights, sounds, tastes and feelings to absorb. after the first week, I felt almost at home there, the food was giving me renewed energy, the weather was a welcome change from the hugely 'changeable' and nearly always disappointing London greyness... although I could not speak the language and was just starting the learn about the culture, I felt safe and welcome everywhere we went.

if there was one place that resonated more deeply with me it was Hoi An.. the wonderful Chinese guesthouse, the absence of air conditioning (which i can happily live without) and the incredible food and clothes market meant 2 days was far too short.. this is a place I want to return to for 3-4 weeks in the future... to write, take photos and enjoy the delicious, cheap food.

Hoi An is also a place which has seen traders and traveller from every corner of the world pass along the river, stopping off to trade, swap, buy and fix their wares. there is much to be learnt here, about how a place can absorb culture from such diverse places as Spain, China and France.. why do the streets look like Havana? I don't think the Cubans ever made it here.. or did they?

Hanoi also left a deep impression with me, the old quarter is both froxen in time and being pulled along with the relentless pace of change felt everywhere is Vietnam. the beautiful lake, surrounded by locals at all hours... the tiny cafe which serves the best soup to be found in Vietnam (open to debate i guess)... the countless internet cafes, buzzing with teenagers chatting, playing games and seamingly oblivious to our 'real' world... the creamics village outside the city, steeped in history, a link to the crafts of old and the production of the new... the french cafes, an authentic tatste of Paris complete with the slightly arrogant air of the staff...

i will retrun, armed next time with the experience and memories of the first trip.. i will be more prepared and better edcated as to the development of Vietnam.. where the country is going and more importantly where it came from.

Cambodia - Angkor Wat

Angkor - the jewel of Cambodia




a few words on the Khmer legacy.. The Khmer Empire was based at Angkor for much of the period from the 9th centuryto the 15th century. The name 'Angkor' translates as 'the city that is a temple'. These guys were BIG time, throwing up massive and intricate buildings & elaborate waterways and reservoirs. They were heavily influenced by the culture & religion from India, at the same time China was starting to discover India in the North, so it was a major turning point in the history of Asia. The Indian Empire spread through trade and commerce, their ships were among the first to brave the seas and push East across the Indian ocean. The Khmers believed that temples (as in India) should be built according to certain mathematical principals in order to function in harmony with the universe. This also explains why the acoustics in some of the halls and passageways are still astounding to this day. i wonder how many contemporary architects think about their buildings functioning in harmony with the universe? many of temples are only 1 story high and much of the ceilings have collapsed, but you can still feel the size of the structures.

These temples are a shrine to the Khmer universe (and the Hindu God Vishnu), you feel very small indeed while exploring here, far smaller than you do in a modern day metropolis like London. They may not have our skyscrapers but they knew how to build and create a sense of grandeur. Almost all the stone, many million tonnes of it (much of it sandstone) was dragged by elephants from the mountains over 20 miles away, you can still see the holes in the blocks into which wooden rods were attached. As the population increased so did the demand on the Khmer's infrastructure, the popular theory for the empire's decline is that deforestation and problems with maintaining the rice (the principal source of food along with fish) harvest meant life in the area could not be sustained. Angkor was also invaded and pillaged several times over, the area was the scene of many a battle of which there is little or no written record. Most of the residential buildings were made of wood, so have long since decayed. What's really amazing in that hardly any work has yet been done beneath the ground, so who knows what archaeological mysteries are waiting to be uncovered. Maybe the Khmer's built underground caverns and homes to escape the heat and monsoons?

The image below was taken from space in 2004; the big dark rectangle is the Western Baray, an enormous reservoir built to provide water for irrigation. That means the Khmers were growing a LOT of rice and veg! It's almost 2km x 7km and fed a very elaborate system of dykes, moats & canals. this system is amazingly far more evolved than anything used in modern day Cambodia. The water was drawn from the huge lake Tonle Sap to the south, which is also where all the fish came from (and still does). the dark square just below and to the right is the main Angkor Wat temple complex, surrounded by moat which is still filled with water to this day. It's almost a mile square...massive.




















Located to the north of the Great Lake (Tonle Sap) near modern day Siem Reap. The temples in the Angkor area number over one thousand, ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the massive and awe inspiring Angor Wat (the largest religious building in the world). The temples vary greatly in size, shape and design, however the common thread is that they were all built with great care and purpose.

In the last decade, as the country recovers from the brutal Khmer Roung regime, the tourist trade has flourished in Siem Reap, new hotels and resorts (many 5 star) are popping up every month.. feels kinda like a historical theme park sometimes. At it’s height the Angkor empire, centred around the city of Angkor Thom was populated by 1 million + at a time when London was a small town of 50,000! The tourist trade in Cambodia as a whole will take longer to build up, many areas of the countryside are still no go due to over 10 million landmines scattered during he regime (one for each person in Cambodia). The beaches on the south coast, although few in number are almost deserted and stunning. The islands off the coast will soon be developed for hotels and resorts, apparently wealthy Russian property developers have purchased many of them.

We arrived early evening and were met by a friend of Tim’s family named Meta. He works p/t as a guide to the temples so was kind enough to give us an excellent 2 day itinerary. Some say you should spend a week here, not rushing around to make the most of the temples. However, we only had 3 days so had to plan carefully and keep our eyes open. You could never see it all in one go anyway, this is somewhere to return a few times in a lifetime. Our guest house was well located and our 'tuctuc' man turned out to be a very reliable and good humored driver. Siem Reap is a very dusty town, the roads have yet to be tarmacked (which is strange when you see 100’s of hotels appearing everywhere). There are also crazy bugs and moths which congregate in their thousands at every light source, though fortunately not too many mosquito's!

the temples..

Ta Prohm
This temple is one of many in Angkor to have been invaded by the surrounding jungle. In many cases the tress have grown and covered the ruins, & removing them would mean collapse of the walls, so they have become part of the structures and create an incredible atmosphere. You truly feel like you are stepping back in time. In one of the courtyards, the roof of which has long since collapsed you can see a smiling face through the roots of a tree (left), still happy after almost 200 years! Considering the derelict state of many of the temples it's surprising that visitors are allowed to clamber over, under and around them.. you wonder how many hapless tourists have been crushed by a dislodged 2 tonne stone while trying to get that postcard shot..

The (terrible) film ‘Tomb Raider’ uses this temple as a primary location, many tourists visit just to see the ‘tomb raider tree’, located near the entrance. it's very sad, especially when you hear that the film crew damaged and re-landscaped land around the temples. Luckily for us the area has many hidden, shaded and quiet halls so you can escape the hoards of tourists. There was a very special vibe here, who can imagine the buzz of activity around here 1000 year's ago?

It won’t be long before access to the temples is restricted, knowing this, you feel fortunate to climb and explore the stones at your leisure. I can remember being a young boy and clambering over Stonehenge in Somerset (i have photos!) before they put up the fences.. This temple is undergoing a massive restoration project by the Cambodian government and Indian agencies. The trees themselves must also be conserved, there's over 250 ancient trees in this temple alone.

The Bayon
A towering temple, once adorned with almost 200 smiling faces (many 20ft high) all facing different directions. One of the last to be built and situated at the exact centre of the city of Angkor Thom, roads lead in all directions away from the site, you get the feeling of being at the very core of the city. The exact meanings of the these faces and the carvings remain a mystery, some believe the faces may resemble King Jayavarman VIII. This site housed 2 libraries and was a central place of worship and study for the Angkor population. There was a big group of tourists on site when we arrived, but thanks to the small, hidden hallways and courtyards we could still find quiet spots. One of our group managed to sprain his ankle here, which must happen on a daily basis as the steps are so steep, crooked and often slippery.

The Terrace of the Elephants

This 350m long terrace was used for viewing troops and public ceremonies, the king who built it (Jayavarman V11) could look out on his gloriously victorious returning armies with pride. We were lucky to see this area at sunset, which meant most of the tourists had wandered off the Baphoun temple mountain (the prime sunset spot, more on that later).

Most of the structure was originally built using organic materials so has long since decayed, but you get the sense of grandeur and royal occasion walking along the raised bridges and platforms.


Moats surround much of area and elephant carvings adorn all the walls, especially along the side facing the open park area, they remain amazingly clearly rendered. You can imagine scores of massive elephants striding around majestically in all their splendor.

Angkor Wat















Angkor Wat at Sunrise

It’s impossible to describe the feeling of approaching this massive temple, you are simply lost for words as you walk the bridge which connects the entrance to the temple gate. no amount of superlatives would do it justice.

I rose early (4.30am) to get there for sunrise, 500 Japanese tourists had the same idea, so I walked on ahead into the temple itself to find some peace as the dawn broke. Surprisingly I had the whole area to myself, with the crowds waiting outside by the lake (the most popular sunrise spot). I saw the ancient stone slowly becoming illuminated by the rising sun with only the sound of birdsong to accompany me. the best time for photos is the 2 hrs after sunrise and 2 hrs before sunset, as the sun blares down too bright the rest of the day... I did not take as many photos here as some of the other temples, preferring instead the wander around the perimeter and gradually work my way inwards. our friend Meta suggested this was the best way to approach all the temple, rather than (as many tourists do) heading straight up the centre aisle.

The sheer scale and grandeur of this place can be compared only to the giant constructions of Egypt and Rome (the perimeter is almost 1000m sq), at the same time each hallway and courtyard reveal great attention to detail and some of the best preserved engravings can be found here. Angkor Wat became a Buddhist shine from the 14th century, so has been better preserved than many other temples. To this day, Buddhist monks have residence within the temple grounds and work with other groups from India and others to preserve the structure. The bas reliefs along temple walls cover almost 4000 ft of polished sandstone.. 4000 ft!!! you can't even begin to imagine how many years the Khmers spent decorating this, just mind blowing.






Cambodians have a huge national pride for Angkor Wat, to such an extent that a depiction of the temple has always featured on their national flag (no other country has a building on their flag). The temples are the main tourist draw to Cambodia and UNESCO are working hard with Cambodian government to ensure the massive influx (now 1 million per year+) does no lasting damage to the environment. One change will be a ban of all motor vehicles around the temples, switching instead to electric cars and tuctuc's. It is also crucial for the local Cambodia people to build their lives up again and not just rely on tourism, otherwise the developers are free to construct their 5 star hotels with cheap labour and the cycle continues..

Ta Som

A smaller Buddhist temple, again featuring many overgrown trees covering the walkways and arches, Ta Som had a very peaceful vibe. I had a few tips from one of the temple guards here and found some hidden carvings along the walls. you wonder what actually happened here, in these vast halls and walkways... very little artwork of carving tells you about life in Khmer times, instead they depict the great battles of good and evil, hell, heaven and earth.. you feel the Khmers faith everywhere.























Preah Khan
A long, flat temple with a great number of well preserved carvings and relief’s. This was the site of the kings entertainments, housing over 1000 dancers and all kinds of feasts. A local guide explained the significance of the carvings, After hours and around town..Siem Reap is built for tourists, bars and restaurants are concentrated around the central markets and there’s even a street called ‘bar street’. Many Westerners run venues hear, you can see English style pubs and bars with pool and ‘happy pizzas’ on every corner. The markets and local shops are much the same as other towns in Cambodia and Vietnam, all selling the same silks, scarves, bags and souvenirs. Although I did find some stores which were supporting local street kids and those affected by land mines, many selling arts and crafts made by locals which was a refreshing change.




You find small shrines like this all over Angkor, sometimes a monk is there to pass you incense but in this case it was completely deserted and hidden under a wall by one of the reservoirs.. very peaceful spot. Most homes, shops and restaurants in SE Asia have some kind of shrine clearly visible, to bless the space and ward off evil spirits.

Cambodia - Phnom Phen

that's the last long bus trip, thankfully... not so bad, as the border crossing was a welcome break and quite entertaining as Tim was held up (he has a permanent Cambodian Visa) as the guards wanted him to speak Cambodian as some kind of proof! they were laughing most of the time, very good natured folk.. police, guards and officials will often make up fines on the spot to get an extra dollar here and there, not as bad as it used to be apparently. they kind of leave you alone to find your way through the border, which involved a 15 min trek with our backpacks along a dust track (in the midday heat again!). we came across a few very strange characters here, some of which may not have made it to Cambodia.. one such chap had a passport held together with masking tape!

the journey to Phnom Phen passed thousands of houses built on stilts above the water (the roads are on ridges through the countryside). the whole country is prone to flooding, esp during monsoon season, so they are well prepared. i also saw many school buildings, which was very encouraging. some of them had US and English connections. the youth make up a larger part of the population, over 35% are under 15 years old, it will be very interesting to return here in the future, it's a country going through enormous change, some of which is too rapid to measure.

you see greater poverty here than Vietnam, the gap between the rich and poor (esp in Phnom Phen) is large.. many of the tuc tuc drivers sleep on the street, using hammocks and you are constantly approached by kids of 5 or elders of 80 dipping their bowls for money, again compared to 5 years ago the situation is far improved but it still hard to ignore, you feel a mixture of guilt, as you cannot give much and frustration, that those in power here do not do more to help. only 20% of Cambodia's population currently live in urban areas, this number will rapidly increase in the comings years

there's a very interesting page about Cambodian behaviour here:
http://www.parish-without-borders.net/cditt/cambodia/khculture.htm#behavior

sitting on the conference of the Mekong, Tonle Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers Phnom Phen is considered to be the finest of the French built cities in Indochina and one of the last to be experiencing regeneration through development and tourism. the vibe here is less commercial than Saigon or Hanio, although plenty of advertising boards adorn the buildings. the city has a charm of it's own that feels unique and slightly dangerous.

it's a city with much hidden beneath the surface, quite hedonistic by Asian standards.. the area by the Boeng Kak lake is filled with guest houses as cheap restaurants catering to for backpackers and their drug dealers.. it's pretty dirty and sleazy and hardly feels authentic. you can buy herbals here easily and many of pizza restaurants have a 'happy' topping.. not that we're induldging, that old cliche 'the experience is the high' holds true on this trip. apparently at least one backpacker dies each year from some kind of drug overdose round the guesthouses, which is not a surprise. it's also the best place to watch the sunset.


The streets (thankfully) were built grid-like with consecutive no's.. this was put in place by the French, so finding the right street is easy. then it gets more more complicated as years of war, abandonment and reoccupation mean the original house No's are now totally random, so it took us a while to find our guest house. Tim has a few family members here, his great uncle Duc runs a French restaurant and guesthouse called 'Rega'' - unfortunately this was full up so we were taken round the corner to a larger hotel on Monivong Blvd.. within easy reach of the centre. today I got up at 5am and wandered down to Boeng Tak lake to see the sunrise, which was wonderful. the early morning is the best time to see the street life here (as in Vietnam) the markets are setting up, air is cooler with more breeze and it's easier to get things done before the morning rush starts. tomorrow morning I'll walk the opposite direction to the river front, which is palm tree lined and very colonial by all accounts.. the main attraction here (aside from the temples and pagodas) is the Russian Market. It was not built by the Russians (which I assumed) but so called because the Russians used to go shopping their in big numbers during the 1980's, especially for watches, antiques and jewellery...

it's a maze of tiny stalls crammed with all manner of clothing (real stuff not fakes, at only 10% of price in UK), antiques, electronics, books and jewellery. I've got my eye on a antique watch and some silk scarves, the silk here is among the best is Asia.. doing my Xmas shopping early as it's crazy cheap and bargaining is well worth while. the language here is totally different to Vietnam and the written alphabet is amazing, like a fusion of Arabic,Thai and Chinese with some western influence.. I'll post some photos next time.. found some graffiti as well, which is just starting out here it seems.

Tim's cousin Rasmai took us to dinner on Thursday, across the Mekong River to a huge outdoor restaurant with live karaoke style music. we were seated around a large table with a skillet and cooking pot in the middle to experience our first taste of Cambodian cuisine. first raw pork was brought on plates which we cooked ourselves on the skillet, then to the pot of boiling broth was added various types of fish and vegetables, inc shrimp, prawn, shark fin, some kind of jellyfish (i think) and other unpronounceable varieties. this turned out to be delicious. red wine was poured into our glasses constantly which resulted in much hilarity as Rasmai's friends joked around. the found English words particularly hilarious and sexual pun's had them rolling on the floor.. we were lucky to have a few very good singers, one guy in particular Maurice used to be something of a Cambodian rock star, he is not hoping to encourage signing in Cambodian rather than copying the western styles. he gave us a wonderful rendition of 'Stand by Me' accompanying himself on the piano. Most of Rasmai's friends had to flee Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime, some to the USA or the UK and some to New Zealand. Pol Pot's desire to return the country to 'year zero' meant eradicating all art forms, popular singers and artists were among the first to be executed. this move effectively wiped out the countries rich history in the arts and crafts (apart the Anghor Temples which were saved as a monument to the greatness of the regime). So, as in Vietnam it's very important that the traditional arts and crafts are passed on and treasured as the country changes so rapidly.

















The Russian Market (above) is the best spot for shopping.. hundereds of tiny stalls piled in at all angles, hot humid and cramped but wonderful.. every cd and dvd you could ever want for $2 each.. silk scarves for $4 you would pay $40 for in west.. wood, bronze and marble carvings, antique watches, sportsware and casualware from all the big brands at 10% of the high st price.. then there's the food area in the middle where (if you know what's good) you can sample some delicous local specialities.




















after we returned from Siem reap we checked into a different hotel (much nicer, same price) near the lake.. the pic above is from the roof bar, kids playing football in front of the mosque at sunset..




















and here's the view from one of the lakeside bars.. was def the most blissful moment of thr trip as we spent most of the time in urban areas avoiding speeding mopeds.. Boeng Kak lake is pretty polluted so no swimming and no fish but lovely view! there's rumours that the whole lake front (currently bordered by wooden guesthouses) will be bulldozed to make way for new hotels and high-rise flats.















the night of tim's birthday our host took us here after dinner.. 'club blue'.. you get your own kareoke room and drink whiskey joined by many young & beautiful Cambodian girls.. safe to say that was fun!

Hanoi Rocks!

the day before we left the wonderful Hoi An, paid a visit to the huge clothes market.. left with a full smart wardrobe (inc 2 peice Kashmir/wool suit) and a pair of leather handmade shoes for $100 and a big smile.. the tailor was v pro and quick, called 'No 41', we refered some more customers to them & I'll be back! the 2nd part of our marathon bus journey departed at 7.30am the next morning so we savoured the last night in the beautiful Minh A guesthouse and said our goodbyes to the lovely family (& spirits!).


after leaving Hoi An the bus first stopped at Marble Mountain, a massive cave carved out the rock by several generations of Buddhist monks.. full of symbols and characters representing purgatory and hell in various stages, dripping stalactites covering all surfaces... a welcome cool haven from the ever increasing humidity outside. it was very dark in there, which they don't tell you as you enter, you can hear the bats overhead chatting away or doing whatever bats do..

another 1/2 hour and a quick break at the north end of China Beach (My khe), the famous area of coastline where white sand stretches for 30km between the mountains.. this is the area where the US troops were sent 'R'n'R' (Relax and Recreation) during the war. it's a stunning piece of coastline with the mountains surrounding from the south and pure white sand (which rather strangely squeaks underfoot). there was a US TV series in the late 80's called 'China Beach', all about a army hospital based there.. must have missed that one! the beach is close to Danang, which we drive through as dusk fell, then off into the mountains.

wish we'd had more time to chill but the bus waits for no man. then we enjoyed an afternoon in Hue (h'way), the old Imperial City. halfway up the coast on the banks of the Perfume River. Hue has been through enough conflicts and troubles for a whole country, especially during the war when it's central location meant the North and South Vietnamese forces along with the US military and allies battled for control... culminating in the Tet Offensive in '68 which resulted in massacres of over 3000 civilians and sprawling street battles.. the VC actually gained control of hue for over a month raising their flag over the Citidel. during the bombardment over 40% of the city was destroyed and the scars still remain; this period bears rather scary resemblance to current conflict in Iraq & I'm curious to hear from Vietnamese about their views on current US (and British) foreign policy. Thankfully, the city does contain some very impressive sites, including the Royal Citadel (similar to the Forbidden City in Beijing). It was shame the intense midday heat, which was pushing 40 degrees again, made the sightseeing hard work... we sweated our way around on the back of motorbikes and made it back to bus just in time.

back on board and praying for sleep, we made ourselves cosy, little did we know the relatively empty bus would be boarded by 40 Vietnamese guys on their way to Hanoi! in short, no sleep, constant noise, swerving manic evil Knievel bus driver hooting his horn all night, we even had a close shave we a cow which woke the whole bus up!

arriving at dawn in Hanio & doing our best to keep our eyes open we found the hotel 'sunny' in the old quarter.. thought about crashing out but we pushed though and found some lovely breakfast with Tim's mum.. one of the original 'hole in the wall' pho cafes to which we returned during our 4 day stay here. the madam sits on a stool on the pavement, keeping her broth going and adding the simple, fresh ingredients. can safely say it's the best soup I ever tasted,

deciding early on not to make a day trip to either Halong Bay (the glorious caves and rock features on the coast) or Sapa (area in the mountains where the rice harvest is taking place) we looked forward to exploring the city. Hanoi is the oldest capital is Southeast Asia and the people living here come from all over Vietnam, the Old Quarter in particular is incredibly diverse, the French influence is most common, with shutters on windows and graceful arches on buildings. A more recent relaxation of the housing and social policy laws have opened up the streets to commerce and many of the once family owned businesses were sold, moved or taken over. There is a feeling of old and new values rubbing against each other here, with the established Confucian vales (modesty and consideration towards others) vying with the 'everyone for himself' mentality more common in Saigon. Where ever the city is going it's a great vibe and our favourite place thus far.




















Bat Trang Ceramics village outside Hanoi

We were lucky to be invited by Bich to a local ceramics village called Bat Trang, about 30mins outside the city. here, traditional techniques are still in evidence and like the workshops we saw in the South, they have changed a great deal in the last decade. Bich gave us plenty of background, explaining how the large companies (such as Ikea) now take control of whole villages, paying the workers to produce only one or two products. the Vietnamese will happily do this as its a steady income and quick work. there are parallels in the city where you see row upon row of shops selling the same thing; be it toys, baskets, bags, sunglasses, fake designer clothes or anything else you can imagine. there is very little innovation taking place and Bich fears that if serious action is not taken in the 5 years the traditional crafts will die out. bear in mind she has been working hard on this problem since the early 90's and has faced continual struggle. the old village is a maze of narrow stone streets, tiny doorways and hidden workshops.. we felt truly privileged to see this first hand and met some amazing people, including the faces you see in the photos below. the small, narrow streets gave us some welcome shade from the midday sun as we ventured out just after a rainstorm, very refreshing!




















Hanoi has character bursting from it's seams, the old quarter has the best qualities of Saigon and Hoi An.. I could live here., at least for a while. the city seems have have everything from fast to slow, rough to smooth.

our hotel is right in the middle of the soup with free internet access and some truly bizarre middle aged guests, there was one chap from the USA who had a whole family guiding him around town

.. instead we've been wandering the narrow streets, feasting on incredible cheap food and finally discovering the 'Bia Hanoi' which costs only 5p a glass.. a big lake marks one edge of the old quarter, here we find the elderly doing their morning TaiChi and playing badminton, to see a group of 80 year old's jumping around at 5am is truly wonderful. they have a real zest for life, at a time when people in the west are heading to nursing homes to watch daytime TV.

the cyclos are just as manic as Saigon but the drivers seem to have more skill here, deftly swerving to avoid scraping our legs with a knowing smile on their face. there are pavements, but they are filled with seats, cyclos and huge cooling pots so no hope of escape there. thankfully we had survived Saigon and had the feel for the traffic, which I think I'll miss when back in London.

i got some prescription sunglasses made for 10 pounds.. wow. wish i'd done that 2 weeks ago! there's a whole street where every shop sells glasses, right by the lake. you see tiny men hunched over cutting lathes creating their specs.

today we found the 'leather street' where they sit at sewing machines copying Versace and D&G bags - much to the tourist delight. i inquired about getting a leather custom satchel made, would e about $80 from some fine leather.. not bad...

many more amazing meals, not had the same dish twice.. one thing I have to try is the 'bbq pigeon' which looks and smells like chicken, imagine that in Trafalgar Square! women sit cooking all manner of meats on the street & massive pots steam down alleyways (which are often the hallways to homes, built narrow to avoid taxes). we found one area that reminded us Shoreditch, or at least the beginnings of such an area, with a few trendy clothing boutiques, inc a hiphop clothing store and dressed up young Vietnamese women trotting around in heels, which i found hilarious (this is NOT the city for heels, there's not an inch of level pavement anywhere) tomorrow afternoon we catch a flight back South before jumping on another bus to Cambodia.. will update from there next..

Hoi An Old town

i'm sitting in a cool cafe (it's about 40 degrees!) in Hoi An, about half way up the Vietnamese coast. we are on our way to Hanoi.. having spent the last 24 hours on board a bus we were very grateful to arrive in this wonderful historic town where we'll spend 2 days before the next marathon bus journey. Hoi An is one of only 4 UNESCO World Heritage towns in Vietnam and one of a handful to escape the wars (thanks to a mutual agreement between the forces at various times). the old town takes in about 10 blocks along the banks of the Hoi An river and is a maze of old dirt lanes and buildings. there are many arts and crafts studios, including wood carving, fine art, ceramics and embroidery. you can see why a few western artists spend half the year here, working from their studios, it's the perfect place to escape. you find small towns like this all over the world, where artists can live and work in peace, Hoi An must have played host to a huge number of writers, painters and sculptors over the years.

the recent tourist influx as seen a big increase in shops selling t-shirts,silks and bags, almost all with the same stock.. this is a trend in modern Vietnam, one product range is created and everyone copies it for the safe buck, there is very little innovation in the design & display of goods and it's becomes a little frustrating as you notice simple things which could be changed to improve the fortunes of the shops. you can feel the country rushing forward, taking the easy bits from the past to sell on without really considering how to sustain the development.. this is a big issue here. on the other hand you can easily appreciate why people go for the lowest common denominator, when in the past many have suffered conflict, loss of jobs and relocation.


we are staying in a Vietnamese/Chinese family guesthouse called 'Minh A' overlooking the old covered market. with only 5 rooms it's perfect and a world away from the resorts on the outskirts of town. from the outside it appears to be an old stone barn, covered in ivy... inside it's beautiful, filled with Chinese antique furniture and ceramics creating a very peaceful feel.. only $7 a night! I may well come back and spend a few weeks, as 2 days will never be enough. we hear the house has many spirits, all friendly as far as I can tell! it's an incredibly peaceful vibe, for the first time in as long as I can remember i can't feel the world of industry and noise that normally surrounds us. I hear that Laos (which borders both Vietnam and Cambodia) is one for last quiet places on earth.. save the poles and remote cold landscapes or deserts.. i hope to travel through Laos when I return.




they do not serve meals but there are countless options in this town known for it's specialist cuisine. food is affordable here, not the cheapest in the country but great value nonetheless.










Minh A familty guesthouse (smaller building to right of picture)

we have time to get some clothes made here, the silks are a particular specialty, so I'm going for a black, single breasted suit and a few shirts..maybe a winter coat if I find a nice wool... the clothes market here is twice the size of Spitalfields in London.. no joke, next to that is the market for shoes, they can measure and custom make leather boots, sandals, heels, trainers.. whatever you like in a matter of hours. the clothes turned out very well, in just a few hours everything was tailored and delivered, the shoes as well!

Hoi An was Vietnam's most important sea port from the 16th-19th century and was blessed with merchants from all over Europe and Asia, especially the French and Chinese.. this multi-cultural influence has created a one of a kind town, the old streets could be in the old quarter of Cuba, Mexico, Lyon, Seville or Peking.. the lanterns glow as dusk falls and even though the town is often crawling with tourists the atmosphere remains very calm as there are often restrictions on motor vehicles.










Hoi An Old Town - Havana in Vietnam!

our visit also coincides with the A.P.E.C Vietnam tourism conference, so loads of coloured banners adorn every lamppost reminding you that this is a cultural gem, which is more than obvious without the advertising. the recent influx of tourists and property developers is a sign of things to come for Vietnam, one of the last countries in South East Asia to welcome the tourist trade. the economy here is actually second only to China in terms of rate of growth.

the covered food market stretches from the banks of the river about 150m up the hill and contains a huge range of spices, fruit, herbs, rice, noodles, meats, fish and countless other items whose name remains a mystery. the traders are set up before 5.30am, esp for the fish which covers a big area by the river. the sellers display their catch on woven rattan baskets.. tuna, catfish, shrimp, king prawns (BIG king prawns)... you can imagine.. the food market is best visited early morning, the fish is brought straight from the river onto the dock where old ladies in pointed hats haggle for the best deals. huge baskets of herbs, spices and all manner of fruits an vegetables you have never heard of jostle for space. the smell still lingers with me now if i close my eyes.

this Thursday morning we head to Hanoi, which I'm told is very different to Saigon. the south has more youthful energy, Saigon is particular is where the rate of change is greatest and everyone wants a piece. Hanoi is more traditional, populated by an older crowd and adheres more tightly to the socialist regime... but has soaked up the French influence more than Saigon which is evident in the street layout, shops and architecture.

if you want an idea of where this country is heading, look to the youth who make up the majority of the population.. Chinese is fast becoming the 2nd language of choice and there is a serious buzz around, with new markets, trends and fashions flying about the streets. French is only spoken by the elder generation and English is not seen as very important, except in terms of business. there are many young people in Saigon with wealthy parents, they spend their money like water, whereas in the north people are far more careful with their cash.. I made a point not to read too much about the culture before coming as I knew it was a constant state of flux, after a week here and several conversations with locals, business people and tourists I'm learning quick.



School Children here look very sharp, the older girls wear floor length 2 piece trouser suits, all white and the buys black trousers and white shirt. the day starts early at 7am and they have a 2-3 hour break during the hot afternoon... you see huge groups riding their bikes or walking along the roadside. sometimes the kids have saturday morning school for catch up lessons. most kids will have either English or Chinese or both. Science and engineering are seen as far more important than arts and humanities, which is a shame and may be seen as part of the reason for the traditional crafts dying out. the rate of progress should not only been seen as industrial and financial, but alos in terms of cultural activities. the relentless pursuit of progress means the young have little time to get creative with a pot of paint! The kids do seem happy though.. computer games are everywhere, in particular I see all ages playing a game where characters perform dance moves on screen to a soundtrack - maybe taking the place of real exercise!


observations...

food
the Vietnamese build their days around food, they are always eating or cooking or thinking about cooking or eating, usually small amounts at a time and small portions. in restaurants, those better off will not much eat much rice or noodles (which traditionally are eaten by the working class), instead ordering a selection of meat and fish dishes with sauces. alcohol is very rarely drunk during meals, save for the occasional beer, although they do have various types of rice alcohol (which we have yet to try!). The working class men, especially the cyclo drivers, can be seen hanging out at corner bars come sundown, sipping a glass of he local beer....

in Hoi An, they are several local specialties and it's seen as one of the top regions for food in Vietnam.. today we tried to Lau Chau noodles, which can only be made here using spring water from a local well, itself a listed monument.. quick thick (like a wholemeal Japanese Udon noodle) Delicious!

crafts..
ever since i started working in the Trade and Care warehouse & Columbia Rd shop I've hoped to see the workshops first hand.. well, last week we were taken to one of the last remaining traditional ceramic kilns and a huge lacquerware workshop. Madam Chow's family has been working with ceramics for 3 generations, using clay kilns to create the unique pots, bowls, cups and plates that we sell in the UK.. more recently the Vietnamese government has started a programme of selling off the land close to the major towns to make way for factories, Madam Chow's land is one of the last remaining places in the country still making these pots, she will receive land less than half the value in return no compensation.. it was heartbreaking to hear this story and yet she still received us with grace and humility. an amazing woman. she even plans a 'sit in' when the authorities come. the lacqureware workshop started over 10 years ago in a small shed and now occupies over 4 warehouse with almost 100 workers. to see the various stages in which the products are made (each buffing/drying process take at least a week, 9 weeks in total) was a rare experience, leaving us able to pass on the knowledge and take photos for some fresh display boards on Columbia Road and the website..










in every town you will find small, dark workshops crammed full of tools, materials and skilled craftsmen, who often sell their wares on the street. Hanoi in particular retains the street names which used to signify the craft, for example 'silk street' or 'leather street', in some cases the shops have moved elsewhere in town. I get the impression the Vietnamese are very resourceful and have a good awareness of what it takes to fix something, not over complicating matters like so often in the west.

humour..
the Vietnamese laugh and smile a great deal, I have no idea what they find so hilarious but they obviously find humor everywhere.. children are the happiest I've seen anywhere, games on every street corner often with the adults joining it.. I have yet to discover if they understand sarcasm here (a favourite of the English!) when bargaining the seller will often make a kind of 'pssss' sound if you say a low price, you can respond with a similar sound when they quote a high price, a smile and a frown in the right place goes a long way here.. I am told in some cases a smile can be an admission of wrongdoing, kinda like an apology, so a big grin may not always be received in the way you think. I have idea if Vietnamese media has comedy or satire, I would guess not.. unless there's an underground scene.

music..
pop reigns supreme here and has done for quite some time, unlike Japan which absorbs and reinvents western music forms such as hiphop and punk; the scene here is very young.. as is the case is most of Asia, piracy for both music and dvd's is huge, almost every city street has several small stores floor to ceiling with all the latest releases. you will also find photocopied books everywhere, usually not great quality and overpriced. Lonely planet and Rough guide books are particular favouites, just make sure the print is legible before you buy! book exchanges are a safer bet, especially for the Lonely Planet guides and novels.. classical Vietnamese music is based around the vocals and seems to be built around quite a strict scale, not heard much of that though as POP rules supreme..

karaoke is massive, many homes have their own sound systems and you hear people singing along to pop songs everywhere. many families take their singing very seriously and wonderful voices to back it up. I've made a few key contacts in the club scene and will hopefully get some Vietnamese content on rawbeats.com in 2007, I'll also be sending mix cd's out here with the hope they get pirated, maybe leading to some DJ work next year, these people need to hear some different music! the kids here are wide open for it..

nightlife
we were taken to a huge nightclub called 'volcano' in Saigon last Saturday by our friend Bo (who is a bit of a 'man about town').. the place was heaving with young Vietnamese with plenty of money to spend. the main room (about 500 capacity) was packed shoulder to shoulder with small glass tables, each group has a tab on which they order $200 bottles of Cognac and high-end whiskey all night. there is very little conversation as the pumping house music is unrelenting, no dancing and constant drinking until they leave.. very bizarre experience. no one drinks without saying 'cheers' and clinking glasses with everyone else on the table, they do this about every 30 seconds so Tim and I were almost on the floor after 3 hours! not to mention dizzy from the constant strobe lights...there was another room playing commercial hiphop/r'n'b which had a bit more movement and less insane drinking..




















saigon rush hour on 'Ly Van Sy'

we'll check some more clubs in Hanoi but for the most part we are happy drinking a few beers and shooting pool - there's pool and french billiards everywhere.

Muine Beach

writing this from Muine beach on the south east coast of Vietnam, looking out onto the south china sea, all that lies between here and LA is the Philippines.. the sea is the same temp as the air, hardly anyone else on the whole beach as it's the low season and we are staying at a lovely family-run resort. we came here for a few days after landing in Ho Chi Min city (Saigon) to get over the jet lag and acclimatise, it's been the perfect start to the 4 week trip.











We're staying in a small resort called 'chez nina' which is run by a good friend of Tim's mother Bich - for those of you who don't know Tim, he's one of my oldest friends and I've been working for his mother's company on and off since '99... she exports laquerware, bamboo and ceramic products from Vietnam & Cambodia. we've been planning a trip out here for years, tim's been four times previously so knows the deal and has enjoyed being the guide for once. we transferred through Bangkok (which is a MASSIVE concrete and glass si-fi structure with endless tunnels of duty-free shops, the carbon copy shops share their style with some in Vietnam, more on that later) and took a taxi straight through the city to a friend's house where we crashed out.

the jet lag was still in full effect when we went for dinner at a local roadside cafe for a simple and delious Won Ton soup, first served with rice then with noodles as the base. the soup or 'pho' as they call it (pronounced 'phir') could be seen as the basis for all Vietnamese food, most people here start the day early (5-6am)with a medium size bowl which keeps them going till lunch. the broth is boiling water withsimply shallots, lemon & chilli, to this white noodles and either beef or chickenm are normally added although there are many different varieties from North to South in Vietnam. here, you eat this from when you are a baby and you could see Pho as a metaphor for life here, you step into the 'soup' each day and are constantly surrounded by flavours!

the food gets better here with each meal, I could write pages describing the variety, especially the fish... safe to say Long Kee on Kingsland Road (one of the best vietnamese cafes in L'don) won't hold quite the same charm anymore!

the streets of Saigon are insane, we were not even out at rush hour and there were thousands of mopeds ('cyclos') screaming by from every angle, this is the case in every urban area in Vietnam, the cyclos (always Hondas) make up 95% of the traffic and the engine hum is constant 24/7. at first you stand in amazement and marvel at how few accidents occur, the flow of vehicles seems to glide by on autopilot. then you learn that the Vietnamese have been driving these since they were able to walk and you laugh at the Westerners who rent them, looking like rabbits in headlights, sweating, surrounded and scared for their life! Most women who ride wear both face masks (for the fumes) and long gloves covering their whole arms to keep their complexion clear. The men don't bother.




















crossing the road takes some courage at first, best to tag along with a local and trust in whichever God you believe in.. the cyclos move to avoid you rather than you dodging them, which you learn quickly. traffic lights are often flashing amber and they seem almost redundant. the constant sound of horns becomes serene after a while, used not in 'road rage' anger but simply to alert the person or vehicle nearest to the bike. we do not plan to rent a cyclo.


down here near the beach it's the polar opposite and we're very grateful for the chance to chill before heading back to Saigon in the morning. this area of coastline is one of the top 5 windsurf spots in the world, luckily it's the quiet season so the beach is peaceful. we've hardly left the resort as it has got the best food and is secluded.. most of the area seems built for tourists, save the odd fishing village. we share the resort with 7 dogs, including a huge Rottweiler who acts as the guard and 2 grumpy looking pitbull/boxer's (one of which can be seen below, lounging)
















in Saigon, we'll stay a couple of days to wander the city before starting our bus trip North to Hanoi. along the way we'll stop off in Nha Trang, Hoi An, Danang and Hue as it's a flexible ticket.. we hear the storms have passed in the north so we should be able to take a 2 day boat trip around Halong Bay before flying back south to Cambodia (Phong Phen).. we're hear for almost 4 weeks but I know that's gonna fly by so savouring each moment and taking many, many photos.. I'll write more as it happens..