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Saturday 30 August 2008

Phuoc An, Hoi An

During our last trip to Hoi An we stayed at the Phuoc An Riverside hotel. I was stunned by some of the very individual decorations.

Poolside decoration

Detail of poolside decoration

Be honest, how often have you looked at a marble statue and thought "You know, that would be so much better with a sarong and a pedicure."

Lamp Crime

The wall lamp verged on criminal but the comfortable rooms and view from the roof more than made up for the kitsch decor.

View from the roof of the Phuc An Hotel

Friday 29 August 2008

Label Babel Clarty Lavvy

You probably have to speak Scottish English to understand this one.

Clarte Shower

Clarte, very refreshing.

La Vie - Lavvy

The all too common local pronounciation of this product doesn nothing to enhance its brand image. Nothing like some Lavvy water to help the rehydration process.

Saturday 16 August 2008

Label Babel 3

A couple of misprints, typos or otherwise idiosyncratic uses of English picked up around HCMC recently.

Veggy's is an expensive imported food shop which we don't use very often but it is nice to be a bit extravagant from time to time.

Cost of living

I saw this in the Toilet of Stella Cafe in town, I had to use the flash to capture it. Odd looks ensued when I left the loo but I think it was worth it.

White Bear

Tuesday 5 August 2008

Laos, Plain of Jars

This summer we stayed (relatively) local and did a round trip from HCMC, to Thailand and Laos then back through the North of Vietnam stopping at Hanoi, Hoi An and Hue before heading back down here. We have a side trip to Singapore sorted for the weekend but that doesn't count as holidays because it's mainly opticians and knicker multi packs.

This time we visited Xieng Khuang province, home of the giant and mysterious stone jars and one of the most bombed areas in the most bombed country in the world. MAG, the Mines Advisory Group gives good information on unexploded bomb clearance projects in Laos.

Meanwhile: Pictures

Plain of Jars, Phonsovan, Laos

Jars, purpose unknown.

Lip, Plain of Jars, Laos

Plain of Jars, Laos

There are thousands to see, and almost as many will make it to the Flickr account, click on any picture to take you there where you can spend hours looking at someone elses holiday pictures. Irresistible.

The Mines Advisory Group are doing a good job but it's a vast undertaking.
Mines Advisory Group Warning

Below is a marker identifying the end of the safe zone. There's no way I was crossing it.
Path marker, Mines Advisory Group, Laos

The results of further bombing are all too visible in the old capital city of Xieng Khuang, Muang Khoung, flattened with only a few exceptions.

Here, the ruins of a hospital built by the French during their tenure.

Ruined French Hospital, Muang Khoun, Laos

In the same area is a ruined temple, the Buddha still nearly intact but showing terrible ravages.

Bomb damage to temple in Laos

Ravaged Buddha, Laos

More on Laos later, I'm still organising the pictures I took.

Saturday 2 August 2008

You know you're in Domestics when

Xieng Khuang Airport

You share the airport with chickens.

Vientiane Domestic Departures

People travel with bread.

Saigon from Hue, Domestic

Pajamas and trilbies make for stylish travel wear.

Friday 1 August 2008

Passenger

Look what I saw on the way from the airport.

Passenger

I want one just like it.