A Taste of Thailand
Thailand – a country full of extreme differences. On our last day in Thailand, we had to wake up at 5:30 to catch our flight out of Bangkok. Within five minutes we saw a couple walking home, two long-legged, well-dressed lady boys who were surprised to see us, one said “Oh my gosh, just you two together!?!” and lastly two monks with their brass bowls collecting their alms from faithful Buddhists.
I wasn’t sure of what to expect from traveling through Thailand because I’ve heard mixed reviews from friends. But, we had a really unique experience because we have friends who live there. We had the chance to see how foreigners experience Thailand as well as some locals. I was especially surprised at how clean the cities, large and small, were.
Thais are some of the nicest, most down-to-earth people I’ve met while out here in Asia. Everywhere we went, people smiled and cheerfully helped us out. They also had their own unique fashion style. I almost felt like it was leaning toward the Japanese style of guys with lots of spiked hair and girls with their colored orange/red hair, just without all of the gaudy make-up.
People here are definitely used to having foreigners around, whether they live in Thailand or are just visiting. They’ve definitely perfected the tourists’ route. Bangkok is a huge modern city that is the center for traveling throughout Southeast Asia. Their backpacker district is huge and blows Saigon’s backpacker area away. Expensive shopping areas are all over the city as well as great transportation – bus, subway, skytrain, taxi, tuk-tuk and canal ferries – but traffic is horrendous. Temples are beautifully decorated with crystals, jewels, gold, intricate details and elaborate statues. And the nightlife is a must experience, but can be contradicting in many ways. {Actually my friend from high school, Henry Trejo, and some of his friends are in Southeast Asia for six weeks trying to bring back beauty, Beauty Creates Beauty.}
Enjoy as narrate the highlights of our ten days in Thailand!
Goodbye Tran Van Dang!
We will never forget our five-story house with a panoramic view of Saigon. GREAT TIMES! Everyone who came and visited our house loved to listen us say Tran Van Dang to the taxi. We had our first Christmas turkey dinner on our rooftop. We had many great nights drinking Saigon Do bia (beer) and great conversations with all of our friends. We will miss the small narrow alleyways and the bakery that sold us freshly baked baguettes for 2,000 VND ($0.10 USD). District 3 is an exciting place if you want to experience good food, hang with the locals and take in a lively part of town. We will miss our neighbors and friends out there. We decided to experience a different part of the city in Tan Binh District, which is not to far from District 3. So we can visit anytime. It was never a dull night at 79/11/5 Tran Van Dang, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.
Screw the Meds
I have always been fascinated with traditional medicine. Ever since I was a little boy, my mother has always mixed up an all-natural medical remedy when I had a fever or sore throat. She used things like lemongrass, ginger, lime and honey. I realize now that traditional medicine has always been apart of my life and now, I do it myself. Since moving to Asia I have been practicing more forms of traditional medicine. I have experienced a hot stone massage in different countries. It’s a revitalizing massage that gives you energy. In a small Vietnamese shop, I experienced what is known as cupping. This is used for blood circulation and removes the negative energy and replaces it with positive. They use glass cups and heat it with fire and place it on your back for 30 minutes or an hour. Currently, I am in search of a trustworthy place that does acupuncture. I think I am up for the challenge of having 50 sharp needles in my back.
Sore Throat Fix
3 Limes
1½ teaspoons of honey
Make sure the limes are soft and squeeze the juice into a cup. Mix it with honey. This will help you with your sore throat! Thanks mom, for this remedy that I still use today.
Beautiful Beaches between Mountains
Empty coastlines, dense jungles and isolation describe Con Dao. An island full of biodiversity of plants and animals that just awaits tourism. Hardly any foreign tourists travel here and only some local Vietnamese tourists come here. That’s what sets it apart from all of Vietnam.
It’s mind-boggling that this used to be a prison island, like Phu Quoc. First the French colonists established a prison system here and then the South Vietnamese and American forces sent the POWs here. The winding roads hug the mountains and then an old, run-down prison appears across from a beautiful ocean view.
Con Dao is an archipelago made up of about 16 islands. We only had time to stay on the main island, which is pretty large. What made this trip most enjoyable were the locals and their kindness and eagerness to help us. We went with our friends Mike and Sofia and spent a lot of our time driving around the island discovering breathtaking views.
During the two nights we stayed on the island we started a campfire, with the help of the hotel staff. Randy had his first experience with making smores and now he’s an expert! We also grilled fresh crab and fish on the beach.
Mike tried his hand at digging for clams on the isolated beach near the airport. He said it wasn’t easy. So we decided to buy two kilograms of clams from the man and woman who were digging for the clams. We carried the clams throughout our 9-kilometer trek through a thick jungle. We even had some company from a local dog! He trekked with us the whole way there and back!
We cooked the clams and drank homemade rice wine with the local fishermen and park rangers at our destination, which was another remote beach where we snorkeled and tried to catch squid. We were planning to take a boat back around the island, but the winds were too strong. So, we went back through the dense forest with our local guide.
We had so many great experiences here even though we only had two days. The sincere locals, amazing biodiversity and spectacular ocean and mountain views made this trip one to remember.
Flight: Mekong Air, 30 minute flight, but expect delays or returning back to Saigon because of extreme winds.
Where to stay: Con Dao Camping, inside of a small park. Accommodation includes nice, small huts with A/C, facing the beach. $30 to $40 per night.
Travel Information: Con Dao Island Dive SSI, Another helpful “local” was Larry Bernier at Con Dao Island Dive SSI. Originally from New York, he has been diving in Vietnam for ten years. He gave us honest information and helped us with accommodation and other tours around the island.
I got robbed so I got something they can’t steal from me
When I was 15 years old I worked at Chick-Fil-A in Orlando, Florida. I worked part-time with my brother and friends. It was a fun experience because I was able to make money and learn how to be financially independent. After one month of working at minimum wage ($5.25/hour), I made my first purchase, a gold Figaro necklace. I always wore it – I never took it off. I was very proud of it because I paid for it with my own money.
A few months of living in Saigon, my 12-year-old cherished possession was stolen from me in a blink of an eye. I was walking on Dong Khoi Street just before Tet Holiday in a crowd of people. It was a classic snatch and the thief blended into the crowd.
Things like this happen quite often in Saigon. That’s another story in itself. Petty theft in Saigon is big business. It happens to both foreigners and locals. As Vietnam continues to grow, one has to think, who will do anything to get this under control. Besides for this incident, Vietnam has been good to us and that’s why we love Vietnam!
I was incredibly upset and this just helped me make my final decision about getting a tattoo in Asia. A tattoo is definitely more permanent than a necklace. However, many people associate tattoos with the mafia in Asia. In America, tattoos are a form of expression. I got my first tattoo after my father passed away and it reminds me everyday about him.
After doing my research, I decided to get my tattoo at Lac Viet Tattoo & Piercing, a branch of Saigon Ink at 608 Dien Bien Phu. They were professionals. It took a total of 13 hours in three sittings and it was truly an experience that I will never forget. I added a design to an existing tattoo that has an Ohm and made a short sleeve. It represents my time in Asia and on my back there is an outline of Mount Fuji where I proposed to Shauna.
Looking for a creative mind to fulfill your design needs? Shauna Vo is also a freelance graphic designer who specializes in web and print design. Feel free to browse her portfolio at