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Before we get into the “green” electric car, I thought I’d show you a map of our travels. We flew into Hanoi from Taipei on the island of Taiwan, which is the main hub of China Airlines. We spent one night at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel, recuperating from a very long flight. The next morning we motor coach to Ha Long Bay, spend one night in the elegant Novotel Ha Long Bay. Motor coach back to Hanoi and spend another night in the Sofitel Legend Metropole. From Hanoi we will fly to Siem Reap in Cambodia where we will spend 3 days, and see Angkor Wat, listed as the seventh wonder of the world. From Siem Reap we wend our way via a motor coach, touring the Cambodian countryside, to Kampong Cham were we’ll meet up with our ship, the Viking Mekong, which will be our home for the next 7 days, as we cruise down the Mekong River to My Tho. Here we will disembark and motor coach to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. We will spend 3 nights in Ho Chi Minh City, and then the main tour will end, and we will fly to Bangkok for a 3 day Post-Extension.

Now for the “green” electric cars. Yeah, I was expecting to see something “green” too, but now it’s obvious, the green means ecologically friendly. As we traveled through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we saw that you could either buy a meal from young ladies carrying baskets of fruits and vegetables, or you could stop at the Gecko ‘Cheap & Cheerful Restaurant’. Now that’s what I would call user friendly advertising.

Tin told us that Vietnam is the Moped capital of the world. I can believe it. They were everywhere, and ever-present.

Shops specialized in various things, like paper lanterns, or wire cages or organizers. Public utilities were a nightmare. There is no thought given to aesthetics. And if something should happen to take out one of those utility poles, can you imagine the difficulty of getting services back on line? However, compared to India, I believe that this looks positively organized. ;o)

Bread Fruit anyone? Or perhaps you are planning a wedding. Here is the place to shop. OMG, just when I thought the utility infrastructure couldn’t get any more complicated, I saw the rat’s nest below. The electric car was a pretty cool way to tour Hanoi’s Old Quarter, even though a few of the photos were a bit out of focus. The driver never stopped for a photo op.

In the Old Quarter, nestling between the citadel and Hoan Kiem lake, which is surrounded by a beautiful park perfect for joggers. And although she is difficult to see, a bride is standing on the edge of a fountain, posing for her photographer.

Following this interesting ride in the electric cars through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we are given some free time to look around on our own, before boarding our plane for the short afternoon flight to Siem Reap where we check into our hotel for a three night stay, at the Sofitel Phokeethra Royal Angkor Golf & Spa in Cambodia. And was it posh. With a treat of small bananas and cookies, along with a gift of Cambodian spice (cinnamon), that was a very warm welcome indeed. Also, the bed was very comfortable, and the bathroom seemed to have everything one could possibly want.

Dinner that night was buffet style in an excellent restaurant, and it was accompanied by a traditional Apsara dance show.

The dancers were very graceful, and had excellent balance. I suppose it must require years of stretching to get their fingers to bend as far back as they do. Hawaiian hula dancers have mastered that skill as well.

The Apsara dance show was really special. Even the accompanying music was enjoyable. Much later when we are on the boat, the crew will have a fashion show, and demonstrate how tout on the pants you see the men wearing above. It is simply a very long piece of cloth that just wraps around your waist several times, and a stray part of it gets drawn up between you legs and tucked in the waist at the back. It looks pretty precarious to me. ;o)

We were at this hotel in Siem Reap for 3 nights, and every morning when we went to breakfast, we walked through the beautiful grounds and crossed the lotus bond on a bridge.

There were lots of interesting statuary throughout the garden. The large swimming pool was very inviting, but our time was spent either eating, touring ancient ruins, or enjoying other parts of the hotel, like the lounge.

The lotus blossoms in frame three below were open in the morning when we went for breakfast, but in the afternoon they had closed up, probably to protect their delicate hearts from the sun’s direct rays.

The grounds were kept up immaculately, making one feel a little like royalty as you wandered through this amazing garden.

The tigers looked pretty real, and so did the elephants below. Needless to say, we were enjoying our time here very much.

A musician was playing a xylophone type instrument in the massive lobby, and the gilded Buddhas were exquisite.

Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archeological sites in the world. After breakfast we will go on an extensive tour of Angkor Wat. But that will come in the next chapter.