Fishing the Gunpowder River Maryland

https://youtu.be/7c-TEtN2HYY

New Travel Apps

Travel Apps that can make your trip easier.

I have found a few apps that can really make your self planned trip easier. Android version. All of these apps can be kept on your phone to minimize the amount of tech you need to carry. If you have a good phone cam and a gimble or selfie stick you are set.

GPSmyCity has preloaded walking tours for many cities as well as good travel articles for those places. It uses the gps in your phone in advance mode.....or just follow the map in economy mode. Take tours without a group and at your own pace and enjoy the shopping and food tips in the articles.

Google Flights helps you look for great deals for plane tickets. In addition it helps you book hotels and find things to do.

SD Currency Converter. Look up exchange rates and figure out how much things cost in foreign currency.

Google Translate...is it perfect, no. But it can help you if you need to shop or go to the hospital in a foreign country. I would say its 80-90% accurate.

Pinterest is another app to find info about different locations like travel blogs...food and places of interest.

Google Lens...dont know what something is? Take a pic of it and find out. Food...plants, whatever. Great app to check out.

WhatApp - Skype. Basically any app to keep you in touch with friends and family back home. Works even when you have a foreign sym card from another country.

Google Maps. I find this works in every country I have visited. Of course it will depend on the network of the country you visit and amount of data you get with a sym card and plan.

Similar symbols of two Cities

Singapores Merlion and DaNangs Ca Chep Hoa Rong.

Ca Chep Hoa Rong. The carp dragon. Symbol for DaNang Vietnam. The carp symbolizes luck and perseverance and the dragon symbolizes power. The carp merges with the dragon in the water and becomes this. Local artists at the Marble Mountain village near DaNang spent 3 months carving this for DaNang. It sits on the Han river next to the dragon bridge.

Merlion. .The symbol of Singapore. Its a fish with a lions head  The fish symbolizes Singapores beginning as a fishing village. The lion represents Singapores name which means lion city. The symbol was designed by the Singapore Tourism Board in 1964.

Champa

 The Cham in Vietnam.

The Champa empire occupied the area of central Vietnam. Essentially from Hue to Nha Trang. The Champa were a collection of city states that prospered from sea trade. The South China Sea was called the Champa Sea during their time. Their empire was at it peak from the 7th to 10th centuries, and slowly declined until Minh Mang the second emperor of Vietnam annexed their lands. The were rivals of the Khmer and managed to sack Siam Reap in 1177, but later suffered defeats to the Khmer. 

My Son near the port city of Hoi An is the oldest of the Cham temple complexes. The Cham were great builders of brick temples and sculptors. They were predominately Hindu but some converted to Buddhism and Islam through the years. 

Temple at My Son

Sculptures at My Son.

Laterite - Building material of Asia

Laterite...what is it?

Laterite has commonly been referred to as a soil type as well as being a rock type.

Rich in iron and aluminum and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. It is typically cut into blocks and dried.

 Konark Sun Temple in India

The technology probably spread from India east to Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The material can be polished or left in a rough texture and sometimes stuccoed over. At Ankor Wat its used as a base material then clad with sandstone. In northern Vietnam its used instead of brick.                                                                                                           

Laterite brick walls near Hanoi.

Video of Laterite course in My Son, Champa temple.

Since laterite is porous it is light weight yet strong. It is used as a base course for roads, bearing walls and for aquifers. In its clay form it is cut in many sizes then dried and used. This makes it a very versatile building material.                                                                                                     

Laterite walls in East Mebon Siam Reap Cambodia.

The Ancient Imperial City of Hue

Imperial City - Hue, Vietnam

25 years of civil war between Gia Long and the Tay Sons finally ended with Gia Long as Emperor of Vietnam. Gia Long....nephew of the Last Nguyen Lord who was executed by the Tay Sons, now ruled what is modern day Vietnam. The year was 1802 and Gia Long set about securing his dynasty and country. Many citadels were built but Gia Long made Hue the capitol and made a square design for the citadel based on Chinese design rather than French design as the others were based on.

During the war Gia Long had received help from the French. Even tho Vietnam remained independent of the European powers, this help from the french would ultimately lead to french colonization of Vietnam in later years.

Statue of Gia Long over the site of his first citadel in Saigon.

Areal view of the city and Imperial city within to the right.

In 1947 the last Emperor Bao Dai abdicated. This lead to a ruinous period of neglect and partial destruction of the old city. Fighting between the French and Viet Minh as well as the TET offensive in 1968 between the forces of the North and South and the USA took its toll on the old city.

1968 TET offensive destruction.

Kien Trung Palace built by Emperor Khai Dinh currently being rebuilt.

The old city was added to by successive emperors for about 120 years. Tu Duc was essentially the last independent Emperor. His death in 1883 led to internal strife in addition to colonization pressure from France. The French laid siege to Hue and looted the city although they did allow the Nguyen Emperors to remain as a figurehead government until Bao Dai's abdication.

In the 1990's The Hue Monument Commission started a restoration program of the Citadel, Tombs and Monuments in and around Hue. Work is ongoing but great progress has been made. Tourism is around 2 million visitors a year. The history, architecture, food and close location to DaNang and Hoi An is what attracted me. The architecture in and around Hue is a mix of Asian and Western influences. The French left their mark in the cuisine and architecture. Hue has some of the best food in Vietnam and still retains its Viet heritage and charms.

 Above: Main Gate

Right: East gate 

Short video of Hue       

Interesting Cemeteries

Cemeteries you may and may not know of.

Cemeteries arent usually tourist destinations, but if you are near any of these places, take the time and visit.

1. Arlington Cemetery Virginia USA.


This was originally part of George Washingtons estate by the marriage to Martha Fairfax. Later Robert E. Lee married Washingtons granddaughter and took over. At the start of the Civil War he left due to its proximity to Washington DC. Union troops occupied it and used it as a field hospital and cemetery. Over the years it became a national cemetery for military veterans. John F Kennedy and the Tomb of the Unknown are notable burials.

2. Sulewasi Indonesia - Toraja cliff tombs and the walking dead. 
Funerals in the Toraja culture can take several years. The dead arent interred and are kept in the home...essentially mummified until preparations are finalized. This involves a feast and preparation of the tomb. A detailed explanation can be found at
https://maketimetoseetheworld.com/toraja-death-rituals-cave-burials-effigies-walking-dead/



3. Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans La. USA

                                                                               photo by Rusty Travel Trunk

  The city's first planned cemetery, but not the oldest, it is notable for the architectural significance of its tombs and mausoleums, often containing multiple family members, and for its layout, a cruciform plan that allowed for funeral processions. This cemetery has been the location for many movies and music videos.

4. The hanging coffins of China on the Yangtze.

Practiced by the Bo people of China, this practice dates back 3000 years. There are many theories why this was done. A detailed explanation can be found at 
https://www.historicmysteries.com/hanging-coffins-china/

Candi Borobudur

Candi Borobudur
Candi is the name for temple in Indonesia. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. The temple consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome. Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty. Two other temples are associated with Borobudur, Mendut and Pawon. They line up in a straight axis and its assumed because of that and the proximity they were related.

 In 1814 while Java was temporarily under British control the temple was rediscovered. Since then several restorations have been done with studies ongoing. In 1985 an Islamic extremist group damaged it with 9 small bombs, and looting has also taken its toll. In 1991 UNESCO granted world heritage status to the site. Its built with granite and has over 1000 carved panels and features. Its located north of Jogjakarta in central Java, Indonesia.

The brown trout (Salmo trutta)

The brown trout (Salmo trutta) is a fish native to Europe. They have been stocked all over the world...especially by the brits. Sometimes browns make sea runs in waters where they can get big enough to go to sea. Then they get much bigger and reach 10lbs plus. A Brown can live for 20 years and because of that can be a very smart, wary fish to catch. They feed mainly on insects, Mayflies, caddis and stoneflies until they reach about 16 inches and then become aggressive meat eaters. Frogs, baitfish and even mice become fair game for these fish. At this point they become extremely wary and often feed mainly at night. That makes them extremely challenging for the angler.

Planning a Trip

 

How do I plan a trip?

Planning starts with deciding where you want to go and why. I base my trips on fishing, architecture or both. The next thing to do is find out as much information as possible. Join a Facebook group about the location, read Pinterest arcticles.
Also reference travel sites like Lonely
Planet or Travel Fish. Consult Google Maps for interest points and hotels. Determine if local travel will be necessary. Pick an airline and think about insurance and immunizations. Will you need a guide? Much to consider....

Facebook - Pinterest

Lonely Planet - Travel Fish

Google Maps - Location Bloggers

These are my go to's. You can find hotels, restaurants, points of interest and hospitals. I read as much about hotels as I can and find locations that are central to my interests. This also forms the basis of your budget. I never get expensive lodging. But I do consider their services and ratings. Money exchange, rentals and bookings as well as wifi. A good hotel can usually make good recommendations as well as arrange a car for you and laundry and even local maps. A good driver or guide can also save you money and time to get the most of your trip. If you travel between 2 cities on a trip....a bus or train can be a cheap option. But hiring a driver or getting a local flight saves you time to see and do more. Cheap is not always best.

Airlines are varied. I pick an airline like Korean Air due to their good luggage policy and record to travel often. I also joined the preferred flier program to get miles towards future trips. Booking 4 to 6 months in advance can also save you big bucks....like 40% or more!

Points of interest are a big deal. Try to group them by area to save travel distance between them. Also figure the time you will need per day and leave time for lunch or random exploring. You always seem to find unanticipated things to investigate like shops or temples.

Find the local hospital in case of emergency. Copy your passport and travel insurance info (highly recommended). Copy the contact info of your embassy as well. Read up on travel alerts by the embassy and information about safety and customs of the country. This might save you from some bad situations. Carry valuables in a money belt or secure sling pack. And leave stuff you dont need that day in the hotel safe! Also call your doctor and see if you need any shots for your location. Get a copy of prescriptions in case immigration or local police inquire. Helpful apps: GPSmyCity, Google Flights, Google Translate and SD Currency Converter.

Last but not least is picking a guide. Due to language restrictions you may need a guide and or driver. Ask friends...check the above sites I listed or contact the hotel you reserved and ask for recommendations. A good guide and or driver will save you money and fill you in on the local culture, history and food as well as keep you safe. I hope this helps and feel free to ask questions in the comments section!

 

Lang Tho Xuong Hue 2020 Empress Tu Du

Lang Tho Xuong - tomb of Empress Tu Du in Hue Vietnam

Empress Tu Du was the wife of Emperor Thieu Tri. She was known as an attentive mother to Tu Duc the 4th Emperor. She was also known for caring for her people and cutting taxes. Từ Dụ played a significant role in the dethronement of Hiệp Hòa, whom was a pro-French emperor, and enthroned Kiến Phúc. Her life spanned almost the entire Nguyen Dynasty. Her tomb is above and behind her husbands. 

The tomb has the traditional entry columns and a half moon pond in front. A delicate terra cotta lattice work makes up the railings around the terraces and pond. Unfortunately this is in very bad shape as most of the stucco and art work inside the tomb. A wooden pavilion or some structure that used to be in front of the tomb entrance is now gone. I am thinking it might have held a steele  or some sort of marker.

The day I went, there were 2 locals visiting, I assume they left the flowers. After they left the place seemed to have a surreal feel. Maybe the spirit of Tu Du still lingers. Its quite beautiful with the pine trees and isolated hillside. I had contacted the Hue Monuments Commission about information on Kien Trung Palace and they let me suggest some documentation ideas for the site to prepare it for restoration. Lets hope they can get this tomb on their restoration schedule. 

Khao Lak

Thailand

KhaoLak is a small beach town north of PhuKet. Pretty laid back with plenty of places to eat and a variety of lodgings. These range from full service resorts on the beach to small locally owned spots. There are also many adventure tours, fishing, food and shopping options.

I flew Korean Air due to their service and checked luggage policy. Transfer in Seoul and then to PhuKet. Then a shuttle to KhaoLak.  I chose Banana Bungalows to stay as its a thai owned small business and well located. Not 5 star but well priced and with a pool and motorbike rental. They can also arrange tours at very reasonable rates.

I search Travelfish.org for info about asia. This is how I found Banana Bungalow, places to visit and things to do. I couldnt arrange my trip until april which is near the end of the season there. The monsoon season starts may 15. My last day was may 8, so  I was cutting it close. 

One big reason for the trip was to do some fishing. I caught the very tail end of it. Finding a charter boat was tough being the end of the season. A local bartender told me to go to Thap Lamu pier and ask for Ms Chen. Long story short, I found her and one of her sons took me out the next day. We had to go out 7 miles but he put me on fish. Permit and Dorado. We went out on a traditional thai boat...passed the Buddha the fishermen pray to on the way out and had a great day. And the locals are much cheaper than big company boats..$75 with lunch! Wish I found them sooner in the trip.

But there is much more to do! I took the James Bond Island tour and the Elephant tour. These trips are all day and include side visits to a floating town in Phang Na bay, and a raft trip down the Sok river in Khao Sok park.

Stops at a local market and some historic pagodas..monkeys were involved. These are about $80 each and it includes lunch..snacks and the van. Usually goups of 8-12 with a driver and guide. Since I was there at the end of the season I got a discount...$45 each! 

Thai food is also another great reason to go. Many types of curry and seafood are available. They even have a great supermarket there. Its small but they have everything..I got my breakfast cheese and bread there along with coffee, beer and OJ.

 The night markets are fun as well as the local parks, waterfalls with spa fish and even a putt putt and golf course. Of course there is the beach. And if you want a custom suit or clothes made, they have at least a dozen tailors there. I call Khao Lak the adult Phu Ket....give it a try.

Traveling to Siam Reap Cambodia

Siam Reap....formerly the capitol of the Khmer Empire located in the north eastern part of Cambodia. The Khmer peaked in the 14th century and then started a slow decline and finally became a vassel state of the Nguyen Emperors of Vietnam in the 1800's. But prior to that the capitol moved to Phenom Phen, and Siam Reap became a sleepy backwater. Along came the french after they colonized Indochina, and they uncovered the old Khmer capital city with all the temples and buildings we now associate as Ankor Wat.



Travel to Siam Reap and Ankor Wat. 
If you are heading there from the USA a direct flight is difficult. I connected through Siagon HCMC Vietnam. An E-Visa for Cambodia is pretty easy to get online. But before you go I suggest you check your vaccinations. Siam Reap has 2 seasons...dry and wet. February is dry and typically the coolest. There are a huge choice of price points for places to stay. I recommend Travelfish.org to find places to stay. I dont like to spend $$$ for a room since I spend most of my time sight seeing.
Rosey Guest house was my pick. Central location for me was the key. Having a bar and food was a plus as well as 2 tuk-tuk drivers. I did the Grand Circuit and a few additional sites. My driver did a great job to get me to the sites at off peak hours. And the smaller local places seem to work hard to make your trip a good one. Locals generally give the best advice as well.

Currency in Cambodia is the US dollar! Take fresh bills too. If your large bills are too crumpled they might refuse them. I took all 100's. The smaller bills are no problem but make sure the Benjamins are crisp. Most people speak enough english for reasonable communication. The food is quite good too. They have some curry dishes that are great. Dont be afraid to go to the night market and try some of the food stalls. They have many things to buy also. There is also a wide variety of foreign cuisine restaurants. Pub Street...yes, thats its name also has a huge number of bars. Any drink you can imagine.  Other great things to do are cooking classes, Museums, Markets, Ecotours and Apsara dance performances. Again I recommend Travelfish.org for the best info on Siam Reap. I recommend a good travel insurance with medical. Medical care is spotty but if you get sick go to the Royal Ankor Hospitol. UCare Pharmacy for basic needs and Metfone for phone cards is a good choice. You can get by without a phone...all hotels have good wifi as do many cafes. Petty theft and snatch-grab crimes sometimes happen. Avoid dark streets and travel in groups at night. I found the Tuk-Tuk the best way to travel. Get your drivers cell number and they will pick you up at night. Many drivers also have minivan service for groups. Leave questions in the comment section if you have any. I will do my best to answer.

A day in Seoul

A few years back I had a long layover at Incheon airport. I decided to take a day trip to Seoul. I was on my return leg from a fishing trip in Mongolia so A day trip into the city seemed in order, rather than sitting at the airport. I started at the info desk at the airport. The lady there spoke great english and gave me information on the train and subway system..where to exchange some cash and away I went. I got a stanp in my passport  and I was in! A man in the train/subway station explained to me how to buy tickets and gave me a map in english that showed my rout. The train took about 20 minutes to get into Seoul. I was struck how quiet people were on the train...very different than a train in the USA. I transferred onto the subway and in another 20 minutes or so I was walking up the steps into the city. My goal was to visit Gyeongbokgung palace. From Wikipedia: Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it is located in northern Seoul, South Korea. The largest of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon dynasty, Gyeongbokgung served as the home of Kings of the Joseon dynasty, the Kings' households, as well as the government of Joseon.

Gyeongbokgung continued to serve as the main palace of the Joseon dynasty until the premises were destroyed by fire during the Imjin War (1592–1598) and abandoned for two centuries. However, in the 19th century, all of the palace's 7,700 rooms were later restored under the leadership of Prince Regent Heungseon during the reign of King Gojong. Some 500 buildings were restored on a site of over 40 hectares.^[1][2] The architectural principles of ancient Korea were incorporated into the tradition and appearance of the Joseon royal court.

In the early 20th century, much of the palace was systematically destroyed by Imperial Japan. Since then, the walled palace complex is gradually being restored to its original form. Today, the palace is arguably regarded as being the most beautiful and grandest of all five palaces. It also houses the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum within the premises of the complex.

                                                      

Terra Cotta Army from China

In March of 2018 I took my Mom to see the Qin Terra Cotta Army. It was at the Richmond Museum in Virginia USA.

Horse chariot and rider

This is from the Tomb of Qin Shi Huang...the first Emperor of China. He is credited for uniting the various states at that time into a unified country. I must say it was rather impressive. Each figure had a unique face and were all painted. Being buried for so long has of course removed much of the paint..but they are still amazing.

From Wikipedia: The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE with the purpose of protecting the emperor in his afterlife.

The figures, dating from approximately the late third century BCE, were discovered in 1974 by local farmers in Lintong County, outside Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. The figures vary in height according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots and horses. Estimates from 2007 were that the three pits containing the Terracotta Army held more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which remained buried in the pits near Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum. Other terracotta non-military figures were found in other pits, including officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians.

       Of course there was more than just soldiers.  Weapons, pots, precious metal utensils such as the wine flask to the left were also buried there.  I would have liked to have seen more of the soldiers, but I suppose its hard to ship all that terra cotta. All in all it was an impressive exhibit and one that my Mom and I enjoyed.