Thorn Tree

I see these around the place, not so many of them in towns but there's one near my flat. They are not the trees to lean against or do anything else against for that matter.

I haven't found out the correct name for this yet so for the moment it's the Ouch Tree.

Cambodia, light tourism

Following the rather serious last post I felt the need to return to what this is all about; pictures of things I like.

Here's an elephant. Who doesn't like elephants? This one works at a local park taking people for short rides, some time after 3pm she has a wander down the main riverside road stopping off for snacks.



The first time I saw her I made two assumptions, first that her mahout was getting money from people for posing with the elephant for pictures, he wasn't, he just wandered along beside her. Second I guessed she was getting fruit trimmings, wrong again, she got nicely arranged trays of fresh fruit including whole sliced pineapples. She looks in very good condition, it can't be too bad a life.

A tree decorated for Valentine's Day from the kind people at Coca Cola. I love you, may your teeth rot.





This dog knows it looks silly.



It looked even more long suffering the day before in a pink frilly blouse.

Barber Surgeon



The face mask, while adding a nice hygienic touch, was necessary, this is a very busy road just over the wall from the local crematorium.

An ox cart hauling pottery kitchen goods, a nice touch of the countryside in the city.



Meaty snacks:



I'm guessing cockroach but to my shame I didn't try them, a Cambodian girl told me that spiders tasted better anyway and they didn't have any on this stall.

Nha Trang

It's been a few weeks since I updated this and my reader will be fed up with pictures of Laos by now so here's some pictures of our latest jaunt to Nha Trang.



It's a seaside town (can you tell?) about an hour away from Saigon by air and six by train. There are a few high end spa hotels and loads of very cheap and clean minihotels. Ours cost £3.50 per person and came with air conditioning, shower, clean sheets a well stocked minibar and safety advice.



I like to follow instructions in hotel rooms but was a little stumped by the trafficking one, however I kept my bling to a minimum and came to no harm.



Streetside and beachside the atmosphere is relaxed, the vendors are friendly without being too pushy and the usual Vietnamese habit of living life on the street prevails.



He was loud, she was having none of it.

Culturally and historically the Cham Towers are worth a visit.

The accoustics are incredible and the view over Nha Trang is worth seeing.


The man on the left of this photograph struck the bowl gong a few times and three minutes later the sound was still reverberating.

No holiday is complete without a dose of kitsch and I found plenty.

Topiary of course, always a welcome art form. Nothing nicer than taking a tree and making it look completely unnatural.


Vinpearl Island is kitsch central. Arrive by cable car or ferry and you can ...



Enter Exotica Discoteque under the oxter of a giant mermaid.



Feed the penguins. There are scores of these things all over the resort. I felt bad stubbing a cigarette out in it's gaping maw but there was sand there for the purpose.

I struck lucky though, in preparation for Tet I saw thirteen men in a tree.


Ripping off the real leaves and replacing them with Tet appropriate yellow blossoms.

They seemed happy in their work.



Vinpearl is an odd place, almost deserted, completely artificial, unnaturally clean and slightly unsettling. If ever they make a Vietnamese version of The Prisoner they should set it here.