Kingdom of Cambodia

After a few hot and humid days in Ho Chi Minh City, I hopped on a bus to Phnom Penh, the capital city of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Phnom Penh is about 6 or 7 hours from Ho Chi Minh City by bus depending on traffic and how long it takes at the border crossing. At the Cambodian border, we were greeted with warm welcoming smiles from the guards. We paid a $25 US visa fee that's good for 30 days. The bus driver handled all of the paperwork for the passengers. Easy crossing!

Phnom Penh is situated on the Mekong river and several small farming villages surround the city. Ox drawn plows can be seen working in the rice fields. The bus dropped us off at the bus station near the central market and immediately we were surrounded by tuk tuk drivers offering a ride $3 dollars. It was chaotic, but most of the drivers speak enough English that we could negotiate with them.

I stayed at the Kha Vi Guest house near the Royal Palace. The area was great and the staff very friendly, but the room was old and grimy. I would have changed hostels, but the surrounding hostels were full for the night. Tuk tuk drivers hung out in the common area and were constantly asking if I wanted a ride in their tuk tuk, which got a little annoying after a couple of days.

One of the tuk tuk drivers took me around the city for $15 for the entire day. My first stop was the Royal Palace which had magnificent gardens and brilliantly colored buildings. The architecture was beautiful and the inside was decadently appointed with elaborate statues. It's a magical place. Then a quick stop at the Russian market to buy a bag and have lunch. After lunch, I visited the Tuol Sleng Museum better known at S-21. In 1975, Tuol Svay Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot's (leader of Khmer Rouge) security forces and turned it into a prison known as Security Prison 21 (S-21). It became the largest center of detention and torture in the country. Between 1975 and 1978 more than 17,000 people held at S-21were taken to the killing field of Choeung Ek.

Walking through the school yard was a surreal experience. Knowing that many had suffered there only 30 years before brought chills to my skin. Women and children were killed along with their husband. The leaders of the Khmer Rouge wanted to destroy the entire family because they were afraid of retribution from the family. Many of the babies that were killed by the Khmer Rouge would be my age today. Chilling!

After the museum, I was taken to the killing fields. Between 1.7 and 2.5 million people (almost one third of the Cambodian population) were murdered in the killing fields throughout Cambodia. Many of the mass graves have been excavated and a memorial was built to honor the dead; however, as I walked through the fields, there were still pieces of bone, teeth, and clothing that remained in the ground that I passed over. According to the guide, the Chinese supplied the Khmer Rouge with weapons and taught them brutal methods for interrogation. During the Vietnam war, the Americans were also in Cambodia and were supplying the Khmer Rouge with weapons indirectly through Thailand. Finally, in 2010, just last year, the leaders of the Khmer Rouge were sentenced to jail terms, but some Cambodians were outraged at the leniency of the sentencing.

Despite the atrocious period in Cambodia, many of the people I met and interacted with were warm and friendly. Every where I went, the locals smiled and invited me to share food and drinks with them. Next, I will visit the ancient temples at Angkor near Siem Reap. I can't wait!

Mt. Fuji

Summitted Mt. Fuji in the early morning of July 24, 2011 with my uncle and cousin. Started at the 5th station at 4pm on July 23, 2011 and arrived at the 8th station shelter for the night at 8pm. We stopped at each station for a few minutes to rest and have a drink. There are vending machines at every station and the price of water increases by 100 yen at every other station as you go up, so by the time you summit, a bottle of water costs 500 yen. We watched the sunrise at 4:30 AM before starting for the summit. The view was spectacular from the top!!!

Over 40 days of rain in a row and very few appearences by the sun! I love Portland, but this year was the rainiest spring in over 30 years. I was longing for some sun! Solution - isotonic vitamin D supplements that my ex-roomie Cheri sold me through her new business with Market America and a road trip through sunny California to the Gulf Coast. My journey started in late spring 2011 as the rains were letting up (although I hear it's still raining in Portland). I decided to take my time and drive highway 101 through Oregon and California. It's way more scenic than I5 and you don't have to pass the stinch of the meat packing plant between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Oregon to Northern California

Highway 101 winds down the Oregon coast with beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. Monolith rocks jet out of the ocean all along the coast of Oregon and Northern California. One of my favorite places to stop for a bowl of clam chowder is Moe's Seafood. There you can feast on some fresh Pacific seafood and watch the waves crash onto the rocky shores of Cannon beach. My first night I was planning to camp on the beach in Northern California, but the state parks were closed for the season and the smaller camp sites were full. Plus, I bought a new tent for the trip and didn't know how to put it together in the dark. So, I got a cheap hotel room in a small town off of highway 101.

Northern California to San Francisco

Highway 101 starts to veer inland in Northern California curving through the coastal mountains and the red wood forest. Driving through the red wood forest takes my breath away. The forest has some of the largest and oldest trees in the world. Some are over 2000 years old and big enough to drive through. After being in the presence of those trees, you can definitely call me a tree hugger - amazing. Before finally arriving in SF, I had to have my In-and-Out burger fix and french fries animal style.

San Francisco Bay Area

As the red painted steel of the Golden Gate bridge spanned across the bay comes into view, I know I have arrived in one of my favorite areas in the world. I love the beautiful victorian architecture throughout most of SF, the stunning views of the bay and the Pacific Ocean, the diverse culture of the area, the local and international cuisine, and of course the wine. My first night in SF, I celebrated my birthday with friends at Le Colonial, a French-Vietnamese restaurant. Everything we had was absolutely delicious, but the highlight for me was the ThitKhoChien which is twice cooked pork belly with pickled bokchoy, Hosui pear, and quail egg with savory caramel and truffle oil. My trip to the bay area wouldn't be complete without a tour of wine country. So, my friend Mica and I hopped in my car and drove along the picturesque highways of Napa and Sonoma Valley stopping every once in while at a winery we fancied. Our first stop was at the Jacuzzi winery for a free tasting. There we noted a nice 2007 Pinot Noir. At Castello Di Amarosa we sampled several red wine varietals in the cellar of a medival stone castle. Merryvale was our final winery of the day where the atmosphere was casual and the 2008 Chardonnay was rich, round, and seamless. On our way back to the city, we stopped at the Culinary Institute of America for a delightful dinner created by new chefs in the making.

San Francisco to Southern California

Highway 101 continues to weave through the coastal mountains en route to Los Angeles. The first touch of the coast is Pismo beach where I stopped for lunch at the Spalsh Cafe where locals and visitors alike line up for a bowl of award winning clam chowder. Yes, I like to try out all the yummy clam chowder the coast has to offer. After a few miles, it's back wondering through the mountains. The valley of Santa Barbara County offers some beautiful spots for wine tasting, but I arrived past closing time - next trip. A few hours later, I arrive in Santa Barbara a couple of hours north of Los Angeles where 101 continues along the coast to the land of Hollywood. I stop just long enough to take pictures of the Mission Santa Barbara the "Queen of the Missions" and admire the spanish tiles atop almost every structure in the city. I arrive in west L.A. just in time for dinner with friends.

Southern California to Arizona

From L.A., I leave historic highway 101 and head east on I10. Before leaving Cali, I stop to get one last fix at In-and-Out Burger; although, I did spot one just off the highway in Arizona close to the border. The lush green hills soon turn into dusty red rock and the temperature rises at least 10 degrees. After eight hours of driving the hot desert road, I stop a few hours from the boarder of New Mexico in the small town of Willcox and find a cheap hotel room. The next morning, I awoke as the sun was rising and drove to the Chiricahua National Monument for a quick hike through a "wonderland of rocks". I was the first visitor to arrive, so I had the entire park to myself - tranquillity.

Arizona to Louisiana

After leaving Arizona, I was on a mission to make it to Louisiana as quick as possible, but I still had atleast 18 hours of driving ahead of me. My first stop was Las Cruzes, New Mexico, the land of Billy the Kid and pecan farms. I grabbed a quick taco and filled up on gas. The 500 miles stretch of highway between El Paso and San Antonio offers amazing views of desert plateaus, but it is lacking in places to stop for gas. One hour after passing the town of Fort Stockton with a quarter tank of gas, I was praying for a gas station with a toilet. The 80 mph speed limit was a god send through the land of nothing, but it was hell on my gas mileage. Soon, I found myself with my gas meter on empty and a bladder ready to explode with absolutely no town for atleast another 50 miles. There is a God! A few minutes later, I spotted a single solitary gas station on the side of the road. No town, no rest stop, nothing but a gas pump with jacked up prices for those who aren't aware that the next town of Ozona is over 100 miles away. At midnight, I made it to Austin and stayed just long enough to enjoy a sausage and egg scrambble the next morning. Thanks Sean - love ya! After 10 days, 48 hours of driving through 6 states, I finally arrive in my hometown of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Laissez les bon temps rouler! My next stop is Tegucigalpa, Honduras.