Remote Lands

Day 14, Tokyo

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Saturday, March 19th, 2016

After a nice breakfast at the Aman Tokyo, we were off for more sightseeing! Everyone had always been raving about the Tsukiji Fish Market (one of the busiest fish markets in the world), and the tuna auctions there.  The market is open everyday except Sunday, so today would be our only real chance to see it!  The auctions start at ~5:30am, but only 120 people are allowed into this part each day.  People line up starting as early as 3am for this!  Of course, we elected to skip that part and just go visit the fish market.  The atmosphere can best be described as “frenetic”, with fish mongers yelling and using finger signs to communicate efficiently and electric fish carts whizzing by.  The sheer variety of the sea life there is incredible and I don’t think I had ever seen such large clams.  One thing our guide told us was that along with the large number of tourists came a host of issues and incidents, including one situation in which a still-drunk British tourist in his 20s decided that he wanted to hug a tuna at Hicho (an 8th generation, family-run 155 year old Maguro company) and then proceeded to drop it.  This tuna was reportedly valued at 2,000,000 Japanese yen (or somewhere in the vicinity of $20,000).  One other thing we explored were the stalls and shops in the Outer Market area, which was also very much abuzz with activity.  You can find everything from incredible knives (we got one), souvenirs, and treats here (our favorite, rolled omelette!).

After this, we went over to Ginza for a quick stop at the Sanrio store (which was huge), then on to the Akihabara district.  This now-modern area found its roots through the sale of basic electrical components from the period after World War 2 when people wanted to build their own radios.  Today, it is the center for video game, anime, and computer / electronic shops, as well as what are called “maid cafes”.  There are also several arcades here.  It’s incredible, because not having been to Tokyo before, my impression of the city had always been shaped by movies and I felt Akihabara best represented that view that had been formed, with the buzz of activity and the lights and some of the small, low-ceiling passageways.  What a cool place.

We then went to a bunny café (yes, this is a thing).  We were thinking of the owl café (yep, also a thing), but it was booked.  These places came up to address the need for affection, and bunnies / cats / owls fit that need.  We played with our new friends for a bit and then went to Kitchen Town to see all the fake display food for restaurant windows (so lifelike!) on our way to a demonstration by a couple of retired professional sumo wrestlers.

Sumo wrestling is a huge sport in Japan, and has been around for over a thousand years, with the first professional sumo wrestlers appearing during the Edo period (1600s).  This is sport steeped in centuries of Shinto tradition, and wrestlers follow a highly-regimented training program.  It’s very trying on their body and most retire by the time they’re 35.  The explanation of the importance of the sport and a demonstration of the rituals was very enlightening.  We even had some audience participation, with two of us (including Nick!) getting to… “wrestle” with the professionals!

Tonight also marked the last night our group would be together, and we had a wonderful cocktail reception (including a slideshow of Nick’s photos!) and sake dinner at the Aman.  This has been a wonderful group to go on this adventure with, Catherine Heald and the Remote Lands team did a great job planning the itinerary and executing on the whole trip. The experiences we gained and relationships we created were nothing we could have planned for or expected to happen. This trip will be one we will remember forever and look forward to our next adventure!! However, it’s not over just yet for us since we decided to stay an extra night in Tokyo. 🙂

Day 13: Tokyo

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Friday, March 18th, 2016

On Friday, we got an early start and our guide took us to the Imperial Palace, where the emperor / royal family still lives.  We then headed off to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) at a very traditional tea house that is one of the very few remaining freestanding tea houses and has been around for more than 60 years.  It was a very touching experience that was akin to a full performance, with such particular aesthetics, movement, gesture, and etiquette. We felt very lucky to experience this.

After this, we went on to see Omotesandō street, a tree-lined avenue famous for the multitude of fashion flagship stores and a showcase of architecture (for example, the LV store designed by Jun Aoki and intended to look like a bunch of LV trunks stacked on each other, the Prada building by Herzog & de Meuron, Tod’s, and many others).  Harajuku (where Omotesandō is located) is a huge shopping district and also the center of Japanese youth culture and fashion.  Another major street is Takeshita street, an extremely crowded and happening pedestrian-only thoroughfare that’s lined with small boutiques and a ton of cafes and restaurants.  Mostly catering to the youth demographic, we noted a lot of photosticker shops, crepe and cotton candy spots, and other leading indicators of Japanese cultural trends.

After that, we went off to our sword fighting lesson (kenjutsu)!  We got to wear the robe, and we learned tons about body positioning, how to hold the katana, and we finally graduated to the real, sharp katana which we used to do an overhead slice of bamboo rods.  It’s an incredible skill to have (and probably even more enjoyable once you have more experience) and undoubtedly takes years and years of practice!

We next went to the Meiji Shrine, constructed from 1915-1926 and built in the traditional nagare-zukuri style.  It’s located in a forest covered by a forest consisting of >100,000 trees which were donated by people from all parts of Japan back when the shrine was established.  Our guide then brought us to Shibuya crossing, the busiest crosswalk with supposedly more than 2,000 individuals each light change, and also the site of (supposedly) the busiest Starbucks in the world.  We also saw the statue of Hachikō the dog, who had always waited for his owner at the Shibuya train station, even for years after his death.

We went to New York bar at the top of the Park Hyatt (where that early scene in the movie Lost in Translation took place) for drinks, before heading to Sushi Zanmai in the Tsukiji Outer Market area for a sushi dinner which was EXCELLENT! We had to wait 20 minutes outside for a table and I think the only Americans there, yay.

Day 8: Cambodia

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Sunday afternoon, March 13th, 2016

Arriving back at the airport, we then boarded not our jet, but helicopters! I was a little nervous, but it was so much fun and a great way to see some of the more hard to get to temples (30 minute flight vs 3 hour drive!). Our flight path included views of a temple complex that was once the center of a large city, a waterfall, mountainous ruins, and various temples, even the temple we had dinner at the night before! Landing in the fields of a small village, it’s astonishing to find out that just a few years before, this area was filled with landmines. With the horrific recent history surrounding the Vietnam War, beyond the temples and ruins, visiting Cambodia is quite an emotional experience learning all that the people have gone through in the 1970’s and after. Everyone local we came across had some kind of story that they or their family endured during this time.

On a quite walk to Koh Ker, this temple was unlike any of the others we had seen yet as it was more of a step pyramid structure, with stairs that ran all the way up to the top. Our guide told us the reason for the steep steps up to the top is they are thought to be the “stairway to heaven”. Despite the heat (probably 95*F) we ran up to the top to catch views of the surrounding smaller temples that are now in ruins. It was hot, but we embraced it!

Before hopping back in the helicopter we visited one more temple in the area that the people would come to for fertility blessings. After our adventurous afternoon we made it back to Amansara for a light bite, swimming, and rest.

That night we ventured into Siem Reap for local Khmer food at Chanrey Tree, before headed to “Phare Ponleu Selepak”, a circus show of the people. It was a good night with a lot of fun where others in our Remote Lands group joined.

Day 7: Cambodia

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Saturday, March 13, 2016

We rose early with the goal of beating the heat and the crowds as we explored some of the temples (aka Wats) in the Great Capital of Angkor. Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from the 9th to 15th centuries. The temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand, ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the Angkor Wat, said to be the world’s largest single religious monument. Visitors approach two million annually making this a popular destination, and is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our first spot was enigmatic Bayon. Our knowledgeable guide went over the history of this temple, and we were able to thoroughly explore the ruins… it was great as there was practically no one else there besides us!

Next we moved onto Angkor Thom (Great City), which was an immense city and the capital of the Mahayan Buddhist King Jayavarman VII’s empire. The city is a square, with walls 8m tall and 3km long on each side, and surrounded by a moat. The Bayon (temples) mixes both Hindu and Buddhist iconography and its several terraces contain 54 towers with facades of stone faces.

After exploring the site, we then found a private temple off in the woods to enjoy some breakfast.

Getting back to the car, we then went further out to visit Banteay Srei, a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and nicknamed the “Citadel of Women”. A jewel-box of red sandstone, it is famed for its intimate size and the intricacy of its carvings.

After being a bit templed-out for the day, we changed up our day to see a different side of Cambodia’s culture, at a dance school! Ravynn Karet Coxen opened the Conservatoire of Aspara Dance as part of a humanitarian effort to deliver the essentials to the rural areas of Cambodia, including vaccinations, clean water, and education. A traditional dance was put on by the children along with a lotus blessing. I had no idea how much hard work, dedication, and stretching was required to master the traditional dance. These dancers of the Sacred Dancers of Angkor troupe, who train everyday for hours on end, were truly incredible, and in 2013 they (~30 dancers) had the opportunity to spend a month in four cities in the US (Boston, Washington D.C., New York, and Los Angeles), and it was touching to hear their stories. It was such a special way to spend the afternoon that everyone enjoyed. This was then followed by a traditional lunch (feast as I would call it) of lobster, fish, chicken, and much, much more! Once we returned to the hotel, we swam laps and then made it to the spa for some extra relaxation before dinner.

A special dinner was planned for us that night at Banteay Samre. It was fabulous and quite the event! We enjoyed gourmet Khmer cuisine on the grounds of the incredibly well-preserved temple, and were treated to a variety of performances, including traditional Cambodian dances.

Day 6: Cambodia

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Friday, March 11th, 2016

The next leg of our trip was to Siem Reap, otherwise known as the cultural capital, filled with incredible landscape and temples. Upon our arrival at the airport, we were picked up by Amansara’s fleet of vintage, classic 1960s Mercedes.

Amansara is at the threshold of Angkor Archaeological Park, containing the vast ruins of the largest pre-industrial urban settlement on Earth. The Amansara is the former guesthouse of King Sihanouk, so it has the charm and intimacy of a private home and is filled with jasmine flowers everywhere. The smell permeates the entire atmosphere, and is absolutely splendid. The Amansara was opened in 2002, keeping as much of it as it once was, but with the modern comforts and updates of Aman. Back in the 60s this is where Jacqueline Kennedy would stay, so it has always been the most fabulous place in Siem Reap, and I’m sure Angelina Jolie would agree. We had a beautiful room, with a great layout and highly attractive design, and fish pond and our own private pool.

With a few hours of afternoon left, we grabbed our remork (Cambodian tuk tuk) driver and hit the downtown. We buzzed around and saw local crafts being made. It was impressive to see all of the stone carvings being made by hand.

Stopping off in Kandal Village, we went through many great shops. It appears that this is the upsale shopping district in the old French quarter where many expats have opened up businesses. We especially liked the Little Red Fox Espresso (I had a lemongrass-ginger iced coffee which was the BEST ever!), but when the power blew out in this area (and probably many other areas) of Siem Reap due to excessive heat (we arrived during a heat wave) and also infrastructure upgrade projects, we bolted back to the Amansara to enjoy the pool and some air con.

After freshening up we were out that night for a party that was hosted by a haute couture Malagasy designer, Eric Raisina. We had a lot of fun, met many ex-pats who were friends with Catherine and our other local Aman friend, Sally, and it also included a fashion show! Nick and I both left with some pieces as a nice souvenir and headed back to the Amansara for a nice dinner.

Day 5: Laos

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Thursday, March 10, 2016

We rose early and met up with our guide to see more of Luang Prabang. We started at the morning market which was mostly vegetables and meat – with a lot of live animals as well!!  Ducks, chickens, frogs, snails, moles, and raccoons were just some of what we saw!! Even a small owl!

From there we visited the Royal Palace, built in 1904 by the 42nd king of Laos.  When the monarchy was evicted from the country, the new government converted the palace into a museum, and in it were housed many artifacts from the royalty, including thrones, garments, furniture, accessories, and a garage filled with old heritage cars (including a Citroen, Edsel, Lincolns, and a Toyota FJ). Unfortunately no photography was allowed.  After the palace, we hiked up 328 steps to the top of Wat Phousi Hill, which is what it sounds like, a temple on the top of a hill. The views all across Luang Prabang were magnificent! We then hiked down and did some shopping in the boutiques on the way back to Amantaka. Including walking across a bridge made of bamboo! Scary thing to know, this gets washed away and rebuilt each monsoon season!

At 1:00pm we then boarded a river boat for a cruise along the river to the Pa Ou Caves. It was a relaxing 2 hour excursion upstream and we also stopped off at a small nearby village where we tried the local whiskey – $#^&*@! (our reaction to it). Women were weaving beautiful tapestries, something Laos is known for. Once we climbed into the caves, we were overwhelmed by the thousands of statues of Buddha! Because an image of the Buddha cannot be destroyed, for hundreds of years Laos’ damaged Buddhas have been sent to these caves, so these caves held these centuries of retired Buddhas!

That evening we ventured out of the hotel and found a great restaurant with proper Lao cuisine, which surprisingly, are hard to find. There is a strong French influence in Luang Prabang – baguettes and pastries are excellent here – but the local food isn’t as popular with tourists. Tamarind, the restaurant we went to was opened to help showcase Lao food and also has a cooking school! Our server was excellent and helped us to order a good spread of food, and even taught us the best way to eat – with your hands. I loved it! Sticky rice is used to scoop up your food and is used in place of utensils. Thai cuisine would be the most similar, but some main differences would be the sticky rice found in Laos, and dishes that are not as brothy but instead thicker so that you can use the rice to scoop up the food. Chopsticks are only used for noodle dishes, which generally aren’t as popular in Laos.

After dinner we walked back to Amantaka, stopping at the night market to see all of the trinkets the locals were selling.

On our last morning, we woke early and got out onto the streets where just the night before we had been for the night market.  At the crack of dawn was the alms giving to the monks of Luang Prabang, who in their rich saffron-colored robes and number in the hundreds, make their way through the city on this centuries-old ritual.  The procession of monks passed by quickly, stopping at each of the kneeling alms-givers to put a dollop of sticky rice into their bowls.  All of this was done in silence, interrupted only by the noises of several tourists…  Now, for the most part, tourists were well-behaved.  However, there were several exceptions to this, with certain individuals elbowing their way in and being generally obnoxious.  If you’re going to watch, watch from a distance (bring a zoom lens), and don’t be disrespectful to the monks.  Nevertheless, this was a highly moving experience to watch a ritual that has such a deep, rich history.

Days 3&4: Laos

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Wednesday, March 9th, 2016

We left Vietnam in the morning and flew to Luang Prabang, Laos. It was one of our fellow travelers birthdays, so we had cake on the plane to celebrate!

We’re staying at Amantaka, which is set up on a garden estate that was a former hospital and now a beautiful colonial hotel, reflecting the town’s French colonial history. The scent of lemongrass surrounds the Amantaka, a smell that will continue to remind me of this special place long after we are gone. It also works as a great natural bug repellent, which is a life saver out here. Luang Prabang is a picturesque town on the banks of the Mekong River, and is the home of the former Royal Palace and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, helping to keep the culture alive.

Upon arrival we grabbed some bicycles and went out with a guide to explore Luang Prabang.  Biking through the narrow streets of Luang Prabang is definitely an experience, as there are no traffic lights and it’s a “hope for the best” affair.  Our first stop was the Wat Xieng Thong (Temple of the Golden City), the first and still one of the most important of the Lao monasteries.  It was constructed in 1559, and sits near where the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers meet.  The brilliant decorations and stunning colors of this UNESCO site definitely stood out, and it was fascinating hearing the history of the kings and monks of this sanctuary.

After that, we stopped at several places near the Mekong and also in the shopping districts, with our guide pointing out several of the best restaurants, shopping sites for locally-produced goods (such as textiles and other souvenirs) and a great spot for massages.

We made our way back to Amantaka to prepare for the evening festivities. Our guide for the evening was Prince Tiao Nithakong Somsanith (“Nith”), who went over the history of Laos, and interesting stories of his life and family. He also oversaw a traditional Baci ceremony which we were able to participate in, followed by a presentation of a few traditional dances and then dinner. One of the interesting points we learned was that while UNESCO preserves these sites, it is up to people like him to help preserve the culture and traditions of the local peoples.

Days 1&2: Vietnam

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March 6th + 7th, 2016

Dubai quickly came to an end when we woke up in Bangkok to begin the rest of our trip. I would not recommend taking a red eye, especially when your days and hours are all mixed up from international travel – however we had to maximize the time we had. We were shuttled off to the private jet terminal where we would meet the rest of our group to travel throughout Southeast Asia. There are 16 of us total (8 couples: 4 from the States, 2 from Europe, 4 friends from China) along with our guide and founder of the travel group (Remote Lands – who also did our Honeymoon to the Maldives!) Catherine. The itinerary is 15 days of touring Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, and Tokyo by means of private jet (Gulfstream G200). We will be traveling to Aman properties in each country, so it really is a special itinerary.

With lots of time to play who’s who in the lounge before take off, it looks to be a great group of very friendly couples who love to travel. As we split up between the two jets, we were able to chat more with some of the couples on the 1.5 hour flight over to Vietnam, with lots of Champagne – of course! Finally arriving at our first property, the Amanoi in Vĩnh Hy, Vietnam, we knew we had arrived at paradise. The property was very zen-like, with an emphasis on wellness and relaxation. Our room was spectacular and setup just how I like it – very open with 360° views to the outside, very open walls.

We then made our way to the restaurant, which had magnificent views out to the ocean, for some traditional tea and snacks (Vietnamese green tea, Vietnamese rice pancakes, VERY fresh fruit… and cream puffs – Nick’s favorite). Having some time to kill before dinner we wandered over to the spa for a great couples massage.

 

For our first night, there was a welcome cocktails and dinner out at the Cliff Pool, a great infinity pool that overlooks the sea. It was a beautiful location, tasty food was served, and the lights of the fishing boats lit up the ocean. The food kept coming and drinks were flowing – it was a wonderful night and a great way to start off our trip and gave a taste of what Vietnam has to offer!

Waking up on Monday, we enjoyed yoga with some of the other guests before breakfast and then a day at the beach. Nick went out on the Hobie Cat a few times, we snorkeled, tried stand up paddle boarding (for the first time!), and did lots of swimming. What a great day!

Once the sun set, we headed down to the beach where a BBQ was set up for dinner. The location of where we are staying in is a National Park that is right next to a fishing village, meaning all of the seafood we had was fresh caught and so good!! At about 4:00pm we can see all of the boats heading out to throw their nets and catch all the fish they can before sunrise.