Michelle's Travels: Good bye Vietnam and Hello Cambodia

This is my first post, and I am still learning how to operate this blog - so I apologize in advance if it is basic.

My trip started in Vietnam with a family visit to Saigon and Long Xuyen. I had an amazing time with the family and was sad to leave, but also eager to venture off to unknown territories. I also had a hard time leaving my uncle's two little chihuahua puppies. If I could have packed them in my backpack I would have taken them along.

Here is a picture of these guys with my uncle. We went on a boat ride in My Tho in the Mekong Delta. It was nice ride and the puppies really enjoyed themselves as well.

Saigon has continued to grow and thrive. Anything you can think of you can find in Saigon. There are so many expats currently living and working in Saigon. Although the standard of living has definitely improved for the Vietnamese people, there appears to being a growing disparity between wealth and poor. Saigon is definitely a fun city if you have money. My friend Lyndon put me in touch with an expat living in Vietnam. Calvin, is a Chinese-Vietnamese-American who has lived and worked in Saigon for the past 4 1/2 years doing real estate. He took me out one night to a bar and a night club. At the bar they had a Vietnamese band singing American music. The best part is that the Vietnamese can barely speak English, but when they sing you can barely hear an accent. I tried to upload a video of the Vietnamese guy singing John Denver's "Country Road" (I think that is the artist and the song title), but it wouldn't work so you will have to take my word for it. It was great. Then we walked over to a Vietnamese nightclub. I thought I was walking into an American nightclub with girls and boys wearing the latest fashions and dos. For awhile I forgot I was in Vietnam until we walked out of the club and I heard Vietnamese being spoken in the street.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia has been an amazing place to visit. The people have been really great and friendly. There are all sorts of businesses set up to help street kids or orphans, whether it be dining for a cause or shopping for a cause. It really makes you feel good when you not only get a great meal, but you see these kids being trained for jobs to help them help themselves. Tonight at the recommendation of a former partner from my former law firm (Neil Weinstein) myself and a friend I met at the border ate at Ramdun (I think it was called). The service staff was great. Many of the kids working there were former street kids who are getting training in the service industry.

There is so much to write, but I am tired as I have been out all day. Also, the internet connection is very slow and it takes forever to upload a few photos. I thought I would have more time to write about my trip, but I am too busy experiencing it :) However, I am attaching a few photos. I hope I get more time in Thailand.