After some great Table Tennis in Saigon and Sa Dec Vietnam, Charley and I were having trouble finding online information about Table Tennis in Thailand. Luckily our excellent host at the Feung Nakorn Hotel knew that a bunch of Bangkok guys played in the park right across from the hotel. This is the park near the Wat Po Temple of the Reclining Buddah. The folks were very friendly after they saw we could play well, and we had a great time over the next few days playing over a dozen people at the Bangkok park. Although the tables are excellent quality, the conditions are not exactly the greatest – big bright lights on uneven concrete outside.

Pattaya: We’re now at the beach in Pattaya and despite a few online leads the only thing I found was a two table setup at the Fairtex Sports Complex which is near the “dolphin turnaround” at the north end of Pattya Beach Road. There are two nice tables but no “club” meets there, and the cost is 200-250 bhat per hour which is kind of expensive (about $7 per hour). We did not play there. I could not find the “Ping Pong Beer Bar” over at Jomtien beach today – that’s the beach area south of Pattaya Beach, and I don’t think they have tables anyway – it’s just a name.

Charley’s Vietnam Through Feb 6 lunch 136

Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

This is a picture from early in the trip, where Hai’s teacher set us up to play with the Sa Dec Vietnam Table Tennis Club in their excellent new area. During Tet they usually would not play much but opened on our behalf and we all had a fun time. I’ve really been struck by how quickly the folks in Vietnam would warm up to us and treat us like family. At our hotel in Saigon we enjoyed the honor of eating with our hotel host’s family for Tet dinner – a wonderful spread of many delicious traditional foods and toasts with cognac. Food and friends are a cornerstone of Vietnamese culture and we’ve been fortunate to experience that at many levels during out travels in Vietnam.

We are now in Bangkok where we have found a lot of new pong friends in the park near our hotel, and the food is nothing short of amazing and everywhere. More on that later…

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

A tragic boat accident happened yesterday at Halong Bay only a few days after our visit. Twelve died when a boat sunk – one very similar to the one we slept in at Halong.

Standards will have to change as Vietnam upgrades tourism infrastructure to meet what should be a growing demand to see a great country.

Hanoi to Hue, Vietnam

Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Hue, Vietnam Pagodas are getting smaller every day

Halong Bay or Hue, Vietnam

Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

This was one of the most impressive architectural monuments we’ve seen so far, though it was amazing how much decay has set in since construction in 1925?

Hanoi Vietnam – Imperial Citadel UNESCO World Heritage Site

Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

This is the central portion of Hanoi’s Imperial Palace. Closed but they let us in so we have great pictures of an empty palace. The tour does not include this for reasons I do not understand — it’s one of Vietnam’s top historical treasures. (We went off tour today).

Instead, we’ll visit the Mausoleum where Ho Chi Minh rests in peace.

Then on to Danang, Phong Nha National Park, and Hue for more great history, then Hoi An which is often the favorite destination of foreigners,

Hanoi Vietnam – Imperial Citadel UNESCO World Heritage Site

Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Hangin’ in Hanoi at the Imperial Citadel, Hanoi Flag Tower. Even though we arrived during the closed hours of 11:30 to 1:00pm the guy let us in, which I really appreciated. This is Vietnam’s “Forbidden City” where the early Emperors ruled the roost with their iron fist.

Hanoi is colder than Saigon both in temperature (60s vs 80s) and temperament (few smiles here)

Hanoi Airport to Halong Bay Feb 12 172

Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

halong bay cave system

Charley’s Vietnam Through Feb 6 lunch 053

Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

I’m posting more at http://www.TravelandHistory.com but wanted to check in here as well. Trip going very well so far thanks to our great friend Hai who has taken us from Saigon to Sa Dec and back again where we have been playing table tennis, meeting great people, and enjoying some of the best food I’ve ever had.

This is a dish from a very popular but traditional upscale place in Saigon and I’m not even sure what it was – I think a rice pancake with shrimp, served with snappy fresh greens as are so many dishes here.

Ironically it seems the less we spend the better the food tastes. We’ve now eaten at three sort of middle class upscale places and all were good but not as delicious as the streetside cafes which are everywhere here. (At least to my taste they are more delicious, but I think even Vietnamese might agree, preferring the expensive places more to be seen and to hang out with friends and drink.

Yesterday we started with grilled bbq pork for breakfast which was outstanding, then we struggled a bit to find the very famous “Lunch Lady” / Soup Lady of Saigon – a gastronomic celebrity of sorts after her appearance on Tony Bordain’s Travel Channel food show. Our lunch was well worth the walk and the $2 price tag – a delicious thai style seafood soup with shrimp spring rolls.

Saigon 134

Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon is home to some of the best soup in the world. Here at Pho Le we enjoyed some really good Pho along with the owners shouting at each other and staff as the patrons swirled in and out off the street. Piles of basil, sprouts were on the shared tables. About $2 for a huge breakfast bowl.

The people of Saigon have been very welcoming and friendly. The press of humanity is both exhausting and fun in this city of about ten million, spread over many miles of tiny shops, restaurants, and busy streets flowing over with scooters, taxis, and people.