A fun and surprising blog about the top 10 interesting things we found out while travelling Vietnam Cambodia and Laos. So without further ado:
1 Nixon outright denied that U.S. Troops were involved in a war in Laos when in reality they were on the ground fighting in Laos. For realsies.
Nixon explaining how where troops are. Definately not in Laos…of course. (Thanks to Wikipedia for photo)
2 In Vietnam it is legal number of people allowed on a scooter is 5, as long as the driver has a helmet. And then you can fit almost anything on the back of a scooter – legally. We saw a full sized fridge, a cow, two full grown pigs and even baskets of chickens.
Not my pic but this is what we saw on the highway… (Credit: the interwebs)
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Yep saw this too (Credit: Interwebs)
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UXO removal is still being practiced today. (Credit: UXO Laos)
3. Although the death toll in Laos from unexplored ordinances (UXO’s) is fairly low, the economic consequences of not being able to use the land as farmland and the injuries to farmers, is a big problem.
Map of areas still affected by UXO’s (Credit: UXO Laos)
4 Fish sauce production smell so bad it’s illegal to make it in your home!
Don’t believe me? You can pass a factory and smell it miles away. (Credit: Wikipedia)
It was the best coffee in the wo-o-rld!
5 Vietnamese are coffee aficionados, on par with Sydney, London and Italian coffee drinkers.
I had the best coffee in my life here. See above.
Vietnamese are also great coffee experimenters with weasel coffee, egg coffee, iced coffee with condensed milk, and frozen yoghurt coffee.
Egg coffee – not quite to my taste. Froth is made with beaten egg.
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Frozen Yoghurt Coffee – yes please! Totally more-ish
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Weasel coffee – dark and bitter and made from weasel poo…hmm. Did I mention it is freakishly expensive?
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6 Almost a third of the Cambodian population was killed during the communist regime of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge.
7 It’s illegal for foreigners to have relations with Laos women.
Greg shows why.
8 Families who want to educate their sons, but perhaps dont have the money for it will send them to be monks at the temple for a few years. They get free education, accommodation, food and when they get older they can choose to leave or stay on. This happens throughout Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos and helps provide for the children.
Some of the boys I met who were visiting Angkor Wat for the first time.
9 Beer Laos is the officially the coolest beer in the world with an Instagram account and a fantastic motto: “Beer of the whole hearted people”
(Plus they liked my pic!)
It is also hailed as the best tasting South East Asian beer. Even Vietnam and Cambodia import it over.
AND
For the final surprising and interesting fact we realised…..
DRUM ROLL…..
10 Stuffed frogs are delicious!! We tried them at a market in Cambodia (dont worry caught fresh that morning!) Organic, freshly roasted and stuffed with mince, we were both completely surprised to ask for more! Go on, I dare you to say I’m wrong. Go and try these at Phsar Lieu a market just outside of in Siem Reap central city.Click here for more!
oh yum!
That’s it for South East Asia – next post we travel to Japan! Old friends, new friends and wonderful wonderful Japanese hospitality and cleanliness! Cannot wait!
xx
