While Everything was Popping Around

As every year now, for Chinese New Year we took off to avoid the major party that takes over Beijing. Yeah, we love the sparkling, noisy, crowded experience of the city under the New Year frenzy - but after a bit of rest somewhere else. So while everything was popping around Beijing, we took off to warmer destination.
This year we courageously decided to get out of the usual beach holiday, and went on a small tour of South-East Asia in 12 days. Hanoi (Vietnam), Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Luang Prabang (Laos) with a few more days in Hanoi to complete our tour. We went with our great Israeli friends and their kids, which made the trip an even more memorable one.
Hanoi was a wonderful reconnection to an Asia I was looking for (and never found) when we were first landing in Beijing a few years ago : scooter and bicycle herds, pointy hats, street vendors, mess. With its little narrow houses that rise side by side along busy streets, development that seems to be going unplanned, it was surprising and lovely.  At the end of our tour we stayed with a couple of our friends, who introduced us to some of the best restaurants in town.








Siem Reap was wonderful for all the temples it has to offer. In the middle of the jungle, the city is there only because of them, and of the millions of tourists that come visit it. And still, there is a cool vibe to the markets and streets of the city. There is real magic, elegance and wealth of craftsmanship to these temples. Their splendor granted them a title as World Heritage Site by Unesco. Angkor Wat, the largest and richest of all, Angkor Thom, amazing with its massive smiling faces, Bayon, where the trees overtook the stone; were the major temples we visited, but we could have spent a week to visit the hundred other sites around the city. Noam and Noay loved playing Indiana Jones among the ruins. On our first night, I got my feet tickled by those little fish. One night we found a great French restaurant with hanging orchids all over the terrace, and great steak tartare (obviously not a local dish). We visited a floating village, toured a craftsman factory, the local museum and a museum to the war.







Luang Prabang was as wonderful, in a different way. An old colonial town set along the Mekong, it as beautiful as quaint. Listed as a Unesco Heritage city, it existence is mainly for tourist, but despite that it is vibrant and lovely. We took a tour on the river, hiked to a waterfall, and visited some local villages. We would have needed more time to enjoy all the little secrets of this city - and I hope to return.








For the curious ones, more photos can be found here...