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Location Date Singapore 1489708800 Vietnam 
1489276800 South Korea 1484697600 Hong Kong 1462143600 China 1461798000 Taiwan 1461711600 United Arab Emirates 1441407600 Cambodia 1432162800 Mongolia 1370559600 Thailand 1367276400 -
Location Date Hanoi 1489276800 Mai Chau 1489276800 Pu Luong 1489190400 Ho Chi Minh City 1476918000 Ma Tho 1476918000 Hoi An 1476658800 Da Nang 1476572400 Vinh 1476486000 Ninh Binh 1476399600 Halong Bay 1476226800 Sapa 1476054000 Dalat 1463958000 Nha Trang 1463871600 M? Son 1463698800 Hue 1463353200 Dong Hoi 1463266800 Phong Nha 1463180400 Lao Cai 1463007600 T? Van 1462921200 Lai Chau 1462575600 Sai Gon 1431817200 Khe Sanh 1431039600 Con Tom 1431039600 An Duong 1431039600 Dong Ha 1430953200 C?a Lo 1430780400 B?m Son 1430694000 Th? Tr?n Thu?n Chau 1430434800 Dien Bien Phu 1430348400 Danang 1429743600 Tavan 1411340400 Phu Quoc
1393891200 Mekong Delta 1392163200 Quy Nhon 1368313200 Phan Thiet 1368226800 Ben Luc 1368140400 Vinh Long 1368054000
2014-03-14
Phu Quoc
Even if you don't know Vietnamese you can’t help but notice that the way they speak in the south a very different than the north although they speak the same language . In Hanoi they pronounce Phu Quoc as Fuh Kwok. In the south they say Fuhwock. Anyway I am on the island of Phu Quoc, The cold is long gone; here it is tropical and 30 degrees. I almost feel like I am at home.
Phu Quoc is claimed by Cambodia as their island. When you check a map and view its location it is easy to understand why. Cambodia maps call it Ko Tral, needless to say that the Vietnamese view this differently and to this end have built a substantially military base at the southern end of the island. The island is about 50 km long and tear shaped. The poor soil has ensured that this place is fairly pristine as most of the island is covered in very thick rain forest. Phu Quoc is not part of the Mekong delta as it is too far to the west (located west of the border of Vietnam and Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. The island’s income is derived from the fishing industry which is evident at the markets as you they seem to sell anything that can swim or crawl and comes from the sea. Various fish sauce factories scatter the island. Another source of income a substantial pearl industry and of course tourism
Today I rented a scooter and rode through the rain forest where the only industry seems to be the growing of pepper. Pencil shape trees produce the green berries which are laid to dry in the sun and slowly turn into the product we know and grind up in our pepper mills. Not much to it really.
I stopped to take some pictures. A man with a wrinkly face and as skinny as his hungry dog walked towards me and showed me a handful of peppercorns. They were still slightly green but once he rubbed his hands together instantly turned into a black colour when he blew away the green husks.
Most tourist head for the beaches, but as I live near the sea and we can go to the beach all year round it holds little interest for me; so I get an a motorcycle and ride the mountain tracks.
Phu Quoc
Even if you don't know Vietnamese you can’t help but notice that the way they speak in the south a very different than the north although they speak the same language . In Hanoi they pronounce Phu Quoc as Fuh Kwok. In the south they say Fuhwock. Anyway I am on the island of Phu Quoc, The cold is long gone; here it is tropical and 30 degrees. I almost feel like I am at home.
Phu Quoc is claimed by Cambodia as their island. When you check a map and view its location it is easy to understand why. Cambodia maps call it Ko Tral, needless to say that the Vietnamese view this differently and to this end have built a substantially military base at the southern end of the island. The island is about 50 km long and tear shaped. The poor soil has ensured that this place is fairly pristine as most of the island is covered in very thick rain forest. Phu Quoc is not part of the Mekong delta as it is too far to the west (located west of the border of Vietnam and Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. The island’s income is derived from the fishing industry which is evident at the markets as you they seem to sell anything that can swim or crawl and comes from the sea. Various fish sauce factories scatter the island. Another source of income a substantial pearl industry and of course tourism
Today I rented a scooter and rode through the rain forest where the only industry seems to be the growing of pepper. Pencil shape trees produce the green berries which are laid to dry in the sun and slowly turn into the product we know and grind up in our pepper mills. Not much to it really.
I stopped to take some pictures. A man with a wrinkly face and as skinny as his hungry dog walked towards me and showed me a handful of peppercorns. They were still slightly green but once he rubbed his hands together instantly turned into a black colour when he blew away the green husks.
Most tourist head for the beaches, but as I live near the sea and we can go to the beach all year round it holds little interest for me; so I get an a motorcycle and ride the mountain tracks.
- comments
Ted & Nga Wesselius Phu Quoc; we were there 2 years ago. We enjoyed the beach and the heat. Different from where Richard is dwelling around nowadays, we do NOT have that near our home ;-(
Mirjam Bros Hi Richard, leuk om zo je reis door Vietnam te volgen. Ben er ook geweest, aantal jaar geleden. Groetjes, Mirjam