2/23/13
Planes, trains and automobiles. We've done it all! Currently with my 3 bunkmates on a 14 hr. overnight train to the smaller Vietnamese city of Hue. We are living the life with pallets, a pillow and cover, 2 beds on each side with a little table in the middle stacked with chips, fresh fruit from the market and sweets. Ate a Vietnamese sandwich I brought from the train station as the food on the train consists of an instant bowl of noodles, some sort of grilled meats and/or almost full-grown chicks broken out of their shell for consumption-beak, feathers, bones and all. Quite the little snack around here. Did enjoy a couple of the local beers hoping sleep doesn't evade me too much on this trek!
Left Ha Long Bay this am around 9:30 for a 4 hr. bus ride back to Hanoi to catch our train. Scenery, again, fascinating. Mountains, bright green rice fields, farmers in their familiar pointed basket hats, and smaller towns with the modest store or food stall fronts with the narrow homes reaching high above. Land is expensive, so they build up. I read today most Vietnamese live in the rural parts and agriculture is the main way to make a living. Urban dwellers may make $100/month while many people will live on less than $1per day. Pretty amazing to witness this way of life. I, with some pals, walked through the 11 other cars to reach car one to get a coffee or tea. No such luck! After passing through cars with wooden crowded benches, iron-grid open windows, sacks of all kinds of cargo coming on and off the train with our stops, we realized we pretty much were in first class; and the dining car only had serious looking men in uniform sharing beers, some smoking. There was no coffee or tea to be had. This ride is much more barebones than our prior ride to Chiang Mi and definitely a cultural experience that I have been so glad to witness.
I believe I last left off at Vientiane, Laos, the capital city. (No Internet at the moment;). Had only a day there, and a somewhat nondescript place, so don't have much to say about it. We said goodbye to our tour guide Andrew as we were getting ready to converge with another group and leader. Before departing he did set us up on a songtheaw (pickup truck taxi) tour of the Patuxai (big French-looking structure made of concrete where you went to the top to get great city views) and Phra That Luang-temple with neon colored murals covering the ceiling. Also went to COPE which is a non-profit organization that raises funds for people affected by left over cluster bombs that are buried and can still explode from the Indochina war. They focus on prosthetic limbs, but also provide PT, OT, correction of babies with club feet, etc. Sad to learn of all of this, but was glad to be there to help the cause. (Please google it and check it out if you'd like to help!;). Afterward I went with Sally and Julia for another traditional Laos massage, this time a place recommended by our hotel. It seemed very local with men sitting around a table laughing and singing watching pool on TV. Pretty young women working the bar. Young girls in matching T-shirts w/ the name of the place screen printed on them (really the most professional joint we have been to thus far!) showed up and washed our feet before taking us back. It was the strongest massage we have all had! These gals were really digging down into the muscles, fascia, trigger points, popping/cracking fingers and back, squeezing the neck, stretching the hamies, wow! We definitely got a work out.
That night met our new leader, Matthew, a 34 yr. old French-Canadian who owns a home in Ho Chi Minh city and studied Mandarin in China for several years. He loves this part of the world and is very knowledgable. He's more confident and helpful than our last tour guide, and much more playful which is a refreshing change. He makes us all laugh and is teaching us some Vietnamese. He took us to a local big open air food stall where swimming and BBQed fish were out front and women were cooking in plane site in the back. Enjoyed spring rolls and red curry. Hit the night market along the Mekong, bought a piece of art (gold Budda painted on a leaf mounted on paper), and then went bowling. This time the bowling alley was in town and much more calm.
Next day finally relaxed at the hotel all morning and was able to face-time with the fam, then off to the airport to catch our hr. flight to Hanoi, Vietnam. Arrived in Hanoi around 5 pm and oh what a change! Very busy city with noisy dirty streets and a lot going on everywhere you look (women selling fruit/snacks from baskets hanging from their shoulders, young and old men/women sitting around miniature tables on the curb eating the street cooking, shops w/ all kinds of junk to beautiful HANDMADE cheap clothing for sale). Motorbikes were in even more abundance than I think Bangkok and unlike our last several cities, they lay on the horns nonstop as there doesn't appear to be any traffic laws here. It's like they are all playing chicken and you're watching a video game of dodge cars! Loved all of the craziness in this capital city of, I believe, 8 million!
We took a motorbike tour all around town the following day that was awesome! We each were on the back holding on with our little Vietnamese man zipping all 14 of us over the Red river, by Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and to the site where Sen. John McCain's plane was bombed down, Hoan Kiem Lake and West Lake, military and war museum, the French colonial opera house, and the old quarter (busy compact area of French architecture where our hotel was located). It was cold and drizzly-a welcomed change from hot humid Thailand and Laos! We also stopped at the Hoa Lo Prison (the "Hanoi Hilton" as they call it; the exhibits there suggest that the US pilots and PO W's were treated very well. There were pics of John McCain being medically treated, pics of them playing BB and enjoying a Christmas dinner complete with a Christmas tree. McCain's flight bomber suit and boots were also on display.) They dropped us off at the famous water puppet show-puppets maneuvered by people behind bamboo screens standing in waist-high water-the stage is water and it was magical in it's own way and loved the lessons included of Vietnamese culture, the live music of very interesting instruments and beautiful singing of the very pretty Vietnamese girls. Enjoyed a warm Dutch chocolate drink and a chocolate croissant on the lake afterward, and then a beer while sitting with the locals and backpackers at our Bia Hoi on the corner across from our hotel (draft beer house-which is basically an open air stall on the busy street where they throw out your miniature plastic chairs and tables on the curb and all gather for a locally brewed draft beer-snacks available, as well, including snails, frog, meat snacks, French fries, peanuts, etc).
Met our new group members that night which all seem amazing thus far! Older couples: Ken (sweet smart gentleman-reminds me of my Uncle Stat;) and Barbara, Norma and John (he looks like Michael Douglas), from Ireland, England and Scottland, and Robert and Elaine from England. Orf is probably in his 40's-50's and from Sweden, Grace is 34 from Ireland and Katie and Mike are newlyweds, our age, from Canada. She's a nurse practitioner, like Julia, and he's a pediatrician, so we have a lot to talk about!;) and they were so fun at karaoke!
The following day we were off to Ha Long Bay (4 hr bus ride from Hanoi-means "where the dragon descends into the sea"). This is was what I've pictured since booking this trip. Approx. 3000 limestone islands arise from the aquamarine waters of the Gulf of Tonkin and it was just absolutely beautiful. We spent a lovely evening on the boat w/ a beautiful seafood presentation of lunch, dinner (including cut out pineapples luminated with candles brought in the darkened room surrounded by our "squid cakes" on the platter) and breakfast the next morning. We did some squid fishing;), bought Halong Bay pearl earrings for $15, sang karaoke and slept while the sea rocked us gently hearing the water splash softly against the boat. Our guide, Thuy (pronounced "twee") was just great! He was so enthusiastic and loved to tell the history of Vietnam, jokes, and laughed all of the time.
The next am we were back on the bus to Hanoi to catch this overnight train to Hue. Scenery included bright green rice fields with palm trees, motorbikes, food stalls with all the Bun w/ Bo, etc you could want, with a mountainous backdrop.
Welcome to Hue! I loved this little city on the Perfume River. We arrived to a cool drizzle and only had a day and a half there. I liked all of the green and parks seen around town, and again, tons of motorbikes zooming around. I ran for maybe the second time on my trip around the river, then walked through town, stopping for Pho at a street stall. The table of elderly women next to me were looking at me curiously as I was with them. After they left their miniature stools, a young good looking family sat there for a breakfast of noodles, as well, all riding up on 2 motorbikes-loved witnessing all of this. Welder shop was across the street, with sparks flying, with the bridal dress boutique next door. After cleaning up I sat at a touristy bar/restaurant down the street from our hotel to do some business, look at my budget, enjoy the rain, had a banana blossom salad and a local "Hue" beer. The down and alone time was much appreciated and I watched perhaps the owner wave incense throughout the place, sprinkle coffee on the grounds and offer money and food to the spirit box-very cool to see this ritual they do to "feed the spirits".
That afternoon we had a wonderful guided tour of the Emperor's tomb a little outside of the city. Perfect setting seeing this huge outdoor compound in the drizzle w/ a lovely pond and flowering trees surrounding us trying not to trip on the old brick paths and admiring the beautiful wood-carved designs in the structures and the Emperor's prior perches;)
That night we took cyclo rides (man takes ya on a bike-pulling you on a seat behind him) through the drizzle across the bridge to Matthew's friend's restaurant who has been written up in Lonely Planet. He is deaf and mute, along with most of his family (they think perhaps from agent orange), and was a sweet man. His trick and claim to fame (other than his sweet personality) was lining up several beer bottles and using these make-shift bottle openers to pop them all open at once with a karate chop motion (they were made with a piece of wood, screw and nut-we were all given one;) and he has pics sent from people all over the world w/ their bottle openers and smiles!). Had yummy roll-them-yourself spring rolls. Later enjoyed chocolate mousse with the gang at another more touristy spot, then bed!
Next day toured The Imperial Citidel-just beautiful. Built in the early 1800's and home of Kings, Queens, and mistresses. A lot of it had been destroyed during the Vietnam war (the Vietnamese call it the American War). Elephants were on the grounds and admired all of the Chinese inspired art, design and architecture. The last building that was added in 1923 was French in style. Walking through the gates was like walking back in time. Just magical. Also toured Thein Mu Pagoda that day. Again, beautiful grounds and gardens. Rubbed the large stone turtle's head for longevity and witnessed monks young and old chanting, then saw them getting ready for lunch afterwards. Grounds were covered in bonsai trees, flowering plants and vines, including gorgeous orchids. Our local guide, Vang, was a young gentleman, recently married, who shared how the war had directly affected his life. He also shared interesting information on Vietnamese beliefs about spirits of those who have passed, ghosts, superstitions, etc. (they burn fake money and offer food, incense, gifts to the spirits to keep them tended to and happy-witnessed this all over town and found it beautiful and fascinating). His grandmother and brother were killed trying to escape bombing. His uncles fought, one for the North, one for the South, and his father told him "if you hate America, then you hate Vietnam"...therefore he really didn't seem to have any bitterness toward America, but I think obviously bitterness towards the war in general; I'm sure like so many people. It really has been surreal touring Vietnam. It is an amazing country to witness after all of the horror they encountered not that long ago.
Back on a bus! Four hours to Hoi An and again amazing scenery-some of the best! Rode the coast line, A/C shut off to be able to climb through the mountains so ocean breeze in your face, iPod on, eyes gazing upon all of the sites-near misses w/ trucks, bicycles, motorbikes, people, cows, dogs, saw ferns growing on the mountain side, fishermen's huge nets draped across the sea, waves crashing, women on side of the street selling Tiger Balm, etc....we stopped for a bowl of noodles on the lagoon-lovely wooden bridge there-John made it out just fine for a photo-Bob broke through a slat;) as he walked out-ha!
Arrived to Hoi An...pretty touristy but still quaint cute city, approx 80,000 in size, on a river surrounded by French style buildings housing tons of restaurants draped by lanterns, people selling stuff (crap;) that wouldn't leave you alone, shops, tailors, and LOTS of people. Matthew walked us around the city, then drinks with Julia, Elke, Sally, Nora, John, Tracy and Orf. Found a quite place for sunset with John and Norma as they treated me to a drink-watched a rat scurry by;). Dinner that night with the group under the stars-yummy BBQ shrimp wrapped in mint and papaya and beef w/ curry in a clay pot.
It's now March 1st-had the rest of my journaling done, but somehow it's been erased!!!:-/. Will update more later and add pics...in HCMC now, head to Mekong Delta tom, then Cambodia!
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