Halong Bay

Our 3 day 2 night Halong Bay tour took a little longer than expected. During the bus 4 hour bus ride from Hanoi we encountered heavy winds and rain, which the locals referred to as a minor typhoon although it didn't seem that severe to us. By the time we reached the harbour the rain had subsided but the massive crowds standing around was an indicator of trouble and we soon found out that the Harbour Commission was not allowing any tour boats to depart due to the high winds. Our tour guide took us all to lunch (15 people) and we waited there until 3 pm when the decision was made that no boats were going out that day. Everyone was then loaded onto a bus for the return trip to Hanoi. We were told that we would only be charged for the bus trip and lunch, and that we could get the rest of our money back from the individual tour companies that people had booked their trips through. About 5 minutes into the journey we realized that we were making a mistake by returning to Hanoi since we had the time (flexible schedule) to still do our trip and we could avoid two 4 hour bus rides by staying in Halong. We quickly discussed our plan with the tour guide and 5 minutes later they flagged down a bus heading in the other direction and helped us get on that bus explaining the situation to the driver who dropped us off in Halong (at no charge). From that point we took a slightly wild motorcycle taxi ride (no helmets for us and the shortest route was the wrong way on one-way roads including the highway exit ramp) back to the harbour area where we found accommodation for the night. We connected on-line with our favourite tour campany in Hanoi and were not only assured that our trip could start over the next day but that there would be no charges for the first attempt which went awry with mother nature.

We woke up the next morning to discover only a light breeze, so we walked over the harbour for noon to meet our new group of friends for 3 days. The Halong Bay cruise turned out to be another trip highlight. Our cabin was a decent size with it's own bathroom and shower and the food was good and plentiful. Beyond cruising amongst many of the thousands of limestone pillar islands, we made stops at an Oyster Farm (to see the pearl harvesting process), a floating village (with it's own school), an island (for a steep hike to the top for a magnificent view) and a visit to the massive Hang Sung Sot cave. We also had 3 kayaking opportunities which took us through some smaller water caves that led to beautiful lagoons on the other side. Squid fishing was also available in the evenings but Rhonda's PEI cod-fishing successes were not repeated on this trip although a young man from the UK kept our boat from being shut-out. We had a lot of fun and interesting conversations with some good people from around the world.

When we arrived back in Hanoi our travel company had a parting gift for us......a silk tie for me and a silk scarf for Rhonda.......totally unexpected and not necessary since we certainly received more than our money's worth on our two trips with them (and paid less than anyone else who asked us about costs). We will return the favour by providing a very favourable review for their business on Trip Advisor.

We took a flight this morning to Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. With just over 200,000 people and spread out it certainly doesn't seem like a major city and we found it very easy to walk around the main part of town today. Tomorrow we will rent a bicycle and explore more of it's historic sites.

A short visit with Uncle Ho

We arrived in Hanoi on Sunday morning (March 18) following an overnight train ride from Danang. Our 4 person berth (2 bunk beds) had only 3 of us, including a nice young lady from Denmark so we managed to get a decent sleep during the 14 hour trip.

The following day we walked around the city, visiting the Temple of Literature (well-preserved Vietnamese architecture) and then the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex. The Mausoleum was closed by the time we got there in the afternoon but we managed to visit the HCM Museum, and two different buildings where he lived over a 15 year period before assuming power......the House on Stilts, more like a cottage home appeared to be his favourite choice, a very relaxed place to gather his thoughts.

Late that night we caught another overnight train and short bus ride to Sapa, a beautiful trip up into the mountain (north of Hanoi and less than 40 kms from China). Our full 2 day trip was arranged by a wonderful husband-wife team in Hanoi who met all of our expectations and more. When an initial on-line booking hit an internet snag from Nha Trang, they took personal ownership and promised a worry-free experience with upgrades along the way at a discounted price. From a personal drop-off at the train station (with 'travellers'), a cell phone with a number to call if we had any problems, a VIP room in Sapa and a Hanoi train station pick-up at 5 am in the morning at the end of our trip, it was more than anyone could have expected and drew astonished looks from our other Sapa travelling friends who booked similar priced packages with other tour companies. We can only assume that this couple is new to the business and trying to make a name for themselves through positive guest reviews which we will surely provide without them asking.

On our first day in Sapa we walked downhill to the Cat Cat minority village and then back up the mountain....... only 7-8 km's but it felt like a lot more due to the elevation changes. The views were spectacular. We still had enough energy later in the day to walk around the town of Sapa including the only flat spot in the area, the lake in the middle of town. On the second day we did another trek, this time 12 km's into the Muong Hoa Valley. Following some steep and sometimes rough trails we were rewarded with more magnificent views and stops at two more minority villages where the people there seem very happy having only a small rice field and a hut to live in. The village ladies were also out in force trying to sell their hand-made treasures to all that passed by. Rhonda made a couple of purchases (jewelry and a hand bag), and as I heard someone say recently, "word spread faster than a fart in a wicker chair" so from then on she was surrounded by other Black H'mong tribe ladies hoping to cash in with the Head Purchaser of the family. It was entertaining to watch, especially since the costs of the items was so little. After a lunch in the village we were relieved to find out that a mini-bus was going to return us to Sapa where we able to have a shower and a few well-earned beverages before catching another overnight train back to Hanoi.

Today, our very accommodating hotel, where we had left most of our clothes on our Sapa trip, let us check in early to our room (6 am) where we caught another few hours sleep. They have also been treating us wonderfully and we are enjoying our stay here. Then we hiked over to the Mausoleum, just in time to see Uncle Ho. It was a very interesting experience. Only available from 8-11 am, 6 days a week, there is a constant flow of people lined up to pay their respects to Ho Chi Minh who despite dying in 1969, is encased for all to see. No pictures are allowed (guards everywhere), security is tighter than at the airport, talking is forbidden and everyone walks single file in continuous movement around 3 sides of the embalmed corpse. There were several thousand people in line when we got there and it took 45 minutes for the whole experience including the less than 60 seconds that we were allowed to stroll by HCM but it was worth the effort. Uncle Ho is in remarkable shape for someone leaving us 40 years ago.....and by the way "Uncle Ho" is an endearing name to the Vietnamese......I'm not making fun of the situation.......just in case my blog is being scrutinized by the gov't (where Facebook access is not available).

Another museum to visit tomorrow and then on Thursday we have another trip booked with our favourite tour campany to Halong Bay where we will spend two nights sleeping on a boat before returning to Hanoi.

"Hello. Where You From?"

Vietnam continues to charm us. The people are very friendly and always seem to be smiling. Not much chance of forgetting where we come from since we get asked this question many times every day, from both adults and young children. Often they are the only English words that they know which you discover when trying to strike up a conversation. Rather than giving them a quick answer I usually point to the flag on my backpack and happily most of them respond with "kaanada".

We completed our stay in lovely Hoi An with a tour out to the mountains and the My Son ruins. The Americans were taking the blame from our guide for bombing the area and destroying some of the 1000 year old ancient remains of the Cham empire but who knows whether the Viet Cong were really using it as a hiding base or not. The surrounding area was beautiful and a visit to a small village where men of all ages were hand carving fabulous looking wood sculptures was a treat, as was our boat trip back to Hoi An witnessing more of the lifestyle along the river. We do enjoy our rural visits...........it gives us a deeper insight into 'real' life for the countries that we visit.

The train ride north to Hue (3 hours) was very picturesque with the coastline on one side and steep mountains on the other. We passed through 5 or 6 tunnels along the way. Our first visit was to the Citadel, a former imperial city beside the Song Huong River and a 30 minute walk from our hotel. Inside this 200 year-old large, walled and moat-protected area was the Imperial Enclosure (a citadel within the Citadel) which itself had 6 metre high walls with a 2.5 km perimeter. Inside that area was the Forbidden Purple City reserved for the private life of the Emperor and his special servants who were all eunuchs, and who posed no threat protecting his harem. He seemed like a very paranoid person.

Yesterday we took a tour to the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 5 km area on both sides of the Ben Hai River which was the former border between North and South Vietnam. The highlight was going through the tunnel city created by one of the small villages (300 people) who chose to remain there rather than abandon their small fertile plots of land. Six babies were born underground during the 4 years that the locals lived in the network of tiny tunnels and very small rooms (5 feet deep, 3 feet wide, 5 feet high) which were meant to hold 4 people. Rhonda lasted about one minute before heading back out so this would not have been a lifestyle for her.

Later today we will be leaving Hue and taking the overnight train (with a sleeper berth this time), arriving in Hanoi tomorrow morning.

Good Times in Nha Trang and Hoi An

Our last two stops have been good choices. In Nha Trang, where we stayed a few km's north of the main tourist area, we were across the street from a beach in a bay surrounded on 3 sides by mountains (hills by our standards). We walked around the town, spent time on the beach and had a fabulous Red Snapper meal at a table-side DIY bbq restaurant. We also went to a Hot Spring that featured mud baths and rolled around in our own private bathtub for half an hour before showering and relaxing further in a hot tub. The following day we went on a fun boat tour that included 3 snorkelling stops (beautiful coral) and a plentiful seafood lunch that a dozen of us couldn't finish off. We also had an interesting conversation with a couple from Tennessee who were spending a year in Nha Trang and contemplating starting a new life there now that they had retired and sold their home. They were living comfortably in a rented fully furnished and modernized home close to our beach for less than $700 a month including all their expenses......they seemed quite happy.

From Nha Trang we took an overnight train north to Danang.......unfortunately when we booked the trip two days in advance (our normal custom), there were no sleeper berths left so we ended up in reclining chairs and got some sleep but not enough. After arriving in Danang (the first landing spot for the U.S. forces in the war) our hotel had a taxi waiting to drive us 30 km's back south to Hoi An where we caught an afternoon nap and are currently having a wonderful time. Danang has over one million people living there while Hoi An has a population of just over 100,000 and seems like a lot less near the Old Town (an ancient trading post with french colonial influences) where we are staying. It is very easy to walk around.....quieter, not much traffic and tons of character with many 200 year old homes and shops refurbished but still operational on narrow streets near a river. When the monsoon season water level peaks (several times a year), all the places near the river get flooded (furniture moved upstairs). The historical homes we visited had lines on posts measuring the maximum height of the water much like we used to track the growth of our children.

While stopping for a drink near the river we had a lengthy conversation with a man from Port Townsend, Washington, north of Seattle on the Olympic Peninsula.......the second person we had met from that small city (10,000 people) on this trip, and a place we visited in our camper van two years ago........who has been spending time here for 10 years. He hand-makes his own leather accessories in the U.S. but is now making more money by bringing back clothing items from Vietnam. He has learned how to take precise measurements so he is pre-selling suits, shirts, ties and hats in Washington. He was charging $199 for three piece quality suits plus a shirt and tie, all fitted. While we were talking he received e-mails from U.S. customers asking for additional last-minute items. We had him give us the name of his preferred tailor and went there yesterday and ordered a sports jacket and blazer to bring back home. They asked us to drop by this afternoon to approve the almost-finished product allowing for a few very minor alterations which will be completed for pick-up tomorrow. Earlier in the day Rhonda went to a cooking class (spring rolls, crispy pancake, herbed salad with beef tenderloin, and pho bo-beef noodle soup) while I took a bicycle from our hotel and toured Marble Mountain and it's caves (20 km's away but a flat route).

Tomorrow we have booked a tour of the My Son ruins, 35 km's out of town. We travel there by bus and then return by boat along the river. Another exciting day awaits.

Relief from the Heat

Based on some internet research we had done, we took a detour inland to DaLat which is located in the mountains at 4500 feet above sea level. Although the city is at a higher elevation than Calgary there was certainly no sign of snow.......the average high is in the low 20's C and at night time it cools down to 15-18 C which was quite pleasant. We checked into a very friendly guest house and had a wonderful time during our 3 nights there. DaLat turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip so far.

Rot (pronounced 'wrote'), was the manager and he made everyone feel right at home. Upon arrival he let us know that he was taking a few of the other guests out for dinner and we were free to join in which we did. Then we went to a nightclub where Rot performs most evenings singing several Vietnamese folk songs, as did a few other performers that we enjoyed.

The next day we went on a countryside motorbike tour with 4 other guests and a guide (Rot's cousin) organized by the hotel. The ride started at 7 am and ended at 5 pm with a circular route through the highlands that covered well over 100 km's. There were many stops along the way including a Cricket Farm (free tastings!), a local village market (we were the only gringo's there), a small Silk Factory (watching the process from the silkworm cocoon to the finished product), the Elephant waterfalls (with a short, steep hike to the base), a Coffee Farm (many plantations in the highlands) and a Mushroom Farm. Similar tours are offered by a group called the Easy Riders, (local motorbike guides), and we heard good reports about their service, but our trip was exceptional. We went to places that other tourists generally don't get to so we were able to really learn more about the local culture. It was clear that our guide had a personal connection with the locals.......at the market we were able to taste many items from various vendors with no money exchanging hands, only smiles following a few Vietnamese words from our guide. Similarly at the small processing plants the managers let our guide take the lead and she would slow down production sometimes to show how everything (mostly manual labour) worked in harmony. Our best stop however was at a small village where Rot's sister (a Buddhist 'nun') made us a delicious lunch in their small family home and then we had a long visit with some of their neighbours who lived in small wooden huts with very few amenities. Our guide acted as a translator so that we could ask questions about their lifestyle and culture......very different from city life........and centuries different from what we know (interesting mariage customs). During the conversation a couple of other neighbours dropped in to see what was happening and shared their views as well. Our hostess offered some recently open-fire cooked snails with hot chilies (think escargot without the butter, garlic and presentation) which had been harvested from a nearby river and she was pleased to see us consume a full frying pan's worth. It was truly a delightful experience.

The following day was spent walking around the city where one of the only flat areas was a lake in the middle of town which was close to 4 kms to navigate all the way around. We had a great lunch in town and stopped after at the Central Market to pick-up several food items for our journey, including fresh strawberries that Rhonda magically turned into evening daquiries and jam for breakfast.

Today we took a bus back to the east coast. It was a very scenic trip, dropping from the mountains through a steep canyon that the monsoon season seems to be gradually pecking away at. Fortunately, we are in the dry season with terrific views everywhere. The locals were either working hard on their vegetable and fruit farms, or repairing the damage to the paved roads from the fall rainy season. We are now in Nha Trang for several days and I have included a view from our lovely $15 room balcony.

Vietnam War - Another Point of View

Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) was just as other travellers had told us it would be.......crazy traffic, friendly people and good food, especially the Pho noodle soups. With 7 million people, and apparently 3 million motorbikes, crossing the street was always an adventure. With no rapid transit system and a very spread-out city, the motorbike is the vehicle of choice for both the young and old. The tourist pedestrians have to be very careful since the one-way streets and stop signs only seem to be 'suggestions' not the law for the two-wheel drivers. There are very few traffic lights so if you want to cross the road you build up your courage and enter the madness since the stream of traffic never ends........we have learned that the motorbikes always find a way to swerve around you.

On our first full day we walked around the centre of the city which wasn't too far from where we were staying. We had an interesting visit to the War Remnants Museum which had very graphic pictures of the casualties of the Vietnam War along with captured U.S. army vehicles and planes. Since the country is now run by the Communist party, the description of the events clearly laid the blame on the Americans for the millions of Vietnamese people who died in the war. There was no mention of the South Vietnamese people who died at the hands of the North. The real truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. The Independence Museum, former home of the South Vietnam leader, with a bomb shelter in the basement, provided a more balanced view of the country's history.

While in HCMC we also took a two day overnight tour of the Mekong Delta. We really enjoyed the peaceful living style of the river people. The Cai Rang floating market was the highlight for us........the locals did their grocery shopping by boat or traded vegetables and fruit with one another. We also liked the canoe trip down a mangrove channel and a visit to a rice noodle processing hut (and their manual production line).

Back in the city we dodged many more motorbikes and tasted more versions of Pho before deciding it was time to leave the chaos and start heading up the eastern coast of Vietnam. Our first stop was in Mui Ne, a beautiful little village on the edge of the South China Sea. Our lovely hotel is across the street from the beach and has it's own pool for cooling off which was been a relief in the continuous 30C heat and humidity........I'm not complaining, I appreciate that it is better than the alternative back home :) Last night we strolled along the beach and settled down for dinner at a family run outdoor restaurant right at the edge of the water. The food was very good and inexpensive but the service was very poor......we were in no hurry and had a wonderful table by the water so it didn't bother us too much but several other more serious diners left in a huff. The servers were 3 young brothers, probably 8, 10 and 12 who didn't speak English (not a problem for us). Mom did the cooking and dad just seemed to be directing the boys around to the 25-30 tables which were mostly busy. Nobody smiled so they didn't seem like a particularly happy family which was unusual for what we have experienced in Vietnam (and SE Asia) so far. I tried my best to get our 8 year old server laughing but nothing worked. After he prepared our bill I gave him a separate tip and encouraged him to put it in his pocket but I watched as he solemnly walked away and handed the tip to his father. While none of that may go to the child hopefully it will let his parents know that he is doing a good job and earn him some play time where he gets to be a kid again and have some fun.

I included a picture of Rhonda with her 'bucket' drink of rum and coke at a streetside bar in HCMC. She doesn't contribute too much to the family blog but I wanted everyone to know that she is still with me...........in spite of the amazing massage offers that I am receiving while walking around the cities (even with her by my side!).