Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh and the South

Ho Chi Minh

The first stop in Vietnam was Ho Chi Minh otherwise known as Saigon. The city was a sensory overload of colors, vendors, and above all else-- motorbikes. Children as young as four came up to me to try and sell me bracelets and there was a tour company on every corner advertising the lowest rates. Despite all the action, Ho Chi Minh had a surprisingly relaxing effect on me---this could have just been the result of finally being on vacation (the last 2 weeks in Korea were VERY busy) or perhaps the gorgeous weather. Weather that persisted the entire trip even though it was the 'rainy season'.

 For some reason I had it in my head that it was going to be in the sixties at the hottest. Of course I realized my mistake after I checked the weather, but also after I had sent all my summer wear back to the States. So my first stop in Ho Chi Minh was the famous Ben Thanh Market. I hadn't been in the market for a full minute before a young vendor took my hand and pulled me into her stall. It took me awhile to convince her that I was looking for shorts and not the t-shirts that she was selling. I finally escaped....to the next stall, but at least they had shorts. Later on I found a booth with a humorous young lady who eventually found a pair of denim shorts for me. They were a bit too big so she brought me to a tailor who fixed them on the spot. I braved the market again when he was finished to find some cheap lunch. And cheap lunch I found. Soda, rice, chicken, and salad for $2. I finished the day with a $1 pedicure and $1 sandwich. 

Mekong Delta

The next day I took a tour of the Mekong Delta and met some pretty cool fellow travelers. Our tour guide, Den, was very good and told us all about the strange food the Vietnamese eat. Including, crickets. scorpions, turtle, and mice. They also eat poisonous snake. The swallow the gall bladder and heart whole, then drain the blood into red wine and cook the rest. Apparently it's very good for your hair, eyes, and spine. I noticed during the bus ride down to Mekong Delta that all the rest stops have hammocks. What a lovely idea. 

Mekong Delta Floating Market

The produce on the bamboo stick serves to advertise the goods on board.

Captain for the boat ride on the Mekong River

Mekong River Dwellings

She's making rice paper.

They're making coconut candy.

We had tea at the honey farm complete with bees.

Row, row, row our boat!

Along the way. 

Lunch. Elephant ear fish. 

Dessert. Rambutan fruit. 

Fellow travelers and I enjoying a street side feast and beer for under $5.

Da Nang and Central

Da Nang

Da Nang is one of the most relaxing and calming environments I've ever been to. I spent a day or two simply relaxing by the beach at Temple Spa. Relaxing? Unheard of in my travels. Not to mention an hour long massage, manicure, and pedicure for $8. Heavenly.

Angie met me at the airport and took me back to her house, suitcase and all, on her motorbike. There Piotr was waiting and our reunion began. From delicious food to hiking to motorbike trips and good company it was one of the best vacations ever.

The Vietnamese are very community centered and it was an everyday occurrence for the neighborhood kids (and sometimes the adults) to just stop by and walk right into Piotr and Angie's house. They would open drawers and look through stacks of paper, but mostly they just wanted to play. Piotr is especially great with the kids and we spent an evening spinning them around in chairs and having a camera war. 

View from the top of Marble Mountain

After having coffee with Lee at the neighborhood corner cafe, I managed to pull myself away from the beach for a day and spent it hiking Marble Mountain. The mountain was riddled with caves, Buddha statues, altars, and temples.




Vietnamese food is scrumptious! I never knew how truly delightful it is. Light, healthy, fresh, and cheap. Five course dinners and beers served over ice for $5.

Flight of shots at Luna Pub

The most delicious clams

Motorbike Ride

On the weekend, Angie, Piotr, some of their friends, and I went on a motorbike trip to the Mui Son Ruins. The ride was gorgeous. As a passenger I was able to take in the scenic beauty of the landscape--a mixture of rice paddies, jungle, and local wildlife like water buffalo.

First pit stop. Beer. 

Second pit stop. Beauty.

Mui Son 

Built by the Cham people and destroyed by the US during the Vietnam War. We spent several hours walking among the ruins.

 

 

Hoi An

Hoi An is a small touristic town about 40 miles north of Da Nang. It's quiet and quaint and I fell in love with it. Not only are the people super friendly, but it's more laid back than Ho Chi Minh or even Da Nang. We went to Ann Bahn, the beach area, for a wonderful dinner under grass thatched roofs sitting on loungers in an open air setting with palm trees all around. 

We also walked around the old town area where we stopped at a local restaurant for a delicious snack and fresh beer for 25 cents a pint. 

Tuna Tartar. Yum.

Just as appetizing?