Saigon - Final Report
Today was a wonderful way to end our tour of this beautiful country. Saigon is a city of 8 million people, and has 3.2 million motor bikes, and less than half a million cars. Traffic is unreal. We left early, mostly to avoid rush hour, on our way to our exploration of the Mekong Delta. As usual traffic cost us about 45 minutes to get out of Saigon, and then another hour or so before we stop at the Cao Dai Temple. This religion is based in Vietnam, boasts about 5 million adherents worldwide, and is an attempt to merge the best of the world’s major religious beliefs into a single religion which respects the values of each as well as the significant important persona, ie., Muhammed for Islam, Christ for Christianity, Buddha for Buddhism, etc. Interesting place Then we board our boat to explore the Delta. The Mekong is the 10th longest river in the world and has an extensive delta. We pass hundreds of fishing trawlers that go out to the ocean for three weeks at a time, and return with their catch to provide for the local markets. There are three significant islands in the area we are exploring. We can take a canoe in to visit Monkey Island to see a bee farm and local coconut products before traveling across the delta arm we are located on for lunch. We then return to land and head back to Saigon Our final dinner is very nice, and different from previous meals. Our guide gives each of us a group photo that he has taken and printed.
To all those of you who have followed our blog, we say thanks. We learned in the last few days that some of you may have posted comments on our blog. Unfortunately those comments were not posted so that we could read them. Don’t know why, but we do appreciate your interest in our trip.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Saigon - Day 14
As you may have presumed, much of our visit to Vietnam has had undertones of the Vietnam War. Today, then, is probably the culmination of that experience as we travel to the Cu Chi tunnels northwest of Saigon. To get to the entrances to the various tunnels we had to walk through the jungle for several hundred yards, and along the way we gained a new understanding of the difficulty presented by the terrain and the local farmers whose normal daily apparel was identical to the uniform of the VC These tunnels were very influential in the fall of Saigon as they provided cover as well as movement for the Viet Cong. The tunnels covered large portions of territory which on the surface was controlled by the Joint Forces, but underground was in the control of the VC. The mass of tunnels were at least three levels deep, as long as 250 km (150 miles) long with numerous offshoots, some of which were booby trapped, and no overall map of the whole, so no one person could be able to show another how the whole was designed. An amazing maze underground. As described to us today, by our guide, the Cu Chi villagers were for the South in the daytime, but at night, in many cases because of intimidation, they joined the VC. I have been probing our guide for the whole time here in Vietnam as to the state of the South Vietnamese people regarding whether they wanted the US “advisors” and later, our troops. His response is absolutely we were wanted, not just by the political leadership, but by the people as well. He also told us that the South was way ahead of Korea, Taiwan, and other SE Asian countries in 1974, and since reunification has fallen way behind, thanks to the policies of the current communist regime. However, since the end of the US embargo, and resumption of diplomatic relations in the 1990s, the economic conditions have improved dramatically.
We also visited a small rubber plantation where we saw how the trees are tapped for raw latex. This tree was originally imported by the French during colonial times, and is now a minor contributor to the local economy as synthetic rubber has replaced the natural as the desired product. We learn, as the salt water of our sweat drips into our eyes, that we are back in the land of heat (95F) and humidity (92%).
For a little on the light side, the Vietnamese dollar is known as the Dong. Of our group of ten, only two are male. Wanna guess what we can joke about when discussing any purchases using the local currency?
As you may have presumed, much of our visit to Vietnam has had undertones of the Vietnam War. Today, then, is probably the culmination of that experience as we travel to the Cu Chi tunnels northwest of Saigon. To get to the entrances to the various tunnels we had to walk through the jungle for several hundred yards, and along the way we gained a new understanding of the difficulty presented by the terrain and the local farmers whose normal daily apparel was identical to the uniform of the VC These tunnels were very influential in the fall of Saigon as they provided cover as well as movement for the Viet Cong. The tunnels covered large portions of territory which on the surface was controlled by the Joint Forces, but underground was in the control of the VC. The mass of tunnels were at least three levels deep, as long as 250 km (150 miles) long with numerous offshoots, some of which were booby trapped, and no overall map of the whole, so no one person could be able to show another how the whole was designed. An amazing maze underground. As described to us today, by our guide, the Cu Chi villagers were for the South in the daytime, but at night, in many cases because of intimidation, they joined the VC. I have been probing our guide for the whole time here in Vietnam as to the state of the South Vietnamese people regarding whether they wanted the US “advisors” and later, our troops. His response is absolutely we were wanted, not just by the political leadership, but by the people as well. He also told us that the South was way ahead of Korea, Taiwan, and other SE Asian countries in 1974, and since reunification has fallen way behind, thanks to the policies of the current communist regime. However, since the end of the US embargo, and resumption of diplomatic relations in the 1990s, the economic conditions have improved dramatically.
We also visited a small rubber plantation where we saw how the trees are tapped for raw latex. This tree was originally imported by the French during colonial times, and is now a minor contributor to the local economy as synthetic rubber has replaced the natural as the desired product. We learn, as the salt water of our sweat drips into our eyes, that we are back in the land of heat (95F) and humidity (92%).
For a little on the light side, the Vietnamese dollar is known as the Dong. Of our group of ten, only two are male. Wanna guess what we can joke about when discussing any purchases using the local currency?
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Dalat to HoChiMinhCity (Saigon) - Day 13
Today proves to be an interesting one, as we encounter the vagaries of small time airlines (Vietnam Airlines) masquerading as one of the big guys. We rise at 4:45 a.m., put our bags out at 5:15, head for breakfast in anticipation of our transfer to the airport for an 8:05 flight. Upon arriving at the airport our guide does a group checkin, gets our bags checked, hands us our boarding pass and sends us to the Boarding Lounge. Not 15 minutes later the PA announces that our flight to Saigon will not board until 10:20 a.m., a full 2+ hours late! Needless to say Tano is visibly upset as this is not the first time this has happened to him even though he has called in advance to confirm the flight times. Finally at 10:35 we begin boarding for our takeoff at 11:00. About 10 minutes into the flight we are told to return to seats, fasten seatbelts, etc., for landing! We waited all this time for a 30 minute gate-to-gate flight!!
Following lunch we take a city tour of Saigon. It is a very beautiful city with lots of French architectural influences remaining from the colonial days. We take in the War Remnants Museum. As you might expect it portrays a very one-sided view of the Vietnam War, but even so, it helps us to understand how many Vietnamese felt about our involvement at that time. We have very mixed feelings after this stop. Our next stop is yet another lacquerware factory, but because this one is Vietnamese the designs and processes are somewhat different from the Thai shop we visited. Quite interesting. Our final stop includes the Notre Dame Cathedral, built by the French and completed in 1880, and the main Post Office across the street, built with leftover materials from the cathedral construction. Both are very beautiful though quite different in design. On our way to our hotel we convince Tano that we need an ice cream stop, so he has the bus take us to a nearby shop where we purchase some of the best ice cream in Southeast Asia. Great way to end an otherwise challenging day.
Today proves to be an interesting one, as we encounter the vagaries of small time airlines (Vietnam Airlines) masquerading as one of the big guys. We rise at 4:45 a.m., put our bags out at 5:15, head for breakfast in anticipation of our transfer to the airport for an 8:05 flight. Upon arriving at the airport our guide does a group checkin, gets our bags checked, hands us our boarding pass and sends us to the Boarding Lounge. Not 15 minutes later the PA announces that our flight to Saigon will not board until 10:20 a.m., a full 2+ hours late! Needless to say Tano is visibly upset as this is not the first time this has happened to him even though he has called in advance to confirm the flight times. Finally at 10:35 we begin boarding for our takeoff at 11:00. About 10 minutes into the flight we are told to return to seats, fasten seatbelts, etc., for landing! We waited all this time for a 30 minute gate-to-gate flight!!
Following lunch we take a city tour of Saigon. It is a very beautiful city with lots of French architectural influences remaining from the colonial days. We take in the War Remnants Museum. As you might expect it portrays a very one-sided view of the Vietnam War, but even so, it helps us to understand how many Vietnamese felt about our involvement at that time. We have very mixed feelings after this stop. Our next stop is yet another lacquerware factory, but because this one is Vietnamese the designs and processes are somewhat different from the Thai shop we visited. Quite interesting. Our final stop includes the Notre Dame Cathedral, built by the French and completed in 1880, and the main Post Office across the street, built with leftover materials from the cathedral construction. Both are very beautiful though quite different in design. On our way to our hotel we convince Tano that we need an ice cream stop, so he has the bus take us to a nearby shop where we purchase some of the best ice cream in Southeast Asia. Great way to end an otherwise challenging day.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Dalat - Day 12
We begin our day with a visit to Ta Nung, the vegetable and flower growing center of Vietnam, just north of Dalat. There are many greenhouses all hand constructed of bamboo and clear plastic sheeting. We visited one of the growers where we saw some of the most beautiful long stem roses and Gerber daisies. They had many acres of these two flower varieties. They pick the roses once a week and the daisies every three days. All this is done by hand, as well as the weeding, watering and fertilizing. It is, however, one of the more profitable agricultural products, and does very well in the mild climate of the Dalat area. From here we head down the road to visit a cricket farm. Yup, that’s right - this entrepreneur has figured out how to raise crickets in quantities suitable for wholesale supply to restaurants. They are a very popular snack in Vietnam. We then head a little further down the road to visit a silk factory, nearly fully mechanized, to extract the silk from cocoons and turn it into beautiful silk fabric which is then dyed and turned in to a variety of silken ware for sale at the factory. In addition they sell the fabric to other factories in Vietnam and other SE Asian countries. About 1 in 100 cocoons is a double, and must be processed separately by hand. This silk is used to produce the raw silk which is a heavier, less smooth silk, but equally beautiful, and much more expensive because of the hand spinning.
Our final stop this morning is a visit to Buon Chuoi, a very traditional hill village of the Chil people who migrated to Vietnam from Indonesia and Malaysia many years ago. About 15 years ago, the government began relocating these people from the forests and hillsides to prevent the “slash and burn” agricultural practices they had used for decades. This new village is surrounded by thousands of acres of coffee plantations, and the Chil now make their living working in the coffee fields. The government is subsidizing the building of new brick homes for this tribe, as well as a brand new school. One of the most interesting sights we saw was the dozens of pot-bellied pigs running loose in the yards and street. We also saw many young children, ages 6 and under, who stay in the village on their own while their parents work in the coffee fields. They are darling, but very shy. Oh, by the way, we had to be transported to this village in an open wagon pulled by a tractor over a road so rough I hesitate to call it a road. It actually was quite fun.
Late this afternoon we go to Dalat University for a talk on Vietnam’s higher education system. Basically the “university” is primarily a four year undergraduate school that offers only Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees, and whose curriculum is controlled by the government with little or no input from the faculty. Following the presentation by the professor, we are taken on a guided tour of the campus by students who want to practice their English speaking with us. Most are fairly competent, and it is generally a very good experience. Afterward we are headed to Dalat Village to watch a local Lat hill tribe perform their colorful native dances. As we boarded the bus our guide, Tano, asked if we would mind if he invited the students to join us. We of course say to invite them, and so we are joined by about 25 of them. This turns out to be a highlight of the trip as most of them have never interacted with any hill tribe and are quite fascinated by the dances and the people. During the performance at least twice the audience is drawn to participate in the dances, and the students love it. On the way back to drop them off at the campus they serenade us with two songs to thank us for letting them join us. They were such nice kids it was hard to see them go.
Thanks for your update Audrey. Guess no one else is reading. Too bad.
We begin our day with a visit to Ta Nung, the vegetable and flower growing center of Vietnam, just north of Dalat. There are many greenhouses all hand constructed of bamboo and clear plastic sheeting. We visited one of the growers where we saw some of the most beautiful long stem roses and Gerber daisies. They had many acres of these two flower varieties. They pick the roses once a week and the daisies every three days. All this is done by hand, as well as the weeding, watering and fertilizing. It is, however, one of the more profitable agricultural products, and does very well in the mild climate of the Dalat area. From here we head down the road to visit a cricket farm. Yup, that’s right - this entrepreneur has figured out how to raise crickets in quantities suitable for wholesale supply to restaurants. They are a very popular snack in Vietnam. We then head a little further down the road to visit a silk factory, nearly fully mechanized, to extract the silk from cocoons and turn it into beautiful silk fabric which is then dyed and turned in to a variety of silken ware for sale at the factory. In addition they sell the fabric to other factories in Vietnam and other SE Asian countries. About 1 in 100 cocoons is a double, and must be processed separately by hand. This silk is used to produce the raw silk which is a heavier, less smooth silk, but equally beautiful, and much more expensive because of the hand spinning.
Our final stop this morning is a visit to Buon Chuoi, a very traditional hill village of the Chil people who migrated to Vietnam from Indonesia and Malaysia many years ago. About 15 years ago, the government began relocating these people from the forests and hillsides to prevent the “slash and burn” agricultural practices they had used for decades. This new village is surrounded by thousands of acres of coffee plantations, and the Chil now make their living working in the coffee fields. The government is subsidizing the building of new brick homes for this tribe, as well as a brand new school. One of the most interesting sights we saw was the dozens of pot-bellied pigs running loose in the yards and street. We also saw many young children, ages 6 and under, who stay in the village on their own while their parents work in the coffee fields. They are darling, but very shy. Oh, by the way, we had to be transported to this village in an open wagon pulled by a tractor over a road so rough I hesitate to call it a road. It actually was quite fun.
Late this afternoon we go to Dalat University for a talk on Vietnam’s higher education system. Basically the “university” is primarily a four year undergraduate school that offers only Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees, and whose curriculum is controlled by the government with little or no input from the faculty. Following the presentation by the professor, we are taken on a guided tour of the campus by students who want to practice their English speaking with us. Most are fairly competent, and it is generally a very good experience. Afterward we are headed to Dalat Village to watch a local Lat hill tribe perform their colorful native dances. As we boarded the bus our guide, Tano, asked if we would mind if he invited the students to join us. We of course say to invite them, and so we are joined by about 25 of them. This turns out to be a highlight of the trip as most of them have never interacted with any hill tribe and are quite fascinated by the dances and the people. During the performance at least twice the audience is drawn to participate in the dances, and the students love it. On the way back to drop them off at the campus they serenade us with two songs to thank us for letting them join us. They were such nice kids it was hard to see them go.
Thanks for your update Audrey. Guess no one else is reading. Too bad.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Hoi An to NhaTrang - Day 9
We left early this morning for the airport, although the weather made it very uncertain that we would be able to fly to Nha Trang. If we are unable to fly we are faced with a lengthy bus ride, as much as 12 hours, so we are delighted when we are not only able to board and take off from Hoi An, but we are also able to land as planned in Nha Trang. Unfortunately, though, we are unable to visit the local village because of the rains. Instead we take a brief bus tour of the city, especially the area near our hotel. After checking into our hotel we have lunch, and take a siesta. Later this afternoon we meet with our guide for a “frank” roundtable discussion of Vietnam today. Fortunately, we are able to ask just about anything we want, and get a good idea of Vietnam politics today. For the most part things have improved dramatically since the US dropped its embargo in 1993, and the economy has opened up significantly in the 16 years since then. However, the accompanying personal freedoms that we have come to take for granted have not come to the Vietnamese people. Our guide indicated that he must be very careful about what he says, and very circumspect when speaking in the presence of others.
Nha Trang - Day 10
We set out by boat to visit a fishing village across the bay. It seems to be much more prosperous that some of the other villages we have visited. The homes, in particular, seem much nicer. We transfer back to the boat via round bamboo basket boats or bamboo raft. Since the raft appears to be the more stable of the two, most of us choose that craft. Once we are all safely back on the boat we make our way to a nearby white sand beach, where we spend the next hour and a half. The only problem is the wind is roaring, the waves are still depositing debris from the storm on the beach, and the sun is no where to be seen. All in all this stop is a big bust. We’re glad to get back to land for lunch. Most of us then take a tour to a nearby Champa kingdom temple in the center of Nha Trang followed by a visit to a local market. Both quite interesting. One of the neatest parts of this trip has been the congeniality among the 10 of us. We get along very well, and have been having daily cocktail hours together nearly every night of the trip. Great fun.
Nha Trang to Dalat - Day 11
Our day today begins at 5:15 am, so we can have our bags out by 6, eat breakfast and board the bus in time to depart at 7 am! Again, because of the storms we have to take an alternative route to Dalat which will take an extra hour. For the next 5 ½ hours we wind our way circuitously across two mountain passes, fortunately for us through some of the most gorgeous, lush scenery we have seen. Though the road is a bit harrowing at times, none of us minds because of the mind-boggling scenery. We arrive in Dalat in time for lunch, and then proceed to visit a local silk embroidery picture factory. These are some of the most unbelievable pieces of art you can imagine. Each looks like a hand painted water color or acrylic. They tell us that each square centimeter has as many as 600 stitches. Get out your ruler and take a look at a centimeter to see how mind boggling that is. We then go to Truc Lam Zen Buddhist Pagoda, situated high on a hillside above Dalat. It is a very modern structure, begun in 1993 and completed 2 years later, and is reached by gondola. The grounds are gorgeous with formal flower gardens lush with numerous varieties of flowers and topiary. After checking in at the hotel we are met by our home hostess and taken by cab to her home for dinner. The home is lovely, one of the nicest we have been to, the food delicious, and we enjoyed talking with her 22 year old daughter who is studying English at Dalat University and is very fluent and able to help us communicate easily with the rest of the family. Very nice evening.
We left early this morning for the airport, although the weather made it very uncertain that we would be able to fly to Nha Trang. If we are unable to fly we are faced with a lengthy bus ride, as much as 12 hours, so we are delighted when we are not only able to board and take off from Hoi An, but we are also able to land as planned in Nha Trang. Unfortunately, though, we are unable to visit the local village because of the rains. Instead we take a brief bus tour of the city, especially the area near our hotel. After checking into our hotel we have lunch, and take a siesta. Later this afternoon we meet with our guide for a “frank” roundtable discussion of Vietnam today. Fortunately, we are able to ask just about anything we want, and get a good idea of Vietnam politics today. For the most part things have improved dramatically since the US dropped its embargo in 1993, and the economy has opened up significantly in the 16 years since then. However, the accompanying personal freedoms that we have come to take for granted have not come to the Vietnamese people. Our guide indicated that he must be very careful about what he says, and very circumspect when speaking in the presence of others.
Nha Trang - Day 10
We set out by boat to visit a fishing village across the bay. It seems to be much more prosperous that some of the other villages we have visited. The homes, in particular, seem much nicer. We transfer back to the boat via round bamboo basket boats or bamboo raft. Since the raft appears to be the more stable of the two, most of us choose that craft. Once we are all safely back on the boat we make our way to a nearby white sand beach, where we spend the next hour and a half. The only problem is the wind is roaring, the waves are still depositing debris from the storm on the beach, and the sun is no where to be seen. All in all this stop is a big bust. We’re glad to get back to land for lunch. Most of us then take a tour to a nearby Champa kingdom temple in the center of Nha Trang followed by a visit to a local market. Both quite interesting. One of the neatest parts of this trip has been the congeniality among the 10 of us. We get along very well, and have been having daily cocktail hours together nearly every night of the trip. Great fun.
Nha Trang to Dalat - Day 11
Our day today begins at 5:15 am, so we can have our bags out by 6, eat breakfast and board the bus in time to depart at 7 am! Again, because of the storms we have to take an alternative route to Dalat which will take an extra hour. For the next 5 ½ hours we wind our way circuitously across two mountain passes, fortunately for us through some of the most gorgeous, lush scenery we have seen. Though the road is a bit harrowing at times, none of us minds because of the mind-boggling scenery. We arrive in Dalat in time for lunch, and then proceed to visit a local silk embroidery picture factory. These are some of the most unbelievable pieces of art you can imagine. Each looks like a hand painted water color or acrylic. They tell us that each square centimeter has as many as 600 stitches. Get out your ruler and take a look at a centimeter to see how mind boggling that is. We then go to Truc Lam Zen Buddhist Pagoda, situated high on a hillside above Dalat. It is a very modern structure, begun in 1993 and completed 2 years later, and is reached by gondola. The grounds are gorgeous with formal flower gardens lush with numerous varieties of flowers and topiary. After checking in at the hotel we are met by our home hostess and taken by cab to her home for dinner. The home is lovely, one of the nicest we have been to, the food delicious, and we enjoyed talking with her 22 year old daughter who is studying English at Dalat University and is very fluent and able to help us communicate easily with the rest of the family. Very nice evening.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Hoi An - Day 8
Today we are visiting a World Cultural Heritage site, My Son, to see the ancient ruins of the Champa Kingdom which covers the period from the 4th to the 13th Centuries, and is widely regarded as the beginning of civilization in much of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Most scholars believe it started with an influx from India, bringing with them the Hindu religion and Sanskrit language. At these ruins nearly all of the structures are brick, with no apparent use of anything like cement or glue to hold them together, and yet, several of the structures have been dated to more than a thousand years old. There is continuing archeological work and restoration here though slowly because funding is limited. One theory is that the bricks were put in place using a paste made of cane sugar (grown in this area) and ashes, and then fired by building a huge fire inside the structure to function as a sort of kiln, firing the bricks together from the inside out. This is followed by extensive, highly ornate carving of the bricks on the exterior to create a temple to one of the 3 Hindu gods. Very interesting place.
As we were driving out to the ruins we were following a river so full that it was beginning to spill over its banks from the heavy rains the past two days, and by the time we return parts of our roadway are covered with about 6 inches of water. We also stopped to see fishermen using makeshift fishing nets trying to take advantage of the high waters to capture some fish not normally found this far up the river. When we arrived back in Hoi An we were driving to the restaurant where we would have lunch, but the bus was forced to back out because the intersection ahead had nearly 6 feet of water covering it! We were very fortunate to see My Son rain free. We had the rest of the afternoon free so we picked up our laundry and repacked our suitcases before heading out for dinner. Evening proved a little more exciting than usual as the lights in our room went off about 9 pm and were off all night. Good thing we brought flashlights.
Today we are visiting a World Cultural Heritage site, My Son, to see the ancient ruins of the Champa Kingdom which covers the period from the 4th to the 13th Centuries, and is widely regarded as the beginning of civilization in much of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Most scholars believe it started with an influx from India, bringing with them the Hindu religion and Sanskrit language. At these ruins nearly all of the structures are brick, with no apparent use of anything like cement or glue to hold them together, and yet, several of the structures have been dated to more than a thousand years old. There is continuing archeological work and restoration here though slowly because funding is limited. One theory is that the bricks were put in place using a paste made of cane sugar (grown in this area) and ashes, and then fired by building a huge fire inside the structure to function as a sort of kiln, firing the bricks together from the inside out. This is followed by extensive, highly ornate carving of the bricks on the exterior to create a temple to one of the 3 Hindu gods. Very interesting place.
As we were driving out to the ruins we were following a river so full that it was beginning to spill over its banks from the heavy rains the past two days, and by the time we return parts of our roadway are covered with about 6 inches of water. We also stopped to see fishermen using makeshift fishing nets trying to take advantage of the high waters to capture some fish not normally found this far up the river. When we arrived back in Hoi An we were driving to the restaurant where we would have lunch, but the bus was forced to back out because the intersection ahead had nearly 6 feet of water covering it! We were very fortunate to see My Son rain free. We had the rest of the afternoon free so we picked up our laundry and repacked our suitcases before heading out for dinner. Evening proved a little more exciting than usual as the lights in our room went off about 9 pm and were off all night. Good thing we brought flashlights.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Hue to Hoi An - Day 7
Well we’re finally cooling off -- amazing what a typhoon can do to temperatures. We left Hue at about 7:45 this a.m., in a light shower. Within a few minutes we were in driving rain with very strong winds. When we stopped for “Happy Room” break we had to use umbrellas and even then managed to get pretty wet. Our next stop was in DaNang at a marble carving factory. The skies opened on us, and though we tried to wait it out, we eventually made a mad dash for the bus. Surprisingly we didn’t get nearly as wet as we thought we might. The marble carving was very interesting. It has been a cottage industry here for hundreds of years because of a nearby marble mountain, but mainly focused on Buddhist related images. With the onset of significant foreign tourism it has now expanded to incorporate more Western looking images, including some very modern looking items. Lunch in Hoi An is a real treat -- maybe the best so far. Many dishes but not exactly the same, and just delicious. We are staying at Ancient House Hotel in Hoi An which is interesting in that it is arranged much like an old inn with rooms on many levels, no elevators, lots of stairs, four-poster beds with mosquito nets, while at the same time offering cable tv and in-room wi-fi free of charge. Hoi An and Hue are in central Vietnam, and as such are significantly different from the north. Houses are mainly one story, colors are different, the area seems more prosperous, etc.
This afternoon, with no regard for the rain pouring down on us, we take a walking tour of Hoi An’s old city. It centers around a bridge built nearly 300 years ago to join the Japanese side of the old city with the Chinese city. We visit a Chinese Buddhist temple/gathering place, the old wooden bridge, the Japanese side of the village including a visit to a Vietnam Historical Site that is a several hundred year old merchant’s home and shop. We also walk along the river where we recognize that the river is already spilling its banks, not a good sign for tomorrow’s activities. But we roll with the flow. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. We complete our visit with a Vietnam cooking demonstration at a local restaurant. It is participatory, meaning we have to prepare at least a part of our evening meal. Kind of fun, and the food is excellent.
Well we’re finally cooling off -- amazing what a typhoon can do to temperatures. We left Hue at about 7:45 this a.m., in a light shower. Within a few minutes we were in driving rain with very strong winds. When we stopped for “Happy Room” break we had to use umbrellas and even then managed to get pretty wet. Our next stop was in DaNang at a marble carving factory. The skies opened on us, and though we tried to wait it out, we eventually made a mad dash for the bus. Surprisingly we didn’t get nearly as wet as we thought we might. The marble carving was very interesting. It has been a cottage industry here for hundreds of years because of a nearby marble mountain, but mainly focused on Buddhist related images. With the onset of significant foreign tourism it has now expanded to incorporate more Western looking images, including some very modern looking items. Lunch in Hoi An is a real treat -- maybe the best so far. Many dishes but not exactly the same, and just delicious. We are staying at Ancient House Hotel in Hoi An which is interesting in that it is arranged much like an old inn with rooms on many levels, no elevators, lots of stairs, four-poster beds with mosquito nets, while at the same time offering cable tv and in-room wi-fi free of charge. Hoi An and Hue are in central Vietnam, and as such are significantly different from the north. Houses are mainly one story, colors are different, the area seems more prosperous, etc.
This afternoon, with no regard for the rain pouring down on us, we take a walking tour of Hoi An’s old city. It centers around a bridge built nearly 300 years ago to join the Japanese side of the old city with the Chinese city. We visit a Chinese Buddhist temple/gathering place, the old wooden bridge, the Japanese side of the village including a visit to a Vietnam Historical Site that is a several hundred year old merchant’s home and shop. We also walk along the river where we recognize that the river is already spilling its banks, not a good sign for tomorrow’s activities. But we roll with the flow. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. We complete our visit with a Vietnam cooking demonstration at a local restaurant. It is participatory, meaning we have to prepare at least a part of our evening meal. Kind of fun, and the food is excellent.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Hue - Day 6
We begin our exploration of this beautiful city with a visit to the 18th Century Citadel, built by the Nguyen Dynasty to protect Hue from invaders. It is built in traditional fortress style, with an outer wall 6 metres deep and 20 feet high with a 50 foot wide moat surrounding it, cutouts for artillery, and heavy doors at the 10 gates. Inside there is a second wall with a second moat, making the whole fortification very secure. Inside the second wall is Vietnam’s Forbidden City, home of the royalty for most of 3 centuries. Unfortunately, when the French returned to power after World War II they decided to raze as much of this historic site as possible, and what little remained was destroyed during the TET offensive in 1968. As a consequence the site is now undergoing restoration under the auspices of UNESCO and the Vietnam government. Nevertheless we are able to see what has been restored so far and found it both interesting and beautiful. Next we visit a Buddhist run orphanage that receives support from Grand Circle Foundation. 192 orphans live there fulltime, with 92 of them boys, and 100 girls. The youngest is 2 weeks old, and the oldest are in 3rd year university, so probably about 20. They are clean, well-dressed, appear to be well-fed and happy. Their only other option is government-run orphanages which Tano says are very bad and overcrowded.
Next we experience a vegetarian lunch at a local Buddhist monastery. It is vegetarian because today is the first day of the full moon, and therefore a day of vegetarian only lunch. It was so delicious, and we were pleasantly surprised to enjoy the variety of meatless dishes they provided. Next we head for the largest Pagoda in Vietnam, the Thien Mu Pagoda. It is beautiful. There is the traditional 7 story pagoda at the entrance leading to the Royal Temple which has many gold images of Buddha, as well as eighteen 200 year old ceramic figures of the Apostles of Buddha. Beautiful grounds, wonderful woodwork, lovely ceramic figurines on the roof lines. Very peaceful.
We begin our exploration of this beautiful city with a visit to the 18th Century Citadel, built by the Nguyen Dynasty to protect Hue from invaders. It is built in traditional fortress style, with an outer wall 6 metres deep and 20 feet high with a 50 foot wide moat surrounding it, cutouts for artillery, and heavy doors at the 10 gates. Inside there is a second wall with a second moat, making the whole fortification very secure. Inside the second wall is Vietnam’s Forbidden City, home of the royalty for most of 3 centuries. Unfortunately, when the French returned to power after World War II they decided to raze as much of this historic site as possible, and what little remained was destroyed during the TET offensive in 1968. As a consequence the site is now undergoing restoration under the auspices of UNESCO and the Vietnam government. Nevertheless we are able to see what has been restored so far and found it both interesting and beautiful. Next we visit a Buddhist run orphanage that receives support from Grand Circle Foundation. 192 orphans live there fulltime, with 92 of them boys, and 100 girls. The youngest is 2 weeks old, and the oldest are in 3rd year university, so probably about 20. They are clean, well-dressed, appear to be well-fed and happy. Their only other option is government-run orphanages which Tano says are very bad and overcrowded.
Next we experience a vegetarian lunch at a local Buddhist monastery. It is vegetarian because today is the first day of the full moon, and therefore a day of vegetarian only lunch. It was so delicious, and we were pleasantly surprised to enjoy the variety of meatless dishes they provided. Next we head for the largest Pagoda in Vietnam, the Thien Mu Pagoda. It is beautiful. There is the traditional 7 story pagoda at the entrance leading to the Royal Temple which has many gold images of Buddha, as well as eighteen 200 year old ceramic figures of the Apostles of Buddha. Beautiful grounds, wonderful woodwork, lovely ceramic figurines on the roof lines. Very peaceful.
Hanoi to Halong Bay to Hue - Day 5 & 6
We board our bus headed to Halong Bay, four hours down the road. Along the way we see lots of rice fields, several being tended by local farmers with virtually no mechanized equipment, many pineapple fields which yield a small, very sweet fruit, tons of bicycles, motorbikes, trucks, and several small villages, many of which run directly into each other, forming a continuous row of shops topped with homes. About two hours into our drive we stop at a local school/craft market for handicapped children and adults. The students are learning to paint with silk thread producing beautiful pictures that from a distance look like oil paintings, as well as wood and stone carving, clothing sewing, lacquer ware painting among other skills. The goal is to teach them a skill they can use to make a living when they leave the security of the school. A very interesting stop.
We board a sampan that will take us to our junk which is anchored out in the harbor. Upon arrival we are given our room key and some time to get freshened up for lunch. Our guide, Tano, has told us that this is a brand new junk, only used 3 times before, and that as recently as 2000 there were no junks that offered overnight accommodations. Amazing since this Bay is one of the most beautiful spots in the world and can only be explored by boat. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and deservedly so. While I am at a loss for words to clearly describe the beauty we are encountering here, I will try to describe it as best as I can. The water is emerald green, most likely reflecting the greenery that covers the nearly 2,000 islands dotting this Bay. They jut up out of the water many hundreds of feet straight up with layer after layer of vertically stratified rock. Couple that with a nearly constant mist/fog and you have eerie but spectacular views every way you look. As part of our cruise we stop at a floating fish farm where rows of cubes of sea water hold dozens of kinds of fish and shellfish, some caught by locals, and all destined for local markets. Fascinating. We also stopped for about an hour while some of our group (not the 3 of us) climbed up the equivalent of 28 stories to see a cavern filled with stalactites and stalagmites. They said it was quite interesting - enough for us wimps. Sunset was beautiful over the water, followed by the eerie hoodoo-like images exposed only by moonlight. Morning came quite early as the junk engines start up at 6 a.m., ending the peaceful quiet of the night. After a short cruise during our breakfast we return to our bus for the return trip to Hanoi where we have lunch and head for the airport for our flight to Hue. We make the short transfer from the airport to the hotel, and gladly head for our rooms. Dinner tonight is on our own, so we choose to head upstairs to the hotel restaurant. Very good choice.
Is anybody out there? We haven’t heard a word from home except our friend and house sitter, Linda. Write and update us on the big snow and the Broncos.
We board our bus headed to Halong Bay, four hours down the road. Along the way we see lots of rice fields, several being tended by local farmers with virtually no mechanized equipment, many pineapple fields which yield a small, very sweet fruit, tons of bicycles, motorbikes, trucks, and several small villages, many of which run directly into each other, forming a continuous row of shops topped with homes. About two hours into our drive we stop at a local school/craft market for handicapped children and adults. The students are learning to paint with silk thread producing beautiful pictures that from a distance look like oil paintings, as well as wood and stone carving, clothing sewing, lacquer ware painting among other skills. The goal is to teach them a skill they can use to make a living when they leave the security of the school. A very interesting stop.
We board a sampan that will take us to our junk which is anchored out in the harbor. Upon arrival we are given our room key and some time to get freshened up for lunch. Our guide, Tano, has told us that this is a brand new junk, only used 3 times before, and that as recently as 2000 there were no junks that offered overnight accommodations. Amazing since this Bay is one of the most beautiful spots in the world and can only be explored by boat. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and deservedly so. While I am at a loss for words to clearly describe the beauty we are encountering here, I will try to describe it as best as I can. The water is emerald green, most likely reflecting the greenery that covers the nearly 2,000 islands dotting this Bay. They jut up out of the water many hundreds of feet straight up with layer after layer of vertically stratified rock. Couple that with a nearly constant mist/fog and you have eerie but spectacular views every way you look. As part of our cruise we stop at a floating fish farm where rows of cubes of sea water hold dozens of kinds of fish and shellfish, some caught by locals, and all destined for local markets. Fascinating. We also stopped for about an hour while some of our group (not the 3 of us) climbed up the equivalent of 28 stories to see a cavern filled with stalactites and stalagmites. They said it was quite interesting - enough for us wimps. Sunset was beautiful over the water, followed by the eerie hoodoo-like images exposed only by moonlight. Morning came quite early as the junk engines start up at 6 a.m., ending the peaceful quiet of the night. After a short cruise during our breakfast we return to our bus for the return trip to Hanoi where we have lunch and head for the airport for our flight to Hue. We make the short transfer from the airport to the hotel, and gladly head for our rooms. Dinner tonight is on our own, so we choose to head upstairs to the hotel restaurant. Very good choice.
Is anybody out there? We haven’t heard a word from home except our friend and house sitter, Linda. Write and update us on the big snow and the Broncos.
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