Ha Long Bay

I was ready to give up on Vietnam after the chaos of Hanoi, but Ha Long Bay has restored my appreciation for the country.  We used a tour company- Handspan Tours- for a 2 night cruise on the Bay on a ship called the Treasure Junk.  Usually I avoid organized travel, but this was a great choice.  They had plenty of down time to appreciate the scenery, and their tour operated like clockwork.

The drive to the coast was long- about four hours- through the rice paddies and small towns of northern Vietnam.  They were planting rice in the fields as we went, which was great to see.  It was raining when we arrived, and we got a little wet transferring to a tender and then onto the main boat.  But lunch was delicious and the sun was out by the time we got into the kayaks.  The trip the first day wasn't long, only an hour or two.  The tides were wrong for the beach, but it was still a great little adventure.  Afterwards, we relaxed in lounge chairs on the top deck, and it was just heaven.  Seriously, this is what heaven is like.  A padded lounge chair on the top deck, perfectly comfortable temperature, a waiter bringing you drinks, a book, and the sun setting on one side between the islands while the moon rose on the other side.  HEAVEN.

The first night we had dinner and then returned to the top deck to bask in the moonlight.  We almost fell asleep up there, it was really incredible.  The boat just lulled you- and I usually get seasick but felt none of that.

I slept so well in our cabin.  I woke up refreshed and excited for the day- they had Tai Chi scheduled, but it was cancelled because of the rain.  We had breakfast and then headed out in the kayaks for our long ride.  We paddled all morning to a private beach between two of the rock islands.  We had time to rest, swim, and take pictures, then went to a day boat (like the Treasure Junk but without the cabins) for lunch and relaxation.  After, we returned to the big boat and could hang out or kayak more.  Julie was a little sunburned and I was pretty done with rowing so we stayed on the boat.  I went back to my favorite top deck.  Before dinner we started to chat with some of the Australians who were on the tour.  We continued the conversation through dinner and then up to the top deck in the dark for happy hour.  It was great to hear about life there, how their politics are so similar to ours. 

The last day we had a quick bite and then a tour of a floating fishing village- all of the houses were on rafts.  They government is trying to close them down, so many were abandoned, but a few people still kept their old lifestyle.  They were also pearl farmers.  Then it was back to the boat for brunch, packing up, and heading in to shore.  And of course the four hour drive back to Hanoi.

We shopped a bit and had one last dinner with some of the people from the tour - more spring rolls! 

Hanoi Part 2

The second day in Hanoi was a long one- we started back at the lake with the Jade Temple, hoping to get a little sight-seeing in before the rain.  It worked- we had a beautiful visit to the little island and then walked along the shore taking in the sites and statues in the park.  We made our way back to the Cathedral area, when the skies opened up and it just POURED.  We rode out the storm in a Highland Coffee, Vietnam’s version of Starbucks.   Their frozen coffee drinks are delicious. 

After the rain lessened, we ventured out into the drizzle to see some of the streets in the Old Quarter.  The “silk” street provided some good shopping, and we even found a shop that sold old propaganda posters, which were fascinating to look through.  I wish everyone who studied history had a chance to go to the places where events happened.  It’s been fascinating seeing the Vietnam’s perspective of the “American War.”  If I had more time, I’d head to the war museum, but given our limited days, the streets are a better place to learn about life here.

We were fading pretty quickly by lunch time, but found a great Indian restaurant called Namaste Hanoi from a Trip Advisor recommendation.  It was one of the best meals of the trip- delicious chicken, garlicky naan.  Just the thing to perk us up again for more exploring.

 fter lunch we looked for Buddhas statues and saw a few temples.  We’d both dressed for hot weather so going inside wasn’t an option (bare shoulders and all) but we could see a lot of people visiting for the full moon.  It’s good luck to burn money at the local temple. 

Our next stop was the Hom market, the second floor of which was just all fabric sellers.  It was incredible- I think they have anything you could ever want to buy.  I picked up some black and white silk blend.  Not sure what I’ll do with it, but it’ll be a good souvenier.  

From there we headed north toward the Opera house.  Walking is a challenge in the city- sidewalks are more for cafes and parking motorbikes than walking.  Most people seem to ride here.  You have to constantly be thinking and weaving around obstacles when you walk.  Crossing the street is insane.  Someone in Laos told us that you have to just wait for a break and then stare down oncoming traffic when walking.  It works pretty well, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a few near-collisions!  

The Opera house was a beautiful yellow and white building with, hey, another Highland Coffee next door.  The heat index was up in the 120 range again, so sitting in the shade with frozen coffee sounded good.  Caffeine and ice are always good on a hot day.  Our final destination was another long walk- a street called Ma May known for its architecture and lacquer shops.

Ma May street was incredibly crowded, and I was about at my limit so wasn’t in the best of mood when we got there.  We shopped some, found the meeting point for our tour the next day, and tried some weasel coffee which wasn’t as gross as it should have been.  Of course I spilled it all over myself.  Given that it was the end of the day and ladies with bamboo hanging baskets kept trying to put them on my shoulders, I was done.  My friend helped me find a new shirt to buy so I wasn’t quite such a slob, and then we found a cab back.  It drove down the street that was setting up for the weekend market, which meant it took forever to get to the hotel.  Dinner was in the restaurant there that night- not great, and slow, but convenient.  I was glad to be leaving Hanoi tomorrow.

Hanoi Havoc

After deep-in-the-jungle Angkor and sleep Luang Prabang, Hanoi is an assault on the senses.  We arrived late at night after some flight delays and got a first-hand account on the frenetic pace here in the taxi ride to the hotel- it was wild.  We almost got run off the road by a giant piece of construction equipment.  It was a late-night room-service dinner for us, something off of the American menu as a reminder that in a big city, you can have international cuisine.

We slightly over-slept the next morning, a combination of a cold bug for Julie and exhaustion for me, but got up and moving on the rainy day.  Our first stop was probably the most bizarre of the trip- Ho Chi Minh.  When I was in Beijing I went to see Mao and have been fascinated by the fact that these famous dictators are just preserved and out there for the world to see a half-century after their death.  The taxi driver dropped us off in right next to the mausoleum plaza- but we had to walk about a mile around to actually get to the entrance.  By the time arrived the rain had stopped and we checked bags and followed the long lines to see him.  I’ll be honest- the best thing was the air conditioning inside.  But now I’ve seen 2/3 famous preserved dead communists and will hopefully get to Lenin before I die.  It’s a weird bucket list, I realize.

After Ho Chi Minh, we went through the gardens behind the old palace.  It was pretty, but getting hot.  Really hot.  We tried to find the one-pillar pagoda, but it was hidden somewhere nearby and just not showing up.  The museum was there, but I was pretty done with Uncle Ho by that point, so we decided instead to visit something a little older.

The Temple of Literature was a highlight in Hanoi, and only a short walk away.  Like the Buddhist temples I’d seen in China, it was arranged in several courtyards, a perfectly preserved medieval university.  We could see the first four courtyards that day.  It was still hot, but being in such a lovely environment with animal topiaries on the grass and curling dragons on the roof made it easier to bear.  There was a group leaving an offering at the Confucian altar so we got to see –and hear- the ritual.  The drum and bell are LOUD! 

Lunch was at a nearby buffet, a sampling of traditional Vietnamese food.  It was a little expensive but there wasn’t much around.  We didn’t do great with the Rough Guide food recommendations here- it got better once we found trip advisor.

Given that the heat index had passed 120, we gave up on the day after lunch and went back to the hotel to rest in the AC and swim.  Swimming never happened- we crashed.  Oops.  Well, dinner back in the city made up for it.  We ate near the cathedral, at an iron table on the balcony of the second floor.  Hanoi beer was served, which wasn’t as good as Beerlao, but the spring rolls were delicious and the coconut curry hit the spot.  After, we wandered down to the lake area and took pictures, strolling along with what seemed like the entire population of the city.  We had ice cream from a stand (which consisted of me pointing at whatever the kid in front of me got, holding up two fingers, and then holding up a handful of money and letting the server take what I owe- minimal communication is key!) and met some local teens who wanted to practice their English.  It was an exhausting first day, even with a nap, and an assault on your senses all around- wet in the morning, unbearably hot in the midday, smelly wherever you go, and a never-ceasing cacophony of engines and horns from millions of cars and motorbikes.  Tomorrow we hope to see more of the sites and finally do some souvenir

shopping.