29th January 2008, 7:40 Train to DaNang, Vietnam
Several days have passed so quite a lot to write
about. Two days ago we left Phnom Penh by bus. The bus trip was pretty
uneventful except for the border crossing, which, as usual was confusing, chaotic
and tedious, complicated by the fact that we couldn’t speak Vietnamese. But in
the end it all worked out, like it always does.
The difference in scenery on entering Vietnam from
Cambodia was immediate. There were shops and buildings along the road whereas
in Cambodia it had largely been open fields and a few wood huts
We eventually arrived in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)
late afternoon. The city is sprawling and yet highly congested, 11 million
souls trying to make their way, predominantly by means of scooter. We soon
became adept at crossing roads despite the swarms of scooters. All we had to do
was gradually walk across the road and ensure the drivers could see us, in
order to swerve. Despite the chaotic look of the roads, I never saw any
accidents and traffic never stops flowing so obviously it works.
After the bus dropped us in the Pham Nga district,
read tourist ghetto, we wandered around in the heat looking for our guesthouse.
Eventually we stumbled upon it after ignoring the erroneous street numbering,
who says 4 has to come between 3 and 5?? The guesthouse was amazing, our room
was an oasis of cool: A/C, fan, TV, hot water, all the fine things in life! Our
friendly guesthouse manager helped us arrange onward train travel and book a
tour for the next day.
We decided to walk to the war remnants museum to
get a feel for the city. We eventually found the museum with only an hour to go
before closing time. The museum had a lot of wartime photos, some tiger cages,
history info, etc. as pretty interesting seeing the Vietnam war from the
perspective of the Vietnamese. The Americans did some terrible things in
Vietnam but I'm pretty sure there were atrocities on both side. The museum
literature talked a lot about winners and losers but so far as I could see there
were no winners in this conflict, only devastation and pain for the people of
Vietnam. I found myself admiring the Vietnamese, they are a tough, resourceful
people, its no wonder the Americans could not defeat them. The highlight was
definitely the tanks, bombs and aircraft outside the museum, most were
American, I couldn’t help wondering how much USA spent on the war and whether
the money could not have been spent better...
After the war museum we walked to the
reunification palace but it was already closed. We just took some photos and
admired from afar, hoping to return another day. At this point I was feeling
exhausted. We hired
some cyclos to take us back to the tourist ghetto, it was quite a lot of fun
being transported in this way, while cars and biked hooted and overtook us. A
cyclo is basically a bicycle with a seat at the front for a passenger, the
driver sits behind the passenger and pedals and steers the contraption.
We spotted a restaurant called Allez Boo and quickly ordered some beers and food. Vendors kept pestering us with their wares so we moved into the restaurant to avoid them. The food arrived and we ate but I just felt more and more tired. By the time we got back to the guesthouse I was convinced I had flu or malaria. I was feeling tired, really hot and sweating, went to bed early but could hardly sleep as I kept waking up. The next day I was feeling only marginally better. Thank goodness Nix is ok, only struggling with her tummy. Wondering if we ate something dodgy, I dragged myself out of bed to get onto the tour, and resolved to see the doctor later, this could be serious.
The tour was started by us being rounded up like
cattle and sent from pillar to post around the tourist ghetto. Each time we
thought we had boarded the bus that would take us on the tour, our hopes were
dashed as we were dumped at yet another travel agency. Eventually we joined a
sizeable bus and knew it was the tour. Apparently this system is used to
maximise the number of tourists in a bus and the agencies collude or co-operate
to fill it, but what a weird system! But no, more was to come. Now the bus started
driving around downtown HCMC, picking up more tourists. In the rush hour this
took ages and the tour only got underway well after 10.
An ageing Asian man bearing a striking resemblance
to Dr Spok (Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame) introduced himself as Minh and
would be our guide for the day. After telling us about the plan for the day in
rather hard to understand English, he proceeded to tell us his life story and
pass on his wisdom. Poor guy lived through the Vietnam war and was an
interpreter for the Americans, I think he saw some scary stuff. His motto was
be happy in everything you do. I felt sorry for him, he was telling us some pretty
personal stuff and most of the folks weren't really responding. I guess they
didn’t hear him all that well...
After what seemed like hours we arrived at the Cao
Dai temple. It was hot and I was feeling sick. The temple looked a bit like a
regular cathedral except it was a weird custard and pink monstrosity. There was
a statue of what looked like a cow on the roof. We hurried along with the other
tourists and removed our shoes before entering. We filed up to the viewing
galleries just in time before the ceremony began. People in white robes started
entering the area below us. A few others were dressed in blue, yellow and red
robes, indication of rank no doubt. A small band plays some music with a
variety of unidentified cultural objects. A gong sounds occasionally and every
one of the robed figures sitting on the floor bows their head to the ground.
This goes on indefinitely. No speeches, hymn etc. Just song, music, bowing,
repeat.
The inside of the temple is richly decorated,
maybe a little too richly, in fact it looks like one giant piece of
confectionery. The pillars of the building are decorated with swirling dragons.
Each window features an eye in a triangle. At the very end is an enormous orb,
again with an eye painted on. I think I spot a statue with likeness of Jesus,
Buddha and some other bearded characters. This is roll your own religion at its
best.
We eventually get bored of the chanting and leave. I spot this painting of three men, one looks like colonel Sanders of KFC but it turns out to be Victor Hugo, some French guy who helped start this religion. The guide later tells us the Cao Daists believe in seances. Not really sure what they are all about, will have to Google but I still think their décor needs work if they are planning to go global...
We stop for lunch. I can barely finish half of my
meal, Nix can tell I'm not myself. We meet an English man, Londoner and swap
travel tales. He tells us Halong is great, weather fine, he complains about
just about everything else but that is just the English.
The highlight of the day has arrived, the Cu Chi
tunnels. We watch a short intro video about who the people of Cu Chi are and
why they built the tunnels. Minh the guide leads us into the jungle. We stop at
a shady spot and sweep some leaves aside... Lo a trapdoor is revealed! A chap
with a green uniform opens the trapdoor and proceeds to disappear into the
ground, recovering the trapdoor in the process. The trapdoor is tiny, maybe
30x40cm. Two of the tourists are allowed to try getting into the trapdoor to the
tunnel below. It must have been vexing for the GI's to be tracking down Viet
Cong (VC) only to have them disappear into the ground. We walk a short distance
further and the guide demonstrates a pit trap with rows of sharpened bamboo
sticks below, deadly.
The forest is dense, it must have been terrifying navigating this trap infested territory. The Americans tried to bomb and defoliate the Cu Chi area but did not manage to remove the VC in the area. The guides shows us some reconstructions of life and work in the tunnels. The VC were incredibly resourceful, re-using shrapnel from bombs, or sawing bombs (unexploded) apart to reuse the explosives – deadly! There is also an exhibit of more traps, barbed steel spikes to inflict severe pain and damage, these guys weren't taking any prisoners.
In the distance we hear shooting, giving us an inkling of the sounds of the battle that must have rung out across Vietnam during the war. We arrive at the shooting range and with some trepidation I hand over $10 and get some AK47 bullets. I feel very nervous. I've shot guns before and I know there is always a risk of injury and death. I take my place behind the AK47 and the attendant soldier hands me a pair of earphones as sound protection (effectively useless!). He loads and readies the gun. I take aim and squeeze the trigger. The sound is unbelievable, the AK is powerful. I would hate to be on the other side of this. The AK is set to single fire, which is disappointing as I really wanted the automatic. I finish my ten rounds and step away exhausted but chuffed. I come to two conclusions, I could never be a solider unless brainwashed and anyone who shoots on a battlefield must end up being deaf.
We leave the shooting range and our guide takes us to a
re-constructed tunnel. We crawl in, I can just haunch down and crawl forward.
Its so tiring and hot. We come up and are shocked to see we have only crawled
about 10-15m. I suddenly have a great deal of awe for the guerillas, they must
have been some tough bastards. The tour of Cu Chi is at an end, and the coach
drives us home. Ironically, I'm starting to feel less fluey and tired but my
tummy still hurts.
We get back to HCMC and decide its best to find a
doctor. We try two state medical facilities but get nowhere as no one speaks
English. We finally opt for a private health facility near Notre Dame church
and a doctor, English speaking, immediately sees us. He examines me and comes
to the diagnosis that I suffered dehydration and diarrhoea. He prescribes some
rehydration tablets and diarrhoea meds and we make our way home. I was very
relieved not to have malaria, this would have had a major impact on our trip!
In the end we missed out on seeing much of HCMC by night. What we did see was a
lot of New Years decorations which made the city look incredible with all the
lights.
We woke early and got ready to check out on the
morning of the 29th. Taking the medication wasn’t pleasant, the
diarrhoea meds
in particular were gross. We went to see the re-unification palace and to our
great disappointment it was being used for a military ceremony and access was
denied. From there we walked to the Notre Dame church. Its like a piece of
Europe in Asia, seems so out of place. The only Asian touch is the fluorescent
lighting tubes decorating statues of saints in the chapels. Next we visited the
post office, which is supposed to be an attraction due to its architecture. To
me it looks a bit more like a Victorian train station with its iron barrel
roof. It is just a post office but the building does have an elegance and
history about it.
We
catch a cab and head to the Jade emperor pagoda. The pagoda is somewhat
dilapidated and wasn't so spectacular. There are a number of shrines and lots
of incense burning. The Chinese influence is evident in the writing carved into
wood panels and the style of buddhas. We rested briefly by the koi pond
contemplating our next move.
We ended up walking to the history museum which is just next to the zoo. The museum was quite interesting, told the story of Vietnam's history from ancient times through to the present. Each dynasty was introduced along with its artefacts. Its evident that the Vietnamese fought a lot of battles to preserve their independence. They were one of the few lands to defeat the Mongolians which ended up controlling most of Asia and Europe. The only other thing which caught my eye is this mummy (150 years old) found in an embalmers buildings that were being demolished a few years ago.
And
with that our time in HCMC was over. We went back to the market Ben Thanh to
stop for lunch. I had no appetite but Nix tucked into a Pho Bo (noodles in a
thin soup with beef). The market was crowded and interesting. The guy next to
Nix had the most disgusting looking drink. I could not identify what went into
the green frothy mixture.
1st
Feb 2007 17:00, Hoi An Vietnam
Another equally long time lapse since the last entry. We have already been in Hoi An for three days and so much has happened. The rest of our train journey from HCMC had been eventful... Our sleep was tortured with frequent loud interruptions from random Vietnamese. Our door would burst open, the invaders casually conversing at full volume, and occasionally swapping places with people on the lower bunks. This went on ALL night, e had our revenge though. We woke up at 5:30 to get ready for our departure to Danang and made as much noise as we pleased. We only just finished our preparations in time and then we exited the train into the waiting darkness of Danang.
We haggled for a taxi
fare but fortunately a friendly French woman made us aware of a cheaper bus
heading back into Hoi An and we jumped at the opportunity. During the drive we
spotted the sea for the first time since our arrival in SE Asia, it was
beautiful and the beach looked inviting, even though it was overcast. The
minibus dropped us off at the greenfield hotel and we dropped our bags there as
it was too early to check in. We walked all the way into the old town of Hoi
An. Along the river we found the market and some restaurants where e stopped
for breakfast. The old town is charming, a mishmash of French, Chinese,
Japanese and Vietnamese architecture. In a way, we decide it is somewhat of an
Asian twin of Venice Italy. Hoi An also shares a maritime trading history and
is set in a series of rivers and lakes which feed into the sea. We are still exhausted
but decide to go exploring, as we still cant return to the hotel. The dusty
gravel streets are lined with all manner of craft, art and clothing shops and
stores. We stumbled upon the Japanese covered bridge. It has two wood carved
dogs guarding the entrance adorned with decorations. There are monkey statues
on the other side . Legend has it that construction started in the year of the
monkey and finished in the year of the dog. We tried to enter the small temple
on the bridge but realise we need an entrance ticket so we found an office and
purchased one for the day. Unfortunately we could only choose one of each type
of attraction to visit. Our first stop was the Cantonese assembly hall. This
was where Cantonese merchants would hold a trade fair for up to 6 months. The
hall is richly decorated in a Chinese style with corresponding art and statues.
There is a fountain at the centre with a dragon hunting a carp.
We selected Quan Cong temple as our next visiting point. The temple was largely decorated in red, with a pond in the courtyard with turtles swimming around. I posed with some spears and standards while Nix snapped away. We accidentally walked through the temple and into the museum of history and culture. The attendant tried to sell us some postcards, and then asked for our tickets. Before we can object he snipped the stub for our museum visit. We explained that we walked in by mistake and he begrudgingly returned our stubs – we left quickly. We visited the rest of the temple and only spotted a gong that caught our interest for a photo.
We
headed down the road to the old house of Tan Ky. This is a Japanese style home
that was built and occupied by a Japanese family. This is a testament to the
multi-cultural influences in Hoi An. On our way out we noticed high water
markings, apparently it is normal for the ground floor to be completely flooded
during the rainy season. It must be so strange to have to move all of your
furniture upstairs every year.
Our
ticket stubs had run out and it was past midday so we headed back to the hotel
to get showered. On our way we passed a bicycle hire and decided to rent some
instead of walking everywhere. Back at the hotel we are shown to our room,
which is really nice and we are both very happy. After a shower I actually felt
human again. The sunny weather was great and we decided a trip to the beach was
in order. After a short cycle, we reached it. The sand was fine and the setting
idyllic. Palm trees waving in the breeze, vendors making their way among
sunbathers... We found our spot and spread out our towels. Except for a breeze
we felt we were in paradise, so happy and relaxed. The water was a bit chilly
so we put off swimming for another day. Later we went for a walk along the
beach, so nice to feel the sand underneath my feet. The afternoon slipped by
imperceptibly and soon we made out way back to the hotel. On the way we passed
a nice restaurant on the river and decided to return for dinner later. We
cleaned up and changed, and after dark we walked to the restaurant. The setting
was so romantic with lights in the distance reflecting the river. We ordered
fish barbecued in banana leaves and beef wrapped in edible leaves with rice and
chips. It was delicious! To finish the meal we had some ginger tea which was
really tasty and the perfect way to end the day. We made our way back, content
and ready for bed.
From
Asia tailors we tried to find Red Bridge cooking school on our bikes. The
guidebook only said it was out of town so we could not find it. We ended up
asking a hotel for help but they could only give us vague directions. We
decided to head back to town to Hai's scout cafe, where the course was supposed
to start. Once we got there we realised we could choose from an evening, half
day or full-day course. We settled on half day for $18 (expensive) but we were
not sure when we were leaving Hoi An so we had to go all the way back to the
hotel to check the info. We were only leaving around 2pm, so we went ahead and
booked the course which should end around 1pm on Saturday 2nd. We
had some lunch at Hai's only to realise we didnt have enough money to pay. I
had to go all the way back to the hotel to fetch the money (D'oh!). The rest of
the afternoon was spent shopping in the old town. As tempting as it was to buy
some art, we refrained as we knew we would have to carry it all the way home.
Nix did spot a Chinese style top which she really liked at a tailors. They
measured her and she paid for the top. We both agreed it would be amazing to
wear tailored clothing all the time instead of shopping at department stores.
We stopped at a riverside cafe for some sweet Vietnamese coffee. The weather
was getting colder, very disappointing as I was hoping to go to the beach
again.
That night we selected “BaLe Well” restaurant, from Lonely Planet, for dinner. We struggled to find it as it was tucked away in a side street. My initial impression was to run as it looked so basic... But the owner invited us to sit and so we did, looking for an experience. The place had plastic furniture designed for Asians. It was a set menu of traditional food. Soon a plate of skewered meat arrived, some rice paper, dipping sauces, kimchi and salad. The owner lady, Mai, demonstrated how to place the ingredients in the paper and roll it before dipping in the sauces. Absolutely delicious! Never judge a book by its cover. Next the springrolls arrive and something that looks like an omelette. We roll this and eat. The food is filling and soon we are both rubbing our tummies. Mai proudly shows us her guestbook and the comments are really impressive. She is such a charismatic lady, made us feel so welcome even though we are the only foreigners in a very local place.
We
arrived at the site and were transported up to the visitor centre by jeep or
minibus. From there we walked to the first and most impressive tower complex.
The towers are in bad shape, built of brick and over 1000 years old. The bricks
fit together perfectly, our guide explained that the Chams used resin instead
of cement. The carvings of the site, worked into the brick are only barely
distinguishable. These were Hindu temples, dedicated to Shiva and Ganesh. Even
though the ruins are nowhere near as impressive as Angkor, the site has a
mysterious ambience and the surroundings of jungle shroud the ruins in secrecy.
The Chams were still a formidable force and once conquered Angkor before it was
re-captured by the Khmer. They had their sun script and must have influenced
other civilisations. Apparently their origin has been traced to Java. One of
the towers at the site was built of stone instead of brick, but this was never
finished, for unknown reasons. Two of the temples have been converted to
museums containing sculptures and statues found on the site. We wander from
temple to temple and then onto the next group.
On
our way back to the hotel we stopped at Huong Ly to collect Nicki's top. She
was pleased with the result and looked elegant wearing it, even with jeans.
Nicki posed with the tailors to take a snap to record the moment. We spent the
rest of the afternoon relaxing, writing and reading at the hotel. Our time in
Hoi An was slipping by quickly but we were both having a great time.
On
the bus now and hard to write with the driver's swerving around scooters. The
weather turned foul, I think Hanoi isn't going to be be fun in terms of
precipitation. The countryside is really beautiful, rice paddies and verdant
green on one side, the bay of Tonkin on the other...
Backtracking
to the 1st of Feb. That evening we inspected our suits, the labour
of the tailors. Nicki looked so smart in her new suit, the fabric and colour
were a great choice. Only the frill on the skirt seems to have worked out
differently and Nix asked for this to be removed. I put on my suit and feel
somewhat claustrophobic, the suit clung to me in a way I was not accustomed.
The arms were too thin and I requested this to be adjusted. The trousers were
amazing and exactly right for me with my skinny waist and long legs. We made
arrangements to return the next day.
That
completed, we set off for dinner at Ms. Ly's. The restaurant looked modern and
chic. Ms. Ly was walking around in a figure hugging white dress and I wondered
what her other business interests were... We order wontons, white rose, cao loa
and some delicious grilled pork. The meal was great and we felt so full as we
walked back to the hotel. We fell asleep after watching a movie (Just like
heaven).
We woke up late, relatively speaking, as we only had to get to the cooking course by 8:15. We had our usual breakfast at the hotel and also got our laundry done in anticipation of Halong and Sapa. We arrived at the Hai Scout cafe and joined the other tourists for a drink. Our lively and Aussie speaking Vietnamese guide led us through the markets showing us all the components of Vietnamese cooking. Ginger, eggplant, coriander, lime, chilies, seafood, carrots, banana leaf and flower, you name it. The guide asked who liked chili, and challenged us to eat a small red chili with him. I manned up to the challenge. At first it wasn't so bad but after chewing the chili I was in real pain... the clever guide had swallowed his whole! He showed us some typical Vietnamese cooking utensils which we all oohed and ahhed about before shelling out 100,000 baht for more useless kitchenware that would soon be gathering dust. Nix assured me this would not be the case.
After
the market trip we all got on a boat and headed for the Red Bridge cooking
school. Our guide pointed out his boss's house next to the school, this Aussie
had the right idea, the place was amazing and he obviously never did much as we
never saw him at the school. Green envy aside, the guide led us to the
classroom and the chef introduced himself. He was soon cracking jokes and we
were having a great time. First he showed us how to make seafood salad served
in a hollowed out pineapple. I abstained due to my allergy and got chatting to
an American who discovered that he is allergic to Vietnamese seafood as it has
a higher allergen count. To quote him he said he looked like Shrek after
indulging in some seafood a few days ago and had to go to hospital.
Next we made some Asian eggplant in an earthen pot, which we didn't get to taste until much later. Then they showed us how to make rice paper from scratch which was so interesting. Basically soak rice for a few days, blend, spread onto a cloth tied over a saucepan of hot boiling water and cover. Then you lift the congealed disc with a bamboo skewer, carefully. We then added some fillings and bang we had fresh springrolls. Next we made Hoi An pancakes out of rice puree used for the rice paper previously. With a bit of turmeric the mixture goes yellow and is then fried in a pan. It was so much fun preparing our own food and the setting was amazing, cooking class on the river. Afterwards we had a sit down meal, which included some of our dishes and also a banana leaf wrapped grilled fish with rice. The boat transported us back to Hoi An. Nix resolved to throw a Vietnamese cooking party some time after we return.
We
got up late on Sunday as we were in no hurry to leave. Eventually went down for
breakfast, it was still overcast, I couldn't help wondering how much more of a
tan I would have had by now if it weren't for this weather. We checked out and
the staff tallied the bill. I went for the credit card payment option only to
be told they charged an extra 4%!! On our bill this was around 15 pounds,
ridiculous. We refused and went to the banks to try and get a better deal. Sad
for us it was a Sunday, no banks open. Admitting defeat I handed over the card
and resentfully signed on the dotted line.
After
that we went for one last lunch by the river. I noticed some more new years
decorations being put up. The market was as busy as ever and the tourists were
walking the streets, shopping for souvenirs. I came to the conclusion that Hoi
An is one of the places where time stands still, I could come back and find
this place unchanged, years from now.
Our
appetites satisfied, we braced ourselves for the journey to Hanoi. A bus picked
us up at the hotel. It wasn't a sleeper bus so we anticipated a change
somewhere on our trip. The bus eventually dropped in Hue. We waited in the dark
with the other tourists. After about half an hour, the sleeper bus arrived, we
stowed our rucksacks in the filthy hold on the underside of the bus and
scrambled aboard. There were three rows of double bunks running the length of
the bus. We selected two top level bunks, they were relatively comfortable but
a bit short for the average Westerner. The bus took off and we were on our way
to Hanoi. The driver turned on the aircon and we froze, clutching our blankets
to keep warm. I eventually fell asleep and only woke up when we stopped for
dinner in the middle of nowhere. We quickly got out the bus, ordered some Pho
Bo (Beef noodle soup) and some chicken in lemongrass with rice. We ate without
really savouring the food much. The roadside diners in Vietnam are not exactly
Wimpy or any other comparable institution. The place is usually poorly lit,
filthy and has plastic furniture intended for children, with zero ambience, but
they are fascinating because this is where Vietnamese eat.
Back on the bus I managed to get a few hours sleep eventually waking up stiff and feeling like I hadn't slept at all. The driver was hooting incessantly and loudly at anything else travelling in the road. I watched the scenery roll by , still overcast, surprise surprise. The pattern of building in this part of Vietnam seems to be put up a few buildings in the middle of nowhere, nowhere being areas of waterlogged rice paddies. Every time I thought we were finally nearing Hanoi I was disappointed by yet more rice paddies but eventually we did arrive in Hanoi.
We
grabbed our bags and realised they were covered in mud. I bundled us into a
taxi and Nix gives him the address of our hotel near Hoan Kiem Lake. Hanoi is a
bit like HCMC, lots of scooters, chaotic traffic, dirty streets... The driver
located our address and I shelled out 100,000Dong ($6). We walked the rest of
the way down Dihn Liet in the heart of the old quarter (read tourist ghetto)
and into a small alleyway to “Old Darling I”. It was too early to check in so
we decided to go and find breakfast and go adventuring.
We
stumbled along the streets of the Old Quarter, avoiding scooters and vendors on
our way to the Hoan Kiem lake. The lake is really large and impressive, there
is an island near the north end covered in thick vegetation. I could just see
the “Hue” bridge which stands out as its painted red. We spotted a restaurant
on the lake and decided it was our best bet for breakfast. I ordered a delicious
pho and Nix goes for a croissant and jam. The restaurant was playing Abba which
made me feel sad and I have no idea why. Feeling better after eating we decided
to explore the island on the lake.
Hoan Kiem means restored sword. Legend has it that emperor Ly Thai To gave up the magical sword, used to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam, to a golden tortoise swimming in the lake. We reached the bridge and took some snaps. Its adorned with brilliantly coloured flags on account of Tet (New Year). We crossed over to the island, on the gatehouse is a painting of the golden tortoise with a sword on its back. We made our way around the island and into the jade mountain temple. It has the usual gongs and shrines with gift and money. We also came across a gigantic tortoise... Well an embalmed gigantic tortoise truth be told but still frightening. The tortoise as at least 1.5m long, apparently these tortoises still inhabit the lake and are occasionally seen by locals and tourists alike. Sounded like a case for “Ripley's believe it or not” of the “X-Files”...
We left the island and headed back to the hotel. On the way we passed the water puppet theatre and decided to buy some tickets for a show later (D20,000). It was still to early to check in so we chose to visit the memorial house and Bach ma temple to kill some more time.
The
memorial house is a reconstruction of a Chinese home in the Old Quarter. The
rooms have traditional antique furniture. A Chinese chess set caught my eye,
the layout is similar to a Western chess board but I'm sure the rules are quite
different. Downstairs is a work area, a tea room, and two courtyards. Upstairs
we found a dining room and bedroom. Everything is finished in dark wood. There
was a wooden bed in the bedroom and the attendant upstairs explains that people
would sometimes sleep directly on the bed without a mattress. There is also a
lot of traditional art and carvings on display.
We
left the memorial house and went on to the Bach ha temple, which is a Chinese
temple. It was constructed and used by the Chinese community who immigrated to
Hanoi. Bach ha literally means white horse. The legend goes that the emperor
was trying to build a wall to defend the city but it kept on collapsing, so he
prayed for help and a white horse appeared and showed him where to build. We
spotted the white horse amongst the usual jumble of artefacts in the main
shrine. Other than that the temple was pretty standard. I'm sure if I
understood a bit more about Chinese mythology and beliefs it would be more
intriguing. I wonder if Asian tourists visiting Western cathedrals experience a
similar problem?
We were finally able to check in. The room was lovely and there was hot water. Nix went for a shower but the water ran out quite quickly. It was midday and we were already hungry so we made our way to a local restaurant for lunch before heading to Ho Chi Minh's museum and mausoleum. I had some chicken fried rice and Nix had a chicken corn soup with baguette, very tasty and filling. We paid the bill and hailed a cab to transport us to our next stop. The taxi ride went quickly as it wasn't far to go.
When we got to the museum it looked very quiet, no tourists to be seen anywhere. The
museum itself looked typically communist, very functional and utilitarian. We
walked around to the entrance and saw a notice that it was closed on Monday
afternoons during Tet, scuppered... Disappointed we walked to the Dien Hue
pagoda and the one pillar pagoda. The latter is particularly impressive,
perched on a single column in a pond, a staircase leads to the pagoda. Its
supposed to represent a lotus rising from the sea. We move from the pagoda to
the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh. As we get closer it becomes apparent this is also
closed. A detachment of uniformed soldiers is patrolling the area and I'm even
more reluctant to get closer. Even at a distance the mausoleum is imposing. It
reminds me a bit of the voortrekker monument, a large marble cub, dark and
imposing. Nix takes a picture of me and we move on. At this point we come to
the conclusion its just not happening today and we are best coming back another
day.
Our next step was the temple of literature a few minutes walk away. There was a tall wall right around the complex but we could already spot some impressive looking buildings inside. We finally reached the entrance and paid. We made our way inside and were transported to a different world... There were beautiful gardens , pools and in the distance a set of ornate gates. We ambled slowly down the paved walkway taking in the calm and tranquil setting. We reached the first gatehouse red pillars, oriental style roof with its upturned edges. We made our way to the second gate, the largest, beyond was a courtyard with a large pond at the centre. On either side were 82 stellae (pillars/plaques) each with a tortoise as a base. The stellae are for the doctorates awarded to students of literature, each details the doctors name, place of birth and other information. Apparently the exams were carried our by the emperor himself and only one doctorate was bestowed in a particular exam, so it must have been tough.
We
made our way through a third gate and into a paved courtyard flanked by two
buildings containing shops and opposite the gate was a temple pagoda. We
explored the pagoda, found the usual shrines, but some statues of the emperor
and four other statues facing him. We exited the pagoda and went around the
back. There was a set of 'new' looking buildings, and an enormous drum,
suspended in a wooden structure. We wondered into the two story pagoda/temple
which contained some historical artefacts. There were some musicians playing
some traditional music and instruments. We ventured upstairs for some more
photos but there wasn't much of a viewpoint. We made our way out of the complex
stopping for an ice cream which was really refreshing.
Not
wanting to spend any money on taxies and feeling up for a challenge, we decided
to walk to St Joseph's cathedral. It took us about 15-20 minutes until we found
it. It was pretty hard to miss, it stood out completely from the surrounding
city. The cathedral itself seemed to be in a bit of a sad state, the grey black
colour looked dreary and uninviting. The front area of the cathedral was
barricaded, most probably to keep out vagrants. We made our way around to a
side entrance and stepped into the gloomy interior. A few people were praying
in the otherwise deserted church. We made our way around, admiring the stained
glass windows. A lot of the chapels were dedicated to saints in French. I
slipped some money into a collection box and we left the way we came in. I
wondered what services must be like, how many people attended and whether
Christians were persecuted in Vietnam.
We headed out of the Latin quarter and back to Hoan Kiem lake. We planned to eat Indian that night, at a restaurant called Tandoori, just North East of the lake. The prices at the restaurant were steep but we really wanted a change so we went for it. I ordered a daal, and Nix a chicken tikka masala, with rice and naans. It was delicious, as good as any I had tasted in the UK. On the table next to us were a pair of ladies were were convince were South African. After dinner we headed for the water puppet theatre.
We
arrived just in time as all the tourists were making their way into the
theatre. Once inside we could see a stage to one side, a pool of green water
and a pagoda like structure at the back behind the pool. After a while some
musicians appeared and an English recording started, introducing the theatre
and the proceedings for the evening. The musicians started playing really
beautiful music. One did a solo with a really peculiar instrument that only has
one string and produces and warbling sound. Really distinctive and eerie sound.
Then the show started and a puppet appeared on the surface of the lake. I
strained to see how it was controlled and could just make out two poles under
the water, protruding from the pagoda on the pool. More puppets appeared, carrying
out all manner of maneuvers and movements. People, fish, snakes, dragons,
boats, men and women, fishing, harvesting scenes played out before my eyes. One
of my favourites was the dragon dance, where these dragons swirl back and forth
and then spit fireworks while swimming. Towards the end of the show the
exhaustion started to make my eyes heavy and I lapsed in and out of
consciousness. The show ended to great applause, it was really a great show, we
hung around a bit afterwards taking photos and then we headed 'home' to
collapse in bed after another day of travelling.
5th Feb 2008, Perfume Pagoda, Hanoi, Vietnam
We
woke early to get ready for our day. We had a quick break at Old Darling 2 and
waited for the tour guide to arrive. Eventually a chap arrived and bundled us
into a tour bus with all the usual suspects (tourists same same but different).
We drove around a bit, picking up more tourists and eventually made our way out
of Hanoi. The guide introduced himself as Ngok, pronounced Knock. We started
making knock knock jokes... We drove for about 2-3 hours until we eventually
stopped in a village next to a waterway, which was literally crammed full of
sheet metal boats pained an uninspired red-brown colour.
We got out of the bus and into the awaiting boats, it was cold and grey, so misty we could barely see the landscape around. We sat 2 by 2 in a boat for four, with our rower behind us, a friendly looking child slave (not really but she did look very young). The boats made slow progress but gave us plenty of opportunity to take photos and enjoy the view. It was quiet except for the sound of our strokes, a pleasant change from the incessant hotting in the cities. On either side of the waterway were rice paddies and little homes on stilts. Steep limestone outcrops soared up around us in the mist. Occasionally a motorised boat would pass us and create a large wake which would leave us close to submerging.
After some time we reached the landing point and we gingerly made our way off the boat, our cramped legs not functioning yet. We walked up some stairs and into a village of sorts, more like a collection of corrugated enclosures. Ngok stopped to explain that we were now at the perfume pagoda. The name is a bit of a misnomer as perfume pagoda refers to a collection of 18 temples/pagodas/places of interest. We were standing just in front of Thien Tru pagoda. Ngok suggested we use the cable car, as the walk to the Huong Tich cavern would be challenging in the wet weather. The cable car would cost us B120,000 which was a lot, and being up for the challenge, we decided to walk. Ngok pointed vaguely at the starting point of the walk and we headed off. It was steep going but at least the walkway was well paved and constructed. I was expecting nice views of the jungle along the path but instead every inch of the road was flanked by bamboo and canvas structures and people playing loud (somewhat irritating) Vietnamese music...
For while we had no idea if we were going the right way. We ended up following the cable car above us. After a long walk of about 20-30 minutes up steep stairs and slippery rocks, we eventually reached the cable car station at the summit, We followed the path all the way to the cavern. As I caught sight of it, I was forced to stop and admire the scene. The enormous cavern, tucked away amongst the cliffs, had a large rock at it centre, dividing it into two entrances.
We neared the entrance and stopped for pictures. We entered to the left and saw numerous stalactites and stalagmites. Deep in the cavern we could just see a candle lit shrine. This is a Buddhist temple and a pretty important one at that. We spent some time exploring the cavern and the shrine, taking pictures.
Apparently the two entrances to the cavern are called the gates to heaven and hell but I could not work out which was which. Our guide informed us that everyone was heading back for lunch so we set off straight away as we knew we would take longer to walk.
The way back seemed shorter and less strenuous as we were going downhill. We eventually reached the base and sat down for some lunch of rice, spinach, fish, vegetables and beef stir-fry – standard fare. After lunch we made a tour of Thien Tru pagoda. The entrance was an ornate gate in oriental style, Chinese/Vietnamese characters inscribed on the columns. Inside the gate was a new looking set of buildings. We made our way up stairs to the main temple complex. We were in a bit of a rush and didn't really take enough time to explore the site in depth, it was pretty much like all the other temples... One exception was a walled courtyard which contained two large jade coloured lion/dragon statues. In the alcoves were a set of Chinese soldier statues, kind of bas relief style, and brightly painted. They stood as if guarding the courtyard and temple.
We hurried back to the restaurant and met up with everyone else on their way to the boats. We clambered back on board for the return journey. The mist had cleared somewhat and now we could see the terrain in more detail. The limestone hills seemed to go on forever, their serrated ridges cutting the sky. We arrived back at the starting point, our guide had urged us to tip the rowers on account of Tet no doubt so we left D40,000 to the poor child slave rower. The Brazilians in our boat had shelled out D50,000 and so had set expectations rather high...
Back
in the bus we soon lapsed into napping after the strenuous activities of the
day.
The
journey passed uneventfully and soon we were back in Hanoi. The 5th
of Feb was our 4 years 10 months anniversary so we decided to go out and
celebrate. I selected “Little Hanoi” from the Lonely Planet as it was close and
well priced. When we arrived the restaurant was packed, we queued for about ten
minutes before a set of seats opened up. We scrutinised the menu and I opted
for sweet and sour sauce catfish, Nix went for sweet and sour pork. The food
was delicious and served with rice. The atmosphere was quite subdued, the place
had an old world charm about it. Our taste buds and tummies satisfied we headed
back for some well earned sleep. The next day we would be heading for Halong
bay, which should be spectacular. Its a double world heritage site for
outstanding natural beauty. As usual there was the trepidation, the uncertainty
of the tour organisation, so we tried to manage our expectations.
6th Feb 2008, Halong Bay, Vietnam
Another
day, another early start! We packed up and had breakfast ready for the tour
company to collect us at 8am. Our guide arrived and we clambered onto the tour
bus. We drove around picking up tourists and then the guide introduced himself
as 'Linh' which he pronounced 'Ling'. He told us a few interesting facts and
outlined the plan for the day. The trip to Halong city took about 3 hours so we
finally arrived around midday. We were dropped off right at the port so we
could see dozens of junk boats moored or coming and going. Linh sorted out the
tickets for us and we made our way onto the quay to our boat. We stepped aboard
the 'Bien Mo' a two star junk and dropped our bags on the upper deck. At this
point we decided we needed more cash which was really leaving things to the
last minute. I dashed back to the ATM in the port I had seen, tried all my
cards but none of them worked, the machine was visa only. I then ran and found
a moto taxi and negotiated a $2 ride to the ATM in town. The driver sped along
and dropped me at the ATM which promptly dispensed D1.5m. Back at the port the
driver demanded $4, swine...
Made my way back onto the boat and found Nix happily chatting to some South Africans... and not just any South Africans, the exact South Africans we had seen in the Tandoori restaurant two days ago! I introduced myself and learned their names were Lara and Claire. They were students from UCT on their holiday travels. The other people on the tour were a mix of Germans, Aussies and Kiwis but we didn't really get to chat to them yet. The boat cast off and once we were clear of the port, lunch was served. Food was pretty good, rice, veggies, stir fry and some seafood. After lunch we got our room keys and we dumped our luggage in the bedroom. The room was really nice, quite spacious despite being on a boat. The junk had about 3 bedrooms on the lower level, the common room and restaurant on the middle level and the top deck for sunbathing. We all gathered on the top deck for photos and to watch the scenery. The boat was moving into an area full of limestone outcrops, the scenery was really spectacular despite the dismal weather. The limestone outcrops were deeply eroded at their bases, in places the sea had broken through, and you could see beyond to other outcrops.
We cruised along for some time and eventually came to a stop at one of the islands. The guide led us up the hillside to a cave. I had not expected this, and it was an amazing surprise to see. The cave was lit up in a spectacular array of colours, highlighting incredible stalactite and stalagmite formations. The inside of the cave was really spacious. Apparently it had only been found by fishermen in the last few years and so is a relatively new attraction. Linh pointed out some formations, lion, eagle, Buddha, Romeo and Juliet, dragon... none of which looked anything like what he described. I was convinced he made it up, then and there! After looking around and admiring the cavern we eventually made our way out. A short distance further we came to another cave. This one was much larger and had a huge opening at the sea front. It was less attractive in that it didn't have such amazing rock formations but it was impressive in terms of sheer scale. I wondered if people had used this cave for smuggling or other clandestine activities. Near the entrance was a stella commemorating the visit of a royal delegation sent by the emperor. A modern day traveller had added their own touch by chiselling over the ancient characters. At this pointed I concluded yet again, tourists are vulgar and crass individuals... We completed our tour of the caves and got back on the boat.
We continued cruising along, and passed floating homes. These were constructed with large polystyrene blocks as foundations upon which a wooden platform was constructed. On top of the platform, homes and all the other structures were built. Our guide even pointed out a school, founded by an aid organisation, where local children go to school. Before this, there was no education, save that which parents provided to their own children. After some time, the ship stopped again at an attractive looking island with a beautiful beach. We wondered if the sand had been brought from elsewhere. We went down to the sea, and expected the water to be ice cold, but instead it was a comfortable temperature.
Behind the beach was a steep staircase which we decided to climb to get a better viewpoint. We were soon rewarded with some amazing vistas over the area. Junks with their sails seemed like toy boats, drifting amongst the limestone spires. We spent some time at the summit, admiring the views and taking pictures. It was just starting to get dark as we returned to the ship.
Our
ship moved on through the gathering darkness. In the distance we could see the
twinkling lights of other junks, like stars on the water. It was cold so we
stayed mainly in the restaurant making conversation with the Saffers.
Eventually dinner was served which followed the pattern of the previous meal,
rice with seafood, veggies, springrolls, etc.
After
dinner, Linh and the crew started playing karaoke music and singing along. The
one crew member reduced us to belly aching laughter. He could speak little
english and attempted to read the words on the screen but just sounded so funny
and senseless. Next Linh gave an impressive performance proving he had been
practising. Some of the Aussies gave it a go and even a German lady tried.
After a few beers I eventually coaxed Nix into singing “Love is all around us”,
apparently we did ok! It was still pretty early but people started heading for
bed. By 10pm we decided we would call it a day and were soon fast asleep in our
beds.
Midnight I woke up to the sound of firecrackers and Abba blaring from the sound system. It was Tet, the new year and the Vietnamese were celebrating. Not often do you see two New Years in one year. Soon I was asleep again, dreaming of Halong bay in sunshine.
7th
Feb 2007, Monkey and Cat Ba Islands, Halong, Vietnam
We
got up and had breakfast, toast, jam, eggs and coffee. The boat was now moving
to a rendezvous point where we would transfer to a smaller boat for the rest of
the day. We had to take all our bags with us. Linh was looking a bit worse for
wear, too much rice wine and partying...
The
small boat pulled up and we filed on board. There was a wind blowing and it
felt really cold. Linh came around with some New Years gifts and treats. I
opened my envelope and inside was D500, at first I thought it was a counterfeit
until I compared it with a genuine note. Some of the other passengers opened
some sweets and started complaining and laughing loudly. I tasted one of them
and understood what the fuss was about. The sweet tasted like benzine mixed
with something rotten. I carried on sucking stubbornly and eventually it tasted
vaguely like mango but it as still disgusting. The other passengers were amazed
I could keep it down, the smell in the cabin was terrible.
After
some time we stopped at monkey island. The guidebooks warn that the monkeys on
this island can be extremely aggressive... We walked to a bike shed and
selected mountain bikes, all of which were in a similar state of disrepair. We
set off at a good pace along the concrete road running next to the shore. Soon
we started cycling into the jungle and climbing gradually. At some point we
cycled through a cave, not sure if it was natural or man made.
We passed rice paddies and eventually arrived in a small village. The village was situated on a large flat area surrounded on all sides by limestone mountains. As we cycled we could hear people singing karaoke tunes and sitting together with family. Linh stopped us at a family home and we dismounted. The family put out some sweets which we happily devoured. Linh explained we could go exploring in the jungle for 20 minutes before heading back. We walked along the path surrounded by thick jungle on all sides. We were anticipating monkey attacks but on this occasion the monkeys had been on tea break, lucky for us! We eventually got bored and turned back to start the cycle back to port. My bicycle chain kept slipping on the uphills so I had to walk instead. The scenery was great, only wished we had more time to explore. I wondered how life must be for the villagers. On the onset it seemed they had all the modern conveniences but most probably enjoyed a slower pace of life, albeit insular...
The boat picked us up and we cruised along between the islands. My appetite made a sudden appearance alerting me that it was lunch time. Soon we arrived at a floating home and we all clambered off the boat onto the platform. Their was another bunch of tourists just finishing their lunch. We looked around and I noticed nets suspended below the platform, with fishing swimming around in them. I guessed the house boat people catch or breed fish and consume them at leisure instead of always fishing, smart. Eventually the other tourists moved off and we sat down to a much needed lunch. Unfortunately much of the food was seafood based so I had to go for the veggie option which was fine.
After lunch we grabbed a kayak and paddled around exploring. After just a few minutes my muscles already felt painful. My inexperienced paddling was really inefficient and wasn't getting us anywhere! We eventually figured out that we should row in synchronisation and use measured strokes to conserve energy. Kayaking is great, it was so liberating to be able to go wherever we wanted and get up close to the islands.
One of our group discovered a cave and got out to explore. There was water running out of the cave which I guessed must be fresh water, trickling down from the mountain tops. We stopped often to rest and take pictures. We spotted a beach in the distance and broke away from our group. We managed to reach the beach but our kayak got stuck in the shallow sand about 2m from the shore so we turned back and paddled to the houseboat. Linh helped us back onto the platform. I got a bit wet from water trickling off the paddles but no harm done. Actually the water was pleasantly warm compared to the surrounding air. Once everyone was back onboard the ship cast off, destination Cat Ba Island...
We
arrived at Cat Ba Island around mid afternoon. For some reason Linh pushed us
and two other couples into a separate bus and we were driven to the Cat Ba
sunrise resort. The hotel was amazing! They welcomed us with tea and showed us
to our room. It was huge, the bed was enormous and the view over the beach was
a treat. I almost felt like someone had made a mistake and I was in the wrong
hotel. Eventually I relaxed and just enjoyed this luxury for what it was. This
was such a change from the cheap dives we had been staying in...
After settling in and having a coffee in our room, we headed out for a walk. We were tempted to try and take a dip based on our earlier experience on the kayaks but as soon as we touched the icy water our hopes evaporated. We carried on walking along a path above sheer cliffs and the sea below. It was chilly and windy but walking kept us warm and we kept going. We reached another beach, it was deserted save a few tourists, mainly Chinese, walking around exploring. I saw a billboard advertising the facilities of the beach: bars, rides, restaurants, dancefloors but none of this was in operation. I came to the conclusion this beach must be very popular during the summer season. We walked on to the next beach but it was just as deserted. We stopped to sit on the sand for a break. It was beautiful soft white sand, I longed for some sunshine but the cold wind was the only answer to my unspoken wish.
We decided to walk into the town in search of other attractions, it was a short walk from the beach along a tar road. An unimaginative row of hotels lined the bay crowded with boats and boathouses. Most of the restaurants and hotels were shut and the town felt abandoned. We walked along, saw a few kids playing with fire crackers, riding bikes and generally being kids. Eventually we got bored and headed back to the hotel. Cat Ba Island has an enormous national park to the north, taking up most of the island's area. Unfortunately a tour of the park would take at least a day, which we did not have. Back at the hotel we relaxed until dinner, a fantastic mix of soup, stir fry and rice. Feeling exhausted we headed up to our room and watched Harry Potter (Goblet of fire) before falling fast asleep.
8th
Feb 2008 Halong Bay to Sapa, Vietnam
We
were up and having breakfast by 7am. Breakfast at the hotel was amazing, buffet
all you can eat, Werner 1, Hotel 0... We had coffee, I had a nice spicy Pho Ga
(chicken soup), pastries, fruit... Fed and watered we waited in the lobby for
our transfer to the port. Another couple soon joined us and then a driver
picked us up, we were at the port by 8am but there was no sign of Linh or the
other tourists. We waited around, listening to a blaring speaker broadcasting
Vietnamese tunes. Eventually our boat pitched up and we boarded, waiting for
the other tourists. At least half an hour later they finally arrived and the
boat cast off. It was another cold day and we huddled close together to keep
warm. After some time we rendezvoused with the junk boat and transferred our
luggage. We were joined by another set of tourists, then the junk set off back
to Halong bay. We occupied our time playing cards and Uno with the South
Africans. Before we knew it we were back in Halong city and aboard the minibus.
We were taken to lunch at an 'island'. It wasn't really and island and it
wasn't romantic or pretty in the cold weather. Another group of tourists had
joined us on the bus. I chatted to the one gentleman and it seems they had been
waiting 3 hours for the minibus, I felt sorry for them.
Lunch
was poor. The food and restaurant weren't great, everyone complained. Linh
handed out feedback forms which we gladly filled out but I predicted the
feedback would end up as toilet paper. After lunch the minibus drove us back to
Hanoi, the drive was uneventful and I dozed off. I knew we were back in Hanoi
when the hooting picked up. We got dropped off at the Old Darling/Asia Queen
and that was the end of our Halong adventure.
We
headed off to the travel agency where we booked the tours as soon as e had
dumped our bags at the hotel. The agent handed us our train tickets and
instructed us to be ready to be picked up at 7pm. We went for an early dinner
at the Tamarind restaurant, part of handspan tours to meet up with the South
Africans. We chatted about South Africa and everyone's plans for the future. We
ordered a vegetarian lasagne and an eggplant hotpot, pretty tasty and filling.
We hung around the restaurant and then made our way back to the hotel.
Soon the agent arrived and we set off for the train station in a taxi. I was thoroughly grateful that the agent accompanied us to the station. It was a chaotic mess, even if I could speak and read Vietnamese I would have turned and fled... The agent sorted us out, and took us as far as he could. We guessed which platform we were supposed to be on and after presenting our ticket, to the train staff we confirmed our train. (I checked with some other foreigners as well). We were first in the cabin and had just settled in when a friendly Vietnamese man joined us. His English was excellent and we gathered he worked as a manager at the Intercontinental hotel in Hanoi. An Australian lady named Jodie was next to join us, she was also very friendly and joined us for a game of scrabble which she ended up winning. Aware we were in for an early start the next day, we all went to sleep around 10pm. So far our train experience was 10x better than the trip to Hoi An. We got a great sleep with no interruptions and overcrowding.
At
about 5am Nicki woke up and we started to get read to depart the train. About
5:30 the train arrived in Lao Cai and we made our way out of the station to be
greeted by a mob of touts, taxi drivers and tour operators. They set upon us,
shoving name lists in our faces or offering us transfers to Sa Pa. We had no
idea which hotel we were supposed to be staying at. The only information we had
was on our return ticket which said SaPa Royal Hotel. By chance we found a
minibus driver who worked for the Royal hotel and insisted we should go with
him. So off we went, with a random minibus...
Fortunately
the bus wasn't too crammed but there was another pair of tourists who smoked
and played their music loudly. It was extremely cold and misty. The ride to Sa
Pa seemed to be continuously uphill and I could barely see anything on account
of the mist. I just hoped the driver was alert, and used to driving in these
conditions. Eventually the minibus came to a stop outside a hotel in what we
must have assumed was Sa Pa. A few people got off and the driver appeared with
a list of names. Mine wasn't on it so we stayed on the bus, not knowing what
else to do. We drove a short distance further to another hotel, same process. I
got fed up, I got out the bus and marched into the hotel, showing them my
references. The clerk at reception made a call and straightened things out, we
were staying at the Summit hotel.
The
minibus driver drove around in the mist and eventually deposited us at the
Summit. Inside the reception, more chaos. We checked in, my name appearing on
the magical list maintained by the hotel. We were told to drop our bags behind
the reception and to talk to the tours co-ordinator at a different desk. We
queued with other confused and dazed tourists and were eventually issued with
an itinerary for the trip. Next we headed down to the hotel restaurant for
breakfast. The place was freezing! People kept leaving the doors open and the
freezing cold air filled the restaurant. There was no heating and I was
miserable. The toilets were even worse, water everywhere, cold and unsanitary.
I assumed it must be the tourists who left the place in such a shambles, with
no thought or care for others. We had a good breakfast, pho bo never tasted so
good, and warmed me right up.
We
headed back to reception where our guide for the day was introduced to us. Her
name was 'Sigh' (unsure of spelling). She was short and wearing the traditional
outfit of the Black Hmong. They aren't black like Africans, but their clothes
are black with some intricate embroidery. The Hmong are a distinct ethnic
linguistic group, having their own language not understood by anyone else. She
advised us to wear gumboots as the trail we would walk was extremely muddy. Nix
found a pair at the hotel reception but there was nothing available in my size.
I sighed internally and envisaged myself covered in mud.
We
set off into the thick mist and cold. Sigh started chattering away about
herself, age, village, boyfriend and lack thereof. We gathered that most Hmong
get married very young and had children. 20 was considered over the hill and
spinster for life... We trudged along the tar road through Sa Pa town and
downhill, the way we had come earlier with the minibus. After some time turned
off onto a dirt road and the mud started. At first it was slight and hardly
bothered me at all but then it started to get really deep and soon my shoes
were completely covered in mud. I was feeling sorry for myself and wishing I
was somewhere else. I had to keep reminding myself this is an amazing adventure
and I should make the most of it.
As we made our way along the trail we were passed by village people on their way into town or heading home. The trail wound its way between the rice paddies, most of which were dry and unused during the winter season. As we neared the bottom of the valley the trail got much steeper and more slippery. Our guide helped us find our footing and we were surprised at her strength and agility. The mud was everywhere and fall would have meant getting covered in it. But in the end we made it to the river in the valley without falling. We followed the river for a while and got a good view of rice paddies cascading down the mountainside. So much water everywhere, it must have taken generations to construct the rice paddies and maintain them.
We climbed the hillside away from the river before descending again and crossing a bridge. We had reached the Lao Cai village and here we stopped for lunch. Our guide led us into an open air, but covered, eating area. We shivered and sat on the plastic furniture while she went off to the kitchen to prepare our meal. We had a tea which completely warmed us up, followed by a delicious chicken noodle and veg soup.
A few more tourists arrived from other trekking groups and stopped for lunch. I decided we needed some snacks so I bought us a slab of chocolate from the store for 68d ($4). Soon were were back on the trail and we slowly made our way into the village. There was a large group of black Hmong village women peddling their wares so we stopped and had a look. My eyes caught a silver bracelet which I decided to buy for Nicki. Sigh insisted that I only buy from the old lady that had been following us along the trail. So I haggled for a minute (seconds) and managed to buy the bracelet for 50,000 d.
We moved on and Sigh took us to her family home and introduced us to her relatives. She led us into a dark slightly smoky room, there were a number of people sitting watching tv inside. They greeted us as we entered but largely ignored us afterwards. Sigh introduced her mother, her sisters, the youngest of 4 (I think). Nicki took some pictures as Sigh explained more about her relatives and house. It seemed like we were standing in the sitting/living room. The bedroom of the entire family was off to one side and seemed really small, a small fire burned in the bedroom. I suddenly felt guilty whinging about the cold when these people most probably had little heat and comfort themselves.
Sigh's
mom presented us with 2 rice package wrapped in banana leaf. We were so
honoured, these people were so generous in spite of their simple life and
means. Just before we left Sigh's sister in law joined the party, she was young
and was carrying her first child on her back. Sigh told us later she didn't
like her sister in law much because she didn't like her family. Something told
me that village life was filled with juicy gossip and family feuds to keep
boredom at bay.
We
trudged along the the villages roads, passed other family homes, errant
livestock and schools. There were lots of children walking around as school was
closed for Tet. Sigh would occassionally stop and chat to friends and
relatives, sometimes introducing another sister. We also encountered the red
Zhoa tribe, distinctively different to the Hmong in their red only outfits.
Sigh ushered us on, not wanting the Zhoa to stop and try selling anything to
us. She explained they gave her a hard time when tourists didn't buy anything.
It was about 2pm by the time we made it back to the pickup point. We sat in a
shed waiting for other tourists drinking rice wine shots around a small fire to
keep warm.
Eventually
we left and climbed on the tourist bus after saying farewell to Sigh. I gave
her a 50,000d tip and she mumbled a thank you. I couldn't figure out if she was
offended, let down or shy but I felt bad for some reason. The ride back
to the hotel was much nicer than walking and in no time we were back. We
checked into our room which had no heating. We were breathing steam and spent
the rest of the afternoon in bed to stay warm. I did hop into the shower but
even thought it was warm the air was so cold it left me shivering. I sat in bed
reading writing and watching tv.
Later
we managed to pluck up the courage to go for dinner in the hotel restaurant.
They had put out some gas heaters and we were lucky enough to sit near one and
felt much warmer. Dinner was great, I had a beef and sapa mushroom noodle stir
fry. Nix had a set menu – soup, spring rolls and a pork dish. We hung around
hoping for fruit watching Vietnamese music videos but eventually gave up and
went to bed.
We watched the most terrible movie, Ultraviolet, which was so confusing I rapidly lost the plot and fell asleep part way through.
10th
Feb 2008, Sa Pa Vietnam
Another
day, another early start, up at 5:30am to get breakfast at 6am. We stumbled
into the restaurant but it was deserted. I checked the itinerary again – it
definitely said 6am breakfast. Some more tourists arrived followed by a staff
member enquiring if we were crazy to be up so early. So Vietnamese, so
disorganised. We ordered breakfast at 6:30 am and it arrived soon after. We
managed to jimmy the heaters and push back the icy cold. After breakfast we
grabbed our packs, checked out, and got on the bus to Bac Ha market.
The
trip was uneventful except for the last leg on dirt roads. As we pulled into
Bac Ha we caught sight of the flower Hmong, an ethnic hill tribe that wear a
dress of multicoloured fabric that looks mostly orange from a distance.
Our
guide for the day pointed us into the tourist market and asked us to return to
the cafe at midday. It was a mixed batch, some touristy stuff, and everyday
goods for locals. Due to Tet the market wasn't as busy as usual. The market was
traditionally where tribes came together to trade goods but now its a tourist
trap. We wandered about and said no to all the vendors. After a while I got it
into my head that a wall hanging might be a nice souvenir and I start trying to
convince Nix. Soon we were shopping around and eventually we found something we
both liked. I haggled and we bought a lovely hanging for 100,000bt.
Satisfied with our shopping we headed back for lunch. The guide asked me if I was vegetarian and lacking the Vietnamese to explain my shellfish allergy I say I am. He ordered us to sit at the veggie tables as the food is shared by everyone so I obliged and join the veggers. The food arrived and it was pretty good, spring rolls, omelette, tofu, cabbage, soup, I'm happy. The people I'm sitting with are Turkish and Israeli, we don't talk much.
The
bus took us back to Lao Cai and stopped at the Chinese border. Everyone got off
to take photos, of what I don't know... I got off due to peer pressure and
tried to find out what the others were so interested in. Its boring, its a
border. Sure the buildings on the other side are covered in Chinese writing but
they are just buildings. I got back on the bus and eventually we took off back
to the train station. The bus dropped us off at a nearby cafe, they are in
cahoots with the summit hotel. We arrived at about 4pm but our train was not
until 9pm so we waited in the cafe and had dinner and hot drinks. The cafe was
busy, people coming and going and letting cold air in. The hours slipped by
slowly and painfully. By the time 9pm rolled around I was so happy just to be
leaving Sa Pa. We boarded the train and went straight to sleep once we settled
into our cabin. Sa Pa had been somewhat of a disappointment. I couldn't help
wondering if our experience wouldn't have been better if the weather hadn't
been so bitterly cold and overcast. While waiting at the cafe we had chatted to
a Northern European family, the father had travelled to Sa Pa 13 years prior
and testified that Lao Cai and Sa Pa had changed completely. I wondered if this
place would still be so traditional in another decade or if progress would
overwhelm it and displace the hill tribes forever.
11th
February 2008 Hanoi, Vietnam
We
got back to Hanoi around 5pm. We haggled with taxi drivers who refused to turn
on their meters as it was out of hours. Hanoi never sleeps it seems, not does
the traffic and scooters, hooting and tooting. We hopped into a taxi, which
dropped us off at Hoan Kiem lake north side near the bus rank. We trudge
through the silent streets of the old quarter, stray cats and dogs our only
companions. We arrived at the Asia Queen/Old Darling but its shut tight. There
is a small vendor setting up shop next door and we decide to wait for the hotel
to open. The vendor tells us he only serves food and seeing he won't get any
money out of us , goes next door and rings the bell of the Asia Queen.
Amazingly the shutter doors open and a groggy eyes teenaged staff member stares
at us like we are part of his worst nightmare. He let us in and disappeared to
his bed, the vendor went back to his stand with a smirk. Nicki settled down on
the wooden bench in her sleeping bag and I decided to surf the web and do some
emailing.
Around
7:30am the hotel started to come alive, guest arriving for breakfast. It was
too early to check in but we tried our luck. The receptionist told us to come
back later as the room is not ready and they are short staffed due to the
public holiday. We started to realise that everything would be shut on account
of the public holiday and decided not to do anything related to sightseeing. We
killed some time on the internet until our room was ready. Also popped out for
breakfast at a cafe restaurant called Long Van near the lake. Had the most
awesome coffee and sweet milk and some eggs on a baguette. Finally checked into
our room after 11am. Had a shower and set in bed reading and writing. Nix
wasn't feeling great, coughing and sneezing, convinced I would pick it up soon.
For lunch we wandered around the latin quarter but most of the food was too
expensive, especially western food... We settled on a small restaurant that was
completely decorated with bamboo furniture and finishings. Nix had spaghetti
bolognese and I had potato curry which was delicious and filling. We headed
back to the hotel and relaxed
Later
we went around and found a book exchange . We decided we needed a new book so
we exchanged the 'Kite runner' for 'Catfish and Mandalay'. I haggled my best
but could only get 50,000D for the kite runner even though it was an original,
and bough Catfish and Mandalay for 75,000D and it was a copied version, such a
rip off. The rest of the day passed slowly, I watched Discovery channel and Nix
slept, it was good to have an off day. We went out for a cheap dinner later on
and went straight to bed after that. The next day would be busy as we planned
to visit Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum complex.
12th
February 2008, Hanoi Vietnam
Last
day in Hanoi and we were starting to get excited about Laos and hopefully some
warmer weather and a change of scenery. We checked out of the hotel and walked
all the way to the mausoleum. We started to cross the lawn on the way to the
building when a cop blew his whistle at us and pointed for us to go around. We
obliged and eventually found the entrance. We had to drop our bags and camera
before seeing the mausoleum and then joined the other tourists in the queue.
Progress was slow, it took us ages to reach the actual entrance. Nix had to
keep her mobile phone in a transparent plastic bag. There were guards
everywhere wearing army uniforms and fixed bayonets to their rifles... Guarding
the nation's icon is serious business.
There
were thousands of tourists at the complex, mainly Chinese or Vietnamese
visitors. The mausoleum entrance came into view and a red carpet, indicating
the route of visitation. A guard stops the Aussie woman in front of me, she has
her hand in her pocket and withdraws a lipstick. He flags her back into the
queue, but the message is clear: don't keep your hands in your pockets.
The
mood of the tourists was subdued, everyone was silent as we file into the inner
sanctum. I caught my first glimpse of uncle Ho. He looks ghostly white and
glows eerily in the darkened interior. The tourists were gawping shamelessly,
myself included. It was a bit macabre seeing a body on display like that. We
were actually lucky to see Ho Chi Minh, as he goes off the Russia for
mummification treatment once a year on a 3 month hiatus... The encounter with
uncle Ho left me feeling unsettled and strange, seeing mummies in the London
museum is a totally different experience. I think I would agree with uncle Ho
that cremation would have been a better option.
After the mausoleum we headed into the palace for 20,000D each. But first I had to jog all the way back to the bag drop to collect our camera. Once inside the palace we saw lots of yellow coloured stately buildings in a lush green park with water pools and tree lined avenues. We viewed Ho Chi Minh's cars, his work and apartments in the early years. Next we visited his stilt house. The stilt house is functional and minimalist, on the lower area under the house is furniture and an eating area. We joined the horde of tourists filling up the house, all we could see was two rooms, an office and a bedroom. Uncle Ho obviously liked to keep things simple and not live too lavishly and I found myself admiring this in a man who must have wielded considerable power and could have fashioned any lifestyle of his desire. We made our way out of the stilt house and past tourists milling around a pond gawping at koi fish. We made our way around the pond and past a fruit orchard and then out of the palace compound.
Next we tackled the Ho Chi Minh museum. We tried to hire a guide but none were available so we bought a guidebook instead. On the first floor we found some exhibits regarding Vietnamese foreign compatriots and some photos of the man Ho Chi Minh. Some newspaper clippings and typings, writings of HCM. The exhibits paint a picture of a benevolent uncle who lived by a strict moral code and tried to instil this in the Vietnamese Communist party. I once again found myself admiring HCM but I had to remind myself that despite his integral character and all he stood for, communism had failed miserably because it assumes all people are like HCM, when instead they are self serving and largely corrupt.
On
the next level of the museum the layout changed. We ascend to a central point
and a museum lies in a circle around us. At the central atrium is a statue of
HCM. We proceeded into the museum and observed some of the symbolic artworks
and sculptures. The museum was laid out in an experiential style, various
exhibits telling the story instead of large tracts of text, allowing us to form
our own opinions and gather information. There was some information on the
state of the world prior to Vietnamese liberation from France, particularly
Communist and Soviet developments which greatly influenced HCM. He travelled to
France in his 20s and was involved in setting up the communist party there
before returning to Vietnam and doing the same. He gave his entire life to the
cause of Vietnam and Communism and never married or left any descendants. There
were exhibits of his personal effects, family, writings, artefacts of
Vietnamese culture and war. In all it was a difficult museum to take in because
the information was scattered across so many different items and it was hard to
form a coherent picture of Ho Chi Minh and his Vietnam. I decided that it would
be good to read more on topics such as Communism, Fascism and the life of HCM
to get a better understanding.
We
left the museum feeling weary and in need of lunch. We walked all the way back
to the war museum opposite the statue of Lenin. We ordered lunch at the café,
baguettes which were so delicious. I played with the idea of visiting the war
museum but it was just too expensive and Nix was just not interested. After
lunch we caught a cab back to Hoan Kiem lake but the taxi driver dropped us off
at the South end so we had to walk back to the hotel. We killed some time on
the internet before hailing another cab to carry us to the Vietnam airlines
minibus airport transfer. The transfer was painless and soon we were at the
airport. We checked in for our flight and sat at a restaurant and had coffee
until it was time to go.
We
had just enough money to cover the airport tax of $15 on departure. We headed
through immigration and customs without any problem. We reached the boarding
gates but there was still nowhere to pay our departure tax. After asking around
we were informed departure tax was included in the flight. Greta, now I had
450,000 unexchangeable Dong… We just happened to be near an America who heard
our dilemma and suggested we exchange it at the bureau in the airport. The
problem was it was outside. I decided to go back through immigration and try
exchange. At the desk an official stopped me and insisted I hand over my
passport. I hesitated, do I trust this corrupt official or do I sit with
worthless Dong? I made a snap decision and handed over my passport, while every
other fibre in my body was warning of the danger. I dashed out and found the
exchange, my anxiety mounting with each passing minute. I managed to get $30
and sprinted back to immigration, sighing with relief as the official handed my
back my passport.
Dongless
and happy we boarded our flight to Laos. Our time in Vietnam was over, it was a
challenge to sum up our experience of Vietnam. It’s a place of contrasts,
ancient and modern, tradition and change, order and chaos, ying and yang. One
thing I was certain of, was that Vietnam was on the move and I would not be
able to return here without seeing major changes and I had been treated to a
snapshot view never to be seen again.
