Vietnam: HO CHI MINH CITY (part 5)

If I'm honest, I didn't like Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) at first. It is big and loud and in your face. It reminded me of all those metropolitan mega cities like NYC or London, but with a distinctive Asian flavor. But then HCMC grew on me. Little by little she wooed me and eventually persuaded me that I really did appreciated her modernity which is mixed with a bit of history, Euro-influence and a lot of enthusiasm.

Streets of Saigon

Until I reached HCMC I had been purposefully avoiding the American War (as the Vietnam War is known in Vietnam). I wanted to experience the country as a country, not as a war. But I knew in HCMC there was one museum that I needed to see: The War Remnants Museum. It is often said that the winners write the history, and this museum is a reminder of that. The exhibitions are certainly biased, however this did not detract from the reality of the horror of war for all peoples. There is an excellent Photojournalism component of the museum where the pictures speak for themselves. At the end of the photo exhibit there are about 20 follow-up stories about US soldiers and Vietnamese civilians whose photos were captured during the war. It was a sobering two hours and left with me with a deep desire to learn more about this period in Vietnam's history, and the history of my own homeland.

Notre Dame Cathedral

A good place to start to learn history is in a book, and as I wrote in my blog post Bookworm: Vietnam Graham Greene's The Quiet American was on my list of Must Reads. Because I was avoiding The War, I actually read it when I returned from my trip, but I did research into the places where the book is set and had my own little Graham Greene tour in order to fully appreciate the book later. Key sites are: The Opera, The Continental Hotel, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Main Post Office. The Lonely Planet guidebook does a great job of leading you through these site with a walking map explaining a bit about each site.

There is so much to do and to see in a city this size that it is hard to hone in on a favorite. However, I did find my favorite place in all of HCMC. It is the Fine Arts Museum. It is a bright colonial era building with colorful tiles lining the floors. It brings a welcome coolness from the Vietnamese heat. There are two floors of art works, mainly modern pieces but a few rooms are dedicated to historical art piece also. What always strikes me about art is how we humans have a fundamental desire and drive to create. Even when our societies seem to be at their most destructive, someone somewhere is creating something of beauty. The Fine arts Museum was a welcome balance to the void left in me after the War Remnants Museum.

Other HCMC memories include a day trip to the Mekong Delta, late nights of drinking local Vietnamese beer called "bia" on the street, afternoon treats of fresh fruit smoothies, pagodas and temples, people watching, warm smiles, markets and bargaining, large green parks and pressing heat. And then our time in Vietnam was over. The adventure had left me with a deep respect for this people, whose culture spanned thousands of years. Even as I sat on the plane taxing away from Vietnam, I knew someday I will return....because "once in a lifetime" is never enough.

The Main Post Office

Mekong Delta

Ho Chi Minh sitting in the midst of Gucci and Prada

Tropical fruit

Ben Thanh Market

President Clinton ate in the same restaurant as we did!

Exercise park

Crossing the street

Fine Arts Museum

Vietnam: PHU QUOC ISLAND (part 4)

I'm not a person who sits down when they have a holiday. I like to be on the go. I like holidays when my feet are always moving and there's something new on the schedule everyday. So I must admit I was a bit skeptical when my travel buddy wanted to incorporate a beach on an island into our itinerary. But travel is about trying new things and compromise so I was willing to give it a shot.

That is how I found myself on Phu Quoc Island for 5 days. It didn't convert me into a beach bum, but it certainly enlightened me to the joys of a beach rest.

Phu Quoc is a little island nestled between Cambodia and Vietnam with a checkered past. It has been, and continues to be, disputed territory which Cambodia and Vietnam both claim. During The American War (as the Vietnamese call what the West refers to as The Vietnam War) it was used to keep prisoners. And now it is in the midst of a transformation from a rural agricultural backwater into a booming tourist destination. Give it about 5 years and I bet it'll rank up there with beaches in Thailand and Indonesia.

We arrived around dinner time. It had been a long long day for me because I was suffering from a bout of 24-hour "traveler's stomach". This is not something you want to experience when you have to catch two domestic flights (Hoi An-Saigon-Phu Quoc). However, I was in very capable hands with Edi and she was a god-send, taking amazing care of my sick self.

Bamboo Cottages

But all this anguish disappeared as soon as we settled into Bamboo Cottages. It was a little bit of paradise. There are little cottages that run several hundred meters along the beach front. Meals are served on simple wood tables that face the ocean. The water is clear and warm. I was smitten.

The second day we spent relaxing and exploring around our new little home. We rented kayaks and paddled out to an island for some snorkeling. It was my first snorkeling go, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. (A big thanks to my little sister who was adamant that I try snorkeling!)

Little friends M and B kayaking

We also became acquainted with the cook's daughters, two little girls of 9 and 10. B and M were my language buddies. You can take the teacher out of the classroom but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher! We spent each evening playing language games and learning basic vocabulary. "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" was a tremendous success! They also taught me some Vietnamese, giggling endlessly at my terrible pronunciation. Bright and innovative and creative and curious, I could see in these two little ones what the next generation of Vietnamese have to offer their country.

The third day we took a day tour to the southern tip of Phu Quoc. We enjoyed a boat trip, fishing, snorkeling and beautiful scenery. During the van transport to the boat we also stopped to visit a pearl farm, a fish sauce factory (SMELLY!), Coconut Prison Museaum and a fruit orchard. We certainly got our money's worth!

The last day we stayed close to our cottage. Our trip was winding down. Only Ho Chi Minh City was left to explore and then we'd be headed home to cold cold cold Europe....

Vietnam: HUE and HOI AN (part 3)

From Hanoi we took an over-night train to central Vietnam. We shared the compartment with a couple who were traveling across Asia on a three month tour. It was nice to hear about their adventures and swap stories.

Hue

We got off the train in Hue and spent a delightful 24 hours in this up-and-coming town. We did a motorcycle tour of Hue and the surrounding area. It was truly a cultural experience being on the back of a motorcycle on the Vietnamese roads!

The highlights of Hue are the old citadel, which surrounds the Imperial City. It is a sprawling area full of temples and houses and elephants and gardens. We were there over an hour, but it wasn't enough! Then we headed out of town and toured several tombs, the Thien Mu Pagoda and a village where they make incense sticks.

Incense sticks

In the evening we took a walk through the night market, along the Perfume River. You can get everything thing from fried fish to flip flops to keychains. There was something for everyone, and everyone was there! Young kids came up to us and asked to have their photo taken, teenagers played guitar and sang around a camp fire, grandmothers haggled over the price of a new shirt.

Hoi An

From Hue we headed down to Hoi An. I could write volumes about the loveliness that is Hoi An, and I'm sure others have. It is a picturesque town with a meandering river running through it and a beach only a bike ride away. It is a Unesco World Heritage Site. We spent four days here, but I could have easily filled four more!

There are two beaches to explore, there are nearly 500 tailors to visit and have yourself fitted out with some cool looking and well priced new dresses/skirt/suits/shirts/whatever you want, check out the old town with its many museums and temples, take a cooking class  (I can recommend Red Bridge), spend a few hours at Reaching Out where you will be inspired by the women and men who work with this charity, eat some of the most mouth-watering food available in the world.

Hoi An was, in a nutshell, everything I had wanted Vietnam to be. It was peaceful and intelligent and caring and bright and fun and open and delicious and friendly and sunny....Looking at the photos I think "Wish I was here".

Tomb of Khai Dinh, Hue

Thien Mu Pagoda

Lanterns, Hoi An

Son Cafe, Hoi An

Hoi An

Vietnam: HALONG BAY (part 2)

There is a reason why tourist traps become tourist traps. It is because they are places of interest; whether it is beauty or history or culture there is something there that attracts the masses. And where there are masses, there are crafty people looking to make a fast buck. Welcome to Halong Bay!


Halong Bay is a series of karst (limestone rock) islands. There are around 2000 islands sprinkled throughout this UNESCO World Heritage Site. They lie in a tranquil green sea that is at once mysterious and welcoming.

Halong itself is beautiful, the tourist industry that has built up around it is far less appealing. Hundreds of boats fill the docks, waiting to pile in the tourists and take them out for anything from a day trip to a week long exploration trip. The guidebooks and internet are full of unfortunate tales of travelers being taken advantage of by being promised much and little is delivered.

Knowing all this we decided to book our tour through the hotel we were staying at in Hanoi. The manager had a shiny booklet to point out how "his" boat trip was superior to all other tours. And I have to say that our experience was better than many I had read about or heard about first hand from other travelers.

Our adventure started with a 3 hour mini-bus ride to Halong City. There we boarded our boat. It was more worn than the glossy brochure had shown, but it was seaworthy and clean. It was reminiscent of a 2star roadside motel: you wouldn't want to spend your whole holiday there but one night would be alright if it got you where you wanted to be. There was a welcoming drink (drinks weren't included in the price) and a lovely lunch spread (all food was included). This laid to rest one worry I had had about the quality of food. Every meal was a family style, open table spread of vegetables, rice, meat, tofu, fish and fruit.

After lunch we visited Hang Sung Sot (Surprise Cave), which was full of stalactites and stalagmites and a multi-color light show. Then we were on to Dao Titop (Titop Island), where a steep climb to the top gives a sensational view of the Bay. The sun was soon setting and we had another delicious meal. In the evening the staff on the boat tried to turn the boat into a karaoke bar. There were about 30 passengers on board, and most had a go at belting out an oldie or two. Around 11pm this got old and we all retired before long. But not before I used the most surprising boat service: WiFi!! The modern world is never far.

Floating Village

In the morning we did an hour of Kayaking around one of the floating villages and had a lecture in pearl farming before heading back to the dock. I was satisfied with my Halong Bay experience. I went in expecting to see stunning beauty and experience sub-par services. I did, in fact, see a natural wonder that was unique to anything I had every lain eyes on....and I had even enjoyed the rustic boat, smiling tour guide and friendly co-tourists. We may have had it lucky, or I might be the type of traveler to easily overlook the uncomfortable, but either way Halong Bay was a thumbs up experience for me.



***Ok, I have to add a few things as a side note to my rose colored report above.
1. The itinerary that our boat followed what not what we were told it would be. We should have seen more, but things were continually cut out due to "time constrictions". This coupled with the hotel we booked through reserving us the wrong room on our return to Hanoi led to a long talk with the hotel supervisor. Edi was in charge of this because she is the negotiating queen! She got us a one night discount for our "inconvenience".
2. There was a giant bug on one of our beds. It looked like it might have been some kind of water beetle but it moved too fast for us to get a good look. If wildlife in your bed isn't your thing, I'm not sure the boats in Halong Bay are for you. They are all a little "worn"; clean yet somehow still grim.
3. The weather was murky the whole 24 hours. We didn't really have rain, but there was a dense fog. It made for an incredibly romantic and other-wordly view, but I would like to go back during  the sunny season to see the layout properly.

Tour boats settle in for the night

Vietnam: HANOI (part 1)

I've been back from my Vietnam voyage for weeks now. A lot has happened in those weeks. The world has gone from snowy long winter to happy changeable spring. I went from Anticipation to Homesickness. I viewed and edited about 3000 photos from Vietnam. I lost the use of my legs. I contemplated travel and the unknown.

Now, I'm ready to give some details about more than the yummy food we ate. I'm ready to write about the story.

HANOI

After a long flight, with a long layover in Dubai and a short layover in Ho Chi Minh City, we arrived in Hanoi around midnight. We were initiated into Vietnam travel immediately because the taxi that we had arranged with the hotel to pick us up was not there. We didn't want to fall victim to all the scams we had read about, so we were dubious about the offers from the airport taxis. Finally we sorted it out, got safely to our hotel and settled in to a deep sleep.

We chose to start in Hanoi because the weather was the most "if-y" up north. We would rather start with the bad weather and move ourselves into the sun and sea. Luckily for us, there was no rain and the weather was warm...even if a bit overcast.

Why I like Hanoi 

I liked Hanoi. I liked that it was a big city with a village feel. I liked that the streets were twisted and windy and you never ended up quite where you thought you would. I liked that at different times of the day you could find completely different activities happening in one spot: in the morning a stall sold Pho Bo soup for breakfast, a bit later a shoe polisher had set up shop and in the evening a family selling t-shirts might be open for business. I liked that an entire street was dedicated to selling one type of product. Here is a street full of sunglasses, here is a street with luggage and bags, here is a street with clothing.

All the information out there said that Hanoi is the more strict and legalistic city and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is the move relaxed party city. And I have to say that all the information wasn't wrong, but I liked that strictness about Hanoi. You know where you stand in a city with stated expectations. I don't think I felt that Hanoi was strict, but more like militant (un)organization. You knew when shops opened and you knew when they closed, except when they didn't. You knew where to stand in line and how long, except when you didn't. You knew when the taxi would arrive, except when it didn't....They tried, they really did, but it didn't always work.

A taste of what I saw and did

I like to walk in a new city and Hanoi is a great city for walking. It isn't so big that you'll be lost forever but it is big enough to let you find your own little treasures along side the tourist "must see" sites.

The Temple of Literature

The Temple of Literature is an overly-crowded, yet peaceful place. There are manicured lawns and goldfish ponds. There is courtyard after courtyard that leads you towards an incense filled temple where students, teachers and scholars once met for knowledge. This is Vietnam's first university; built in the year 1070. A thousand years of education, that is a legacy!

The Water Puppet Theater was a delightful surprise. It was an hour of Vietnamese culture and history, where the past meets the present in a nearly magical way. The puppeteers are hidden behind screens in a pool of water. The puppets are on long poles that the puppeteers control under water. The training takes years, which is clear when you see what precision and dexterity these men and women have.

In a large park stands a tall gray Soviet style building. A long line of people snake away from it. They shuffle along, mostly silently. Some are school children in their red Pioneer handkerchiefs around their neck (Pioneers are the Communist version of Scouts). Some are rural workers dressed in their best slacks and blouse. I am part of this line. We are all waiting to see the preserved remains of the leader Ho Chi Minh at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

It was standard practice among the Communist leaders to have their bodies embalmed and displayed to the masses. Ho Chi Minh, however, had requested before his death that he be cremated. He explained that land was valuable and could be farmed to give the people food. His request was obviously overlooked and now there is a massive mausoleum, museum, pagoda and park to commemorate the man that Vietnamese view as their liberator from foreign rule.

As I try to write what I felt standing in front of the body, and in the preceding time of waiting in line what leaves the deepest impression is the pomp and circumstance, and with it the emotion that it is meant to evoke. Perhaps as the outsider this was lost a little on me. But I could see that this was a very sacred ritual for those waiting in that line with me. And this gap between what I experienced as the outsider and what those around me experienced as insiders of the culture, it holds all the words that I'm unable to find to describe what I felt.

And that was Hanoi for me: it was a place where my Vietnam voyage began and it filled me with aromas, tastes, thoughts, lessons and confidence. It was the place where at first I saw chaos, but after observation found order. What may look like manic driving and horn blowing is actually a sophisticated  communication system, what may look like trash being discarded carelessly on the ground is actually managed by a public waste service. Where my foreign eyes saw confusion, local eyes saw logic.

Hanoi was a beginning and as was once so well said by Lao Tzu: “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” 

Next blog: Halong Bay

T and H's 5 Tips for Day Trips from Prague

We have friends coming to visit!! We love when people come to visit. There is nothing better than to showing off the beauty of this country. We live in the capital, so Prague goes without saying. (I mean, it is the most beautiful city in the world!)

But what if our visitors want to venture off into the wild blue yonder? Well, here are our tips for getting out of Prague and seeing a bit more of the Czech Republic.

1. For the Adventurous: Beroun to Karlštejn

What: If you like hiking, this is the country for you. The entire Czech Republic is covered by intricately marked trails that traverse up and down the green hills, around castles and monasteries and along rivers and waterfalls. You can pick up a Touristic Map at any bookstore or Tourist Info, or find touristic trails online at www.mapy.cz.

One of our favorite walks is from the city of Beroun to Karlštejn Castle. It is about 15 kilometers and takes 4-5 hours, depending on how many pub stops you make. Sights to take in along the way include Sv. Jan pod Skalou (Saint John under the Rock). This is a lovely little village with a spring that bubbles with the healing water of Saint John. If you are brave you can add to the adventure by hiking to the top of the hill.

How: Trains go from Hlavní Nádraží (Main Train Station) several times every hour to Beroun. There are also buses that run frequently from Zličín.
On the way back the train goes from the Karlštejn train station, on the other side of the river from the castle, at least twice every hour.

2. For the Nostalgic: Karlovy Vary

What: A lovely little spa town that looks like it was frozen in 1880. With a plethora of warm, healing springs to sample and long ambling promenades, you'll feel more revived and refreshed at the end of your trip. When you get tired of the picturesqueness of Karlovy Vary, find the Becherovka Museum and taste the choice healing liquor of most Czech grandmothers (and the current President, if rumors are to be believed).

How: Karlovy Vary lies west of Prague and takes about two hours on a bus to get there. Return tickets should be purchased before hand (a day or two is enough advance). There are several bus agencies that service the route, but we prefer Student Agency because it is a comfortable ride.

3. For the Spooky: Kutna Hora

What: Kutna Hora is home to a church full of bones. Doesn't sound appealing? Well, you've never seen bones like these! Legend is that a creative (and perhaps bored!) monk began to build sculptures from the many bones laying around after the Black Death. It really is worth a look, and although I used the adjective "spooky" to get you to read this, it is actually a testament to the creativity of the human mind.

How: The bus takes about an hour and 40 minutes and leaves each hour from various bus terminals around Prague. The direct train only takes an hour but only goes once per two hours. I prefer to take the train and walk into town (it is a few kilometers from the town center, but not far from the cemetery chapel with ossuary)

4. For the Historian: Terezin

The town of Terezín was known as Theresienstadt Ghetto during World War II and was used as a concentration camp and ghetto. The town and fortress still stand today, with museums and memorials spread throughout. Theresienstadt was used as a "show camp" by the Nazis. They made propaganda films here, they pretended as if there were no death camps, just ghettos full of the unwanted. But this was a holding camp, a place of waiting until being locked in a train and shipped further east to the death camps.

This is a destination for those who want to contemplate the deepest depravities of humanity, as well as its highest hopes. In the midst of the squalor and disease and pain, the inhabitants wrote and preformed, children were secretly schooled by some of the world's top musicians, writers and minds. The art exhibitions testify to the refusal of the soul to be imprisoned.

How: The bus goes every hour from Nádraží Holešovice to Terezín.

5. For the Beer Lover: Plzeň

We've all had a pilsner beer, that golden liquid that slides its hoppy goodness down your throat and into your belly. Go to the home of all pilsner beers, the great city of Plzeň. You can tour the Pilsner Urquell Beer Factory, check out the beer museum in the center and drink (and eat!) at any of the numerous pubs along the way. If you need a break from the bottle, take time to climb to the top of the spire of the cathedral on the main square. What a beautiful view! One of the biggest synagogs in the Czech Republic is located in Plzen. Also there is a very interesting and informative General Patten Museum, that sheds light on some of the decisions made at the end of WWII and explains why the inhabitants of Plzen still have a special relationship with the United States after years of hiding it during communism.

How: Student agency goes from Zličín bus terminal every hour and the journey takes about an hour, remember to book the ticket ahead. The train takes about an hour and a half and departs each hour from the Main Train Station.

Auto Touring

We've established that I haven't been able to walk for about a month. Fine. But what is a girl who loves to travel suppose to do when she's cooped up all day at home? Well, she gets herself a partner who loves her and loves driving, and they plan weekend trips of drive-by traveling!

Every weekend I've been confined to home my dear H has packed me up in the car with snacks, drinks and my Nikon camera  and we've headed out on the open road. We've been exploring the area around the Berounka River valley and the Křivokátsko Protected Nature Reserve. The little car excursions scratch my traveler's itch.

Also, these trips have been a great opportunity to practice taking photos in the unusual circumstance of only snapping from the passenger's seat of our car. It has been fun to click unbridled and then to come home and see what I've captured. And I'm finally diving into Photoshop Lightroom (which I LOVE!).

Here I will share a few of my favorites, also available on my Facebook page.

May 1. Cherry Blossom Love

Rapunzel's Derelict Tower, Srbsko

Sv. Jan pod Skalou

Křivoklát, b&w

Křivoklát, yesteryear

Křivoklát, red

Křivoklát pub

Couscous piknik in the woods

Tulip, Hostivice

Nový knín

Hořovice

Hidden, Karlovo ves

Alone

Pink tulip, Hostivice