It only took 8 days, 2 planes and a boat to escape winter’s clutch. Dramatic sure, but we didn’t expect Scottish weather coming to Vietnam. To ward against the cold (13c) we are gorging and getting fat. Pledges to exercise are abandoned and the bacchanalian lifestyle has commenced. Good thing we are having our clothes custom tailored so they will still fit when we get home and exercise again. More to come on bespoke clothes.
The Vietnamese people are very nice and always smiling. Considering the hardships they have endured, it is inspirational to see a people not only recover but thrive. We have detected no lingering resentment to Americans, seemingly due to their Buddhist philosophy of forgiveness; and a positive trade balance.
Halong Bay
We departed Ninh Binh and boarded the Violet in Halong Bay. Boarding the Violet was like stepping back in time, with a rotary telephone and a 1920s vibe throughout. The youtube video does a better job of highlighting the boat, and you can see what Halong Bay looks like in sunlight.
During the cooking demonstration, Eunjae enjoyed learning how to make summer rolls and returned with new skills. Due to extreme slothfulness I went to the spa. Weather during the cruise was atmospheric gothic with overtones of Smoke on the Water. It would have been nice to see Halong Bay in sunlight but it was still an enjoyable trip with the fog.
One of the excursions took us to a floating village. The residents have lived there for hundreds of years without modern conveniences. The huts float on barrels, and there is no running water, no electricity and no heat. Residents take pride in being strong and able to endure the elements. The Government, after the war, attempted to relocate the people, but the experiment failed miserably, and the people moved back and now the Government helps there economy by providing nets and teaching how to farm squid and shrimp. There are no schools, so kids have the choice of leaving home or not going to school.
Food aboard the Violet
Lunches and Dinners were five courses feasts featuring seafood in every combination. I will say the calamari was the best I have ever eaten and was tender, sweet and juicy. Sadly, Vietnamese choose to soil their food with wicked fungi.
Goodbye Winter, Hello Summer!!!
Arriving in Da Nang and fortunes improved. Tuesday, March 5th, we saw the sun and it was 32c (94F) and glorious. Never has heat and humidity felt so good, and I didn’t even mind sweating through my shirt. I will say that being obese, in a tight shirt with sweat stains, is not a good look but somehow my fellow Americans represent this remark. While sitting in the Airport lounge, we had the misfortune to encounter the wild American talking so loud while espousing the virtues of Bitcoin. Who still throws money away on unregulated currency? Fortunately, the loudmouth eventually left and tranquility was restored.
My Son Sanctuary
My Son (Beautiful Mountain) Sanctuary dates from the 4th to the 13th centuries. Most of the architectural works and sculptures in My Son are influenced by Hinduism. The technique of Cham sculpting on bricks rarely appears in other temples, in the region, so this place is special. The temple towers are pyramidal, symbolizing the holy Meru peak, the abode of Hindu gods The temple is littered with Hindu symbols, and many of the original carvings are in Sanskrit. We spent time exploring the temples, and even saw bomb craters left over from B-52 raids.
While wandering amongst the temples, our guide pointed out an unusual plant that when touched the leaves collapse together as if they were alive. Reminded me of the plants in Avatar.
Hội An Old Quarter
We love the Hội An Old Quarter because it is alive with people, shopping and food. Everywhere you turn, there is something to see and the sights and sounds are electric. At night this place pops with sea of beautiful lanterns, boats, bars and bicycle taxis.
During this portion of the trip, we had the pleasure to meet our tour guide Hau. Hau is the nicest person and will do anything and everything to make your trip memorable. It was the little things like bringing candy and soap for us to give to the local tribes that really made the difference.
In a strange twist, Hội An is flooded with South Korean tourists. We heard more Korean in 3 days than in the past 20 years. Koreans travel in packs and it is so funny to see them cover every inch of themselves to avoid the sun. Where everyone else sheds their layers, the Koreans are layered to the max. God help you if you get in the way of one of their groups, as they are not shy about getting from point A to B.
The best part of visiting Hội An are the custom tailor shops. We spent the bulk of our time and budget at Yaly Couture and Lilo Leather. Everywhere you can buy suits, shirts, pants, jackets, you name it, tailored to you. Prices are very good, and generally based on the quality of the material (fabric or leather) versus the labor. You ask how long does it take and the answer is hours. You can go for a fitting during a day, return the next day for adjustments, and have the finished product delivered to your hotel that night. They are able to produce clothes quickly because they work 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. We were concerned that our buying might contribute to sweat shop or child labor, so they showed us the production floor and allowed us to wander. We didn’t see any kids, and the workers came and went as they pleased. We honestly overindulged and had to buy another suitcase.
Co Tu Tribe
We went to the Thu Bon river delta and visited the Trung Mung village to meet the patriarch of the Co Tu minority tribe. The village is roughly 400 meters above sea level and is very secluded. Arriving at the village, our guide greeted us and took us to the community house, where the tribe gathers daily to basically to talk, sing and eat together. There is no sense of urgency, and people are content to connect with one another. Upon entry, we were welcomed by the elders and asked to sit and served these tiny bananas; more dense and sweeter than what we typically eat. Questions on both sides ensued, and we had a relaxing discussion.
After our chat, we were taken to a hut to observe traditional weaving. Then they asked me to help them film a promotional video for the village to improve tourism. Being the shy and demure person that I am, of course, I agreed. Long story short, I was included in a video to help promote the village, their hospitality and weaving skills and was promised a link to the video once it is released.
Departing the village, we returned to our hotel much the richer, in terms of memories and new friends. That night we had probably one of the best meals ever at Nu Eatery. This is the definition of a hidden gem, in that you have to go down an alley with no signage to find the place. The restaurant was crowded and all of the dishes were made from scratch on premises, just well done food at very low prices. Here are pictures of the yummy goodness. Steamed buns with pork belly, panko crusted shrimp spring rolls, a pork dumpling in some type of sauce that made me moan with pleasure, and then two different desserts. Eunjae got a vegetarian bowl that I will even admit to trying and enjoying but wish it had pork in it.
Final Thoughts
We will greatly miss Hội An, and already are making plans to return next year during our winter to warm up. Next stop, Ho Chi Min city to view war memorials. After that, a cruise up the Mekong Delta to Cambodia. More blogs to come.
For grins, came across this dog and thought it perfectly represented Hội An, a little brash, definitely loud and very cute.
