VIETNAM TRAILS
Let's play a word game. I'll say "Vietnam". What would your response be? I'll bet most people may say "War". Well, that was 25 years ago. Today, Vietnam is trying to make a new life for itself.
When I told family and friends my plans, their reaction "Why Vietnam?" "Have you run our places to visit?"
I wanted to get there while the atmosphere of the country was still intact before hoards of tourisms would ruin it. What I mean to say is there's no McDonald's -- yet. But modern technology is there as I was able to email people telling them not to worry, I was all right.
Mekon Delta was to be our first stop. Was is the oberative word. We were stuck in traffic. Actually it's a two way road but our side barely moved an inch an hour while the other side was wizing by. What we gathered was a bridge was and there was no authority to keep order. Trying to fight aggrivation, I knew I couldn't do a thing. I kept myself occupied with the activity around us. There were local buses jammed with people and their belongings stuffed on the roof. The moped were lucky to pass by and get to their destination. After being entertained by a couple of kids playing in the hey, tghe sun set kept me occupied. It was finally decided, which I wished would have happened hours ago, the driver turned us around and wizzed to Saigon. This was one of the two disappointments of the trip. The other was not seeing My Lai due to it being closed during TET (New Years). All in all in was a good trip.
Phuket has become Thailand's tourist destination. Nha Trang is heading that way. But for now it retains the charm and quaint atmosphere. Hotels are sprawling. I could sense that this will be the party city. Mama Hanh runs island-hopping party boats to which my roomate heard about but had to settle coming with us to a quieter boat as Mama Hanh didn't run her fleet just before TET.
As we were travelling from one place to another, our washroom stops mostly were behind bushes. Sometimes we used the toilets at the gas stations, squatting position. Need to bring your own toilet paper. This trip was certainly an adventure.
The wind blew the sand around as we tried to find a quiet spot for lunch at Mui Ne. Mostly everyone bought their lunch from the grocery store in Saigon. We feasted on bread, cheese, crackers, fruit while we were getting to know each othert. The seven of us come from two different countries. Five were Austrialians, and two (me included) Canadians. Peregrine Trous takes no more than 15 people on a tour. And this tour I was on called Vietnam Trails.
It was only one night,but my experience in the M'nong Village of Jun is something I won't forget. It felt like being in the heart of Vietnam. During the afternoon, I took my first elephant ride. My roomate Juliette and I squealed at times when our elephant was a bit greedy with the branches, trying to break them therefore moving his body around.
Next to Halong Bay, Hoi An, untouched by the war, is my favourite. I felt quite safe inthis city wandering through its building markets, shops and bustling streets of people walking and mopeds trying to get by. And it's impossible not to leave this place without a tailor made outfit as tailor shops are in abundance. Two months before I arrived, flood ravaged the city as the people dealth with near waist high foods though it seemed like it never happened.
Just outside Hoi An, we took a short trip to China Beach. I tried to think of what the American soldier, coming here on a rest and relaxation, was thinking when they'll go home and tell their family and friends about this gorgeous sceneery amid the worn torn messy war.
Hue was the site of the bloodiest battle of 1968 Tet Offensive. Today, tourism is growing and so is the employment. We cruised along Perfume River seeing people live on boats, making a stop at Thien Mu Pagaoda, dating from 1621. The boat dropped us off at a point where we cycled back making one stop at Tu Duc Tomb. Tu Duc was the longest reign of any Nguyen monarch. He had 104 wives but no offspring as it is said he became sterile after contracting smallpox. As we approached the busy streets of Hue, I tensed up but eventually relaxed as the natives maneuvered around me.
We took pedicabs to the train station. Waiting in a smoke filled room, our trains was 1 1/2 hours late. While we spent the last few moments waiting for the train outside, I watched in awe as people crammed in another trains going to Saigon jumping in and out of windows. Unbelievable! It was stuff you'd see on TV. They had another 18 hurs to go.
After settling in our hotel in Hanoi, we went to Little Hanoi Restaurant in the Old Quarter, an area where each stret bears the name of products sold. Later in the evening three of us went to the Water Puppet Theatre where plays are done on water with puppets. All dialogue was, of course, in Vietnamese but it was great to watch as behind the curtains people are standing in water controlling the puppets.
Hanoi is known as "Paris of Vietnam" with a gorgeous Hoan Kiem Lake in the central business area. One mild evening we strolled by the lake. It was Valentine's Day as lovers were strolling or just sitting hold hands in the peaceful and serene setting.
The creme de la creme. Halong Bay. Halong means "where the dragon descends into the sea". Legend has it a huge creature woke up and thrashed it's way to heaven creating the rocky islets. But geologists have a different view. I'd rther believe the legends.
The day here reminded me of the movie Indochine with Catherine Deveuve. It was a cool misty day that disappointed a few people as they couldn't go swimming. I enjoyed the cruising around some 3000 limestone rocks that jut out of the water. On a sunny day it is said the rocks sparkle like jewels.
Vietnam. I don't regret going. I would have regretted not going some years down the road. I saw the country with it's atmosphere as it is. Sure, I said there's modern technology around. But it's still quaint. Still unspoiled by tourism. There is no longer a war but a peaceful, beautiful land.
Home.