Imperial cities and majestic landscapes

  Hanoi, Vietnam
Saturday, August 26, 2006

Highlights of the north:

Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Wandering the narrow roads in the old part of town, we could really see the Chinese and Japanese influence of Hoi An, especially in the amazing architecture of its shops, houses, and temples. We felt like we had been transported back a hundred years...but then reality hit when we were confronted by all the motorbikes whizzing by and the never-ending honking! If history isn't your thing, Hoi An still has something to offer - custom made clothes in as little as one day and at bargain prices. Before we arrived, we weren't too interested in getting stuff made, but we ended up splurging on several items each (though Ed bought more than I did!). The owner of the store must have been one happy lady because she invited us to have lunch with her!

Hue, another UNESCO World Heritage site, which used to be the political capital of Vietnam. Emperors used to live here and were buried here. Near Hue is the De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) that once separated North and South Vietnam. We booked a trip to visit some of the areas where historical events took place, including famous American bases and parts of the infamous Ho Chi Minh trail system. The highlight, however, was venturing into yet another set of tunnels. The tunnels at Vinh Moc were larger (I could stand up comfortably in the main passages, although that may not mean much to most people :-) ) and were more extensive because people actually lived inside...there was even a maternity ward where many babies were born.


Hanoi and its outer areas offer spectacular and dramatic landscapes. We hired a rowboat for the 1-hour ride to the Perfume Pagoda outside the city, where we were surrounded by limestone mountains, water so calm it looked like glass, and the beautiful sound of silence (a rare thing in many parts of Vietnam). The trip was so scenic and serene that it was more memorable than the pagoda itself!


Sailing around Halong bay in a junk-style boat for a couple of days - off the boat, we explored caves by foot and hidden lagoons by kayak. This area is another UNESCO World Heritage site and contains more than 3000 lush limestone islands surrounded by emerald coloured water. Sailing in the area almost seemed unreal, and the fog that didn't want to go away just added to mystical atmosphere. It was a great way to end our trip in Vietnam.

We had such a great time in Vietnam, not only because it's truly beautiful (with so many UNESCO World Heritage sites, how could it not be?) but also because we really enjoyed the ease of travel - hop on a motorbike and away you go...although, I definitely have to say that crossing dinky wooden bridges by bike, worrying about running out of gas in the middle of nowhere, and always stopping on the side of the road to look at the map is no fun at all!

Besides motorbikes, things that we'll always remember about Vietnam are:
- the endless amount of Pho noodles that we ate (the only food I can think of that you could eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner)
- small, old, frail-looking women in conical hats lugging around baskets of fruits/vegetables and even 'portable' restaurants on a single bamboo pole, who are probably stronger and tougher than most men you'll see at your gym.
- rice paddies (though Vietnam is only the 2nd largest producer in the world, Thailand being 1st)
- the incessant honking (the idea behind it is the same as in sports: a good offence is the best defence)
- women riding around wearing big masks covering their mouth/nose/cheeks/neck, big hats, sunglasses, and super long gloves past their elbows (ok, I know most Asians prefer pale skin, but when you don't see more than an inch of skin in such a hot and humid climate, that's going a bit too far for me! I guess they don't believe in a healthy glow.)
- eating by the side of the road (literally) on low furniture fit for a 5-year old

Vietnam is definitely on our list of places we'd like to revisit one day!