My Final Days in Vietnam

Wow! I just realized how far behind I am on my blog. Sorry about slacking these last few days. I am alive and well. No accidents with motorbikes or falling off bicycles. Whew!

I spent my second day in DaLat wondering and enjoying the city. I started with a beautiful walk around the lake. Everyone seemed to be staring at me. I checked to make sure my skirt was covering my bum and all seemed fine. I was just the attraction. I walked to the café by the lake and started out the morning with traditional Vietnamese breakfast of pho (soup with BBQ pork, rice noodles, bean sprouts, lettuce and herbs).

DaLat is much cooler than the rest of Vietnam. It was a beautiful morning, the air was fresh and I was ready to be active. I had decided to walk out and explore the botanical gardens.  It was nice but a little kitschy like Disneyland.

I had to laugh at this structure. I thought it was a left over Christmas tree but it turns out it was a tree made of wine bottles. Someone had fun drinking all that wine!

I wandered back to town and looked for lunch. I happened upon an art restaurant (Art Café) and went in. I ordered another favorite, shrimp with lemongrass and chili's and a garden salad. As I waited, I wandered the restaurant looking at the artwork. I happened to ask a question to the owner/artist (Vo Trihn Bien) and he offered to demonstrate his finger-painting technique for me. He mixed ink and wine together and started painting. We had a fun conversation and I loved the simplicity of his artwork. I was also amazed that he was able to do it with his fingers. He signed and offered me the painting.
After a few hours of shopping in town, I returned to the hotel but realized it was St. Patrick's Day. How could I not celebrate? I changed into jeans and a jacket and went out for a St Patrick's Day beer and a light dinner. Being alone, I was quickly adopted by three Russian men. They refused to let me sit and enjoy a quiet beer alone on St Patrick's Day. I joined them and they started ordering shots. Bad decision! I  realized I could not hang with them after a few drinks. I wished them a Happy St. Patrick's Day and goodnight but they insisted that I get an escort back to my hotel. We laughed when we realized we were at the same hotel. So, I stayed while they finished there drinks and then we all walked back to the Pink House Villa singing Irish drinking songs! I still laugh as I think of singing Danny Boy with the Russians! A priceless memory!  It was late, I was tipsy and tired. I was getting up early for a walk around the lake before leaving for Hanoi.

Cristina Cruise HaLong Bay

I arrived in Hanoi and was thankful I had a car arranged to the hotel. I was still tired and it had been a long day. I was just spending the night and then I was headed to Ha Long Bay at 8am.
I was excited as I waited for the bus to arrive to take me from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay. I had seen the photos of the bay with the large spires rising out of the blue-green sea. The brown junkets with the beautiful bamboo sails. This was the picture Le showed me as she talked to me about the 2 day/1 night cruise to Ha Long Bay. I could not wait to see the beautiful boats with their sails.
The trip to HaLong Bay was 3.5 hours. I had learned that traffic was very slow in Vietnam but I was amazed that it was going to take that long to go 90 miles. When I finally arrived in HaLong Bay, our guide had tickets and we quickly boarded a small boat to take us to our junket (boat). I was disappointed to see all the boats are now painted white. The government made it a requirement. We were given a welcome tea and then the key to our cabins. I was prepared for the worse but was pleasantly surprised. It was nicer than I had expected. We were given 15 minutes to put on our swimsuits and be back at the dinning area for lunch. I quickly remembered why I hate organized tours...the crazy time schedules and rules. Ugh! But this was the only way to experience HaLong Bay. Lunch was served and we all devoured it. Then we were off to see the bay. Our first stop was the Sung Sot Cave. It was larger than I had expected and a nice hike on the island.

Sung Sot Cave, HaLong Bay



We emerged from the cave hoping the afternoon sun was shining only to find the marine layer was still hanging on. Bummer. It is still beautiful. I must admit, the heavy marine layer gives a mystique to the area.

The next stop was swimming or hiking and then kayaking. I was told the hike was just some steps up to the pagoda and since I had seen a few pagodas, I decided to relax at the beach have a beer and enjoy the sights. The area is a tourist attraction and was named one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. I watched as boats arrived one after another with tourists. I counted 50 boats in the bay.   As I watched, I started to wonder what Vietnam was going to do to protect this beautiful attraction. The smell of the diesel from the boats is strong and you notice a film on the bay. I can't imagine that they will not have to do something at some point. It is beautiful and must be protected.

Sun, my kayaking partner

Kayaking was fun. Since I was alone, a lucky Malaysian girl became my partner. Her first question was "Do you know how to swim?" I told her I could row really well and I can swim. She would be fine as long as I can get in and out of the boat. I am not use to getting into a kayak in the water. The guy told me to step in middle and sit down slowly. Whew! Success! We were off and paddling the beautiful bay. We went into little caves and around the large rocks. It was a wonderful experience and one I will always remember. We were told to be back at the dock in an hour. Getting out of the boat was as scary as getting into it. I put my hands on the edges, pushed up and prayed that I would not tip us over into the bay.  I slowly stood up and stepped to the dock. Thank goodness I had been doing yoga and working on my balance these last 2 years! I made it to the dock without falling into the bay! Yippee!

Everyone returned and filed one by one onto the longboat to return to the Cristina where we were looking forward to showers and dinner. We were all in our life jackets waiting to go when we slowly understood there was a problem with the boat. It would not start. Five men gathered around the motor looking at it. Then they grabbed a rope, wrapped it around the motor and 1,2,3....pull! The boat would not start. This was repeated several times and a piece of the rope broke each time. They would tie it back together and try again...and again. No luck. Our guide looked at us and said "I hope you are good swimmers. If you want dinner and a bed we will need to swim 3 km to the boat." My kayak buddy, Sun, looked at me and grabbed my hand. "You help me swim?"  I smiled and laughed and told her he was joking. The color came back into her face as she realized she was going to be ok. The captain called a larger boat that towed us back. Yeah, we would have showers and dinner soon! The shower felt great after a long humid day on the bay. We had 30 minutes to get cleaned up and to dinner. It was delicious. We had spring rolls, french fries, cucumber salad, chicken, morning glory with garlic, squid with onions and peppers and rice. Followed up with fresh pineapple for dessert. And of course, cocktails. Everyone talked and shared travel stories. I was the only American so it was fun to listen to the different languages and then they would translate what they had just talked about. As the evening continued, the guide told us the evening activities were squid fishing or karaoke. The Asian people enjoyed the karaoke while the westerners all headed to squid fishing so they would not have to sing. Obviously, I went and watched the fishing. It was boring. They shine a light and bob a fishing pole waiting for something to bite.  No luck catching anything. I finally called it a night at 10:00 PM. I returned to my room, opened my windows and enjoyed the fresh air. I was rocked to sleep by the calm sea.
I awoke and looked up and saw the beautiful spires rising from the sea. This was worth the cost of the trip. The marine layer was still heavy but the view was beautiful and mysterious. After a quick breakfast and checking out of my room, I went on top of the boat and enjoyed the view

The morning was a quick sail around the bay and we dropped a few people off at Cat Ba Island. I was short on time since my visa was expiring soon, I was headed back to Hanoi today. I sat on the top deck and just enjoyed the view as I talked to the other tourists. I love the tourists and the things that I have learned as I have traveled. I laughed as I sat listening to two brothers teasing their mom about her packing style. She has a huge book and she tears out each chapter as she finished reading then throws it away. Why? To lighten up her load! Only a traveler would do that! RIGHT? I talked to them a while and they invited me to go to the Snake Farm with them outside of Hanoi. Seems you can go and pick out snake that you want to eat. I hate snakes and there is no way you will get me to a farm with snakes...even if I was going to eat them! I thanked her and told her I would pass. I was going to explore Hanoi. 

I returned to my hotel in time for a dinner and then to bed. I was tired and needed to get a good workout in the morning. My plan was to explore the Hoan Kiem Lake area and get a workout with the locals. I was up and left my hotel at 6 am. It was a quiet and quick walk to the lake. When I arrived, I was amazed at the number of people up and exercising before work. It was locals and very few tourists. The park was full of people walking, doing calisthenics, tai chi, meditating, zumba, karate, badminton and ballroom dancing. I loved it! I felt at home as I did my workout. I was even happier that I had grabbed my iPhone for a few photos.   

I love this old woman who walked in with two canes and then stood and did tai chi while I walked around the lake three times. Other women were meditating. It was an oasis away from the busy Hanoi city traffic. No lights, everyone just goes and you find your way. I found I got use to this and I became really good at weaving my way through the traffic.

I was walking across town to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. I passed the Flag Tower at the War Remnants Museum. While crossing the road I met 2 Danish guys that were headed in the same direction but did not have a map. We decided to walk together and ended up spending the day exploring the city.

Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum. We were told it opened at 2 pm only to find out it didn't. Sorry Uncle Ho, I did not get to pay my respects.

 The school children on a field trip were interested in 2 blondes traveling together. They would stop and stare at us and wanted their picture taken. I love the children! They are so adorable. They greet you and love to use their English. We continued on to the Hoan Kiem Lake and met a group of teenagers that were walking around practicing their English with the tourists.

We were serenaded by a tribal flute. Thomas was very good and loved American English better than proper English! It was a wonderful day. I was hot and tired and ready to call it a day. We said our goodbyes and I went back to the hotel to pack for my departure.

I stopped at the hotel desk and asked about a spa appointment for the morning.  They gave me information and told me to make an appointment in the morning. So, when 2 American guys were sitting at breakfast and started raving about the massages, I told them they had convinced me. I was getting a massage before I flew to Laos. I inquired about an appointment and was told they had one free space. I took it! I was ushered back to the room. There were 4 beds and one was empty for me. The others had my 2 American friends and another man. All were covered with towels and lying face down. The woman held up a sheet and said to take off my clothes. I was a little confused. There were men in here. I decided to remove my clothes but leave my bra and underwear on. The woman started to yell at me. "No! All clothes off! No clothes!" I must have looked shocked because another woman came over and started removing my bra. What?!? I said, "No. Men in here. Keep." The lady looked at me and got angry and pulled my bra. She said "must be no clothes!" I decided I did not want to have a tug-o-war over my bra. What the hell. I didn't want to make a scene. I took off everything and wrapped the towel around me. The women giggled. I quickly laid down on the bed as she draped a sheet over me and took my towel. The massage started and I relaxed and enjoyed it. I needed this. She held up the sheet and told me to turn over. I did. She started massaging my back. I was relaxed. Enjoying the experience. I was drifting to sleep. I remember hearing the American guys get up and leave.  I did not think anything about it. I enjoyed the massage. Afterwards, I showered and got ready for my flight to Laos. I enjoyed a beer as I was waiting for the taxi. Up walked my American friends. They saw me and started to laugh. They wanted to know how I liked my massage. They had all they could do from laughing when I was fighting with the women about removing all my clothes. It seems they had the same fight as there were 2 women in the room on their first day. We all laughed and then they said "by the way, nice tat. We enjoyed the show." It seems I was not well-covered when they left the room. Oh well. I am sure it was nothing they had not seen before! Ha ha! They were not the first to see it!

I loved my time in Vietnam but I am ready to move onward to Laos.  Goodbye Vietnam! I enjoyed the journey!  

DaLat- Le Petite Paris

DaLat greenhouse- my favorite flower

I left Nha Trang in the morning and headed inland to the mountains of Vietnam. I was ready to cool off and stop sweating for a few days. The bus ride was beautiful through mountains and jungle. However, the switchbacks proved to be too much for several of the people on the bus. I noticed several people walk to the front of the bus and return with a bag. Oh no! It was time for me to put on my head phones if people were going to start throwing up! Those of you that know me well know I do not handle vomiting well. You puke and I will be right there with you. Not holding back your hair and comforting you but throwing up with you! I was surrounded by people tossing their cookies. Including the girl next to me! I kept telling myself to just breathe and listen to music. You can not puke. I looked at the clock and realized it was another hour. Four people around me were throwing up. I took out the Vick's and sniffed. Anything was better than the smell coming from my neighbors. Surprisingly, I survived and did not even gag! That is a huge accomplishment for me! Whew! I was so excited to get off the bus puke free!

DaLat is located in the central highlands and is home to farmers who produce the flowers, fruits and vegetables. The majority of the flowers are grown in greenhouses. It is much cooler here and the smog is significantly less than Nha Trang and Saigon. Yay! I loved the fresh air!  I smiled as I passed the DaLat version of the Eiffel Tower. Since this was a vacation get away for the French, there is a significant French influence. Tacky? I will let you decide.

DaLat radio tower.

DaLat is the last  motorbike tour I will have in Vietnam. I wanted to explore the countryside and hike to the waterfalls. I searched out the Vietnam Easy Riders to take me on this trip. Tin Tin arrived at 8 am and we were on the road. I am not bragging but, I am getting really good at getting on/off a motorcycle. Like I have been riding for years!

Our first stop was the countryside farms. He explained that the greenhouses became popular after a large company came in and built one and the farmers saw that they were able to increase the number of growing seasons. Most of the flowers are grown in the green houses and the vegetables are grown outside.

 I was not surprised to learn that organic farming was not common in Vietnam. Tin Tin explained it is difficult to change the way things are done. We had a long discussion about the amount of littering, the Vietnam/American War and the poor in the country. I asked him to be honest and not give a typical response that the tourists want to hear. I appreciated his candid responses. Basically, unless there are financial reasons, the littering will continue and organic farming is unlikely. The Vietnamese felt very abandoned when America pulled out of the country and he talked to me about the difficulties of the people afterwards. I feel that I have learned more about the war visiting Vietnam than I ever learned in all my years of education.

Our second stop was a nice morning hike. He stopped on the side of the highway and said "Hike up that hill to the top, turn left and come back down. I will meet you on the road." Ok. I hiked the hill. It was beautiful. Pine trees, hills and grass. I noticed an animal had been on the trail and my keen tracking instincts told me it was a horse....I hoped that was all and not a wild animal! I reached the top and looked around. I breathed the fresh air and took a moment to enjoy the view.

The path down was a little slippery but I made it! A great hike to start off the morning. 

The next stop was the oldest Buddist temple in DaLat. I asked Tin Tin to explain Buddism to me. He smiled and said that I got a driver that was Christian. Well, I guess I have some reading to do on the Buddist faith.  

 We continued on our journey through the farmland were I noticed the coffee trees. Tin Tin showed me that each berry had two beans...I never knew that. Honestly, I did not know much about coffee other than I love it in the morning. As we traveled through towns I noticed large tarps on the ground in front of businesses. The farmers remove the beans from the berries and dry the beans in the sun. Then they were bagged and sent to be roasted.

We continued on our adventure. The area around DaLat was beautiful. I enjoyed the curving mountain roads, the flowers and fruits for sale on the side of the road. I was happy and enjoying the ride as much as the sights.
 

Tin Tin stopped and bought us some fresh strawberries. Then he washed them and we had an impromptu picnic on the side of the road. An old man walked up to us. We shared our strawberries and water with him. Tin Tin talked to him and explained that he was a poor, old, sick man with no family. The Vietnamese government doesn't do much for these people. It is up to the religious groups and families to help the old and sick. So sad. I admit I gave him some dong. My heart just broke for him. The least I could do was buy him a couple meals. I asked Tin Tin about the average salary in Vietnam. I was shocked that the average Vietnamese person makes about $4700 USD/year. Wow!  

We continued down the road. We passed beautiful rice paddies and what I called "free range cows."  

The rice paddies are beautiful. I loved watching the wind blow across the fields like waves. Gorgeous! We rode a little farther and Tin Tin took me to a silk factory. Then asked if I was ready for some hiking. Of course! We arrived at Elephant Falls and he pointed towards a railing and said to go that way and follow the path. He was staying behind to watch the bike. I had 30 minutes to get back to him. I was off. I followed the path, down and over a bridge. No problem. Then I see the orange handrail is gone. Uh-oh!  Just the post and another orange post 6 meters down the rocks. Huh? I had no clue how I was suppose to get down to the falls.  

Where is the path? Uhmmm....

Elephant Falls

I could hear people coming down the path. I looked at them and they were wearing flip flops. Huh. I was glad I had my hiking shoes. I decided to follow them down. I was about half way down when one of them turned to me and told me to go ahead. Fine. I went slowly and made my way around the big rock. I turned to look for the guide because I did not know where to go next. They had turned around and gone back up! It was just me. I was scared I would fall and brake a bone or crack my head open but I had to get to the falls. No stopping me now! I finally made it! I am not a fan of rock climbing and this was as close as anyone will ever get me. I was shaking by the time I got to the bottom. I completely forgot to get a photo. All I could think of was now I had to go back up to the top. Ugh! I must admit that it was easier going back up. I passed several people that turned around and never went more than half way. I was so glad I faced the challenge and did it! Yay me!

When I returned, Tin Tin said it was time for lunch. We went to a roadside cart and ordered chicken with vegetables and rice. Then I sat down on the traditional red stool and ate. After lunch, Tin Tin asked "do you like cats?"

Mmmm...weasel poop coffee.

I wasn't sure where this was going. I replied "Uhmmm.....sure, as long as nobody is killing or eating them!"  He laughed and said he had something special to show me. He took me to the cat (weasel) farm where the weasels are fed a mixture of banans and coffee beans. They poop and the coffee beans are removed from the poop, roasted and sold. Ewwww! They also made rice wine. I drank the poop coffee. It was ok but not that spectacular. This will probably go down as the weirdest thing I eat on this trip. I am not adventurous with food. I gag too much!  I also tasted the the rice wine. Wow! It was more like moonshine! Very strong and burnt the whole way down! 

Our next stop was an ethnic community. We stopped and Tin Tin told me the tradition in the town was that the girl selects a boy she wants to marry and then her family must pay the boys family for his hand in marriage. I liked that the girl got to choose. There are 15 women in the village that weave scarves, bags and tablecloths. I bought a beautiful scarf and then asked if I could walk around the village and take some photos. I was granted permission. Tin Tin was going to stay with the bike. I took off walking and was greeted by two children that would laugh, point at me and run away down the path. Soon they would stop and repeat the sequence.  It became our game. The children would wait on the path for me to catch up with them. I asked if they would like to see a photo of themselves. I showed them the picture and they pointed at themselves and laughed. They were adorable. They motioned for me to follow them down the path. I followed. We passed beautiful fruit and vegetable gardens and a few small homes. Theyturned around several times to make sure I was following them. Then they laughed and ran ahead. I realized they were taking me to their home. They were delighted as they ran into the house to tell their family they had found me. It was adorable and made me smile.

The children took me to their home to meet their family.

I waved goodbye and continued walking. As I was headed back to the main street, I followed by 4 boys. They would walk, one would turn and stare or smile at me. When I got on the motorbike and drove away, they ran after us waving goodbye. I loved the children. I left with a smile on my face and wonderful memories of the village.

We were back on the road and headed to the Dalat Waterfall. When Tin Tin dropped me at the entrance I asked if this was going to be another rock climbing adventure. He said "No, more fun. Take roller coaster." Alright! I walked in and bought a ticket for the roller coaster. It was basically a toboggan on metal tracks with a handbrake. I was strapped in and told to pull the brake towards me to stop. They pushed me off and away I went down the tracks to the bottom. It would have been more fun but the two guys in front of me road the brake down the hill.  It would have been more fun to go faster. At the bottom, it was a short walk to the falls.

A short ride back up to the top of the falls and we were off again. The day ended with a walk through the meditation center and gardens. I took a peaceful walk through the gardens, enjoying the quiet solitude. It was beautiful and the smell of pine trees surrounded me. We returned to DaLat and my hotel. It was a wonderful day exploring the area. I was ready for a shower and a dinner in town. I laughed as I asked for a restaurant suggestion and the guy at the desk gave me directions to a bakery. He said the Russians love it! Ha ha! I thought I should not get in the habit of eating my meals at a bakery and asked for another suggestion. I had a great Vietnamese dinner and a wonderful walk in town. It was a fantastic end to a beautiful day.

Palaces and Pagodas in Hue

Fara and I said goodbye to the beautiful town of Hoi An and headed north to Hue. Since Fara has been sick for the past few days, we decided to hire a car to take us from Hoi An to the train station in Danang. From there we caught the train to Hue. The train ride along the coast was beautiful. There were isolated little beaches and fishing villages along green hillsides.

We arrived in Hue and were excited to see that the hotel had actually sent someone to pick us up at the train station. We knew the drill. We put our backpacks on the motorbikes and jumped on the back for a quick ride through the streets of Hue to our hotel. We were greeted with a delicious, ice cold lemon tea as we checked into the hotel. We laughed as we opened the door to the room. It was huge! I think it was almost the size of my apartment! We could sleep four people, had a fridge and a bathroom with a huge tub. This sounds crazy but it was nice to have room to spread out our things. Since it was late, we had two things on our mind. Get our laundry sent out (only $1/kilo) and eat.

We walked the neighborhood and found a wonderful restaurant that offered a great selection of vegetarian meals. After our cooking class, I have been on a mission to find the best Banh Xeo in Vietnam. I don’t think anyone can come close to the one I made in the cooking class. So, of course I had to have one here and some rice noodles with fresh vegetables. Yum yum! It hit the spot but I was right. My Banh Xeo was better!  After a short walk we returned to the hotel to get a good night’s rest.

I have started my morning workouts. It is necessary to keep a routine and if I am going to try Banh Xeo everywhere!  I like the routine of my workouts and it allows me to sweat it out in the morning. It is also my time with the locals before the city comes to life and the tourists are flooding the streets. So, I strapped on my heart rate monitor, grabbed my resistance bands and my backpack with my camera. I knew I may want to get some early morning shots. Off I went with my map to explore in the early sunrise. As I walked the riverfront, men and women would wish me “Good morning” as they smiled and waved. I found a nice little park to do some resistance work with the bands and two men came over to check out my workout. They smiled, flexed their muscles and gave me thumbs up. I smiled as I continued my workout.  Since it was early and starting to rain, I decided to walk around the Citadel. It was beautiful in the early morning mist. I headed back to the hotel 2 hours later, showered and had some breakfast. Then, off to explore the Palaces and Podagas of Hue. The city of Hue is the home to the Imperial City and Forbidden Purple City. It was described in the travel books as an "Asian wonderland of palaces, pavilions, temples, ponds, gardens and gates. "

Hue's beautiful palaces and pavilions.

Thien Mu Pogada overlooking the Perfume River.

Temple of the Great Hero

On Fara’s last day, we decided to take it easy and tour the Hue Garden Homes. We wanted to get off the tourist path and see the ancient homes along the Perfume River. We made a big mistake by asking our hotel receptionist if we could get motorbikes to the Hue Garden Homes. We showed her the book and she said “Ah, yes. No problem.” We figured Fara’s last day should be like the beginning of the trip….back on a motorbike. We jumped on and were off for our relaxing day visiting the gardens. We traveled down a small road and I saw a sign that said Ancient Hue. Yay! We were going in the correct direction, or so I thought. The outside gate was beautiful wood in a Japanese style. We entered and a young guide met us to show us the home. We went inside and noticed it was a restaurant. He explained that the restaurant was built on the site of the ancient home. We wandered through the area and he showed us two homes with a beautiful garden.

We returned to the driver and I asked "how far to the next home?" He told me we were done and returning to our hotel. I explained we wanted to go to the five ancient homes near the tombs.  He told me "no." Hmmm. Oh well. Guess were not going to see the Garden Homes. It was hot and we were hungry so, we decided to spend the remainder of the afternoon relaxing and packing for our travels. Afterwards, we went out for a nice last dinner. We had a fabulous trip and enjoyed our time together in Cambodia and Vietnam. In the morning, my solo adventure would begin. I was nervous but excited.

At 6 AM the bus arrived to take Fara on her journey back to America. No tears just a “see you in 6 months!” I had a quick breakfast before catching a train south to Nha Trang. I got lucky and was able to get a sleeping car for the 13 hour journey to Nha Trang. It was just me and a little old Vietnamese man. He was probably 80 and got on board with a suitcase, a briefcases, a container of soup and a tree. Yes, you read that right. A 4 foot tree.  He spoke as much English as I spoke Vietnamese. It was clear he was asking me to help him with his tree. He asked me to put it under his bed. Sure! I did it and he smiled at me. The steward arrived with sheets and pillows and I made my bed and then offered to make his. This is what sealed are friendship. He shook my hand and pointed at himself and said “Thien.” I repeated the gesture and said “Michelle.” He stated talking to me in Vietnamese. I was stuck because the limit of my Vietnamese was hello, goodbye, thank you, a few dishes and “those are not my drugs” and “please don’t shoot.” That iPhone app was not going to help me with this one. I got my Vietnamese travel book out and gave it to him. He paged through it and pointed at the map to Nha Trang. I smiled and shook my head yes. He pointed at himself which I took as he was also going to Nha Trang also. Then we both took a nap. I awoke a few hours later and decided to try organizing my photos. He was very interested in the photos and wanted to look over my shoulder. I got several thumbs up and smiles as he sat next to me. Suddenly, he got up and left the car. He returned with a spoon and a cup. He opened his soup and poured a bowl for me. He patted his tummy and smiled with a thumbs up. Who needs language when you can use simple signs to communicate? I tried to tell him “No thank you” but he was not listening. It was delicious soup. It tasted like a mushroom vegetable soup with spinach. I thanked him and offered him some water. He shook his head and left only to return with 2 cups of tea. We sat smiling at each other and he would point to the countryside if there was something I needed to see. When the cigarette smoke on the train started to make me cough he opened his briefcase and pulled out a baggie with some sort of berries soaked in honey and spices. He pointed at his chest and made a coughing sound. He handed me a toothpick with berries. I tried to say no but he was not having it. He started pushing the berries and hot tea on me. He was pleased when I ate the berries. He was so sweet. His hands and smile reminded me of my grandfather and brought back happy memories. I found myself smiling and enjoying the quiet moments with my new friend. This was why I travel. I love meeting the locals and having these types of experiences. We befriended one another on a train and I knew I could trust him. I laughed when a woman tried to sell me 2 bananas. She looked at me and said 20,000 VND ($1). He got very angry and yelled at her. It ended up costing me 2,000 VND ($0.10).  When he pointed at my phone I gave it to him. He turned it on and called someone. I was confused as he had a conversation with someone then handed me the phone. He had called the train station to find out what time we would arrive. When he handed me the phone they explained in English the train would arrive at 9PM and asked if I need help making hotel arrangements. I told them I had a hotel booked and they were picking me up at the station. She asked to talk to Thien. She must have explained to him I was ok because he gave me a smile and a thumbs up. I helped him off the train and said goodbye. A simple act of kindness had bonded us over the long train ride.

Nha Tang beach

The next morning I awoke in Nha Trang and was off for an early morning walk on the beach. When I left the key with the receptionist she asked if I wanted a bicycle instead. Why not? It was the beach. I would love to ride a bike along the beach and enjoy the beauty. She called and had a bike delivered. It had seen better days. I checked the seat height, the brakes and the lock. Everything was fine. I grabbed a hotel card and a map so I was sure I could find my way back to the hotel. I was off to explore. The bike was a little rickety and nothing like my California beach cruiser. It wobbled and creaked. The brakes squeaked. I turned out on to the rode and was cautiously riding on the side away from the motorbikes and cars. I only had to make it 2 blocks and I would be on the beach. I successfully crossed the road and had the beach in sight. I was so excited to get off the road and enjoy the peace of a bike path. I looked up and down the beach. No sidewalks. I stopped and asked a woman and she laughed at me and pointed at the busy road. Oh darn! I could do this. It was a beautiful warm day. The sun was shining and I had been riding a bike since childhood. I went back to the street and was enjoying the day when a truck backed out into the road. Oh no! It was a quick decision. Get hit by a truck or veer to the right and hope I can jump the curb. I chose the curb. I flew up onto the curb and came down on the basket. I was spread eagle on the sidewalk and could feel a breeze on my backside. My bare butt was exposed for all the Vietnamese to view!! My skirt was around my waist. I jumped up and looked around hoping nobody had witnessed my grace. Then I burst out laughing! I skinned up my knee and ankle but otherwise I was fine. Guess I need to work on my biking skills! I biked 4 miles along the beach road and was ready to get back to the hotel. I did not enjoy trying to navigate the busy roads with cars, trucks, motorbikes and pedestrians. It would be fine if there were traffic lights but it is a free for all and my bell did not work.

I returned and the owners of the hotel asked if I had dinner plans. They offered to take me out to an authentic dinner of fresh spring rolls and country pancakes. Of course I jumped at the offer! We had a nice evening, they introduced me to friends and we found out that he was a IBO for the company I use to work for. It is a small world! I became an instant friend as they asked me about the products and life at Nutrilite. Dinner turned into dessert and then back to our hotel. It wa s a wonderful evening and made me realize how blessed I have been in my travels. I have met some amazing people on this journey in the last 3 weeks. I have been open to their culture and customs and I have learned so much more than I ever expected. It is natural to have fears when traveling alone but I am an experienced traveler. I am true to my personality. I love meeting people and sharing my life, travel and experiences with them. I never would have had these wonderful experiences with the local people if I was not open to their kindness. I believe that it pays you back tenfold. It was only at the end of the day I realized that I did not have pictures of these people. I lived in the moment and have wonderful memories of my time spent with Thien, Elvin and Le.

Hoi An - Beautiful City of Laterns and Culinary Delights

Beautiful Hoi An

We arrived in Hoi An on Friday. We had pre-booked a hotel that was in the city center and walking distance from the bus station. When we arrived, we were greeted by the motorbikes and taxis soliciting us. We have learned there is always someone ready to give you a ride. We asked the direction of our hotel and were told that the hotel was far and would take 30-45 minutes to walk the distance. We knew that wasn't true. We declined the offers, put on our backpacks and started walking. I laughed as the price went from 100,000 Dong ($5 USD) to 40,000 Dong as we walked a block. We declined and continued the 15 minute walk to our hotel. Once again, another beautiful hotel for $15/night and it included free breakfast.

Hoi An is a charming riverside town in central Vietnam. It was once a major shipping center for central Vietnam but as shipping was moved north, Hoi An became a tourist stop. Luckily, it was not bombed in the "American Aggression War" (Vietnam War) so it has retained its charm. I instantly loved the city for its walkability and the architecture. The streets are lined with ancient homes, souvenir shops, tailor shops and restaurants. The pace is slow and quiet as tourists wander the streets of the old town. The center of town is a cycling and pedestrian only center which adds to the ambiance. The lanterns lining the shops and streets add a beautiful ambiance. I loved this city!



The town was filled with tourists and locals celebrating International Woman's day. Flowers were for sale on every street corner and beautiful red and yellow flower lanterns were hung in the intersections to celebrate women. As the sunset and the lanterns were lit it, the lanterns set a beautiful glow on the city. We spent the day wandering the streets and enjoyed the ambience.

After enjoying a delicious meal in town, we knew we had to find a cooking class. We took the advice of our hotel and signed up for the Thuan Tinh Island cooking school. We were off at 8 am to meet the guide and start our shopping in the market. We were each handed a shopping basket and the guide and chef explained how to pick the freshest ingredients. We bought fresh ingredients to make four dishes:

1. Goi Con Nuoc Leo- Vietnamese Spring  Rolls with Peanut Hoisin Sauce

2. Banh Xeo - Sizzling Vietnamese Crepes with Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce

3. Bun Bo Nam Bo - Southern style Beef Vermicelli Salad

4. Pho Bo Ha Noi - Hanoi Style Rice Noodle Soup with Beef

I loved the mint, morning glory, watercress,  lemon basil and Thai Basil but wanted nothing to do with the cilantro (icky!) and had no plans of using it in my cooking. Then it was on to the wet market for the seafood. Our guide showed us how to pick fresh shrimp versus day old shrimp.

Our next stop was to buy fresh beef and chicken. Whew! No killing of the animals in the market. And the last stop was the fresh rice noodles for the Pho and Beef Vermicelli salad. We finished our shopping and we were off to the island to start the class. Yes, by boat which meant we got to wear the lady hats again! 

Our first stop was a village where we made fresh rice milk. It was a lot of work. We ground the rice to remove the husks, separated the husks, soak the rice and then turn it on a stone to grind and press the rice milk.

Finally we were off to start cooking.

The Goi Cuon with Nuoc Leo was fabulous. This was the most delicious spring roll I have had the entire trip.

Goi Con Nuoc Leo- Vietnamese Spring  Rolls with Peanut Hoisin Sauce

Then it was on to my favorite dish, the Bahn Xeo. This is a pancake with shrimp and chicken. The pancake was made from the rice milk and rice meal and then added turmeric, black pepper, salt and coconut milk. We cooked rice and shrimp and then added the pancake mixture. The hardest part was flipping the pancake.  I tossed it into the air and caught it in the pan! Success! What makes this really delicious is the addition of green onions, bean sprouts, lettuce, watercress and mint. You press it all together, kind of like a taco, and add the dipping sauce (garlic, red chili peppers, sugar, kumquat juice and fish sauce).

Banh Xeo with Nuoc Cham Sauce...wish you could taste it!

 

On to the third course, a Beef Vermicelli salad. The salad consisted of greens (lettuce, watercress, mint, lemon basil, morning glory), fried shallots, fried garlic, cucumbers, carrots, red chili slices, bean sprouts, beef, peanuts and fresh vermicelli noodles. Then drizzled with a sauce. 









Beef Vermicelli salad

One of the things I have appreciated about Vietnamese cooking is the small amounts of meats that are used in the meal. The meats in these meals are for flavoring and not huge portions like we are use to in the USA. All of the meals were delicious. I was so full by the end of this course, I forgot to take a picture of the Pho. It was good too! Trust me! We finished eating and were returned to the city to walk and work off the meal.

On my final morning in Hoi An, I woke up at 5AM and decided to walk through the city to get some early morning photos. It was just me and the early morning exercisers! I found the walkers and the women in the park.

Early morning workout

I walked for three hours. Through the market as the women set-up there stalls, down by the river as the fishermen arrived with the fresh catch of the day and through town before any of the tourists were up and moving. It was beautiful and allowed me time to reflect on my visit to Hoi An. I love the quiet in the early morning, as the city first comes to life. Hoi An only has one issue. The tourists have made a negative impact on the city. The people in Hoi An have been taught that they should expect money from tourists if you take a picture of them. As soon as you take your camera out everyone is asking for $1. It becomes very overwhelming as you wander the city. I found myself taking group photos from a distance so I could capture the real life. Once again, I realized I need to make conscious decisions and travel responsibly. 

Banana delivery to the market