 |
| Lotsa bikes = lotsa helmets |
Having lazed around on Phu Quoc for long enough, it was time to get down to some serious
sight-seeing. Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) or Saigon as it was formerly known was our first stop. In HCMC we were staying with Adam - a Brit who had found his calling in Saigon. He lived along with his partner and 5 month son in a beautifully renovated Vietnamese house and he made sure we had a good time in the city. One of the days he took us out for lunch to a really fancy restaurant - turns out Brad and Angelina were doing a Vietnam trip and had eaten there the previous day - and proceeded to order what seemed like half the menu. However, he knew what he was doing and the meals was one of the best we've had so far on our trip. He also managed to get us invited to the opening of a restaurant where he was DJing where we had a chance to observe Vietnamese high society attempting to out do each other. When we weren't consuming free drinks or eating too much food we managed to squeeze a few sights in too. Of note is the War Remnant Museum. The Museum chronicles the Vietnamese War, specifically the atrocities committed by the US forces on the civilian population. Another poignant reminder of the disconnect that exists between what bureaucrats think is the right thing to do and the effects that are borne by civilians as a result. For example, Agent Orange, a highly carcinogenic chemical was used extensively by US forces to kill off vegetation and flush out the VC. The chemical did its job fairly well and then decided to stick around to do long-lasting damage. Entering the food chain via the soil and water it has caused innumerable birth defects and deaths and to this day the country continues to suffer as a result.
 |
| I need to learn how! |
The Vietnamese know how to bounce back though, and the war, while not forgotten, is definitely in the rear-view mirror as the country steams ahead to join its more prosperous neighbours. One effect of the economic progress is the sheer number of bikes. I used to think Pune has a lot of bikes, but HCMC makes Pune look like there's a bike quota in place. Everywhere you look there's bikes - on the footpaths, on the dividers, running two abreast down the wrong side of the street. Our respite from all the bikes and traffic came in the form of a potent local drink called Ca Phe Sua Da, or Iced Coffee. But this was no ordinary coffee. Think coffee filtered a number of times so that what you're left with is a thick black bitter liquid to which they add condensed sweetened milk and a couple of ice cubes. Pure bliss in the heat of HCMC and we downed a couple each day.
 |
| Halong Bay |
From HCMC we caught a flight to Danang which is well on the way to being ruined by package tourism resorts and escaped to the town of Hue. Hue is a town so picturesque, that over the centuries, as various wars were waged, all sides involved decided to leave the town alone. The resultant town is one of the most intact towns in Vietnam and we spent a couple of days exploring it and trying out the various local delicacies. As was the case for the last ten days, we were amazed by how tasty the food was in Vietnam, and promptly proceeded to do it justice. From Hue we headed north by train to Tam Coc National Park. The park is essentially just paddy fields with massive limestone karsts rising out of it. The highlight of the park are three passage-ways in the limestone formations formed by a river, and we spent a very agreeable afternoon being rowed through them. From Ninh Binh our next stop was the spectacular Halong Bay. After a long journey from Hanoi which included three separate buses and a speed boat, we made our way to Cat Ba island, the only inhabited island in the Bay. Halong Bay recently made it to the 'Top Natural Wonders' list and it isn't hard to see why. The bay has over 1600 islands magnificent limestone islands that rise straight out of the ocean in a multitude of shapes and sizes. We took a cruise through the Bay which involved clambering aboard a Chinese junk and then lazing on its sun deck gazing at the aforementioned formations. Cat Ba island also has a national park and we spent a day hiking in the dense rain forests keeping a wary eye out for leeches, snakes and other forms of creep inducing animal/insect life.
 |
| Fruits! |
Returning from Halong Bay the same way (3 buses and a boat) we decided to take it easy in Hanoi for a few days. They have a beautiful lake bang in the middle of the city which proved to be an oasis of calm in what seems like a steroid powered city. Just as in HCMC, the number of two-wheelers here is mind-boggling and walking around the city without being driven over by one or being accosted by the numerous moto-drivers was proving to be an adventure. Hanoi is the city of cafes and after spending adequate time in them we headed on north to Sapa. Sapa is a hill-station established by the French almost a century ago as it most reminded them of their dear Alps - and I don't disagree with them. After the heat and noise of Hanoi, Sapa with its terrace farms and high altitude proved to be a welcome respite. We hiked around town on one of the days and then spent the other exploring the insides of a number of cafes and then retiring to a Spa for a well-earned break. Massages and Vietnam go hand in hand and we finally succumbed to its charms, emerging an hour later, feeling even more rested.
We are drawing close to the mid-point of our travels and Laos, the next destination, is our final country before heading to India for some quality time with the folks back home.
- Ashish
