An Update from Vietnam, Two Countries Later

We’re a bit overdue for an update, so here goes (also, internet is too slow for photo uploads at the moment; "[photo]" to be replaced when we get to Manila now with photos!) :

Ho Chi Minh City

We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on 12/23 and Julia began learning about dodging motorcycles on the sidewalk. We quickly discovered Nha Hang Ngon, an amazing restaurant in a large French villa, where traditional street food vendors line the wall and every dish is exquisite. We proceeded to eat there three times in two days and later frequented its sister restaurant, Quan An Ngon, multiple times when we got to Hanoi.

A visit to the American War Museum was just as painfully moving as the last time I was there.

A day trip to the Mekong Delta to see a floating market and local crafts was forgettable.

Dalat

Dalat, a small city up in the mountains about 5-8 hours north of Ho Chi Minh City, is a popular domestic honeymoon destination and was my favorite stop the last time I was in Vietnam. This time, it more than lived up to expectations.

The cool mountain air was a welcome respite, but the real star was the night market. In addition to the produce, food, and clothing stalls in the town center, along the river was stall after stall of plants, including orchids, succulents, and bonsai trees. Julia nearly lost her shit.

While in Dalat, we sampled a few culinary delicacies. The first, che, is basically sweetened coconut milk soup with corn, black beans, tapioca, banana, or sweet potato.

The second was a little more, um, unusual: weasel coffee. It’s coffee made from beans that have been eaten and pooped out by a civet. Strange concept, delicious coffee. We tried some at a cute little cafe, with our cup expertly prepared by the owner, who also raises the civets and roasts the beans.

On our last full day in Dalat, Julia let me plan a little independent day trip, involving a boat ride across a lake, an elephant ride (Julia’s first!), a gondola ride, and a visit to a monastery with beautiful gardens.

Nha Trang

Our next stop was Little Russia...er, I mean, Nha Trang. This beach town was absolutely overrun with Russians, due to the fact that until 2002 it was the location of Russia’s largest international military base. We spent three days lounging under palapas, reading fiction, sipping cocktails, and marveling at the fashion choices of Russian tourists.

Hanoi

We really only had one full day in Hanoi, essentially using it as a jumping off point for Halong Bay and Sapa. While we were there, we managed to grab dinner with one of Julia’s former co-workers, Genessa, who currently works for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Vietnam. It was great to see a familiar/friendly face after three weeks on the road.

Halong Bay

Not too much to say about Halong Bay, other than that it is absolutely gorgeous. We also enjoyed sharing the trip with three travelers from Mexico City, with whom Julia, of course, immediately found many friends in common.

Sapa

The only negative of our two days in Sapa was having to do the overnight train on either end. On the plus side, it really gave us two full days, during which we trekked over 20 miles through small villages and rice terraces with our private guide, Dong, from Handspan Travel (HIGHLY recommended). The views on the treks were stunning; we couldn’t stop taking photos. We couldn’t decide who was happier: us, the local children, or the ducks, pigs, dogs, chicken, and water buffalo, all of whom roamed freely among the terraces.

Ok, we’re off to catch a bus and will be without internet for a few days, so the Singapore and early Philippines updates will have to wait.

Sidewalks for Motorcycles

Sometimes when I walk on the sidewalks of Cambridge and a bike whisks past me, I grimace and think about pointing to the clearly demarcated No Bikes symbol with a line slashed through the circle etched on the pristine sidewalk beneath them. I usually think: “They could have hit me! What were they thinking? Bikes should be ridden on the road. Sidewalks are for pedestrians.” This seems straightforward, consistent, and simple. Enter: Ho Chi Minh City. Roads and sidewalks are for motorcycles, and thousands of them. For every one car on the road there were about 50 motorcycles surrounding it on every side. When the road became too congested with motorcycles and cars, motorcyclists simply hopped onto the sidewalk and sped away. I remarked in Cambodia about the high number of motorcycles on the road and Daniel laughed and told me to wait to make motorcycle judgments until we reached Vietnam. He was (unfortunately) correct. The motorcyclists in Cambodia were tame compared to Vietnam. At first I thought it was a passing time of day in a neighborhood or specific segment of the city, but, alas, the put-put-put of the motorcycles can be heard at all times of day and night. Surprisingly, over a matter of days, I went from utter fear of losing a toe or getting concussed on the sidewalk to enough confidence that I crossed a four-lane road by myself.

After accepting the motorcycles as a matter of life in the city, I began to admire them and see the differences among motorists instead of a sea of horns, lights and gasoline. Some women wore modesty skirts that Velcro-ed in the back over their short skirts or dresses while puttering off on their motorbikes. The masks some motorists wore covering their mouths and noses came in all shapes and designs. Some were floral, plaid, solid or Hello Kitty inspired. The masks wrapped around some bikers' entire necks (my dad would have loved the sun protection they offered) and others winged out stopping the wind from hitting the bikers’ ears. Many were sturdy and others disposable almost taking the form of operating room gear. I was entranced. I wanted a mask! I was not sure if I wanted a mask as a fashion statement of sorts or to actually protect my lungs. Daniel rolled his eyes at my plan to buy a mask, and I weighed the potential exposure risks and the minimal duration of exposure and decided I agreed with him.

However, once we reached the relaxed beach town of Nha Trang, I caved in and bought a...Despicable Me mask! I love it. I have only worn it a handful of times, and realistically, it is more of a fashion statement than health precaution. While I am pretty sure it makes me look even crazier walking the streets like a skittish toddler, I still love it.

I started to make a running list of what I saw occurring on sidewalks in Vietnam. Sidewalks are for: seating, traffic evasion, garbage disposal, store extenders, eating meals and snacks, drinking, gossiping, peeing, and cooking. I will continue to keep a list if I see more ‘activities’ on the multi-use sidewalks, but in the meantime they are just fascinating to observe.

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Matt and Larissa, this is a sidewalk haiku just for YOU!

Sidewalks are for, yes...
Parking, driving, and playgrounds
Puddle! Children! Bike!