Well we survived the rest of Hue and the DMZ and have arrived safely at our next destination: Hoi An.
Our DMZ tour was quite amazing. Our tour guide was a South Vietnamese man who had worked with the US Army during the war and had reached the rank of 2nd Lt. doing reconnaissance work for the Americans. Needless to say, this gentleman had a very different take on the war than the rest of the government-propaganda we had been reading in museums and on other tours. After the war our guide had attempted to escape Vietnam by boat (like 1 Million other Vietnamese) but he was captured and sent to a communist "reeducation camp."
The main highlight of the tour was the tunnel village, where the villagers just above the 17th parallel smuggled supplies from Soviet ships onto land safely, just above the dividing line where the US military was not on the ground. There were miles of tunnels, three different "levels" or depths some reaching 25 meters below ground, family rooms, wells, ventilation and even an operation room. It was dark, slippery and cramped, and I still have a bump where I hit my head, but people lived in these tunnels for years to escape American bombs (the bomb craters are all over the compound) and it was pretty amazing to see people's dedication displayed in these dark tunnels.
We also met our Vietnamese teacher-friend, Quy, for a beer. We went to his modest house to see it so we know where we can stay next time we are in Vietnam. We then went to his neighbor's house to get a case of beer and sat outside his house on the street by the river in plastic chairs drinking cheap beer, playing badminton with his nieces and nephews and smoking bad Vietnamese cigarettes. I think that is the closest we've been to the real Vietnam yet.
Our trip from Hue to Hoi An was a little different, as we were on a train. The train tracks wind through the mountains and along the coast to show some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. Jungle-covered mountains run right into long sandy beaches that lead right into beautiful blue water. There are also more rock out-croppings off the shore along the entire coast that are the cherry on top. The other Vietnamese on the train didn't seem to notice the scenery, but they certainly noticed the white-skinned Americans jumping seats and leaning on top of each other to get a better view.
Hoi An is a nice little tourist place on the coast. It has been forgotten about since about the mid-19th century, which means its architecture is classic and beautiful, and neither side saw it as a valuable asset during the war, preserving it unscathed. There are a ton of white people (mostly Australian and European) spilling out of the town's resorts into the markets and tourist restaurants. They also have a big clothing industry here, so of course I had to get two shirts tailored to go with my tailored suit that I got in Hue. Yesterday afternoon a couple of us went to the beach, about 10 minutes away by motorbike, to soak it up. It felt just as pretty as it looked, and we basked in the glory of the South East Asia sun and tried to contemplate how this is considered a class.
Today I took an optional day trip to My Lai (Pronounced "Me Lie"), the village where American soldiers went on a four-hour rampage in 1968, killing somewhere around 200 people, mostly women and children. I haven't quite collected my thoughts on this experience yet, except to say it was moving, and eye-opening to see what my country, and what men in general can do during times of war. I'm still mulling it over, but need to get next door for a game of pool before we head back to the beach for the afternoon!
When in Hue
So we left our comfortable little place in Ha Noi and set off for Hue, and we actually went to the right airport terminal this time too. Hue is Vietnam's Imperial City, where the Emperors ruled before French colonization. There are some amazing ancient ruin in and around the city, centered around the Emperor's palace, the Citadel, which is within walking distance of our hotel.
Yesterday after touring the Citadel we rented bikes to explore the city. While riding on bikes with our badminton equipment, Andrew made friends with a Vietnamese couple, one of who was a high school English teacher. He wanted to practice his English so he invited us for a beer, then dinner, and then karaoke. It was a great night, hanging out with "real" Vietnamese people at places only the locals go. They also took us to the best tailor in town so we could get measured for a suit, which we picked up today (at a fraction of the cost of a U.S. tailored suit).
We've also got a swimming pool at our hotel, which, paired with a bottle of whiskey or a case of beer, makes for a great nightcap from our long, hot days in the sun.
Today we took a boat tour up the Perfume River to see the burial grounds of some former emperors. We eventually got up into the jungle where the heat was pretty unbearable, but the buildings were absolutely amazing.
Tomorrow we are going to come back to the 20th Century and check out the DMZ, where North Vietnamese troops built elaborate tunnel systems to avoid American bombing in the war.
I also think we are going back to hang out with our new Vietnamese friends tomorrow night. There is a slight language barrier, so we're not exactly sure what we are doing, maybe going to the beach, maybe going to their home for dinner... We're not sure, but whatever it is, we're going to take our latest motto for the trip and embrace whatever comes out way... "When in Hue..."
Yesterday after touring the Citadel we rented bikes to explore the city. While riding on bikes with our badminton equipment, Andrew made friends with a Vietnamese couple, one of who was a high school English teacher. He wanted to practice his English so he invited us for a beer, then dinner, and then karaoke. It was a great night, hanging out with "real" Vietnamese people at places only the locals go. They also took us to the best tailor in town so we could get measured for a suit, which we picked up today (at a fraction of the cost of a U.S. tailored suit).
We've also got a swimming pool at our hotel, which, paired with a bottle of whiskey or a case of beer, makes for a great nightcap from our long, hot days in the sun.
Today we took a boat tour up the Perfume River to see the burial grounds of some former emperors. We eventually got up into the jungle where the heat was pretty unbearable, but the buildings were absolutely amazing.
Tomorrow we are going to come back to the 20th Century and check out the DMZ, where North Vietnamese troops built elaborate tunnel systems to avoid American bombing in the war.
I also think we are going back to hang out with our new Vietnamese friends tomorrow night. There is a slight language barrier, so we're not exactly sure what we are doing, maybe going to the beach, maybe going to their home for dinner... We're not sure, but whatever it is, we're going to take our latest motto for the trip and embrace whatever comes out way... "When in Hue..."
World Cup Hanoi
I don't have much time before dinner (Korean tonight!) but just wanted to make a quick post.
Today we went to sing karaoke with some Vietnamese students then met up with another group to play some football (soccer) with some Vietnamese and Chinese guys, who we then hung out with and drank some green tea with. It was the best day of the trip by far.
Tomorrow we leave Hanoi, sadly. We are going to Hue, which is more rural, so I might disappear from the internet for a while, we'll see what it looks like. If I have time later I'll try to post some pictures, but its our last night in Hanoi so we're going out with a bang!
Still having a great time and missing everyone at home!
Today we went to sing karaoke with some Vietnamese students then met up with another group to play some football (soccer) with some Vietnamese and Chinese guys, who we then hung out with and drank some green tea with. It was the best day of the trip by far.
Tomorrow we leave Hanoi, sadly. We are going to Hue, which is more rural, so I might disappear from the internet for a while, we'll see what it looks like. If I have time later I'll try to post some pictures, but its our last night in Hanoi so we're going out with a bang!
Still having a great time and missing everyone at home!
A few random pics
This is the entrance to the Temple of Literature. A temple dedicated to Confucian ideas and scholarship.
This is me in front of Ho Chi Minh's Masoleum. Unfortunately they wouldn't let us take camera's in (I tried). I guess 'ol Ho is so photogenic after being dead for so long.
Thats Scott and Charlie Kayaking in Halong Bay. We went through this little cave and found such a cool little area completely surrounded by giant outcroppings of rock, it was a little paradise. When we got through, all I heard was Scott yelling 'Narnia!'
Andrew, me and Scott enjoying a beer on Hang Bac Street. Yes, we are literally sitting on the street.
A relatively mild snapshot of Hanoi traffic.Nature and History
We've done a couple of cool things the last couple days.
Naturally the food will come first:
We met up with a couple friends who just graduated from Coe who live in Hanoi, Ming and Mahn. They took us to their favorite restaurant where we just sat and ordered dish after dish of food and shared until we were content, about two and a half hours later. We ate some traditional normal Vietnamese food, but also branched out and ate some crazy stuff that even they hadn't tried: Crickets, Horse, Crocodile and drank some "corn water." We then went to another rooftop bar (this one overlooking the lake where John McCain got shot down while flying a bombing run) and being still a little dehydrated from our night of drinking before (its almost impossible to get rehydrated in the heat and humidity) I had a juice smmothie, which was amazing because the tropical friut is always in season here, and always very fresh.
Another day we took a day-trip to Halong Bay, a can't miss for tourists to Vietnam. We took a quite long, uncomfortable and scary bus ride to the bay, but the payoff was amazing. We ate some fresh seafood on board (Andrew even bought us a fresh Snail from some of the local fisherman), went kayaking in the probably the most beautiful place I have ever seen and took a walking tour of some caves. I'd try to describe to you how beautiful this place was, and I took a ton of pictures, but words and pictures just can't do it. We then had some delicious Indian food and were exhausted from a great day of sun and the ocean and went to bed early.
Today we got back on the history track and visited Ho Chi Minh's Mosaleum. Ho has been dead for over 30 years now, so seeing that old of a body looks a a little strange, but its kind of neat to see the man I have read so much about, and frankly, become very interested in. Yesterday was his birthday, but unfortunately we were on the bay and didn't get to stay in the city to see the celebration. I'm trying to compare him to a figure most people would recognize but I think he's probably a mix between Lennin and George Washington. A communist and a nationalist, he is idolized all over the country like Lennin with posters, money and in every magazine and door I open, although he was humble and a visionary leader like Washington. A very interesting man that I want to learn more about, especially after seeing his masaleum and his home this morning.
After seeing Ho Ming and Mahn took us to another Vietnamese buffet that was, again, amazing. I feel like all I write about on here is food, but its competing for my favorite part of this trip so far. After that we went to the Hoa Boa Prision, or the "Hanoi Hilton" as it is known in the U.S. This is a prision the French built to hold political prisioners during its time in power, then the Vietnamese took over and housed American POWs during the war. This is where John McCain was held and tortured for six years (they still have his flight suit on display). This was another frustrating dispay of propoganda, as the Vietnamese who were held there under the French were, of course, tourtured and treated very badly, but the Americans were treated with the most respect and held under the best conditions... oh well, such is a communist government, I suppose.
I'm off to our second class meeting of the trip to discuss one of the books we are reading and then to one of the city's best French restaurants... more food!
Naturally the food will come first:
We met up with a couple friends who just graduated from Coe who live in Hanoi, Ming and Mahn. They took us to their favorite restaurant where we just sat and ordered dish after dish of food and shared until we were content, about two and a half hours later. We ate some traditional normal Vietnamese food, but also branched out and ate some crazy stuff that even they hadn't tried: Crickets, Horse, Crocodile and drank some "corn water." We then went to another rooftop bar (this one overlooking the lake where John McCain got shot down while flying a bombing run) and being still a little dehydrated from our night of drinking before (its almost impossible to get rehydrated in the heat and humidity) I had a juice smmothie, which was amazing because the tropical friut is always in season here, and always very fresh.
Another day we took a day-trip to Halong Bay, a can't miss for tourists to Vietnam. We took a quite long, uncomfortable and scary bus ride to the bay, but the payoff was amazing. We ate some fresh seafood on board (Andrew even bought us a fresh Snail from some of the local fisherman), went kayaking in the probably the most beautiful place I have ever seen and took a walking tour of some caves. I'd try to describe to you how beautiful this place was, and I took a ton of pictures, but words and pictures just can't do it. We then had some delicious Indian food and were exhausted from a great day of sun and the ocean and went to bed early.
Today we got back on the history track and visited Ho Chi Minh's Mosaleum. Ho has been dead for over 30 years now, so seeing that old of a body looks a a little strange, but its kind of neat to see the man I have read so much about, and frankly, become very interested in. Yesterday was his birthday, but unfortunately we were on the bay and didn't get to stay in the city to see the celebration. I'm trying to compare him to a figure most people would recognize but I think he's probably a mix between Lennin and George Washington. A communist and a nationalist, he is idolized all over the country like Lennin with posters, money and in every magazine and door I open, although he was humble and a visionary leader like Washington. A very interesting man that I want to learn more about, especially after seeing his masaleum and his home this morning.
After seeing Ho Ming and Mahn took us to another Vietnamese buffet that was, again, amazing. I feel like all I write about on here is food, but its competing for my favorite part of this trip so far. After that we went to the Hoa Boa Prision, or the "Hanoi Hilton" as it is known in the U.S. This is a prision the French built to hold political prisioners during its time in power, then the Vietnamese took over and housed American POWs during the war. This is where John McCain was held and tortured for six years (they still have his flight suit on display). This was another frustrating dispay of propoganda, as the Vietnamese who were held there under the French were, of course, tourtured and treated very badly, but the Americans were treated with the most respect and held under the best conditions... oh well, such is a communist government, I suppose.
I'm off to our second class meeting of the trip to discuss one of the books we are reading and then to one of the city's best French restaurants... more food!
Ha Noi!
SO after a short day in Saigon, we jumped back on a plane yesterday and flew north to Hanoi (we're eventually working our way south and will end up back in Saigon). We took multiple cabs and my cab went to the wrong terminal and we almost missed our flight, but eventually got to the right place. It was fairly terrifying when we figured out we were in the wrong place and the first three people we talked to didn't speak English.
Ha Noi is great, one of my guide books said if Saigon is New York, then Hanoi is Boston. Not quite the booming industry and Westernism that exists in Saigon, but more of an intimate Eastern feel. The streets are bustling and busy here in a whole new way. The sidewalks turn into store fronts every day with people running their own businesses out the front of they very small storefront/home that spills out into the street. So to add to the mix of crazy motor-bikes, "cyclos", trucks and occasional car, we now add regular pedestrians to the mix. We sat on a rooftop bar last night at a busy intersection just to watch the traffic, we're fascinated.
As soon as we got into town yesterday we did a quick tour, went to an island pagoda (temple) and then the professors turned us loose. The four guys broke off and immediately found "Little Hanoi"a great little Vietnamese resturaunt chain for some more amazing food. We then walked a little more, did some shopping at the weekend night market and had a few drinks at a rooftop bar by the lake to watch the sunset over the city. We then ventured back out and found a little street corner where we literally sat in a plastic chair on the street and had some locally made beer out of a shady keg for 3000 Dong a glass (17,000 Dong = $1). We then decided to eat again (we're eating our way across Vietnam) and wandered out of the tourist area and found another place where we sat on the street and cooked our own food at our table with a plate and burner. Scott and Andrew are both not feeling well today, but I think it was worth it (because I didn't get sick, of course). The night ended with meeting up with the girls at a bar where we got free shisha (hookah) and stayed up way to late.
Today we got up and did a lot of walking. We walked to the temple to literature, which is over a thousand years old, and dedicated to Confucian principles of scholarship. We then went to West Lake (the place where John McCain crash landed on a bombing run during the war) and a couple other museums that I had pretty much lost interest in after a long day walking in the heat and humidity.
The highlight of the day was definitely meeting up with Ming and Mahn (two Vietnamese students who just graduated from Coe). They took us to a great resturaunt where we hung out for over two hours trying as many things as we could think of (crickets, crocodile, horse and corn water to name a few). Then it was back to 0ne of the city's many rooftop bars for some awesome fruit juice with the ever-prevelant fresh fruits that are all over this country.
Anyway, I'm having a great time, love this country and have already spent way too much money enjoying it. Tomorrow we're going to Halong Bay and leaving at 7:45 so I need to get to bed!
Someday I'm going to try to get some pictures up to...
Ha Noi is great, one of my guide books said if Saigon is New York, then Hanoi is Boston. Not quite the booming industry and Westernism that exists in Saigon, but more of an intimate Eastern feel. The streets are bustling and busy here in a whole new way. The sidewalks turn into store fronts every day with people running their own businesses out the front of they very small storefront/home that spills out into the street. So to add to the mix of crazy motor-bikes, "cyclos", trucks and occasional car, we now add regular pedestrians to the mix. We sat on a rooftop bar last night at a busy intersection just to watch the traffic, we're fascinated.
As soon as we got into town yesterday we did a quick tour, went to an island pagoda (temple) and then the professors turned us loose. The four guys broke off and immediately found "Little Hanoi"a great little Vietnamese resturaunt chain for some more amazing food. We then walked a little more, did some shopping at the weekend night market and had a few drinks at a rooftop bar by the lake to watch the sunset over the city. We then ventured back out and found a little street corner where we literally sat in a plastic chair on the street and had some locally made beer out of a shady keg for 3000 Dong a glass (17,000 Dong = $1). We then decided to eat again (we're eating our way across Vietnam) and wandered out of the tourist area and found another place where we sat on the street and cooked our own food at our table with a plate and burner. Scott and Andrew are both not feeling well today, but I think it was worth it (because I didn't get sick, of course). The night ended with meeting up with the girls at a bar where we got free shisha (hookah) and stayed up way to late.
Today we got up and did a lot of walking. We walked to the temple to literature, which is over a thousand years old, and dedicated to Confucian principles of scholarship. We then went to West Lake (the place where John McCain crash landed on a bombing run during the war) and a couple other museums that I had pretty much lost interest in after a long day walking in the heat and humidity.
The highlight of the day was definitely meeting up with Ming and Mahn (two Vietnamese students who just graduated from Coe). They took us to a great resturaunt where we hung out for over two hours trying as many things as we could think of (crickets, crocodile, horse and corn water to name a few). Then it was back to 0ne of the city's many rooftop bars for some awesome fruit juice with the ever-prevelant fresh fruits that are all over this country.
Anyway, I'm having a great time, love this country and have already spent way too much money enjoying it. Tomorrow we're going to Halong Bay and leaving at 7:45 so I need to get to bed!
Someday I'm going to try to get some pictures up to...
Good Morning Vietnam!
I have arrived safely in Vietnam! It took somewhere in the ballpark of 36 hours of travel to get here but I have arrived and am very well (after adjusting to the 12 hour time change that is).
Right now we are in Saigon (offically renamed Ho Chi Minh City after 1975 when the North Vietnamese Communists captured the city.) Because our trip is based mostly on the American War here, today we visited the Independence Palace that was the home of the South Vietnamese Government until it fell in 75 when the Communists crashed through the front gate with tanks. We then visited the "War Remnants Museum." Coming from a liberal, Western Democracy made this propoganda-filled museum a little tough to swallow (the first section entitled "War Crimes of the Occupation - meaning the Americans) but I guess its all part of learning the culture.
Today we also ate Pho, a traditional dish consisting mostly of broth, rice noodles, vegetables and chicken. It was amazing! We also rode in a bicycle "ricket" which is a bicycle with a cart on the front of it for passengers. I'm pretty sure we got ripped off, as we paid 100,000 Dong (around $5) but its ok, because it was a great experience.
The traffic here is crazy and I've already almost been hit by a scooter (by far the most popular form of transportation) a car and a truck, but pedestrians wandering into the streets is a common thing, and the drivers, crazy as they may be, are pretty alert.
I think I'm sunburned already, despite my 45 SPF, and its as hot and humid as I expected it to be, but so far the novelty of a completely different culture, political system and being halfway around the world has me captivated. Unfortunately I forgot my cable to upload any pictures today, but hopefully soon I'll try to get some. Tonight we're off to eat at a nice French resturaunt (the French were the original colonizers of Vietnam, so some of their culture remains) and then in the morning we're getting on another plane and heading North to Hanoi!
Feel free to make some comments on here, I don't have a whole lot of access to internet, but would love to hear from you!
Right now we are in Saigon (offically renamed Ho Chi Minh City after 1975 when the North Vietnamese Communists captured the city.) Because our trip is based mostly on the American War here, today we visited the Independence Palace that was the home of the South Vietnamese Government until it fell in 75 when the Communists crashed through the front gate with tanks. We then visited the "War Remnants Museum." Coming from a liberal, Western Democracy made this propoganda-filled museum a little tough to swallow (the first section entitled "War Crimes of the Occupation - meaning the Americans) but I guess its all part of learning the culture.
Today we also ate Pho, a traditional dish consisting mostly of broth, rice noodles, vegetables and chicken. It was amazing! We also rode in a bicycle "ricket" which is a bicycle with a cart on the front of it for passengers. I'm pretty sure we got ripped off, as we paid 100,000 Dong (around $5) but its ok, because it was a great experience.
The traffic here is crazy and I've already almost been hit by a scooter (by far the most popular form of transportation) a car and a truck, but pedestrians wandering into the streets is a common thing, and the drivers, crazy as they may be, are pretty alert.
I think I'm sunburned already, despite my 45 SPF, and its as hot and humid as I expected it to be, but so far the novelty of a completely different culture, political system and being halfway around the world has me captivated. Unfortunately I forgot my cable to upload any pictures today, but hopefully soon I'll try to get some. Tonight we're off to eat at a nice French resturaunt (the French were the original colonizers of Vietnam, so some of their culture remains) and then in the morning we're getting on another plane and heading North to Hanoi!
Feel free to make some comments on here, I don't have a whole lot of access to internet, but would love to hear from you!
Getting Ready
Hey all. I'm sitting in my kitchen in DeWitt right now, taking care of last minute things before departing on Thursday. I won't waste much space with this first post, but just wanted to say hi, and welcome!
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