Catching up from Nha Trang

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Greetings everyone.

It is Friday evening the 3rd of March. We are now in Nha Trang, a beach resort northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. Supposedly this beach is one of the top 26 beaches in the world so I guess that means it is number 26!

Tonight I'm going to catch you up on the last few days and add a few things we left off on previous posts. I will talk more about Nha Trang and our resort the Sofitel Vinpearl Resort and Spa in a future post before we leave Nha Trang.

I'd like to take you back to Sapa which we left by train a few nights ago. Getting to Sapa is not easy. Not many westerners come here compared to the rest of Vietnam. It is a 10 hour train trip and then a two hour drive after that. The road to Sapa is narrow with lots and lots of switchbacks and, oh yes, often so foggy you can't see 20 yards in front of you. But for those that choose to, it is a part of Vietnam I assure you, you will never forget.

As I mentioned, it reminded me of a village that could be anywhere in the Alps. It is high in the mountains and surrounded by even higher mountains. It was incredibly peacful. The first night we walked the streets shrouded in fog. All we could see were the shapes of the few others walking. Very quiet.

Sapa is the home of the Black Hmong noted by their black clothes. They are everywhere in the village. You can't walk 100 yards without being asked to buy something. Heaven forbid they should see you in a shop because if they do, 4 or 5 will wait by the door. Just because you may be talking with one about buying a hat or scarf doesn't mean another won't approach you trying to convince you their's is better. I discovered the best approach is to offer 1/2 of what ever their asking price is, then when they say no, raise it about 5000 dong which is about 35 cents. They will say no, then you walk away then you will here "Ok Ok" and the deal is done. Works every time.

On our way to the train station in Lao Cai, we stopped in a Black Hmong Village. Americans should never again complain about their living conditions. The homes we saw were hewn out of dirt and most were pieces of tin, and bamboo. These "houses would possibly hold as many as 20 family members. They lead a very hard life. The crops they raise do not even provide for their own substanance.

Continueing on we saw many rice paddie terraces built into the hillsides. It's pretty incredible to watch these people work and raise crops on such steep hillsides.

We had a few hours to kill in Lao Cai so we went to the Chinese border. We were in an area very much like Peace Arch Park. We could see both the Chinese and Vietnam Immigration offices. Of course we took a few pictures.

From Lao Cai it was a 10 hour train ride to Hanoi and then immediately a flight back to Ho Chi Minh City where we spent one night before flying to Cam Ranh Bay and a 1/2 hour drive to Nha Trang.

While in Ho Chi Minh City I visited the War Relics Museum. I found this to be an incredible museum as much for what I did not expect as for what I did.

Mike Stella, I thought of you during one particular wing of the museum and this was the unexpected. This wing in my eyes was nothing short of a tribute to the American soldier in Vietnam. It was seen through the eyes of 131 photo journalists that were killed covering the war. I am not aware of a photo collection in the United States that does a better job of showing in vivid detail what the ground forces in Vietnam went through. It showed heroism, courage, grief, despair and compassion. There were several pulitizer prize winning photos in the collection. For each picture or event they had the name of the soldier or Marine and a biography of many. The one that I found the most compelling was a pulitizer prize winning photo of a medic that was badly wounded from a head wound so much so much so that he could not see out of one eye. He continued to administer aid to his fellow soldiers even though he was seriously wounded. To see this exhibit in this city really surprised me.

Of course there was a section on American atrocities but it was small in comparison. The basic theme was how horrible war in general is and that it takes a toll on everyone and everything, civilian, soldier, geography, and economy. This would be a must see for everyone going to Ho Chi Minh City.

So now I've caught you up a bit. As I said, I'll fill you in on Nha Trang in my next post. For now let me say goodbye and leave you with a couple more Rules of the Road for driving in Vietnam all of which we have personally observed.

Rule # 22 Just because there is a wall of motorbikes spanning both sides of the road facing you, don't think you are necessarily heading into a one way street.

Rule # 19 Just because you are turning left and on the left side of the road doesn't mean that someone will not pass you on the left to go straight ahead.

Until next time,

Tom and Michelle

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Comments

[Allison (Australia)]

Looking forward to my Visit
Hi I am really enjoying ready about your travels , I am getting very excited about my trip to Vietnam this April, I am particularly looking forward to Sapa. Looking forwrad to your next installment.