Devlo

The trip to Nha Trang was arduous in that family roadtrip way. My entire family (2 pairs of aunts/uncles/cousins) and I packed into a rented Mercedes minivan and off we went from Bien Hoa into Nha Trang and later to Dalat. Some of the best scenery you'll see of Vietnam is outside your car window as you whizz by remote villages, rice paddies, isolated forestry, and mountain peaks. On Hwy 1, we passed long stretches of remote beaches where the only people you may see are fishermen. As you go further north away from HCMC, the soil turns red. Remarks on Nha Trang Heavily commercialized. It was the first place where I saw the largest number of westerners. Despite the touristy atmosphere, I thought Nha Trang did live up to its promise of having the nicest ... read more

Dalat made me sick. Literally. Touted as the city that has one of the best water sanitation systems, I thought this would be the safest place for me to ingest the local water supply via icy drinks and teeth brushing. My bowels disagreed. Don't leave home without a travelsize pack of Pepto Bismol! A lifesaver. Aside from that transgression, Da Lat had to be my favorite city in Vietnam. In some places, I've heard people describe it as a haven for Vietnam's bohemians and intellectuals. I don't know about a bohemian atmosphere but Da Lat lived up to its cool, lush green, breathtaking paranomic views. Imagine the physicality of Vancouver/Portland/San Francisco all bundled into one Vietnamese roll. Upside: Less beggars. The city is walkable within its central district for shopping, people watching, and good ol' exercise. ... read more

This trip to Vietnam was a present for my mother and me. I had always promised my mother that we would go back to her homeland to see the places she'd described and wanted me to experience firsthand. Staring into the Vietnamese bathroom, I didn't expect this to be one of them. I had arrived at Ho Chi Minh earlier, midnight, rumpled, sleepy, and cheered at by a huge crowd gathered outside the sidelines of the arrivals gate, expectantly waiting for family and friends. Ahead, by the sidelines were my extended family: uncle-in-law, aunt, and cousin. Their hired driver tucked our luggage into his minivan and off we went, into the night, to Bien Hoa, the family home of my uncle. By the way, we're all Viet Khieu, or native lingo for Overseas Vietnamese. So, here ... read more