Advertisement
(Note from Lyla - Today's blog entry is brought to you by T as I am otherwise occupied, ahem, okay really just luxuriating by the pool).
Good morning Vietnam!!! That was for you bro!
Before I begin I must say…It’s a bag and not a purse!!!!
In Hanoi, we had a tour visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (and viewed Ho Chi Minh’s body), the Ethnology Museum, the Temple of Literature, a cyclo tour of the Old Quarter and a water puppet show. My favourite parts were hands down seeing a dead guy and the cyclo tour. In all seriousness it was a humbling experience to walk by such a great man in Vietnam’s history and reunification. Ho Chi Minh even refused to live in the presidential palace and chose to lead his country from a small 3 bedroom house. The cyclo tour was a completely different experience. It was exciting to have hundreds of motorbikes crisscrossing you from all intersections. I absolutely loved it. It is actually poetry in motion to see how traffic flows. It was very similar in China and I have yet to see one accident. I would also like to report that we
have met with success crossing the streets of Hanoi by using a steady walking pace crossing the streets. The key to this art is no sudden movements. It should also improve my jaywalking achievements back home.
I now take this break to say it’s a bag!!!!!
We also attended the water puppet show which is an old Vietnamese art form. It was very cool and interesting. Lyla especially enjoyed it so much that she even created her own interpretation of the puppet narrator. I think I see a career change in the future….Oh!!! I think I remember Esther telling Lyla to be open to change. On the way back to our hotel we stopped by Hanoi’s night market and oh boy!!! We both went on our biggest spending spree!!! I bought a pair of “Adidas” and “Nike” sunglasses and a set of chopsticks for a total of…..wait for it….180,000.00 VND which is the equivalent of approximately $9.00!!!!! I won’t even go into what Lyla splurged on since I think she might have a bone to pick with someone. Can you feel the suspense!!!!
It’s a bag!!!!
The next morning it was goodbye Hanoi and hello Hue
and off to visit the Citadel we went. The Citadel is an old complex created by the last Vietnamese emperor. I would compare it to the Forbidden City but much smaller. It is still being restored as it was heavily damaged by the Indochina and Vietnam wars. As heartbreaking as it is the Citadel was utterly charming as you felt surrounded by buildings from a bygone era that were just being discovered. Before visiting the Citadel we stopped into our hotel, the Pilgrimage Village and….Oh Mommas, eat your hearts out!!!! The place is beautiful with lush vegetation in beautiful peaceful surroundings. The room is also superb…it is like our own private villa with a most exquisite bathroom. Did I forget to mention the silk robes?
Did I mention it’s a bag???
After thoroughly enjoying our night at our hotel, the next morning it was off to another adventure. Up at 5:45 a.m. we went directly to the Phong Nha Caves, a Unesco World Heritage Site. To visit the caves you take a 40 minute boat ride that brings you directly into the caves. It was absolutely majestic and I even felt at some point that I was a
spelunker ( I love that word!) A second cave had its opening halfway up the mountain. Have I mentioned that it is bloody hot and humid??? By the time Lyla and me made it up those stairs we were dripping and our faces were beat red as if we had just had an intense 2 hour workout. I will point out that all through China we have climbed many more steps but none in this excruciating humid heat. Can you believe the guide actually suggested I might need a vest over my tank top as I might find it chilly???? At least our discomfort gave the locals a chuckle. While walking up they kept offering us cold drinks, a fan and well as repeating the word “hot?”. One lady even offered me a chair in front of an electric fan. She might have been worried we were about to keel over. We did make it up and the view was worth every drip of sweat and giggling locals. Our guide on the other hand did not even break a sweat.
No to a purse, yes to a BAG!!!!
We then visited the Vinh Moc Tunnels which were created
during the Vietnam war (here referred to as the American war). The villagers and army used these tunnels as shelter and living quarters for 4 years. The network of tunnels were extensive and covered at least 2 kilometres. The tunnels were dark and damp and not made for people more than 5’2. Lyla can attest to this as she could stand with an inch to spare. Through out the day we also saw these craters dotted across the landscape. These were created by heavy bombing from the Americans during the war as this area encountered some of the heaviest fighting. In the tunnels we even encountered a deaf man who was born in these tunnels. It takes you a step back when you realise this was not so long ago and surprisingly there does not seem to be any ill feelings towards the Americans.
Vote now…it’s a bag!!!!
Now before I end my long-winded blog entry I would like to say hello to the China group who have recently arrived home. I do miss them since I now have to rely on Lyla or myself to understand the guides and it is not working so well for me.
My days of hiding in the background are over. I have tried smiling and nodding in understanding but it does not seem to work. I keep having to say “pardon, can you repeat that please?” Other times I just stare blankly. I will have to devise a better plan with Lyla or I will keep missing important information such as on our drive back when our guide said “that was a dead snake on the road”. Can you believe I missed that? I have now subjected you to my writing long enough and now return you to Lyla’s much lovelier prose. T, out and it definitely is a bag and no sound person would say otherwise.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.055s; Tpl: 0.016s; cc: 8; qc: 24; dbt: 0.0302s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
E-Dog!
non-member comment
no, no... it's a purse!
First off, I want to thank my sis for saying good morning to Vietnam on my part ( a la Robin Williams bien sur). 2nd- WOW! I would love to trek through those caves... They look ''freakin' awesome''. I would also love to ride my bike through those busy streets. Love the hotel room and pool! 3rd- I'm really happy for you sis. You bought you first purse! Congrats.