Pho wonderful!

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I will first of all say, I am not made for the ocean (I just like to enjoy it from land)!! I just spent two days on a boat in the most beautiful places I've seen, Ha Long Bay. It is one of the new seven natural wonders of the world with around 200,000 islands (or thats what I could gather from the broken english from the 4'5 tour guide). How amazing!! But I will back up a few days...

After Hoi An (sorry for the name drops, I know no one knows these names nor really cares, but I am writing them down now, so I don't forget), and went through DaNang to Hue. DaNang is the town where the American troops first landed way back when. It is really interested, because I went to this place called Marble Mountain. Really, it is what it sounds like. 5 mountains, full of caves and tunnels and more marble than you'd ever need. Anyhow, there are HUGE caverns inside, with 30 ft Buddha's carved into the side of the marble walls. It was a weird visual, because the Americans used to store their bombs in these sacred places. Its like a marble cave with carvings...and bombs. Obviously, they aren't here anymore, but I was lucky enough to get a tour guide (or rather he found me) and he lead me all through the back holes and exits in the mountain. Quite the place!

Speaking of the Americans, I kept noticing at a certain time the people coming out and burning fake US dollars in the street. Ummm, I don't blame them for having some hate on for the war, but burning money... I didn't get it. Apparently, since the majority of the people here are Buddhist, they have their offering/alter and whatever they need or want in their next life (or perhaps this one), they set on this alter. I am basically the worst person to try to explain religious rituals, but by them burning money, it is them 'sending' money to themselves in the next life. And you can buy whole packets of fake money in the market.

Hue was a pretty cool city. There are huge tombs from wayyyy back when (I emphasis the wayyyy because I don't remember the dates.. just really old). Its more of an acreage dedicated to some king. It has temples, and probably 4 walls around the final burial place. This really cool local found me, that tends to happen, and did a tour around the city. It was pretty crazy when he drove through the cemetery. Took at least 10 minutes of driving to get from one side to the other (sad thing is, that town is pretty small...just another effect of war).

After that town, I went up to Hanoi. That is a crazy city, and I hope to never go back. I guess that hope doesn't go very far, because I already have a return bus ticket, but lets just say, I'm going to leave asap. Every city has a different feel to it, I've noticed, and Hanoi, is not a good one. Probably didn't help the first day I was there, I went to the market, and got ridiculously lost on my way back. Almost 2 hours of walking around, and I unfortunately saw a man on the street. He had fallen off his bike, in the middle of the road, and was having a seizure. ahhhhh what the heck was I to do?? Motorbikes were still just driving around him and no one was doing anything. It makes me feel ill just remembering it. I don't even like telling that story, because I was lost, no phone, no one spoke english around me, and what can I do? Regardless to say, his seizure ended and I certainly hope he is ok, but that feeling will forever impact my impression of that city. Just makes me very thankful for something as simple as 911. One neat thing about that city though is, the sidewalk at night becomes the local dinning room table. At some points, you really just have to walk on the road, because there are too many people eating dinner on the sidewalk. Why not really? Saves space and you never have to clean your floor 😊

So, enough of cities... in the last week, I have seen such amazing scenery. I can't even explain how beautiful northern Vietnam is..

Ha Long Bay (back to me being on a boat). They put you on this wooden boat, and you sail around for a few days. Really cool, after I got over being supremely paranoid and scoping out the life jackets in every room. They call these boats "Junk boats"... even though that's not their meaning, it is pretty accurate for the boat I was on. Well, it was fine, and it didn't sink. I think I may have to get over my fear of water. It was really neat to see the water villages though. I've been in closets bigger than their homes, and they just live their whole life on this small little shack on the water. So lucky because I had the chance to kayak around and see them up close.

After that (you'll just have to see pictures, because me trying to explain is not doing the boat cruise justice), I took an overnight bus to SaPa (it is about 48 km away from the Chinese border). I've been on quite a few bus rides, but that one is a keeper. haha, and by keeper, I mean, I dread the return bus ride. 14 hours on a bus with no bathroom (which is a luxury for me now), but it was a sleeper bus. So, basically, it is a seat that is permanently reclined. Quite comfortable, unless you get stuck in the back of the bus, on the top shelf. The back 'seat' is just basically a bed, which you have to share with 4 other strangers. Hahah I could not sit up, nor could I move without touching the person beside me. Imagine the bus system at home being like "Oh, yes, you can sleep the whole way, we will just squish you in a seat for 14 hours and you lay like a mummy the whole time". Oh, and the best part is the bathroom stop was a hole in the ground which you had to share with all the other females and it was behind a brick wall. Really, I am not complaining, I just like you all to know what type of experience I go through to get to the wonderful places that you see pictures of. I would totally do that all over again to be in SaPa. Such a peaceful town way up in the mountains. So beautiful!

I decided to stay here for a week and volunteer at a company (SapaOchau) that does trekking through the mountains with tourists then uses that money to put the local kids in school. Such a cool concept and company. I really am excited to be here, and I have a feeling the kids and workers will benefit me, more than I ever could help them. But, if I can do or leave some good, then I'm a happy traveler! (Oh, I added more photo's you just have to scroll down, or click the photo tab)

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Photos

HaLong bay bike path
Got to go on an island and bike for a couple hours

Hue
leftovers from the war

Monks
Saw them doing their morning prayers/songs

Sapa
Rented a motorbike here for a week

Comments

[anonymous]

Wow aunty Darc, your trip sounds awesome. One thing i wouldnt enjoy is no bathrooms on a looooooong bus ride.

[Wayne & Inga]

Darci! We love reading about your adventures and admire your courage. We pray for your safety. xoxo

[Jaclyn]

Laid in bed last night and prayed for you. Then this blog came through. Sounds incredible, Darc! Thinking of you a lot. Wish I was with you! I think we're starting to adjust to life in Vernon. Thanks for praying for Rae. She is starting to have better days. Love ya so much!

[Paul Le]

Burn fake US money
Hi there, Quote:"It is them 'sending' money to themselves in the next life." Actually they were sending those fake money and products to their ancestors who might have been ling in hell (poor life), and they used to do it on the annual anniversary of the death person. Hope this helps. Happy travels!