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Published: March 29th 2010
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As much as we enjoy being in China, we were happy to be heading to warmer weather. By the first day out of Hong Kong we were able to play tennis and swim and dine outside again. Brooks and John, our ping pong playing pals, are back on board so we’re having some fun games of doubles. There are fewer passengers on this segment—it is noticeable around the pool and in the dining rooms. There is no problem getting a lounge chair or finding a table in LaVeranda.
The former ABC and CBS reporter Morton Dean is one of the on board lecturers. The main body of his work dealt with the Vietnam War and he had many interesting stories and films from that era. Over the course of his career he has covered all of the major news events of the last forty years including the bombing of the World Trade Center. This was his first time back to Vietnam since the war. His wife told us that it was very difficult for Morton as he is still haunted by many of the images from that conflict.
We arrived in Halong Bay on a foggy, misty morning—just right
Long Tien Pagoda
Hon Gai, Vietnam for this mystical place. Thousands of limestone rock formations stretch for miles and miles in this World Heritage Site that is called “The Bay of the Descending Dragon.” Last October we took a kayak trip around and through the karsks on a beautifully clear autumn day. This time we went on a land tour with John and Pat starting with a visit to a Buddhist temple and then an eye-opening walk through the Hong Gai market. Vietnam has become one of the world’s biggest exporters of fish and we could see why. Boat after boat loaded with fish, eel, squid, crab and shrimp were queuing up to the stone pier to off-load their catch. The cacophony was amazing as was the crowding and smells. Vietnamese is a very tonal language—very foreign to the Western ear. People were there to do business and we were there to sightsee. So we tried to keep out of their way as all of the market commerce was going on. One of the street vendors offered our guide a toke on a bong—not filled with marijuana but with a strong local tobacco. Actually Vietnam has become a big producer of tobacco, a product that was
Hon Gai Fish Market
Something Smells Fishy originally imported from the West.
After the obligatory stop at the guide’s favorite pearl shop, we asked him to take us to the countryside. We wanted to see the Vietnamese rural life. He knew right where to go as we traveled down a country lane past duck farms and rice paddies with water buffalo standing in knee deep water. We stopped by a farm where a mother and not-too-happy teenage daughter were ladling water from an irrigation ditch into their rice paddy. We offered to help them out and that finally brought a smile to the young girl’s face as she watched our clumsy efforts.
We arrived in Nha Trang on one of the prettiest days I had ever experienced in Vietnam—sunny and mild with no fog, clouds or smog. Nha Trang is a resort city for Vietnamese and it became one for us that day. We spent the day at the Ana Mandara Resort which is situated on a curved beach where we had a bowl of our favorite Vietnamese dish Pho-beef noodle soup. It was a nice respite after the big city touring we had been doing recently.
We had an overnight in Saigon and
John & Pat
Touring Hon Gai spent the first day exploring the city. That is a feat in itself given the unbelievable traffic. I consider this the most pedestrian challenging place in the world. We did see two traffic lights this trip but since motorbikes don’t obey them it is still a brave act to get across the streets. There are no pedestrian over or under passes, so to get around we either have to dive into the chaos or take a taxi. It only costs about $1 to go anywhere in the central business district which is a lot cheaper than a hospital bill. We love exploring Saigon, experiencing their cuisine and enjoying the chance encounters with the locals.
Since there is about 30% rate of unemployment in Vietnam, much of the commerce takes place on the sidewalks. People are selling postcards and trinkets and gum along with one pot meals. Shoe shines and haircuts vendors prowl the street looking for customers. One guide told us that there is no government unemployment insurance or medical coverage or low income assistance. As Tang said “In Vietnam only the air is free.”
That night as we were sailing down the Saigon River we had a
Cruise Specialists sunset party on the aft deck. Via email we received a St Partrick’s Day story from my sister Mary. This humorous story involved the Vikings in Ireland and smelly lutefisk and old potato lefse and how the Norwegians ended up in Minnesota and the Dakotas. We had given a copy of the story to Captain Dag and he read it aloud to an amused audience at our party. It brought down the house and was a nice way to celebrate St Paddy’s Day in this foreign land. Last year while steaming down the Saigon River, the Voyager snagged a fishing net causing all sorts of problems and the premature end of the world cruise. Fortunately for us this year we got down the river unscathed and unsnagged.
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