Blogs from Vietnam, Asia - page 1359

Hey all! I'm going to be "quick" Saigon has been wonderful. The border crossing was surprisingly smooth and we found a really nice place to stay that is not a large backpacker hostel (there are 5 rooms and we are the only people staying there right now), which is a very nice change from Cambodia. I don't have much time here, so I'm not going to see the Cu Chi tunnels, which I really wanted to do, but I know I'll be back so that's just something I'll have to put off until next time. Today I went to the War Crimes Museum, which has surprisingly graffic photos on display as well as some commentary. It was great to visit and I'm really glad I went, but it was difficult material to say the least. Had ... read more

Got a lot of catching up to do. Well here it goes! We started our trip in Northern Vietnam in the city of Hanoi. Hanoi is a strange city...The way of life didnt quite make sense, and with a city that is extremely fast paced you can only imagine how hectic it gets. In the core of downtown Hanoi, the busiest intersection, had NO method of controlling traffic. Picture this: About 75-100 scooters trying to go through the same intersection; some turning, others going straight..buses driving full speed, while the people on the scooters swerve to avoid getting hit...pedestrians crossing not even looking at the traffic. And the only time they come to a complete stop is to have a chat with a friend on another scooter, they do not ever stop, instead slowing down or ... read more

Got up early again and had breakfast at a local street stall. Pointing and hand motions have become a common way for us to get food! Went on a day trip to My Son, the Cham ruins about 40km from Hoi An, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Cham are one of the indigenous peoples of Vietnam, descended from the kingdom of Champa. When we arrived, a traditional Cham dance was already underway, so we watched the rest of it and then started a tour of the complex. Unfortunately, much of the complex was destroyed by bombings and there were even visible bomb craters. There seems to be reminders of the war everywhere we went. We took a boat back to Hoi An, stopping at a village where they make boats and furniture. Another bad ... read more

The trip through Vietnam had thus far taken us through Saigon, Dalat, and wound up between the Central Highlands with the Easy Riders. From the tranquility of the open road, we found ourselves once again on the tourist trail. After five days of seeing only my companions and the local people en route; the sheer amount of bodies, especially travelers, in Hoi An slapped me back into life. Those motorbikes, the Easy Riders, the open road, I could have continued like that for weeks, even months. Still, Hoi An was there to be explored, probed, and I felt guilty that my mind was not giving her the attention she deserved. Hoi An is a beautiful little port town, with low, traditional housing, and leafy lanes. Renowned for being a tailor’s town, no not a sailor’s town, ... read more

Ahhhh, Vietnam!! Another excuse for why we're so behind on the blogging - we didn't want to distract y'all from doing your taxes! That's really the lamest one, yet, isn't it? Anyhoo ... We touched down on March the 22nd in Hanoi and quickly realized we didn't have enough time to soak it all in. From the city sights to the hopping art scene, to the relatively easy travel, Hanoi, and more broadly, Vietnam, is a great place to travel. It's just at that point right now when the tourism industry is exploding so they are really figuring out how to cater to us, but it isn't so far gone that it seems too much like Disneyland. Following much of the sage advice that some of you gave us (shout out to Judy & Mark, Henry ... read more