The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology displays artifacts and explains the heritage of the diverse people that inhabit Vietnam. So much of this region exists without regard for the modern borders or artificial boundaries. The minority groups speak their own language and they spill over the borders between Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, Laos, China and Cambodia. I took a motorbike taxi to the museum which is a ways outside central Hanoi. As is somewhat common, the driver said he knew the location when he didn’t, so we stopped about ten times for directions. Eventually I got to the museum. Within five minutes of starting to look around a young Vietnamese woman leading a group of about twenty, asked me where I was from and if I liked Vietnam. The group she was leading was her family from various ... read more

For those unfamiliar, Ho Chi Minh is like the father of modern Vietnam. He was a Communist revolutionary who fought against French occupation and American aggression. He was president of North Vietnam from 1945 until his death in 1969. He did not live to see the reunification of Vietnam. He is a beloved figure in Vietnam among seemingly everyone and is featured on the front of the Vietnamese currency, the dong. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is modeled after Lenin's Tomb in Moscow. I had read some time ago, but must have forgotten, that his preserved body is on display in the tomb. It startled me a little bit to see him on display surrounded by observers onthree sides. This tomb goes against something Ho himself said not long before his death, "Not only is cremation ... read more

Huế is a city in central Vietnam just south of the former DMZ (demilitarized-zone). It is significant for several reasons. The Nguyen Dynasty moved the capital from Hanoi to Huế during the 19th and first part of the 20th centuries. The Huế Citadel, from which they ruled, dominates the north side of the Perfume River that flows through the middle of Huế. The walled compound contains beautiful temples and royal living quarters with an iconic flag tower in front. Huế is also famous for the elaborate tomb compounds that honor Nguyen Dynasty Emperors. The tomb of Tu Duc is a large, serene park with several buildings and a lake. It was built during his lifetime and he enjoyed the grounds frequently. It was interesting to sit on the Xung Khiem pavilion where 150 years ago Tu ... read more

Hội An is an beautiful little town with lots of history. It has been a very important harbor in Southeast Asia for most of the last 2000 years. Years of spice trade made the area wealthy long ago. The old town has been preserved in many ways, although now it is filled with boutique hotels, nice restaurants and a million tailor shops. You can have a suit or any other article of clothing custom made here for a fraction of the cost in the west. I arrived here early in the morning after taking a crazy Vietnamese sleeper bus (pictured). Three rows of upper and lower bunks. Your feet fit under the bed of the person in front of you. These sleeping pods are made for Vietnamese, not 5' 10" giants like myself, so I coundn't ... read more

After Saigon I chose to go to Da Lat based almost completely on its weather. Its in the central highlands and much cooler than any place I have been since leaving the states in January. I have been sweating for four months. Luckily Da Lat is fantastic; there is no other city like it in Vietnam. The city of about 100,000 is centered around a lake surrounded by hills and mountains. In the center everything looks stacked upon each other. The French built a lot of villas here and used it as a vacation spot to get out of the heat. Some say it is a little remiscent of the French Alps. A clean, colorful city surrounded by pine forests in the mountains. There is not a straight road here. I kept getting lost while riding ... read more