Day 1. Sunday, August 16, 2009:  Saint Petersburg, FL INAUSPICIOUS BEGINNING. Got up at 3:30 am. Showered, dressed, made a cup of cappuccino, walked Mika, took my vitamins and my first malaria pill. The shuttle arrived right on time at 5:00 am. On the way to the airport, I experienced a strange sensation in my stomach but decided it was probably nerves or the lack of sleep. Got to the airport with plenty of time to spare. As I was checking in with the TSA official, she asked me a question. I couldn’t answer because with no warning whatsoever, that strange feeling in my stomach came again and I threw up all over the place. How embarrassing. I missed the officer and I missed me. I just spewed. I hadn’t eaten anything so it was all liquid but still…I grabbed my passport and ticket and ran to the bathroom with my mouth covered.

When I got to the bathroom, I emptied more of my stomach contents and, once there was nothing left, I washed my face, rinsed my mouth, and composed myself the best I could, and walked back to the check in. When I got there, I felt very lucky as it was a different TSA official!

The flight was on time, uneventful, but very cold. I asked for a blanket and was told it costs $7.00. I decided to break out my silk sleep sheet to wrap around me for warmth. I made it to Los Angeles at 11:30 am. My plan was to check my bag with Asiana Airline and then do some wandering in the airport. It was nice outside so I decided to walk to the international terminal. IT’S NOT CLOSE. Anyway, I finally got to the international terminal, found Asiana Airlines, waited in line only to find out that you can’t check your bags more than three hours in advance! Now what? I found an information desk and asked about storing my suitcase in a locker. No such thing since 9/11. So, I was stuck with my backpack which, of course, was carrying everything I thought I might possibly need for the almost three days before I got to Vietnam as well as my suitcase. I trekked back to the US Air terminal since I had a pass to use the US Air lounge. What a lifesaver.

It’s quiet and there is FREE hot chocolate, cappuccino, water, all kinds of snacks, big screen televisions, comfortable chairs, and really nice people who watch your stuff for you if you get the urge to wander outside the lounge.

Day 2. Korea A NICE SURPRISE The flight left right on time at 12:20 am. This was a nonstop 11 hour and 40 minute flight! Lots of beautiful flight attendants with musical voices who seemed to anticipate your every need. FREE pillow and blanket for everyone! As soon as we took off, they served us a FREE meal with FREE wine. Throughout the flight, they served coffee, juice, water, without even being asked plus a FREE headset with a choice of shows to watch. I kept it on this update thingy where it told us the temperature outside, our speed, the time, distance to our destination, etc. Then, at about two hours before we were to land, they served a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, ham, croissant, yogurt, coffee, juice. Nice airline. US Air could take some lessons.

Anyway, we landed at Incheon Airport outside of Seoul, Korea at 5:00 am their time. What an incredibly beautiful airport. I decided that I wanted to see some of Korea, so I went through immigration and wandered around for a while. When the tour booth opened at 7:00 am, I was right there. I decided to take a tour of the DMZ. I didn’t want to carry my backpack so I found a locker for $1.00, grabbed a cappuccino, and went back to the tour desk at 8:30 am. It turned out it was just one other person in the group–a very nice lady from England who lives and teaches full time in Singapore. She works part time as a tour guide in the summer and was meeting up with her group the next day to take them to Mongolia!

Anyway, what a fascinating experience. You’re driving along the highway (by the way, very good roads everywhere, newer looking cars and buses) when all of a sudden you see fences with lots of barbed wire rolled up on top and guard stations manned by army personnel with automatic weapons.

 

South Korea wants reunification and has built a roadway that stops at the border and train tracks that stop at the border. It’s incredible. The North Koreans have actually built tunnels under the demilitarized zone in order to invade South Korea. Luckily, South Korea has discovered them before anything bad happened. The most recent one was discovered in 1990! I went down into Tunnel #3 discovered in 1978. It’s the largest and goes WAY down under the ground and has been blocked off at the border of North Korea so they can’t get through. It took about an hour to get all the way down into it to that point. The South Koreans have also set up a memorial that is very touching. George W was there for the dedication (I took a picture of his picture.) Unfortunately, most of this place is classified so no pictures were allowed. You could see into North Korea but never saw any people–just land. Sad that such a small country (about the same size as Illinois) is so divided.

After this, we went to lunch at a Korean restaurant. After taking off our shoes, we were led to a table spread with several Korean side dishes – Kimchi, garlic, and more. We were served a clear broth soup and then Bibimbap as our main course–this dish combines the spiciness of Korean chili paste with steamed rice and vegetables such as bean sprouts, spinach, shitake mushrooms, carrots, and several other things I can’t even remember. We drank a nice cold bottle of Hite (Korean beer) which complemented the meal perfectly. We sat on mats on the floor. It was wonderful.

Afterwards, back to the airport to find my flight is delayed–not by much, just an hour but I’ve been traveling for a while and need a bed.

Day 3. Saigon, Vietnam THE ADVENTURE BEGINS. The plane landed a little after midnight. It was relatively painless going through customs, etc. but altogether it took about an hour. so I was pleasantly surprised to see a nice man standing outside with a big sign “CATHERINE ROGERS”. I had arranged for a driver since I knew I was coming in late but one never knows…

My first impression when I walked outside the airport was the heat and the beautiful smell of flowers. It obviously was dark and I was tired so I sat back in my seat and marveled at all the people out and about after 1:00 in the morning. Stalls were still open for business selling prepared foods, fresh vegetables and fruit. People were everywhere on mopeds and motor bikes. They drove on the wrong side of us on some of the streets and paid absolutely no attention to traffic signals. It wasn’t just young people. There were all ages. I saw big congregations of people sitting in lawn chairs on the side of the street. Remember, this is all in the city.

We finally reached the hotel. I am checked in to a private room on the fifth floor facing Do Quang Dau Street. I am now going to take a much needed shower and go to bed.

DAY 4. Saigon, Vietnam   CHAOS ON A CYCLO. What a noisy, dirty, ramshackle of a city. Mopeds and motor bikes everywhere! You can’t walk on the sidewalks because of all the people hawking their wares so you’re forced to walk in the street. SCARY! Buses, trucks, and mopeds coming at full speed. No one looks before they turn. If there are traffic lights, it doesn’t seem that anyone pays attention. I tried walking a few blocks the first morning just to get my bearings. Trying to cross ANY street was like taking my life in my hands. I finally realized that you just cross and they will go around you. Don’t hesitate because that’s confusing to them.

I stopped in a little cafe for an iced Vietnamese coffee–mmmm, heavenly. Just my strength. I don’t even have to ask for an “extra shot”. It is plenty strong. I got up the nerve to take a cyclo ride. That is where some guy has a bicycle with a seat in the front for the passenger. He drives right in the middle of all the motor bikes and taxis and I’ll tell you, it was an adventure. There were plenty of times where I had to close my eyes because I was sure we were history. Obviously, he knew what he was doing because I’m writing this.

He took me to several open air markets. All sorts of wares are sold at these, including meat that is cut up right there on the street. I didn’t see any sort of refrigeration so…maybe that’s why I’ve been eating vegetarian since I got here. Beautiful fruit, great pastries, flip flops by the thousands, CDs, clothing–they sell everything.We also went to Chinatown and a Buddhist temple. I saw a wedding being held at the Ho Chi Minh Museum. I went into a factory and watched them making bowls, vases, furniture–absolutely beautiful items that I wish I could purchase (no way to carry them). I went to the War Remnants Museum and saw captured tanks, guns, an airplane…the propaganda is unbelievable. Remember this is a communist country and everything is slanted at this museum as if we just came in this country and tried to destroy it. Every picture was an atrocity.

                           

I spent six hours on the cyclo and got over my fear of the streets. I am actually walking in the street with the locals paying no attention to the drivers. They have to look out for pedestrians and while I can’t say I don’t have a bit of fear when I feel one zipping by me so fast that the hair on my arms go up, I’m not flinching at all.

You can’t believe how many people they get on one scooter! I saw a family of five on one of those little things. I’m told that this is normal as it is the only means of transportation for many families.  They require helmets for the driver but strangely enough, the kids don’t wear one. Sometimes the baby is being held while the mother is driving!

I came back to my room–fifth floor of the hotel which overlooks a busy street. I have to mention my bathroom. There is a shower but no shower room. You just take a shower in the bathroom right next to the toilet. I was a little taken aback by that but the water pressure is srong and the water gets very hot–GREAT shower.

I went down the street to a little cafe for dinner–had two 333 beers (that’s a Vietnamese beer that was called 33 until the communists took over–then they decided to change the name to 333–I have no idea why). I also had a serving of spring rolls (twelve of them so it was dinner). Nice and spicy – vegetarian–I decided to forego the meat. Total cost for dinner and two beers 80,000 dong. That is approximately $4.50 and I included a 10% tip!

Sitting in these cafes on the street is a great way to people watch. Females are almost always covered head to toe. I was told that mainly they don’t like to get sun. It’s incredible though because it is HOT and they are wearing not only long pants but jackets or sweaters, socks. How do they do it? They even cover their faces. No, it is not a religious thing. I asked. The noise is unbelievable.  Everyone uses their horns. I don’t know why as it doesn’t seem that anyone pays any attention but it is a constant cacophony of noise.

 

DAY 5.  Cu Chi  TUNNELS AND GUNS Last night my computer went dead. No problem, I thought. I bought a converter and charger before I left home. I like to be prepared.  So, I pulled out the converter and the power cord. Uh oh. The power cord has three prongs and the converter only has space for two! I already mentioned the spotty internet service and trying to send emails. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have to use public computers. There really wasn’t anything I could do about it because I’d already signed up to go see the Cu Chi Tunnel and I had to be at the travel agency at 7:30 am.

I got up armed with my map to try and find this travel agency I had paid (we’re talking $5.00 here so it’s not like it was going to hurt me to lose it but there is a principle involved). Anyway, there are two or three agencies who make local arrangements on every block. Did I make these arrangements in the block on which I’m located. No. In my wanderings yesterday, I went into one, liked what they had to say, and paid them. As I continued my way back to the hotel, that’s when I noticed all of these agencies.

Anyway, I got up at about 6:00 am (it’s daylight at approximately 6:00 am to 6:00 pm and since I’m on the fifth floor, I left the curtains open). I went down to the lobby to have coffee and breakfast only to find that they don’t start serving until 7:00. So, I got out my map and started on my way. I couldn’t believe it when I found it within 15 minutes. Yes, it turns out it was only three blocks away. I found a nice little cafe that was open, had two cups of Vietnamese coffee and scrambled eggs. I went back over to the agency to meet my group.

Our tour leader was “Joey”. Two nice young men from New Zealand were sitting next to me and I found out they’d been traveling throughout Asia for two and a half months and were about to leave for Thailand. Joey was funny on the beginning part of the trip, tellings “GI Joe” stories from the wartime, his favorite bars, etc. He did get rather off color and thought he was very funny but you could tell the group didn’t really think so.

I’d like to mention that, surprisingly enough, I’ve met very few Americans–lots of British, some Australians and New Zealanders, some Canadians, a couple of French girls, a Spanish couple. I’m sure there must be lots of Americans here but they aren’t hanging out anyplace I’ve managed to be.

Back to the Cu Chi Tunnel system. In case you didn’t know, this was an underground system of tunnels deeply located in the ground with several different layers (floors) and alleys over 200 km long. Cu Chi is located approximately 70 km (1-1-1/2 hours) northwest from Saigon. During the war, this was the regional Party headquarters. From the moment we stepped onto the property, I knew I wasn’t going to like any of it. We saw the various traps that had been laid for the Americans–where if you stepped on a piece of land that had been set with spikes that either killed or maimed the unfortunate soldier. We saw a movie, glorifying those residents and party members who fought the evil Americans who were in Vietnam just shooting and killing women and children. We heard over and over again about the heroic efforts of the Cu Chi inhabitants against the enemy Americans who just wanted to take over all of Asia.

A storm arose while we were on this vast wooded property. Because the tunnels were small, it was recommended that we leave our backpacks on the bus so, of course, the first time it rains, my beautiful new rain poncho was nice and dry and I was nice and wet.

Back to the trip–between the rain, thunder, lightning, and the rifle fire, you felt as if you were there during the war. We saw the hidden trap doors, the hidden air holes, the B52 craters where our bombs had dropped. Finally, it was time to go down into the tunnel. Only a portion of the tunnel is available for viewing but I swear it was long enough. You have to be small because even I had to crawl part of the way. It’s totally black and, if I didn’t have people near me, I know I would have freaked out. There are turns and twists, and, at times, you have to slither down a slope or drop down several feet. I was never so happy as when I finally saw an escape exit.  I cannot imagine these people living down there and I can imagine why our people couldn’t find them. There is no way the average American male could remotely fit down there. Of course “Joey” said it was because all of the American soldiers smoked so much pot that they ate too much and got fat.

This may sound a bit amusing but it wasn’t. After the tunnel, we continued through the woods and came to a range where, for the price of a $1.00 a bullet, you could shoot an AK47 or an M16. So, the shots we kept hearing were not sound effects but rather were actual gun shots. Most of the us in the group did try it and it was deafening.

I was glad to get on the bus and leave. Yes, it is history and, yes, it was fascinating but it was also sickening to hear America badmouthed as badly as I heard today.

We got back to Saigon (from what I’ve heard, no one here calls it Ho Chi Minh City and no one here in the South likes people who live in the North–interesting…) and I went on a quest for an adapter. It wasn’t easy but I FOUND ONE!! Not only that, but it seems to be working.

I was very proud of myself. At 6:00 PM I met a group of people I will be traveling with. One other American man, several British, an Australian couple, a Canadian, and a couple from New Zealand. Pretty much what I’ve been meeting the last couple of days. We went out to dinner together and had so many different dishes that we shared that I can’t begin to name them all. Suffice it say that I did finally eat meat (and was it good!), soft shell crabs, shrimp, rice, lots of different vegetables, several beers–and it cost me $6.00.

A lot of them are going to see Cu Chi tomorrow so I’m planning on doing my own thing.

 

Day 5 Saigon THE FINAL DAY  This is it. My third and final day in a city that has surprised me. Yes, I said it was dirty and noisy but it is also fascinating and full of things to see and do. I spent the morning wandering around, looking in stores, stopping several times for iced coffee (I’m addicted). At about 11:30, I came across a young lady who wanted to “do my nails”. I politely showed her that my nails were already perfect so, ever the saleswoman, she listed some of the other services offered by her establishment. She said the magic word–massage. I followed her up two flights of stairs to a room containing several regular massage tables… muted lighting and soft music completed the ambiance.

I took off my clothes and for the next 2-½ hours received an invigorating facial and a complete head-to-toe massage, as well as a foot softening treatment. Total cost = $23.00!!! I gave Lai $10.00 and she was so excited, she hugged me and started fanning the money as if it were a fortune.  My face is smoother than it has been in years, my neck and back are tension-free and overall, I just feel wonderful.

While I was receiving all of these treatments, an electrical storm arose that rivaled any storm we get in Florida. When I got down to the street, it looked like a river and, no, I’m not talking about an inch or two. It was over a foot deep! The rain had pretty much tapered off but the streets were full of water. I watched in amazement as mopeds continued through the water. I tried walking along the sidewalks which are 1-2 feet above the street (now I know why) but, some places are impossible to traverse because of the parked mopeds. I went into a café, ordered an iced coffee and watched how the Saigon natives continue on with their lives despite the floodwaters.

I people watched and conversed with a lovely waitress who seemed very eager to practice her English. I was so relaxed and happy to be there that I ordered a Vietnamese crepe with shrimp, pork, various vegetables, and a sweet yet spicy sauce for dipping. Of course, I had to have a Tiger beer to wash it down. I spent about an hour and a half at Pao Café waiting for the flood waters to subside. Beatles music played in the background. That was not uncommon as I’ve noticed that a lot of sixties music is played in the restaurants.

                     

 

Once the street was somewhat visible, I continued my trek back to my hotel. A quaint little bar across the street had been my stopping place each afternoon and I couldn’t help but go in again as the owner and waitress greeted me with recognition. I sat at the same little sidewalk table, sipping yet another Tiger beer and met the nicest couple from Australia. Actually, while they live in Australia, the man was from England and the girl was Vietnamese. They were on holiday visiting her family. In all, since arriving in Saigon, I’ve met or conversed with people from Austria, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Singapore, UK, Japan, and France…very few Americans.

Sitting at a table on the street seems to mean that you invite the street vendors. NO, I don’t want a watch…I don’t really care what time it is. NO, I don’t want sunglasses…Mine change with the sun. NO, I don’t want a newspaper…I am on holiday and don’t really care what is happening in the world. NO, I don’t need a shoe shine…I’m wearing sneakers. NO, I don’t need a ride…I’m not going anywhere.

The children, interestingly enough, wear red, white, and blue uniforms to school. I didn’t see a ceiling fan anywhere. Honda seems to be the favored motorbike (although, I understand they are mostly made from parts that are not necessarily Honda). I was told they cost about $300. Coca Cola is sold everywhere in little bottles. I saw a huge building with a large neon “Budweiser” sign yet never saw Budweiser on a menu. Electrical wires, hundreds of them, hang from poles. No attempt is made to encase them.

Met up with my traveling group at 6:00 pm to take the night train to Nha Trang. I got assigned to a berth with a couple from New Zealand (Vickie and ?–very nice people) and a man from America (Dave). The train took off on time and while the group socialized briefly in the smallest hallway I’ve ever seen, it was basically uncomfortable so we all retired to our own berths. The Vietnamese people should realize that a bunch of vacationers traveling on the train in what are called first class accommodations would spend a lot of money in a club car had there been one. With nothing to drink other than the water provided, laying down and reading seemed to be the best choice. The motion of the train was lulling and quickly I fell asleep.

Days 6 and 7 NHA TRANG. Beautiful beach on the China Sea. Calm water, almost as warm as the Gulf of Mexico. This is a very touristy, cosmopolitan city with LOTS of expatriates. There are as many signs in Russian as in English. You can get pizza, hamburgers, fish and chips, spaghetti, basically, you can get any kind of food you want. I opted to stay with the Vietnamese food as this is the country I’m in. The Pho (a breakfast soup of noodles, some sort of meat and vegetables) was the hottest I’ve tried thus far. Don would probably love it but my eyes were tearing so much that I couldn’t finish it. Another common breakfast here is scrambled eggs with hot dogs (!), bacon that is still limp, and lots of fruit. I went with the Ginger Chicken for dinner. It comes in a bowl with rice on the side. It was pretty good but actually not spicy enough.

One of the local things to do is go to the mud baths. A few of the group and I decided to do this. What a hoot. You sit in this massive group tub and they pour warm mud all over you. Then you shower and go through this area where water shoots at you from the sides–first very hot, then very cold. Supposedly the combination of the mud and the mineral springs are good for your body. I don’t see it but it was a fun time.

With some of the group, I went to a bar called Krazy Kim’s. It’s owned by an Australian and it supports classes for children. I volunteered to attend an English class. What a fascinating experience. The kids were considered “intermediate” and ranged in age from approximately 11 to 16. The teacher had me introduce myself and tell them what I do and where I’m from. Then, she had each of them ask me a question. They seemed pretty fascinated by the fact that Vietnam was the only Asian country I’d been to (I did mention Korea but told them it was just a stopover on the way.) After the Q&A, the kids had to fill in sentences with the appropriate prepositions. Then, they had been assigned a task whereby they put on skits based on the television series “Malcolm in the Middle.” This was one of the best times I have had thus far..

Speaking of television, there are apparently a lot of channels–quite a few of them are American television shows with Vietnamese subtitles. CNN is in English, as is BBC. I did see Wheel of Fortune Vietnamese style (no Vanna White or Pat Sajak). They may have a lot of television channels but the internet is VERY VERY slow.
LATER NOTE: I was only able to get on the internet very briefly while in Nha Trang and thus am uploading this while in Hoi An. I tried to upload pictures but the internet connections here aren’t allowing it. Also, I can’t seem to get into my email.

Day 8: Nha Trang. Today, mostly I wandered around the town, walked on the beach, stopped at various places for iced coffee, and did a bit of shopping. I watched a man painting scenery on rice paper inside a store and I ended up buying two paintings of his. They are relatively typical–junks on the water, palm trees, sun–I think they’re very pretty and I’m going to have to figure out what paintings I need to move around in order to display these.

It was pretty hot today–very little breeze so when I got back to the hotel, I decided to go for a swim. We had to check out at noon but I had put my bathing suit in my daypack. I spent a couple of hours just relaxing.

At 6:30 we had to go to the train station. Now this was an experience! The train originates in Saigon so when we got to the station there, we were able to board immediately. It was the Reunification Express and sort of new. Nha Trang was a different story. The station itself is sort of small and it was packed! No air conditioning and we were not allowed outside until they said we could go outside. The train was late so we spent about 45 minutes of standing shoulder to shoulder with LOTS of people and with all of us sweating profusely. Finally, the train arrived and we were allowed to go outside , cross the tracks, and board. This train was old. They also only clean the train in Saigon and Hanoi. Being an intermediary stop, our sleeping berth had several empty cans, newspapers strewn about. Luckily, there didn’t appear to be any food remnants…I now see why it was recommended that we bring our own sleeping sheets. I did bring with me a silk sleeping bag I had bought online–it’s warm, and it folds up into a small pouch. I also brought my own small blowup pillow and also, I took the suggestion from www.tripadvisor.com to pack my worn clothing into a pillow case as an additional pillow.

I had also taken my own suggestion and, while in Nha Trang, purchased a bottle of Kahlua so I could have a little cocktail (there’s no ice on board and no cold drinks–I don’t mind Kahlua when it’s warm). I slept very soundly until awakened at 5:00 since we were coming into the Hoi An station.

Day 9: Hoi An in the Quang Nam Province: An ancient city, over 400 years old–it’s very quaint, with small streets, some of them barely paved. While the motor bikes are just as noisy (these people LOVE their horns), there are mandated “quiet” times when the citizenry are not allowed to run the motor bikes. It is so funny because all of a sudden, the city gets quiet and everywhere you see people walking their bikes. Then quiet time ends and they jump back on and get right back into the swing of things, beeping away.

As in the other cities I’ve been to, there is a fabulous open air market. This one is right along the Hoi An River. This morning, I watched the ladies balancing baskets of produce, carrying them to market. I also saw these funny looking canoes being paddled up to the dock carrying wares to be sold. A very normal sight throughout Vietnam is to see women cooking right on the street. To be honest, I haven’t actually ordered any of this food (except pastry) but the smells are heavenly. I may have to break down and try something.

Hoi An is known for its fabrics and making clothing to order. I went to one of the shops–Yaly Couture– at 11:00 this morning, picked out a dress design, had it modified (I wanted the skirt straighter and the neckline rounder), selected a fabric, got measured, and left. At 4:00 this afternoon, I went back for my first fitting. The dress was all basted together. I tried it on and, while it fit, the bust was too tight for my liking. They made a few adjustments and the dress, pale green silk and fully lined, will be ready for me at 9:00 tomorrow morning.

Later on, I wandered into a very serene looking place called “Khong Gian Hoi Ngo”. I was told this means “Rendezvous.” Anyway, it was an art gallery/tearoom/classroom. Beautiful plants adorned the balcony where I sat sipping green tea and spoke with the owner/caretaker. He gave me a tour of the whole place (several floors) and told me how they lost all of the children’s books when Hoi An experienced a massive flood back in 2003. They are slowly building back up the collection. He showed me the gardening rooms where they are cultivating orchids and pointed out that the building is constructed of a wood very similar to ebony.

I like Hoi An. This is a very beautiful city. It’s quaint and more laid back than the other places I’ve been thus far.

I haven’t really commented much on the foreigners I’ve seen other than to say that they seem to be mostly from western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. They also seem to be mostly in their 20s and 30s. It’s not that I haven’t seen older people but it amazes me how many young people are on extended tours of Asia. By extended, I mean several months or even years. I haven’t really gotten up the nerve to ask how they can afford it or why they don’t work. Besides that, from what I understand, it’s not exactly easy to get a work permit for any of the countries over here. Most of the people I’ve talked to have been to India, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia–it seems that if it’s a cheap country to travel in, they’ve been there.

For dinner tonight, I went to this lovely place down by the river. I ordered this salad–mangos, greens, spicy chicken and shrimp, and who knows what all served with a spicy lime dressing–it was one of the best tasting things I have ever eaten. I may just have to go back there and have it for lunch tomorrow. I also ordered spring rolls with pork, green banana, star fruit (and once again, some other stuff). These were served with a very spicy peanut sauce. Yummy.

 

Day 10: Hoi An. What a marvelous day. I took a cooking class with a Vietnamese chef. First, we went to the market–not only to shop for ingredients but to experience the local culture. We stopped on the street for a glass of an iced drink that contained coconut milk, some sort of beans, and several other ingredients that unfortunately, I didn’t write down. It was different. You drink but also must use a spoon for the solid ingredients. It’s sweet. We stopped at various stalls where she explained some items that were unfamiliar to us. We watched meat being chopped up. They use everything! Also, what was interesting was that only women sell in the market. They also do all the butchering.  All I ever see men doing is squatting in the street playing some sort of game.

Shrimp, crabs, various fish were laid out on the ground for purchase, vegetables, fruit, sugar. Actually, sugar is sold ground in plastic bags but you can also buy it in a solid lump. We were told that most Vietnamese buy it in the solid form because it’s cheaper. People on motor bikes cruise through these incredibly narrow aisles making navigation quite difficult.

After the market, we boarded a small boat to cross the river to the Lighthouse Restaurant, which the chef and her Netherlands husband own. We were taken to the second floor kitchen which was open air, set up with four separate burners, chopping boards, knives, and aprons for each of us. First, we were treated to a refreshing glass of juice as we learned how to make a rose from a tomato. Then, each of us was given tasks of chopping, peeling, rolling, measuring, sautéing, etc. There were eight of us and we all participated in the entire process. We made Fried Shrimp Spring Rolls, Tuna in a Clay Pot, Stuffed Squid, and Water Spinach with Garlic. Once we finished preparing the meal, we carried our dishes into the restaurant and ate it. The meal was wonderful and the sauces we had prepared for the various dishes were delicious.

      

After finishing the meal, we rode back in the boat. I had a fitting scheduled so I took off to try on my new dresses. I was very pleased to find that they had adjusted the bust to my liking. One of the dresses was too loose around the hips so they made some adjustments and told me to come back in an hour. I went back to the hotel and another girl and I decided to rent bicycles to ride around town and to the beach. What an experience! Motor bikes, as I’ve already mentioned, pay little or no attention to traffic signals, they beep their horns indiscriminately and, generally hog the road. To make matters worse, there are cars, taxis, buses, and trucks that also try to get through. We rode for about two hours and I decided that I’d had enough of bike riding. Walking is difficult enough.

I went back and picked up my dresses, then wandered around town a bit more. I was still full from the late lunch but I had to stop in this one café where I had noticed lovely pastries on display. I sat at a small table on the street, munched on a freshly baked chocolate croissant, sipped my iced white Vietnamese coffee, and fended off the children selling their wares. One little girl in particular, got quite angry with me. I didn’t want to buy any of her trinkets (despite the fact that she told me it was “happy hour” and if I bought two, I would get one for free). She wanted 50,000 dong (approximately $3.00). The trinkets were worth MAYBE a quarter. So, I gave her a 5,000 dong note and said it was for her but I didn’t want anything. She left and a few minutes came back and argued with me. I was “hit on” by so many kids in the short time I sat at that café that I wondered if there was an adult nearby coaching the kids on what to say. Whatever…I finished my coffee and croissant and left.

We are off for Hue tomorrow morning and I decided that I’d make it an early night. Hoi An has been a wonderful experience.

Day 11: Hue. The drive to Hue was breathtaking. We traveled by air conditioned bus through the mountains of central Vietnam stopping at various locations along the way. At one point, we were high up overlooking a deep valley and the China Sea. A small stand (selling souvenirs, imagine that!) at a bend in the road was one of our stops. Three or four older women (by that, I mean they were probably around my age) were selling trinkets, cold drinks, and snacks.

I want to point out here that all of the places that sell snacks don’t just sell the typical Vietnamese snacks of some sort of peanut brittle or coconut “cookies” but Pringles, Oreos, Ritz Crackers–they’re everywhere in these little packs.

Anyway, back to these women…they all came over to me. I haven’t mentioned this before but this seems to happen everywhere and my thought is that single “older” women tourists may be somewhat of an oddity. I really don’t know but I do find when I walk down the street with some of these young British girls in the group, I am the one approached most often by the people trying to sell stuff. Anyway, one of the women started telling me that she cooked for American soldiers back during the war. Then, she told me her husband was killed in a motor bike accident. She took me around a fortress that Americans used during the war. All of a sudden I realized that here I am in the middle of the country and this woman spoke better English than any other person I’ve encountered. Amazing.

We got in to Hue and went to the Citadel and the Imperial City. That is where the emperor used to live. A lot of it was destroyed during the war but is being restored by the people. I also went to one of the markets. These markets in all of these cities are where you see the most action. Everything you can imagine is sold there–clothes, household items, furniture, vegetables, meat, toys, flowers, fish. Pretty much, anything you want. They’re better than the malls because you can haggle. If you don’t like the price, offer them less, if you still don’t, walk away and they’ll lower the prices even more. I’m actually not very good at this but I find I’m getting better. It’s going to be hard going to Dillards or Publix and paying the sticker price because here in Vietnam, everything is negotiable.

Day 12: Hue. A few in the group decided to take a motor bike tour but I really wanted to be on my own. I’ve pretty much done my own thing throughout this trip and just met up with some of the group for drinks or dinner. Yesterday I spent pretty much the whole day with the group so I wanted to explore on my own. I like walking around and going into the odd little café for an iced coffee. I usually find that I can strike up a conversation with one of the locals. I slept a little later than usual and didn’t get down to breakfast until about 8:30.

I had a wonderful time. I walked along the Perfume River, browsed in some of the shops, and talked with several people. Hue is a busier town than either Nha Trang or Hoi An.

          

We had to catch the night train to Hanoi at 3:00 so it was a short day. What a pleasant surprise when we boarded the train–we got first class! The first train we had taken was pretty nice, the second was not, this one was beautiful. Once we were underway, a steward came around to our cabins and poured tea, gave us little biscuits, and a bottle of water. We had fresh bedding, including blankets (it gets very cold on the trains–they like their air conditioning) and pillows. It was also nice to be on the train when there was still daylight. The other two didn’t depart until after dark. We passed LOTS of rice paddies and we saw water buffalo.

Day 13. Hanoi/Halong Bay. We arrived in Hanoi at 5:00 am and transferred to a bus to our hotel in the old quarter. When we got there, we had breakfast but had to wait until 8:00 am for our transport to Halong Bay. This was the only time that made no sense to me. We weren’t checking into the hotel but we were told to pack a day bag for the overnight in Halong Bay. Our main bags were going to stay here in Hanoi. Now remember, we had checked out of our hotel in Hue at noon the day before, walked around in 90+ degree heat (well, I did–most of the others were riding around in the heat), then we got on a 14 hour train ride, slept in our clothes and were supposed to go the Halong Bay without changing or showering.

When we finished breakfast it was about 6 am so I went up to the desk and asked about getting a room for showering. They charged me $15.00 (no, I didn’t haggle–I decided that it was worth it to be able to shower and comfortably go through my things to see what I wanted to take with me to Halong Bay). Anyway, I was very glad I did it and I let who ever wanted to use the shower or bathroom after I was finished, use it.

The trip to Halong Bay is approximately 3-½ hours on a very well paved road. We passed a HUGE complex of CANON buildings. I asked about that and was told that the people make approximately $1.00/day making Canon parts.

      

Halong Bay is incredible. We went out on a private junk cruising among the 1,000+ islands. Once we started cruising, we were served a delicious lunch of crab, shrimp, fried spring rolls, squid, and a white fish that I don’t know what it was but it still had its head (it was cooked however). We stopped at one of the islands and explored this massive, incredible cave. More cruising in the tranquil blue Halong Bay and then we stopped at a beautiful beach for some swimming. The water was about the same temperature as the Gulf. We docked at just about sunset.  These are views inside the cave…

          

When we checked into our hotel–another surprise. Each room had a beautiful view of Halong Bay. Most of the views from the hotel rooms have been less than spectacular–rooftops and people’s kitchens or living areas, parking lots, in Nha Trang, I actually had TWO windows and the back one was a view of the laundry. I guess since that’s one of the places I had laundry done, I could’ve watched for my own. By the way, it costs $1.00/1 kilogram of laundry–this is for hand washing, line drying, and ironing. You give it to them by about noon and you have it back by 6. Amazing. Had I known that before I came here, I would’ve only brought three changes of clothing instead of five pairs of pants and one shirt and one underwear for each day. I know, if I brought all of those clothes, why did I need laundry. I had thought that I could wear each pair of pants three times. NOT. Everything gets dirty here. I have no idea why but it does. You cannot wear the same thing more than once.

Also, the weather has definitely cooperated wonderfully. It only rained the one time I didn’t have my poncho with me. When I went to Cu Chi Tunnel, I left my backpack in the bus I had taken because they said it would be tough to maneuver through the tunnel. Of course, that’s the day it rained. I guess it did rain the day in Saigon I was getting the massage but I was inside the whole time it was raining.

Day 14: Hanoi We drove in a nice bus back to Hanoi, arriving at approximately 1:00 pm. I was pleasantly surprised to find that check-in was very quick as our rooms had already been assigned and luggage deposited in the rooms ahead of time. Also, the air conditioning was on! I don’t think I mentioned before about Vietnam hotels and this clever little way most of them have of making sure that when you leave your room all of the lights and air conditioning are turned off. When you enter the room, you must place this thingy connected to your key in a slot. The electricity and air conditioning will not turn on if this thingy is not in the slot so, obviously, when you leave your room, everything is turned off. This hotel does not have that little feature.

Anyway, I was ready for an iced coffee so I grabbed a map at the desk and left the hotel. This has pretty much been my modus operandi in each city. I walk around a bit to get my bearings, find a café, order an iced coffee, and peruse the map to determine what I want to see. Usually, I converse with the waitress and other patrons while in the café and, while I’ve found very few people who speak much English (other than in the hotels), we can usually figure out a few things to say.

So, I’m here in the old quarter of Hanoi, I found a café and ordered an iced white Vietnamese coffee. No comprehension whatsoever. So, I got the menu, which had a picture as well as English and Vietnamese and pointed to what I wanted. Still, no comprehension. I left, walked down the block a bit and tried again. Pretty much the same thing but finally someone said “Coffee?” I nodded and sat. They brought me black coffee, no milk, no ice. So, I pointed to the iced white Vietnamese coffee that a Vietnamese man was drinking and, finally, I got what I wanted.

       

I wanted to see the “Hanoi Hilton” which you probably all know was one of the prisons our Americans were kept in (including John McCain). I figured out which way I could probably walk to get there and set on my way. I know that I have mentioned the traffic, the motor bikes, the noise, and how it seems that you take your life in your hands just crossing the streets. No where has it been as bad as here in Hanoi. I swear they speed up when they see you crossing. I even took longer routes so I could cross at intersections with traffic signals. Doesn’t matter–they still screech up beside you, beep their horns, and keep going.

Because I wasn’t following the most direct route to the prison, I eventually found myself in an area with street signs that weren‘t indicated on my map. So, I started asking people on the street, people in shops, and even three different policemen if they could show me on the map where I was. Not one person would help me. So, I just kept walking in this noisy, dirty, unfriendly city until I figured out for myself where I was (I finally got to a street that was listed.)

I did get to the prison, paid my admission fee and went in. It’s a dark, gloomy place made completely of stone depicting the deplorable conditions Vietnamese people were kept in when the prison was run by the French (in the 1930’s). Then, you get to the part where they show how wonderful the Americans had it while in Vietnamese prisons–joyful Christmas dinners, raising turkeys, playing basketball. I don’t know why but this blatant lie hit me in the stomach and I realized that all I wanted to do was go home.

I hate this city. By and large, the people are EXTREMELY rude. You can’t walk on the sidewalks because of all the motor bikes and street sellers so you have to walk in the streets. Garbage in thrown everywhere so you have to watch out for that as well as the self-centered drivers who screech their horns as they whiz by you. I am not one of those Americans who expects foreigners to speak English while I am in their country. I have a phrasebook and use it. I say Xin chao (hello), Xin (please), Xin loi (excuse me), Cam on (thank you). I smile. I have very much enjoyed visiting Vietnam until now and I’m greatly saddened by having this as my final impression.

At least, you still see strange sights…

     

Day 15. Hanoi. I woke with the thought that perhaps I hadn’t given Hanoi enough of a chance and decided to start the day fresh. I breakfasted with Vickie & Dave (the New Zealand couple I’ve become friendly with). We decided to start the day by visiting the Ho Chi Minh Museum and Mausoleum. We took a taxi because someone told us it was far. Millions and millions of dollars had to have been spent on this tribute to Ho Chi Minh. It is a massive building with grounds painstakingly kept. The Vietnamese army patrols it–I don’t know why. You also have to go through security procedures like at an airport. They x-ray your bags and you walk through a metal detector. This was to go into the museum! More propaganda. Then, we wanted to go to the mausoleum but “No Entry” signs were posted everywhere. I asked a soldier if we could go in and he said “NO”. I asked when it would be open and he just shook his head. Meanwhile, Vickie and Dave were asking various people and getting the same responses. So, we didn’t get to see the great man’s body.

As we left, I decided that I wanted to walk back. It hadn’t been that long a taxi ride but Dave and Vickie convinced me to go back to the hotel area with them in the taxi so I acquiesced. When we reached the hotel, I set my camera on the seat while I got my money out. I stepped out of the cab, shut the door and immediately realized that my camera was still on the seat. He took off so fast–I tried chasing it but that is not easy here in Hanoi. I was devastated and upset. To make matters worse, Vickie told me she had paid the whole cab fare so I hadn’t needed to pay anything yet he took my money too.

Since he had the name of our hotel, I actually had hopes that he would drop the camera off when he realized that I’d left it on the seat. But, at that moment, I decided that my feelings for Hanoi were no different than yesterday so I went up to my room with the thought that I was just going to stay in the hotel until it was time to leave on Saturday. I figured why should I spend my hard earned money in a city where I didn’t feel welcome.

We had tickets for the Water Puppet Show at 3:00 pm but since we were meeting at the theater, I decided I didn’t even want to go see that. In order to do so I would either have to navigate the seven or eight blocks by crossing quite a few times or barter with a taxi driver to get a decent rate. I’m sick of bartering too. They see foreigners and triple (or more) the price of everything. So, I stayed at the hotel and read my book.

Day 16. Hanoi I went down to breakfast and made arrangements at the hotel to stay until 7:00 pm. Unfortunately, my flight is not until 10:50 pm. By the way, the only bright spot I’ve found in Hanoi is the hotel staff–they are wonderful. I intend to leave all the dong I have left here for the

staff. Vietnam does not allow foreigners to spend dong in the international terminal and it can’t be converted to American dollars so why not.

I HAD to venture out of the hotel because I needed batteries for my clip-on light (for my Kindle). I prefer using it on planes because it focuses right on the book so it doesn’t bother anyone. Dave needed an ATM so we decided to go together in our quest (by the way, Dave & Vickie feel pretty much the same as I do about the atmosphere in Hanoi) so it’s not just because I’m American.

We had to go several blocks away to get to an ATM and find my batteries. Of course, this meant crossing the streets. They are narrow but with the motor bike drivers, they seem very wide. We were heading back and got to a crosswalk, saw a break so we went for it. From around the corner, a motor bike came and slammed right into me. I went down, hitting my hip, arm, hand, and head on the pavement. Thank God I was wearing jeans because, even with them, I got a cut on my leg. The driver was very apologetic and helped me up. I was lucky because I’m stiff, bruised a bit, and have a headache but I’ll live and I didn’t break anything. He was going quite fast around the corner. Dave said he hit me pretty hard. I’m so glad Dave was with me because I don’t know how I would have gotten back to the hotel since I would have had to cross several more streets.

So, I’m sitting here waiting to leave. I am going to try my best to forget Hanoi and concentrate on the wonderful time I had in Saigon, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, and Halong Bay. I have no camera but everyone has promised to send me copies of their pictures. I’m disappointed because everyone has a different eye and I spent quite a bit of time alone wandering places the others didn’t go.

I’ll be in Korea at 5:00 tomorrow morning and I leave there at 10:50 tomorrow night. After a 12-½ hour flight, I finally arrive in America on Sunday at 3:50 pm (Los Angeles). I then catch a flight at 10:40 pm to Charlotte, NC. It arrives there at 6:15 am Monday. Finally, I take a flight at 9:30 am to Tampa, arriving at 11:09 am. I already arranged for the shuttle so I should be home between 12 and 1 pm. YEAH!