Spirit of Vietnam, Part 1
The plane banked steeply as it came through the layer of cloud into the dirty haze which hung over Hanoi and the surrounding landscape below like a heavy mosquito net. This added to the excitement I was already feeling in anticipation of exploring a new country. As I peered through the small portholes along the side of the jet airliner I could just make out the murky Red River snaking its way across the Vietnam countryside down to the South China Sea.
Within a few minutes the plane would land in the Vietnamese capital. Then we would need to run the gauntlet of taxi drivers hanging around the arrivals building, and find the US$2 minibus into the center of Hanoi. Carol and I had left the relative comfort zone of Thailand and were now looking forward to our two week adventure in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Before leaving Thailand we had to still find something to occupy us on Saturday in Bangkok. Carol had expressed an interest in learning some Thai cooking. I needed no further encouragement and was up at the crack of dawn hunting for a cooking school in the Thai capital. I eventually found a travel agent on Khao San Road where we could choose three dishes each to be shown how to cook. Carol being a strict vegetarian would be able to eat the popular Thai dishes confident they would not contain any meat/fish. I, being boring, of course chose to cook all my old favorite dishes of Tom Yam soup, Thai curry and chicken with cashew nuts.
As is the norm, we cooked and ate too much so we decided to catch a taxi to the huge Chatuchak weekend market in the northern part of Bangkok on the way to the airport. Here we walked around the thousands of stalls selling everything imaginable at rock bottom prices, even cheaper that the tourist infested Khao San Road area.
The next day we were up very early to catch a 5am shuttle to the airport and onto the Thai Airways flight to Vietnam.
The minibus took us into Hanoi city center, right past our pre-booked hotel which I happened to spot as we drove by. However, no amount of pleading with the driver could persuade him to let us off the bus early. When we were eventually dropped off at the Vietnam Airways office we had to walk the one kilometer back again being hassled by cyclo and motorbike drivers wanting to give us a ride, for a price of course.
On checking into the Viet My Hotel near Hanoi’s train station we were asked to hand over our precious passports into reception for the duration of our stay. One thing you have to get used to in Vietnam is that to keep control, and tabs, on the foreign visitors all guests are required to hand over their passports at the hotels they stay in. This is just the way it is done and there is nothing you can do about it.
That afternoon we went out to explore the Vietnamese capital. On the surface it is slow paced and charming. The overall colonial feel comes from its many lakes, shaded boulevards, embassies and holy shrines. In contrast the Old Quarter, with its narrow streets and tiny shopfronts and houses, is typical Vietnamese. Each street bears the name of the trade which was performed on that particular road.
Things are changing fast in Hanoi. After many years of isolation caused by civil unrest, French and American wars and communist clampdown the capital is slowly awakening from its slumber. New high rises are crowding out the old French buildings. The number of cars, motorbikes and bicycles make crossing the road a nightmare. While postcard vendors and cyclo (a cyclo is a tricycle, it differs from the Indian rickshaw because the passenger(s) sit in a cab up front and the driver pedals from the back) drivers buzz around tourists like hungry flies. What better place to witness all the changes, growth, progress, foibles and follies of the Vietnam governments economic reforms.
Despite various attempts by numerous motorbike riders Carol and I survived our stroll around the city. There seems to be no road rules, bikes and cars drive in every direction on any side of the road. If it wasn’t already daunting enough in Vietnam they actually are supposed to drive on the right hand side of the road. When crossing the road, forget about waiting for lights to change, these are ignored, and traffic comes streaming ceaselessly with no gaps for the anxious pedestrian. Literally you need to step out into the road with cars and bikes coming at you from every direction and walk slowly but confidently across the road – you are the “rock around which the stream of traffic will flow”. Any hesitation, running or stopping could cause disaster. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
That evening we met up with the rest of our Intrepid tour group. Apart from Carol and myself the group consisted of Adam, the tour leader, Karen, Brian and Sue from New Zealand, Wendy – being 70 years old, good on her – and her daughter Jenny from Australia. Two Australian friends Amy and Kerry, Jorge from Switzerland, Laura from America and another young Australian girl called Rachel.
Over the next 10 days we would be travelling the length of the country from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) together. So to get to know each other we went out for a meal and drinks to the Cyclo Bar. Here typical Vietnamese and French food is served to you whilst seated in the cab of an actual cyclo – because of the size of our group we had to opt for normal table and chairs in the back garden.
On May 27, we took a stroll through the bustling streets of early morning Hanoi with street vendors and market stalls selling fresh produce. After making our way through impossibly narrow and twisting alley ways we spilled out onto the pavement at Koto’s restaurant where we had breakfast. KOTO stands for Know One Teach One. It is a scheme started by a Vietnamese/Australian expat for homeless street children to be taken in and taught a trade in the catering/restaurant business.
After breakfast we were collect by a bus with a local Vietnamese guide, Nging, and made our way along Highway 4 out of Hanoi towards Halong Bay. As we left the city the buildings started thinning out leaving the odd looking shophouses built only 4m wide but maybe 15-20m long and in some cases 4-5 stories high. The reason for this is that because of the expense of prime roadside property the land is divided up to maximize the number of narrow and long roadside plots.
During the journey to the coast our guide entertained us by giving a impromptu lesson in Vietnamese. I can now say ‘Hello’ (Zin Chao), ‘thank you’ (Cam o n), ‘how much?’ (bao nhieu) and ‘my god, too expensive’ (choi hoi muk kwa). He also explained how dogs are bred for eating and a US$25 cobra would be a feast for up to 4 people with the ‘still beating heart’ of the snake highly sought after. Carol, the vegetarian, and myself were not convinced though. Obviously in Asia animals are regarded and treated very differently and we need to travel a country like Vietnam with our preconceived western perceptions left at home.
The road to Halong Bay passed through vast farmlands, consisting mainly of rice paddies. In the middle of these rice fields were many graves and war memorials. This is so that the farmers can feel a close affinity with their deceased ancestors whilst working.
We spent a lovely afternoon on a very comfortable boat, cruising around the magnificent Halong Bay. This bay is about 100 km south east of Hanoi on the Gulf of Tonkin and the scenery is spectacular with some 3000 limestone islands sprinkled off the mainland. The place is truly one of the marvels of Vietnam, the vegetation-covered, sheer cliffs rise clear out of the emerald green water. These islands are dotted with numerous beaches, grottos and caves. On one island we disembarked from our boat to explore through a huge cave with spectacular stalagmite and stalactite limestone formations, very impressive, even if they were a bit tastelessly lit with tacky coloured lighting.
After a delicious seafood lunch in the downstairs cabin of our boat we cruised further into the islands, discovering entire floating fishing communities with their dwelling alongside giant square nets anchored to floating pontoons all the way down to the seabed forming enclosures where the various fish were farmed.
Even further into the islands and with no sign if life or civilisation anywhere to be seen, except for our own boat, we were able to throw anchor and swim in a natural bay formed by the many islands towering above us. We spent a few hours diving off the top deck into the green water then swimming 40-50 meters away from the safety of the boat. It is a most eerie feeling looking back at our boat with the giant cliffs and miles from the mainland. You sort of realise that without that one wooden boat you would be stuck out here miles from anywhere with nowhere to swim to safety.
That evening was spent at a hotel Cat Ba, near Halong City on the mainland. Our room had a great view of the bay. This is where Vietnamese take their “beach breaks” so the strip along the beach is full of strolling holidaymakers and all the market stalls selling paraphernalia that goes with the holiday scene. The restaurants along the beachfront however sell fresh seafood which you choose live from fishtanks which are set up on the pavement outside each establishment.
Next day’s drive back to Hanoi offered us many opportunities to take photographs of Vietnamese rural life. The endless rice paddies where women toil away endlessly wearing typical straw conical hats. Also the children either riding or leading dark skinned water buffalo, all very typical and I am sure I took some great shots.
Back in Hanoi we had the afternoon to explore this unique city further. We went to the old Hanoi prison, which has infamously been given the nickname “Hanoi Hilton”. Originally built some 100 years ago by the French to imprison Vietnamese rebels through their stormy colonial reign. Here there are graphic displays of how cruel and arbitrary the French rule over the region was. The prison achieved notoriety when it was used by the North Vietnamese government to imprison American pilots shot down whilst on bombing raids during the Vietnam war.
We also just had enough time to catch a show of the water puppets. These puppets where originally developed by fishermen of the delta regions – Vietnam has two delta regions the Red River Delta and the Mekong Delta. The show was a lovely spectacle, very cleverly done with traditional local music. Typical scenes from everyday life are depicted as well as some of the myths and legends from Vietnamese and Chinese culture.
After the show we had just enough time to collect our bags, get to Hanoi’s main train station and board the overnight Reunification Express train heading south.
The next morning we arrived in the city of Hue (pronounced “Hway”). We got a good night’s sleep in the overnight train. The previous evening was spent chatting, drinking and really getting to know the rest of our group. By the time we all turned in we had quite a party atmosphere going on the train.
Hue sits on the banks of the Perfume River, close to the coast but also less than 100km from the Loas border. It served as Vietnam’s political capital for about 140 years until 1945 when the 13th emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty handed power over to Ho Chi Minh’s communist-dominated Viet Minh. Traditionally the city has been one of the country’s cultural, religious and educational centres. Today Hue’s main attractions are the splendid tombs of the Nguyen emperors, several notable pagodas and the remains of the 150 year citadel.
We checked into our very luxurious hotel near the old citadel and spent the day relaxing around a very welcomed swimming pool. For some reason there was a sign up declaring this pool to be an “intelligent” swimming pool. I never did find out what that was supposed to mean.
The next day most of the group were each supplied a motorbike with driver. Our local guide for the day, Tam, took us for a tour around the old citadel walls with its gates and towers along each side. The citadel is 10km square with one side gently following the curve of the Perfume River. Within the citadel is the Imperial City, a “citadel within the citadel” where the emperor’s official functions were carried out. Again, within the Imperial City is the Forbidden Purple enclosure which was reserved for the private life of the emperor.
During the Vietnamese war, the bloody Tet offensive in 1968 enabled forces of North Vietnam and the Viet Cong to storm and capture the Citadel. After battling with South Vietnamese and American forces for nearly a month they retreated into the Imperial enclosure where the Americans proceeded to bomb the place, flattening all but one or two buildings of the 85% which were still standing up until that stage. The surrounding walls are marked with bullet and mortar fire. Apparently the moats surrounding the city were full of floating dead bodies. Inside the Citadel, the former glorious past is slowly being rebuilt and restored but there are still vast open plots of empty land where the craters still can be seen.
Next we were driven out of town by our motorbike drivers to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda. This is one of Vietnam’s most famous structures and is very beautiful. We were treated to the Buddhist monks leading a chanting procession through the grounds to the temple. This monastery is also famous for one of its monks setting fire to himself, after driving from Hue to Saigon, in protest against the then pro-Catholic South Vietnamese persecution of Buddhists. His Austin Martin car is on display here with a graphic photo in the windscreen of the monk’s tragic act.
For lunch we went to another Buddhist Monastery where they made for us delicious food which was all completely vegetarian, Carol loved it. How they can make tofu taste that much like meat I will never know. Makes you wonder why they would want to give up eating meat if all their food is made to taste like pork and chicken? After lunch we were left to meditate in the vestries of the monastery. Most of us used the time to catch an afternoon siesta.
In the afternoon we toured around the Hue countryside and visited the gaudy and crumbling Tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh, who ruled from 1916 to 1925. One thing about these Vietnamese emperors is that in the 140 year Nguyen Dynasty, 13 emperors ruled but none for very many years. It was as if becoming emperor was a kiss of death.
Hue is a lovely city with a very relaxed feel. There is heaps to see and lots of good restaurants. We didn’t even get time to visit the beach close by. Our guide, Tam, was a god send. His English is a bit hard to understand but he supplements his explanations with the most graphic and funny mime actions. If you are ever in Hue and would like to be entertained and shown the usual sites and some of the lesser known, unusual sites – we went to an old Vietnamese “colosseum” where tigers where starved and made to fight against elephants and other wild animals for the emperor’s entertainment – contact Tam in Vietnam on 0913-458067 (no email address available yet but this is his mother-in-law’s mobile number).
