Greetings! I've been on the road so much this past week (a whole week?!) I've not been able to get a blog post out yet since I started north. Currently I reside in Vietnam's capital city of Hanoi in the northern part of the country, but how did I get here? As I said a week ago, I did indeed catch a bus up to the coastal beach town of Nha Trang, hoping for some sun and ignoring the generally agreed upon forecast for the region. Bad move.
Instead of the white sandy beaches and a warm breeze coming in over sparkling turquoise waters, I got rain upon arrival, and a chilly wind creating six foot mud colored waves on damp and barren beaches. Needless to say I booked my ticket outta there the same day I arrived. I spent what little time I had there walking up and down the beach, contemplating my future (i.e., the next day), observing the unceasing trials and tribulations of the tiny beach crabs (i.e., the local's snacks), and wishing I had packed more than just shorts. I also spent a good time later on in my hotel room recovering from a cold whose origins remain unknown.
The next day I took another sleeper bus, like the one I took to get to Nha Trang, to the historic and scenic Hoi An. In case you're wondering, a sleeper bus has recliner seats which are perfectly designed to accommodate anyone six inches shorter than me. Thus, for 12 hours I couldn't sit up straight or extend my legs fully. But all that aside, it got me where I wanted to go for $9. So I guess I can't complain (aloud).
In Hoi An, the weather was still cloudy and damp, and a little bit colder to boot. But after walking a good distance I reached the old part of the city that Hoi An is known for, and promptly forgot my problems with the weather, buses, and pants. I had slipped back in time 200 years and was walking though a charming river-side town, with picturesque houses and shops bordering cobblestone streets where only bikes and feet were allowed to travel. The silence created from the absence of motorbikes was filled by soft classical music emanating from craftily hidden speakers in various telephone poles. Hoi An is known for its numerous tailors, who are skilled in recreating almost any piece of clothing in existence to varying degrees of quality depending on how much you wanted to spend. Since I was not in the market for a tuxedo and/or dress, exploring the streets and some of the more ancient architecture was what I did instead. Also fascinating was walking around the residential streets/alleys on Cam Nam island, and making a stop at several of the out-of-the-way cafes which provided amazing views of the river and Hoi An's coastal front. I would have loved to stay in Hoi An for more than just one night, but I needed to be getting up to Hanoi, and I still needed to stop in Hue. Since Hue is fairly close to Hoi An, only a normal bus was required for the four hour journey. Arriving in Hue, the weather was just about the same only, as usual, colder.
For those at home checking the weather norms for the region, or wondering why I decided to travel here in such a dreary climate, know that the weather this time of year is supposed to be fairly sunny and much warmer in north and central Vietnam. The abnormal rain and cold has been an issue for everyone I've met coming from the North.
My level of preparedness for the weather was increased greatly with my purchase of an umbrella in Hoi An. Next up, pants.
Hue is known as a cultural center in Vietnam, and rightly so as it was the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty for over a hundred years. The main feature of Hue is it's massive citadel, which contains numerous ancient monuments and buildings, including the site of the forbidden city, which was home to the emperor and those closest to him. When I got to Hue, I signed up for a day long tour that covered the citadel, the Thien Mu pagoda and several tombs of emperors past among other things. The citadel was and architectural wonder, and I wish the tour had allotted more time to explore the maze of ruins and buildings. The Thien Mu pagoda was also striking, built on a hilltop overlooking the Perfume River. The emperor's tombs however, which were more like expansive complexes, were my favorite. Each was unique in it's design, and all were certainly built to be remembered and revered. At the end of the tour, we took a boat up the river back to the main city, missing the "colorful sunset" advertised on the tour description.
With my next bus to Hanoi booked, I scoured the entire city of Hue for cargo pants, and eventually determined that they do not exist there.
After a long 14 hour ride on an always comfortable sleeper bus, I finally arrived early this morning in Hanoi! I don't have much time allotted to see the city, as I really want to get to Ha Long Bay and back with ample time to spend in Sa Pa, so I packed in what I could today.
First off, it was warm and even partly sunny here today!! Which is fortunate, as I left my umbrella on the bus. After locating a trustworthy hotel, I made my way through the Old Quarter for a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake. Then I ventured west in search of Hoa Lo Prison, infamously known as "Hanoi Hilton." The prison looked kind of pretty from the outside, but told a bleak and grim story on the inside. The prison was originally built by the French and used for political prisoners, and then later by North Vietnam in the war. An interesting piece on display in the prison is John McCain's complete flight suit and parachute from when he was shot down over Hanoi. Although carefully preserved, something tells me he won't be coming back to get it. From Hoa Lo, I visited the ancient Temple of Literature, the majority of which was constructed almost 800 years ago, although it was initially founded in 1070. The temple, though a remarkable architectural piece, should more aptly be named the "Temple of Tourists." I did not spend much time there. Though I was disappointed to find that the Ho Chi Minh museum was closed Friday afternoons, a walk through the Botanical Gardens was a nice escape from the bustle of the city. Also worthwhile was catching a glimpse of the Presidential Palace and walking by the impressive and slightly intimidating Ho Chi Minh mausoleum.
For tonight, I have booked tickets see the famous water puppets of Hanoi. This form of puppetry is unique to Vietnam, and Hanoi is supposed to put on the best show.
If I can find a tour in time, I hope to head up to Ha Long Bay tomorrow. How long I'll spend there, I do not know. But perhaps first I should go buy some pants, just in case.
-Adam Holte
Hanoi, Vietnam
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