As soon as we boarded our flight into Luang Prabang we could sense the change. The flight attendants were smiling and friendly and even though we were only in the air for 1hour we were still served one of the best airline meals ever. We arrived on the little airstrip of Laos Airlines and marched into a small office where we picked up our visas and walked onwards through customs. We were so relieved to see a peaceful and organized transfer service desk just outside the airport doors. Hassel and rip-off free, we took a taxi to the guest house we had in mind. Immediately we felt welcomed and were happy to have arrived in, the lovely, Laos. After settling into a clean and comfortable room we headed out on foot to see what this town was all about. Right away we agreed that this was one of the prettiest places we had visited. The town is a peninsula with the Mekong and Khan Rivers running through it. There are several lovely riverside restaurants as well as great shops and cafes in the centre of town. We strolled through the streets feeling at peace and enlightened by our first impressions of Laos. We also noticed an incredibly colourful night market along the main street so we popped through for a look. This market was large and incredibly impressive. The streets were lined with silver jewellery and goods, traditional clothing, lanterns, so many beautiful handicrafts, and the quality of craftsmanship was better than anything else we had seen. Lucky for us, the lavish market is a nightly event. We knew that we would be coming back to pick up some amazing one of a kind take-homes. At the end of the market we found the food section where we picked up 2 savory sandwiches with chicken breast, an assortment of fresh vegetables, and EVEN MAYO and MUSTARD!! What a breath of fresh air. We noticed that many shops seemed to be closing up early and then we learned that Luang Prabang has an 11:30 town-wide curfew. With that, we decided to retire to our quiet room. We spent some time reflecting on the past few hours and all the reasons we have already found to love Laos. Our first morning in Luang Prabang started with a great little breakfast along side the mighty Mekong. We celebrated the pleasant service and spectacular views, such a classic setting it was. We took in some sights including the incredible hilltop Wat Phou Si. From here we could see the entire city with its spectacular rivers and rolling green hills. Luang Prabang has tons to offer and after a great few days we decided that we would be back to this city after we explored a little more of the country.
As we headed to Vang Vieng we learned that road trips in Laos are also shockingly different from our experience elsewhere in S.E.A. We found ourselves touring leisurely through the soaring mountains. This was by far the most carefree and scenic bus trip of the past 3 months, and likely of our entire lives. Now Vang Vieng is considered a rite of passage on any South East Asian-backpacker-tour. It is a small town nestled beside the Nam Song (Song River) and surrounded by dramatic limestone karsts. This place is legendary for its lazy river tubing and for the array of mind bending “Happy” pizzas, brownies, milkshakes, and other concoctions which travelers can experiment with. We didn’t know quite what to expect as we had read so much hype about wild times to be had and so far we’ve found ourselves more into steering clear of the blazing backpacker trail. The town was much nicer than we anticipated, just full of spectacular natural beauty. Granted the small-town nature has been completely abandoned as the streets are lined with bars and restaurants catering to the western tourists. Within the first couple hours of being there we stumbled upon a sign post for a great cave. We followed the footpath to the entrance where we paid a small ticket fee which included a young guide and flashlight for assistance. At the entrance of the cave was a sparkling round stalactite, the most pristine we have seen. Intrigued, we followed the small kids through the narrow passage way. After wedging ourselves between the next openings we found two huge gleaming blue stalactites coming from the roof. The kids pointed out a family of bats hanging in the darkness and that’s when I noticed an ENORMOUS spider (about the size of my hand) right beside me on my way down the makeshift ladder. Considering the close quarters there really was no escaping it and therefore when it jumped onto my leg at lightning fast speed the only thing to be done was SCREAM my face off and try not to freak out completely. We then quickly learned the worst thing to do in a cave, and that is to look around for the creepy unknowns lurking in the darkness. With our flashlight we spotted yet another crazy cave spider above us only this one was nearly twice the size of the first. With available oxygen decreasing and temperatures and anxiety rising, we were sufficiently wigged out to decline from lying on our stomachs to squeeze even deeper. Panicked and dirty we emerged from the darkness for a final creepy crawler check and about 15 minutes of recovery. So we concluded that the cave was awesome but our future as spelunkers was not going to be bright.
We really settled into great eating while in Vang Vieng too. In the evenings we dined at the oldest and most authentic restaurant in town which had amazing Lao BBQ and other dishes. We also took full advantage of the Organic Mulberry Farm Café, enjoying scrumptious mulberry milkshakes, teas, pancakes and so much more. Even the late night food in Vang Vieng was awesome as we could get fresh crepes or great baguette sub-sandwiches for only $1. Our final day in Vang Vieng we decided we would embark on our passage on the Nam Song. We rented our tubes and jumped in a tuk-tuk with another 6 tubers travelling up to the launch point. When we pulled up to the riverside launching ground it looked and sounded like college spring break. The riverside was lined with wooden deck bars, tons of half naked-fully loaded people, and thumping tunes. Unlike the masses we were seeking a little more of a tranquil float down the river so, belongings in hand, we carefully propped ourselves into our tubes and onto the river. As we drifted away from this area we had to keep a watchful eye as there were foreigners flying through the air and into the water in every direction. There were zip lines, rip cords, huge water swings, and line ups for all of them. The tubing was pretty lazy as there really wasn’t much current in most areas and therefore it felt more like lounging in the pool but there was one feature better than the typical swim-up bar. As you float down the river there are numerous riverside bars looking for you to stop in for some drinks or maybe a bucket or two. The great part is that they use their bamboo fishing rods (without hooks…) to bring you in. Once it’s been established that you’re thirsty, they throw out the line and basically reel you in for a cold one. Even with the markup for convenience, you can still make off with a giant bottle for about $1.50. Just like Luang Prabang, we could have stayed in Vang Vieng for MUCH MUCH longer but as the days dwindled before out May 14th flight, we had to keep up a steady pace off moving along.
Next stop, Phonsavon. Although Northern Laos is very small and the distance between the major sights is no more than 250km, the bus rides are long. The longest route we travelled was 240km but each bus ride took around 7 hours. The main road of the north is so mountainous that we figure you spend about 450km ascending, descending and winding back and forth while only about 200km are accomplished in the direction you want to go. The driving speed doesn’t top 45km/hour as the road is narrow and winds high on the mountain tops. Again, the greatest sight seeing journey. We imagined how great it would be to have a couple motorbikes to cruise through the countryside at our own leisure…maybe next time. We arrived in Phonsavon in the afternoon and soon realized that the town was certainly not the main attraction here. There was one main street lined with some simple guest houses and restaurants but the place lacked any special character. The reason tourists stop in Phonsavon is due to its proximity to the Plain of Jars. We checked into our simple guesthouse and immediately booked our tour out to the Jars for the following day. Phonsavon is located in the Xiang Khoang province in Laos. Xiang Khoang is the most heavily bombed province in the most heavily bombed country per capita in ALL wars in world history. Since Laos is landlocked by China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, it has suffered the consequences of all sides that targeted nearby enemies. The statistics for Laos are as follows: between the years of 1969 and 1974, A HALF TON OF BOMBS WERE DROPPED FOR EVERY PERSON IN THE COUNTRY. For this reason, there are many efforts by different organizations to clear the areas of unexploded bombs and debris. We visited the local MAG museum who aims to educate locals and tourists of the dangers of these bombs. The group also helps to form community bomb clearing initiatives in the nearby countryside. We learned a lot about their efforts and the reality which locals face due to the impact of war. Many areas are still so heavily littered with unexploded bombs that people are always facing the treat of serious injury or even death. One thing which perpetuates famine and poverty is the fear and risk involved in expanding farm land to grow more crops. Similar to Cambodia with its threat of countless landmines, Laos still suffers greatly due to the amount of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). The following morning we joined a group of 6 others on our way to visit the illustrious Plain of Jars. The tour consisted of visiting the 3 main sites of jars as well as a whisky (Lao-Lao) making village and an abandoned Russian tank. Arriving at site 1, we had to read safety warnings about the plains we would explore. The signs explained how the areas surrounded by white route markers have been cleared of UXO using metal detection and the areas with red route markers are of greater risk as they have only been visually inspected for bombs. Treading lightly and sticking to the well beaten trails, we explored the area. The jars lay in clusters, scattered across hillsides. The jars vary in shape and size as well as numbers in the groupings. Each site was slightly different and each was very impressive. Although they have been studied for years, there is no way to date the jars and their function is still unknown. It is believed the jars are one solid piece and were carved from enormous boulders. Even how they transported the heavy boulders, to the distant hillsides, from the rock quarries is unknown. The origin of the jars really is mysterious. Some people reckon they were used to store rice or water nearly 2000 years ago. Other thoughts are that they were used as family tombs yet there have never been remains discovered to prove this theory. There is also an ancient story that around 3000 years ago there was a great king who won a battle and to celebrate, he had all of these enormous jars constructed in order to ferment rice wine-if this is the case then hundreds of people would have been drunk for hundreds of years. Regardless of the theory, none has been proven so the jars are still a great mystery of civilization. After our tour we enjoyed some incredible Indian cuisine in town and prepared ourselves for an early rise to head back to Luang Prabang in the morning.
The 7 hour bus journey was cut down to 4hours as we arranged for a minivan to take us back to Luang Prabang. Granted it was nice to shave 3 hours off the ride but at the same time traveling that much faster on the winding roads tossed us allover. It was exhausting just trying to stay in our seat for the wild ride. Bottom line, we made it back for our last few days in Laos. We spent the next couple days just taking it easy, soaking in the town, and picking up our last great finds from the lovely night market. Our final day here, we had a great lunch on the river and walked around town taking it all in. We strolled through the sunny streets in absolute awe of all the exotic specimens found around each corner. From insects, spiders, plants, and beautiful varieties of flowers, we saw more here in Laos in just 10 days than everywhere else combined. Without enough time to explore the country further we booked a flight from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai in the North of Thailand.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Magestic Halong Bay
Hanoi is certainly the commercial center of the country. While HCMC is equally as large and impressive, the circumstances of its involvement during the war have left it less developed in terms of trade and commerce. Hanoi’s main tourist area is in the heart of the Old City, a 20km squared area where we decided to hang our hats for a couple nights. The streets in the Old City are littered with cyclos, ladies carrying fresh fruit, shoe-repair guys, moto-taxis, everything and anything-just navigating them on-foot is exhausting. The surprisingly tidy streets are named after the main trade practiced on them Hang Bac (silversmith street), Hang Gai (chicken street), Lo Ren(blacksmith street), and Hang Dien (leather street), it’s logical and truly classic to the ancient city. We enjoyed a traditional form of entertainment when we spent the evening at The Water Puppet Theatre. Somehow we lucked out and were seated in the 2nd row, which was great. The show was filled with live music, singing, and quite the puppetry depicting many aspects of Vietnamese life.
For many tourists, including ourselves, Hanoi is a jump-off point to the spectacular Halong Bay. City Gate Guesthouse, where we were staying, pitched to us a 3 day tour through Halong Bay at a price we couldn’t refuse. Halong Bay is another UNESCO heritage site but our guess is that being designated as one of these sites hasn’t helped the area environmentally. An army of 300 plus boats lined the shore of Halong City harbour waiting for tourists to arrive by the bus load. On our cruise, we would spend one full day on Halong Bay including one night’s accommodation and then the following afternoon we would travel to Cat Ba Island where would sleep our second night. We paid 65$ each for two nights accommodations, a 3 day tour of the best sites in the bay, a trip through Cat Ba National Park, caving, kayaking, and 3 large meals a day… so when our boat didn’t have sails and the pictures we had been shown weren’t really relevant, we marked another point for Vietnam and moved past it as it was still pretty great value for our money. The first day was unfortunately very hazy and visibility wasn’t too great for photos but the weather was nice and cool making it perfect for relaxing on the upper deck. Two couples from Australia, a single Dutchman from Amsterdam, and two naïve and bubbly girls from HCMC, were the cast of characters we would spend the next few days with. Perched high in a limestone karsts, we visited a cave which was only just discovered in 1993 by a fisherman and opened to the public in 1997. For both of us this was the most amazing cave we had ever seen. This was a pleasant surprise as we weren’t aware of it on our itinerary. A path lead through tight passages that opened up into cathedral sized rooms decorated in stalactite and mites of every shape and size. The rock formations in the cave were strategically accented by green, red, and purple floodlights and it turned the cave into a very surreal and gothic landscape. We cruised past the souvenir booths and got back on the boat to cross the cove to a floating village where we would spend some time kayaking. One of the most magical experiences to date was the time we spent on the level with Halong Bay in our kayak. It was peaceful and magnificent and we wished we could stay out on the water for the whole day. As we paddled along it was like cruising through a lively rainforest, only on water. We saw water snakes, lizards, exotic birds, butterflies, and even several wild monkeys. There were caves to paddle through and just so much to see. Definitely a super special place for our first time kayaking together. Our night on the boat was really great. Everyone got on really well and with every round of beers the conversation flowed. When there was a pause in action we sat gazing at the star-filled sky just amazed at the beautiful silence. It was such a nice escape from the non-stop, honking traffic of the city, as well as most of the rest of Vietnam. Starting day 2 we did some cycling through Cat Ba National Park and although it rained, the scenery was great. After another great meal, we headed to land to check into our hotel and enjoy some free-time for the afternoon. We visited a couple beaches and took an incredibly scenic walk around a cliff-side walkway. In the evening we hit a local bar with our tour guide and another Canadian couple, had some drinks and tried rice wine...there’s a reason it’s known for knocking your socks off. Looking around at the sights of Halong Bay made us so thankful for our experience. We both reflected on how many times we had seen it depicted in movies, magazines, and documentaries. It really is one of those magical places which you can’t believe you are seeing with your very own eyes.
Once we returned to Hanoi, we were pretty keen on getting ourselves to Laos. We had intended on visiting another area of Northern Vietnam but after some reflection on past bus trips and some calculating of days, we decided we would head to Laos as soon as possible. We booked a bus from our guesthouse although we were much less than excited for the 24hour bus trip. We were picked up at 5:30 in the afternoon in order to catch the 7pm bus. We should have known something was wrong when they piled 17 foreigners in a 14 passenger van (each of us with enough baggage to account for another person) but this was only our transfer so we let it slide. When we arrived at the bus station the minibus pulled over around the back and we filed out onto the sidewalk. The snaky character who was “in charge” of getting us on a bus really sealed the deal for the two of us that night. While ALL 17 of us sat helpless on the sidewalk down a shady side street, the joker spent his time producing a whole lot of nothing as he tried to arrange transportation for all. The catch here is that he gets paid a fixed amount by the booking agencies so he then tries to barter directly with bus drivers so he can shave as much off the cost as possible, leaving the remainder for his pocket. Basically the way that evening went was him pretending to try and get us a bus, him making excuses, him telling lies, him getting hopped up on goof balls (aka cocaine, meth/who knows what)…and US SITTING ON OUR BACKPACKS ON THE CURB! At 11pm he finally came straight and let us know that we would not be getting the bus tonight. After FIVE+ hours of waiting the only things he managed to produce were taxis back into the city. On top of our wasted time and tested patience, the taxis which we had been told he was taking care of, ran the meter and expected to be paid. Fuming upon our return to Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we ditched the cab and took off on foot seeking some right in this situation. We marched back to where we had booked and paid for the bus ticket and demanded a refund. With only a little initial resistance, they returned our money. We stayed the night there, and booked the first plane out the following day. One thing we learned: the weather is not the only thing which is CONSISTENTLY hazy in Vietnam…
For many tourists, including ourselves, Hanoi is a jump-off point to the spectacular Halong Bay. City Gate Guesthouse, where we were staying, pitched to us a 3 day tour through Halong Bay at a price we couldn’t refuse. Halong Bay is another UNESCO heritage site but our guess is that being designated as one of these sites hasn’t helped the area environmentally. An army of 300 plus boats lined the shore of Halong City harbour waiting for tourists to arrive by the bus load. On our cruise, we would spend one full day on Halong Bay including one night’s accommodation and then the following afternoon we would travel to Cat Ba Island where would sleep our second night. We paid 65$ each for two nights accommodations, a 3 day tour of the best sites in the bay, a trip through Cat Ba National Park, caving, kayaking, and 3 large meals a day… so when our boat didn’t have sails and the pictures we had been shown weren’t really relevant, we marked another point for Vietnam and moved past it as it was still pretty great value for our money. The first day was unfortunately very hazy and visibility wasn’t too great for photos but the weather was nice and cool making it perfect for relaxing on the upper deck. Two couples from Australia, a single Dutchman from Amsterdam, and two naïve and bubbly girls from HCMC, were the cast of characters we would spend the next few days with. Perched high in a limestone karsts, we visited a cave which was only just discovered in 1993 by a fisherman and opened to the public in 1997. For both of us this was the most amazing cave we had ever seen. This was a pleasant surprise as we weren’t aware of it on our itinerary. A path lead through tight passages that opened up into cathedral sized rooms decorated in stalactite and mites of every shape and size. The rock formations in the cave were strategically accented by green, red, and purple floodlights and it turned the cave into a very surreal and gothic landscape. We cruised past the souvenir booths and got back on the boat to cross the cove to a floating village where we would spend some time kayaking. One of the most magical experiences to date was the time we spent on the level with Halong Bay in our kayak. It was peaceful and magnificent and we wished we could stay out on the water for the whole day. As we paddled along it was like cruising through a lively rainforest, only on water. We saw water snakes, lizards, exotic birds, butterflies, and even several wild monkeys. There were caves to paddle through and just so much to see. Definitely a super special place for our first time kayaking together. Our night on the boat was really great. Everyone got on really well and with every round of beers the conversation flowed. When there was a pause in action we sat gazing at the star-filled sky just amazed at the beautiful silence. It was such a nice escape from the non-stop, honking traffic of the city, as well as most of the rest of Vietnam. Starting day 2 we did some cycling through Cat Ba National Park and although it rained, the scenery was great. After another great meal, we headed to land to check into our hotel and enjoy some free-time for the afternoon. We visited a couple beaches and took an incredibly scenic walk around a cliff-side walkway. In the evening we hit a local bar with our tour guide and another Canadian couple, had some drinks and tried rice wine...there’s a reason it’s known for knocking your socks off. Looking around at the sights of Halong Bay made us so thankful for our experience. We both reflected on how many times we had seen it depicted in movies, magazines, and documentaries. It really is one of those magical places which you can’t believe you are seeing with your very own eyes.
Once we returned to Hanoi, we were pretty keen on getting ourselves to Laos. We had intended on visiting another area of Northern Vietnam but after some reflection on past bus trips and some calculating of days, we decided we would head to Laos as soon as possible. We booked a bus from our guesthouse although we were much less than excited for the 24hour bus trip. We were picked up at 5:30 in the afternoon in order to catch the 7pm bus. We should have known something was wrong when they piled 17 foreigners in a 14 passenger van (each of us with enough baggage to account for another person) but this was only our transfer so we let it slide. When we arrived at the bus station the minibus pulled over around the back and we filed out onto the sidewalk. The snaky character who was “in charge” of getting us on a bus really sealed the deal for the two of us that night. While ALL 17 of us sat helpless on the sidewalk down a shady side street, the joker spent his time producing a whole lot of nothing as he tried to arrange transportation for all. The catch here is that he gets paid a fixed amount by the booking agencies so he then tries to barter directly with bus drivers so he can shave as much off the cost as possible, leaving the remainder for his pocket. Basically the way that evening went was him pretending to try and get us a bus, him making excuses, him telling lies, him getting hopped up on goof balls (aka cocaine, meth/who knows what)…and US SITTING ON OUR BACKPACKS ON THE CURB! At 11pm he finally came straight and let us know that we would not be getting the bus tonight. After FIVE+ hours of waiting the only things he managed to produce were taxis back into the city. On top of our wasted time and tested patience, the taxis which we had been told he was taking care of, ran the meter and expected to be paid. Fuming upon our return to Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we ditched the cab and took off on foot seeking some right in this situation. We marched back to where we had booked and paid for the bus ticket and demanded a refund. With only a little initial resistance, they returned our money. We stayed the night there, and booked the first plane out the following day. One thing we learned: the weather is not the only thing which is CONSISTENTLY hazy in Vietnam…
Splendid Hoi An
We thought since we were travelling by night-bus, leaving the busy beach town of Nha Trang, that we would be gently rocked to sleep through the night, waking come morning upon arrival in the ancient river village of Hoi An. Unfortunately the “night bus” just resulted in faster speeds due to less congested roads. Along the way there was even a motorbike and a big rig flipped over on the shoulder, evidence that many of the vehicles we encountered were operated by reckless, sleep deprived or drunk drivers. We finally arrived in Hoi An around 8am and were a little less than bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. We spent the first couple hours catching up on some zzzz, refueling, and watching some HBO.
Thanks to its UNESCO World Heritage Site status, pace of life in Hoi An is slow- which we love. We were pretty hungry after the long bus ride, so we headed to the Old Quarter, the main attraction here, to grab some lunch. Again, due to its historical status, cars are not allowed on the old streets and motorcycles must follow strict speed laws. The lack of vehicles combined with a slow river running through the south end of town results in an Old Quarter oozing with atmosphere. The river is picturesque and soothing. It’s hard to believe that almost yearly the town is faced with seasonal flooding. Hoi An is surrounded by water with a substantial river in the centre of town and lakes all around. These bodies tend to swell during the rainy season (November to January) and we’ve heard that during these times, the streets are navigated only by boat. The shops and homes on either side of the river front are outfitted with small docks so they can still go about their daily lives even during the wettest of times. The income of nearly all the people who call the Old Quarter home is connected to the overwhelming cloth and tailoring industry. Shop after shop, line, street after street, all competing with sample jackets, dresses, and suits at the front of their shop. After eyeing the one of-a-kind goods for days, we decided to have a few items personalized for us. We realized that you really can’t do anything in Vietnam without an underlying shadiness. They definitely tried to swindle us by producing really cheap quality goods quite similar to those which we had picked out but we are nobody’s fool so we called them on there poor business practice and had the items remade to our liking. The two of us will never forget the day we came so close to ringing a “sweet little Vietnamese girl’s” neck or the sound of her whining as she told us we were “TERRRRRible people” who “forget what you order”. All in all we’d like to think we came out on top as we refused to buy the items which were wrong and made off with some great custom items to take home. Lesson learned-take photographs of items which you commit to so you don’t have to argue for an hour with a manipulative saleswoman…
A real highlight in Hoi An is the more high end dining available. There are countless really great places to eat and we tried some amazing foods including the local specialties; White Rose-a delicious fresh wonton filled with shrimp, Banana and Shrimp Spring rolls, and Cao Lau, a mix of vermicelli, pork, sprouts, and croutons in broth. Hoi An is a foodie haven so we signed ourselves up for a 1 day cooking course with the most reputable place in town. We started our morning early meeting at the café for a fresh fruit drink and to meet the others in our class. We lucked out having only 4 others in the group, being 2 laid back couples from Australia, who we got on well with. We started by visiting their huge organic vegetable and herb gardens followed by an informative trip to the local market. Here we even had the chance to try betel nut (bitternut), a fruit/nut chewed by elder women. It’s easy to spot the ladies who “chew for a high” because in addition to their doped up giggling, over time their teeth and mouth dye a dark red/black…ever so appealing. Anyway, we found the effects minimal other than a numbing like an Anbesol product but the taste was god-awful and there was an incredibly stubborn aftertaste.
A few kilometers from town we settled for an afternoon of cooking at the Red Bridge Cooking School. The grounds were stunning as an elite chef from Australia keeps them private for the classes and his personal entertaining. The place is set right on the river. There is a pool, a huge outdoor patio and bar, as well as a state of the art open air cooking/dining facility. The class was taught by a Vietnamese Master Chef (Phi), and he was great. From scratch: we learned to make rice paper and noodles, Pho (beef noodle soup), BBQ-banana leaf-shrimp, fish clay pot, and an elegant chicken and mango salad with grilled sesame rice paper. Everything was absolutely scrumptious and we were so happy with the quality and how thorough the instruction was. We had lots of fun as a group cooking. The booze flowed freely, the food was to die for, and all and all we were so happy with the experience.
As it was time to move along we had set our sights on the capital in the north, Hanoi. The Reunification Express is the legendary railway system spanning 1700km connecting HCMC to Hanoi. There is a train station in Hoi An and we had discussed that the countryside would be best taken in by rail, so we wandered into a travel office to purchase some tickets. Well…seems the popularity with tourists has driven the cost up substantially…(mind you the Vietnamese still pay peanuts for the same trip-a fact that applies to everything “foreigner fees…”). Our options worked out to $40/person for a 14 hour train ride in a car without a window or a 45 MINUTE plane ride for $5 more per person. Seeing as the train seemed a little less magical than we had envisioned, we opted to forgo the classic rail trail and high-tail-it to the capital. HANOI HERE WE COME!
Thanks to its UNESCO World Heritage Site status, pace of life in Hoi An is slow- which we love. We were pretty hungry after the long bus ride, so we headed to the Old Quarter, the main attraction here, to grab some lunch. Again, due to its historical status, cars are not allowed on the old streets and motorcycles must follow strict speed laws. The lack of vehicles combined with a slow river running through the south end of town results in an Old Quarter oozing with atmosphere. The river is picturesque and soothing. It’s hard to believe that almost yearly the town is faced with seasonal flooding. Hoi An is surrounded by water with a substantial river in the centre of town and lakes all around. These bodies tend to swell during the rainy season (November to January) and we’ve heard that during these times, the streets are navigated only by boat. The shops and homes on either side of the river front are outfitted with small docks so they can still go about their daily lives even during the wettest of times. The income of nearly all the people who call the Old Quarter home is connected to the overwhelming cloth and tailoring industry. Shop after shop, line, street after street, all competing with sample jackets, dresses, and suits at the front of their shop. After eyeing the one of-a-kind goods for days, we decided to have a few items personalized for us. We realized that you really can’t do anything in Vietnam without an underlying shadiness. They definitely tried to swindle us by producing really cheap quality goods quite similar to those which we had picked out but we are nobody’s fool so we called them on there poor business practice and had the items remade to our liking. The two of us will never forget the day we came so close to ringing a “sweet little Vietnamese girl’s” neck or the sound of her whining as she told us we were “TERRRRRible people” who “forget what you order”. All in all we’d like to think we came out on top as we refused to buy the items which were wrong and made off with some great custom items to take home. Lesson learned-take photographs of items which you commit to so you don’t have to argue for an hour with a manipulative saleswoman…
A real highlight in Hoi An is the more high end dining available. There are countless really great places to eat and we tried some amazing foods including the local specialties; White Rose-a delicious fresh wonton filled with shrimp, Banana and Shrimp Spring rolls, and Cao Lau, a mix of vermicelli, pork, sprouts, and croutons in broth. Hoi An is a foodie haven so we signed ourselves up for a 1 day cooking course with the most reputable place in town. We started our morning early meeting at the café for a fresh fruit drink and to meet the others in our class. We lucked out having only 4 others in the group, being 2 laid back couples from Australia, who we got on well with. We started by visiting their huge organic vegetable and herb gardens followed by an informative trip to the local market. Here we even had the chance to try betel nut (bitternut), a fruit/nut chewed by elder women. It’s easy to spot the ladies who “chew for a high” because in addition to their doped up giggling, over time their teeth and mouth dye a dark red/black…ever so appealing. Anyway, we found the effects minimal other than a numbing like an Anbesol product but the taste was god-awful and there was an incredibly stubborn aftertaste.
A few kilometers from town we settled for an afternoon of cooking at the Red Bridge Cooking School. The grounds were stunning as an elite chef from Australia keeps them private for the classes and his personal entertaining. The place is set right on the river. There is a pool, a huge outdoor patio and bar, as well as a state of the art open air cooking/dining facility. The class was taught by a Vietnamese Master Chef (Phi), and he was great. From scratch: we learned to make rice paper and noodles, Pho (beef noodle soup), BBQ-banana leaf-shrimp, fish clay pot, and an elegant chicken and mango salad with grilled sesame rice paper. Everything was absolutely scrumptious and we were so happy with the quality and how thorough the instruction was. We had lots of fun as a group cooking. The booze flowed freely, the food was to die for, and all and all we were so happy with the experience.
As it was time to move along we had set our sights on the capital in the north, Hanoi. The Reunification Express is the legendary railway system spanning 1700km connecting HCMC to Hanoi. There is a train station in Hoi An and we had discussed that the countryside would be best taken in by rail, so we wandered into a travel office to purchase some tickets. Well…seems the popularity with tourists has driven the cost up substantially…(mind you the Vietnamese still pay peanuts for the same trip-a fact that applies to everything “foreigner fees…”). Our options worked out to $40/person for a 14 hour train ride in a car without a window or a 45 MINUTE plane ride for $5 more per person. Seeing as the train seemed a little less magical than we had envisioned, we opted to forgo the classic rail trail and high-tail-it to the capital. HANOI HERE WE COME!
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