20120218-0303

Good Morning Vietnam! Hello, America!

"Xin (chin) Chao" is how they say Hello, and that is how they greeted us everywhere we went, surprisingly so, despite the many previous years we bombed the heck out of their beautiful country.

Upon our return from our last trip, Turkey was still cooler in temperatures and quite rainy, unusually so. So, rather than sitting in a boat which was still sitting in a boat yard, we chose another tropical location to visit. This time, we opted to visit South Vietnam, a place on our bucket list, and known to be quite warm and dry this time of year, offering much scenery, culture, and history to experience.

The first four nights we stayed in Ho Chi Minh City (previously known as Saigon). A Vietnamese travel agent helped us arrange our excursions, hotels, and transfers after we researched the best places to stay and the best sights to see.

Upon our arrival, the forewarned est five million scooters for about nine million residents, was truly incredible. Just crossing the streets to dodge them was a life-threatening event in itself- it was a violent torrent of vehicles. Somehow, the drivers mesh together weaving every which way to avoid hitting pedestrians. However, the number of accidents and deaths are staggering because they refuse to obey traffic lights, even the direction of traffic. We heard 100 deaths per day. Go figure.

We lodged at the 5-Star Hotel Majestic on the Saigon River. We didn't chance skimping on lodging, as we were skeptic of their standard of living. Surprisingly, even though our hotel was a 5-star property, the pricing was quite reasonable. We walked riverside, and trekked up 49 floors to the Financial Tower for a panoramic view of the city. Quite exhausted after travel, we dined on authentic Vietnamese cuisine in a small café off a small local street.

We noticed many people walking or riding their scooters with fabric masks covering their faces, at least three quarters of the women had masks on. After further research, we were informed an outbreak of the bird flu was in full force in the agricultural parts of the country, especially in a particular village in the Mekong Delta where we later travelled to. Uh oh. In questioning the staff and our travel agent, we were told the people cover their faces to avoid sunlight, keeping their skins soft and beautiful. We always doubt what we're told.

The second day, we booked a guided tour to the Cu Chi tunnels - an incredible
underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters (Viet Cong). This site is known to be one of the most famous battlegrounds of the Vietnam War; where mercilessly American bombers killed this gentle piece of countryside. Thousands of fighters and villagers hid in this 75-mile long underground maze during both the French and American wars. The tunnels were extremely narrow, in fact the ones we went through were enlarged for tourists- we can't imagine the GI's that crawled into these to scout out the Vietnamese. On the grounds we saw many booby traps, torture exhibits, and remnants of huge bomb craters. Despite the many people that died, Cu Chi has not. It remains a top tourist attraction displaying war memorabilia, a tour through a portion of the tunnels, and a firing range for those (aka Mark) who can try their hand at firing an AK-47 rifle or an M30 machine gun.

Next was a visit to a lacquer shop, one of the top crafts of Vietnam, and to their famed War Museum. After digesting the huge amount of historical data revolving around the Vietnam War, we were hit with a photographic display illustrating the gruesome effects of "Agent Orange", on the children then, and adults today. This was an overwhelming exhibit, and a short one for us. It literally brought tears to our eyes, we couldn't finish it. My, what we did to these kind, simple people, and why?

We moved on with our tour guide to visit the Reunification Hall/Presidential Palace, their Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Post Office, the Jade Emperor Pagoda, to Cholon - the city's Chinatown district, and then to their massive Ben Thanh Market where anything and everything has been caught, killed, and sold.

After a nap from a day's visual overload, we set off on a dinner cruise along the Saigon River with authentic Vietnamese cuisine served, and were serenaded by enjoyable traditional music and dancing.

On our third day tour we ventured with our tour guide via car northeast through authentic small towns, characteristic to what you may imagine Vietnam in its naïve state, and then boarded onto a large wood Vietnamese traditional canoe. We floated in luxury along the famed Mekong Delta, through a long network of meandering tributaries, stopped at a floating market, and went ashore to visit many small homes where they make and sell bee pollen, herbal tea remedies, rice paper, coco candy, snake wine, etc. The locals were very poor as we could see, very young, and very hardworking. We tried to buy a souvenir from each of them as just a small contribution. After another visit to a local floating fish farm, we stopped on an island home to an old French-influenced mansion, where a huge Asian-influenced, seafood multi-course lunch awaited us.

Back to our hotel, we enjoyed a two-hour couple's massage by two Vietnamese masseuses who literally walked on our backs and covered us with hot stones. Such a treat, and at only $25 per person! That night we dined at a recommended local Lemongrass Restaurant, and ventured back to our hotel, and to bed.

Our fourth day was again very warm, but drizzly. After a welcomed sleep-in, we walked the city area very far, and stumbled onto their Botanical/Zoological Gardens. After several days of some very educational and memorable experiences, the City's Gardens and Zoo was quite disappointing; rather, unkept with respect to flora and wildlife. Peacocks and Eagles living in close quarters, ragged, with the majority of their feathers torn and twisted. Back to the hotel, we enjoyed a more lively area, drinks, and cool music.

We departed the next day via a shuttle plane to the southwest side of the country, to an island known as Phu Quoc. This island is one of Asia's least developed beach destinations offering clear waters and undiscovered beaches. Incidentally though, during the French occupation from 1859-1959, the island hosted a city of prisons, torture chambers, and guillotines - and yes - it was brutal. Of course, now it is a tourist resort area, and a fisherman's home.

The resort we chose to lodge at was a beautiful reproduction of an old pagoda or temple, rich in dark woods and old furnishings, situated along the Bay of Thailand. We immediately walked the area, enjoyed beverages on the beach, and swam in the bath-watered warm sea. Up after a siesta, we dined seaside, with a renowned French chef behind our dinner creations.

The second day at Phu Quoc we planned a private snorkeling/fishing excursion aboard an old wooden fishing boat. We were very surprised of the diminished sea life amongst all the silted coral life, or lack of. Regardless, it was like heaven swimming in the one of the warmest waters we ever have. We fished off the boat while sailing around the bay, catching many small fish for our appetizers, and were served a multi-course feast of again, authentic Vietnamese cuisine. After sunset, we were eager to "squid fish", but the boat's electrical system suddenly died. Apologetically, the captain and staff informed us of the irrevocable outage, so we headed back to shore, and drove back to our resort.

Our third day's excursion planned was scuba diving off the southern outlaying islands. Again, very warm waters welcomed us, but the sea life and what was left of the coral was disappointing. It was still great to get our sea legs and dive fins back again.

We checked out of our resort the next day, with another shuttle to Ho Chi Minh, and yet another shuttle to an island off the southeast side of the country called Nha Trang. Upon arrival, we were transported by boat over to Ninh Van Bay, known for its pristine beaches spotted with natural eco-friendly bungalows entrenched in the jungle, seaside, a "6 star resort"- we always like to start our voyages rough, and end up in ultimate comfort at the end. Our accommodation was first class, hidden in the mangroves, and amongst boulders the size of a two story home. We not only had one bungalow, but two. Of course, we needed one for dining, with a generous wine cellar, a first unit with a kitchen area, bed, and bathtub, and yet another unit for sleeping together and bathing, with an outdoor shower, and an adjoining private pool. So, of course, first on our list was to skinny dip in our private pool, many times. This last resort (for 5 nights) was a perfect planned ending to a perfect getaway.

The next day we were picked up via a speedboat for more scuba diving. On this side of the country around the islands, the reefs were much more colorful, and the fish more abundant. We went snorkeling in pristine reefs, and played with an octopus for quite a while, and chased a cuttlefish for many dives. We came upon a pair of old wooden fishing boats, planting a giant net between them; fortunately, one of our guides was a fisherman and knew this crew. They invited us aboard, and asked if we wanted to fish. We were transported in a "bowl boat", a round boat woven of reeds, to the fishing boats. So, the crew of 30 men on 2 boats deployed the net between the boats, and we participated in the process, pulling lines, manning the manual ancient man-powered wooden windlasses they used to retrieve the nets. Upon retrieving one net, a substantial amount of fish, squid and shellfish were caught, with Mark as an active participant. The biggest catch, however, was a massive sailfish, many other groupers, and other very large fish! Our last stop was Bamboo Island, for a seaside Vietnamese multi-course lunch.

Back to our bungalow, we took a siesta, read, and enjoyed another happy hour with another setting sun. We walked to one of the resorts' third unique restaurants built upon the cliffs of the island into the rocks, hiking up many steps to a 5-course truly unique gourmet dinner, with a fantastic view to Nha Trang bay.

After we enjoyed a.m. leftovers from our previous meal's dining, we were picked up via cab to the marina on the mainland. Our driver guided us through the city of Nha Trang, with a stop at a Hindu Pagoda and locals weaving fine tapestry bed covers. We took a personal scenic boat river cruise with a stop at a mud bath house. For an hour or so we bathed in a couple's tub filled with milky natural mud water. Showers were very difficult, but necessary. After a taxi back to the city, we feasted at a local diner, again on the fresh local Vietnamese cuisine. Did we say that the food in Vietnam is fantastic? Trekking back seaside, we stopped at a considerably large local market and an embroidery shop literally laced with many works of true intricate handmade artwork. Back to the bungalow, and more skinny dipping.

The next day, after another sleep-in, we enjoyed another couple's Vietnamese massage... a bit pricier in the resort than Vietnam's larger cities. The wind was ideal, so we rented a Hobie cat to sail around the Bay, with Rita screaming as Mark drove the boat to heeling over on edge, but always in control. We enjoyed another happy hour, much reading, lounging by the beach at sunset time with champagne, appetizers in bed via bungalow service, and bed.

Up mid-am the next day, another dip in our private pool, and reading. We snorkeled right outside our bungalow exploring the area, amid a bit cooler waters than on the western islands. Much more reading, another happy hour, and bed.

Our last day.... Outdoor showers, brunch at the pool restaurant enjoying a taste of their plentiful fresh exotic tropical fruit, and then a transfer back to the marina, and to the mainland. Our flight connected through Malaysia, with about a nine hour layover in Kuala Lumpur, offering us a chance to see their Centro. Despite the pouring rain, we managed to bus transfer to Malaysia's very tall Telecom Tower, with yet another city's panoramic view, and then a very wet walk and taxi to Chinatown for a traditional Malaysian meal. A flight back to Istanbul, then Bodrum, then to aVida.

Vietnam is a country struggling to rebuild itself, with every person working earnestly and with good will for the future. Only in the past 5 years or so, they have achieved the strength to seriously begin rebuilding its infrastructure, and have greatly increased the level of tourism into the country, while the people feel the increasing standard of living for all coming. We asked, and never saw, any ill-will against us as Americans. When we questioned them directly, they say that the government teaches them that this was the past, and we must all look forward - impressive.

America bombed this poor agricultural country of simple, kind souls, back to the stone age. We felt ashamed as we walk among these proud, hopeful, positive people. There is no ideology that should allow for this. But they are resilient, strong people, and open to everyone, and especially to Americans. It is so hard to comprehend why, as we see so many crippled people walking the streets with war wounds and inherited Agent Orange (dioxin) crippling deformities. The cuisine is fresh and fantastic, even given Mark's limited taste for sauces etc. It is a "Communist country"; but unlike Cuba, Vietnam embraces enterprise and individual wealth, so people are thriving and eager to make a better life, and they are, truly. The country, the land, and the sea are incomparably beautiful, and rich, as are its people.

They say Vietnamese people are kind, and they are indeed very kind. They had greeted us often and welcomed us. "Xin Cao, Americans" and "Goodbye Vietnam". Hopefully, we will see you again soon. We don't know if aVida will ever sail here, but we could definitely live here...