Vanishing Viet Nam

Three weeks disappeared like sand through our fingers as we traveled the length of Viet Nam...and by the end of the time, I was starting to enjoy many of her idiosyncrasies that drove me crazy when we arrived. It seems as if every place we have visited has just taken a little time to settle into the unique rhythm of that place. Viet Nam moves at an astonishing rate, but proved to be quite laid back once you adjust to the pace. Everyone is quite business minded, but we found our interactions to actually be quite pleasant and no one pushed their services or merchandise too hard. Copy cats spring up everywhere. If there is one successful store or travel agency, everyone sets up shop under the same name hoping the same success will follow. We just tended to avoid those agencies and restaurants all together (even the originals) and sought out the little guy doing his own thing, and were seldom let down. We were a bit taken aback by the one route everyone follows up or down the long narrow country, so we hopped on board and made the requisite stops at all the charming cities Viet Nam boasts. A short stroll from the 'traveler centers' made for incredible experiences. On one particular bikeride, I wove in and out of small lanes on the outskirts of town and was met by the most excited greetings. It was such a shock to find a foreignor on their quiet residential lanes that people were craning their necks out of their windows to get a glance of me before giving me a hearty wave! Those are the most rewarding moments when on the road. In Viet Nam (much like China), we encountered a much different place than the one we had conjured in our heads....and although it is certainly not a hidden gem, it is a gem none-the-less!

A passing history

It was a sobering trip to the War Remnants Museum in Saigon. The exhibit halls were silent except for the rattle of the fans as people slowly waded through the horrifying pictures documenting the war. There was a tribute to photojournalists from around the world who lost their lives trying to share the real stories of the war. Many of the photos I was familiar with or I had at least seen very similar shots to those on display. However, looking at them side by side with Vietnamese tourists and with my feet planted on Vietnamese soil, I found myself particularly affected. I had a giant knot in my throat and tears kept stinging my eyes. And at was even before arriving to the multiple halls showing modern photos of victims of Agent Orange. Second generation victims..those born with mind blowing deformities and diseases that have largely been forgotten about, as so many were born after the war had run its course. One particular story really gripped me. It was a letter written to President Obama by a 23 year old victim born without legs and no left hand. He says "I have read your letter to your beloved daughters, in which you put it like this: 'These are the things I want for you--to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That is why I've taken our family on this great adventure.' I was deeply moved by the love you have for your daughters and the dreams you have for children of other countries, and I believe that you could have included children in Vietnam in your words. I dream that you were including innocent children slowly killed by dioxin, and their suffering. I dream you had in mind what to do to help every child to have the same chances to learn and to dream and to grow and thrive like your daughters." He is one of more than 3 million victims of Agent Orange in Viet Nam that are still suffering today because the chemical has yet to be cleaned up and is still present in the soil from which they harvest their rice and vegetables. I stood transfixed in front of this message because it wasn't only asking for assistance to victims here in Viet Nam but also to victims in the US. In another hall, there was a photo showing one of three survivors of a genocide attack in which she lost her entire family. At the age of 79, she is shown weeping. The caption reads 'I don't hate Americans, they are my friends'.... I was so struck by the hope and possibility that can survive such a brutal war. I have been overcome by the kindness and generosity of a population that is still nursing her wounds and getting back on her feet after suffering such devastation...and quite simply, to be so welcome here. If there is a lesson in all of this, it is the resiliency of humankind, this amazing ability (even though often out of necessity) to rise above our problems and look to the future....and Viet Nam is certainly doing that.

But further more, it is in moments like this that I am overcome by how fortunate I am. That my parents wanted the same for me...to be able grow up in a world in which I could pursue any dream I had. To be able to live this dream and travel the world...to try to better understand this place we call home...to meet people from so many different walks of life and see that we are not so different after all. Despite all the problems and strife that riddle the news, it is amazing to see what a beautiful world it is that we are living in....when you are able to actually meet the people and experience the places for yourself.

'COM' and eat

A sign on the side of the road grabbed our attention 'COM'...and it was lunchtime, as my stomach was telling me. Com, or rice, is often how they advertise a restaurant serving rice dishes. They are quite common and we have been to several. When we pulled into the parking lot, we realized the restaurant looked more like a house and weren't sure where to sit. There was a nice spot by the lake with seating, but we weren't sure it was associated with the restaurant. A fleeting thought made me think we should venture on down the road to some other places that had plenty of patrons. Luckily we stayed put and ordered rice with meat and veggies. Per our other experiences, we were anticipating a stirfry to be eaten with the rice, but the woman strolls down to the lakeside with a huge tray and a small grill already smoking. We were so pleasantly surprised by our own mini BBQ, of tender pork, sweet red and yellow peppers, and okra! Using our chopsticks we took turns adding meat and veggies to our little grill while the turquoise water lapped at the shore. A crowd of drunk men sang merrily on a nearby dock under a brilliant blue sky spinkled with huge cumulus clouds. What we expected to be a quick unimpressive lunch turned into a delightful BBQ, reminding us of home.

(I didn't mean for this to start turning into a food blog, but i just can't help sharing these fun, scrumptious experiences!)

Back on two wheels

To cover more distance without joining the ubiquitous tour groups, Tim and I rented a motorbike (aka scooter) to get out and see the countryside. Well, it was actually our second outing on a motorbike...and after our first outing, I had my reservations about locomoting on these machines. Our first experience was with a total lemon, without much life left in her. As Tim shifted (or attempted to), we would lurch violently down the road. The moto did successfully get us to and from our destination (ancient Hindu ruins), with an amazing ride through the countryside just as the sun was rising and waking up the landscape. However, we returned the scooter once back in town with no intentions of being on it any longer than we had to. So this time around, I requested an automatic...and was a bit disheartened when I found out they didn't have one. But, much to our delight we encountered a sleek new scooter with working gages...and it slipped through the gears beautifully. On this adventure we are up in the highlands, having climbed up out of the heat. It is perfect weather for puttering along the winding roads among the evergreen forests and lakes. This region grows much of the country's produce, so we sailed past perfect heads of cabbage and cauliflower, and lines of greenhouses protecting brilliant gardenias and roses. We would pass motorbikes laden with bundles of fresh cut flowers headed for market. The most fun was when I assumed the driver's position... (although there are plenty of ladies driving the ubiquitous motorbike, you seldom see one driving with a man behind her...) So we had a great time watching heads spin and a man doing the most exaggerated double-take before his wrinkled brow eased and a huge smile took over his face. It's great fun joining the masses on two wheels...as long as they are a sturdy pair of wheels!!

Scooter Mania

Sometimes crossing the street feels like you have fallen into a parade and you are caught in the midst of a crew of Shriners on motos. Darting in and out of each other, often carrying loads that defy the laws of physics and the power of the motor, it is a raucus circus marching down the road in a harmonious chaos. Crossing the road, the scooters part around you as if you are Moses parting the Red Sea. They carry everything, including the kitchen sink. Driving with one hand, they balance heavy loads with their 'free' hand. Mounds of vegetables, stacks of chicken cages, hardware equipment...you name it, they can move it on the back of a moto. And every time your foot hits the sidewalk as you exit your hotel, there is a friendly chap (helmet already on) offering eagerly, 'Hello....moto?!'

Halong Bay....along with 50 other boats

We could not skip out on the chance to visit Halong Bay in northern Viet Nam, one of those quintessential experiences. It is a beautiful bay dotted with limestone islands covered in lush vegetation. So, we had little choice but to join the masses on the typical 'junk' boat tour, enjoying three days in these beautiful environs. And while the caravan of boats and noisy generators on board only slightly hindered the beauty, nothing could damped the experience sailing through these islands that simply jut right out of the water....not even the raincloud that followed us! There are caves scattered among the islands, formed out of the limestone substrate. We toured one with gigantic chambers unlike any other cave I have ever explored. Swimming and kayaking lead to carefree days, where we resorted to autopilot and just waited for our guide's next instructions. A young Vietnamese family was on our boat, and we shared all of our meals with them. Although unable to communicate, they became our friends during the journey. But, truly it was all about the scenery, so the pictures tell the story better than I can!

A difficult position

Although the US has impacted many of the countries we have visited on our trip, Viet Nam is the first country to have such a conflicted history with the US. Thus, it is difficult for us as Americans to stroll into the country, as we have the 'American War' (as it is called here) blatantly associated with us. Or that is the way we feel anyway, but the reality of how we are received here makes it feel as if our two countries were never engaged in a devastating war that ravaged the country. When we first arrived, I dreaded the inevitable first question everyone throws at you...'Where are you from?'. But our response has always been greeted by smiles and enthusiasm for our country. And for someone whose impression of the country has been shaped by high school history classes and the movie industry, it is a beautiful experience to get to see the country first hand outside of the context of the war. However, it does not lessen the blow as we visit historical sites that were bombed and destroyed during the war, erasing parts of the country's history. I also find it particularly hard coming across people with deformities here, as my mind starts to wander about the causes of their situation. Although no less tragic than a person in India with a similar affliction, the potential connection to this person's situation is hard to swallow. That said, just as our generation is removed from the war, so are our counterparts here in Viet Nam who are looking to the future as their country is making great strides to become a modern country. So, we continue on down the tourist trail, marveling at Viet Nam's beautiful countryside and hard working people.

Culture shock

We dropped down into northern Viet Nam, making our first stop in the small 'village' of Sapa. Sapa is perfectly picturesque situated amongst the lush hills and steep rice terraces, but the word has gotten out. The small town was crawling with tourists, which came as quite a shock after being the minority amidst the crowds of Chinese tourists we had just left behind. The half mile lane that composed the heart of town was lined with restaurants and hotels catering to the western tourist...and it was quite difficult finding ourselves in the midst of this scene when we were anticipating a quiet village belonging to one of several minority groups in the area. And the tourism has further shaped the local culture as the local women, in their beautiful traditional clothing, swarmed upon you like bees in a flower garden, flashing their tapestries and handicrafts in your face. 'You buy from me?! You buy from me later?!....promise?!'. It was exhausting trying to walk anywhere, as someone immediately latched on and would follow you wherever you were going in hopes of making a sale.

Tim and I did venture out of the town and strolled through the surrounding rice terraces and found a completely different experience that retained the authenticity we weren't seeing in town. Beautiful, lush, vibrant terraces stacked like the ultimate wedding cake stretched up the valley walls and were topped by thick bamboo forests. We lost ourselves rambling through the terraces only occasionally running into locals, who either flashed a captivating sincere smile or timidly cast their gaze to the ground and shuffled past us with curious glances back at us. Their woven baskets packed to the gills with fresh greens or pale ears of corn. Although I'm sure even the people we saw out in the field have seen their fair share of tourists, it felt less corrupted by the tourist trade. It was a glimpse of people living their lives instead of the performance found in the town itself. What started out as overwhelming turned into a beautiful, and memorable entrance to Viet Nam.

Just one last visit to the park...

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, one of the most memorable and insightful experiences we had in China was at the various city parks that are such a flurry of activity. So, before leaving China, we paid one last visit to a park. Each visit we made to a park, we happened upon a new activity or exercise. And there is never a shortage of activites taking place, day or night. Any little strip of sidewalk will do for a game of badmiton or a group tai chi session. Kite flyers in one area, paddle boats out on the lake, dance routines in another area...people are always stooped over games of Chinese chess and mah jong, musicians come with their instruments to practice in a 'quiet' corner away from the ubiquitous groups with karaoke set up. We were quite taken by the value people placed on these open spaces and just all the use these parks see. We relished our early morning workouts amidst the crowds doing their daily exercises.

"What's REAL Chinese food like?!"

Everyone always asks about Chinese food...'is it the same as the food back home?'. Although neither Tim nor I are aficionados of American Chinese food, I suppose that in the broad sense people might say it is similar....you order several dishes to be shared and eaten with rice. However, our culinary explorations led us to sample every imaginable variety of steamed bun and a plethora of noodle soups (our favorite being the soups with hand 'pulled' noodles magically whipped up right in front of us). We also enjoyed eating family style with fellow travelers and staff at a hostel where more than 10 of us were all feasting on various homestyle meat and veggie dishes that the wonderful staff whipped up and then joined us to eat (always a good sign when the staff is willing to join you!!). Chopsticks would weave their way in and out across the table to sample the various steaming dishes we all shared. But it is one meal in particular that defines our culinary experience in China...in the quaint old town of Dali, we happened into a small restaurant that looked much like all it's neighbors with baskets of fresh produce on display that you could choose from for your dinner. A bit to the owner's dismay, we opted to invent our own dishes instead of trying his specialties. We had a lovely dinner and decided to return the following night...this time to sample his special dishes. He happily ushers us to the last of the six tables in his modest restaurant and starts to point things out on the menu (which was loosely in english...at least to giving you a vague notion of the dish). The owner's lack of english prevented him from describing the dishes to us in any detail, so he asks around the small crowded space if anyone spoke english, and the woman seated behind us gladly became our translator. She expained that everyone came to this particular restaurant for the owner's famous spicy seafood dish. The owner yelled back into the kitchen and his wife procured a bag of mussels to show us, along with the finished product. We agreed to give it a try...liked his recommendation of chicken with green papaya...wanted to try the local fried cheese...and had to order the dish that had brought us back in the first place....sweet and sour pork. Once the order was placed, the wife (aka chef) strolls to the front of the restaurant to collect all the fresh vegetables and herbs needed to produce the savory dishes. The owner employs the translator to tell us how his prized dish goes back several generations in his family, and of the medicinal benefits of green papaya. When the dishes came and our table was overflowing with food, he watched us closely as we sampled his recommendations. There was no need to feign enjoyment as Tim and I were delighted by the meal....a veritable flavor explosion in your mouth with fresh, tangy flavors that were a world away any American Chinese experience that I have had. We wandered back to our hostel with full bellies and huge, content smiles on faces...feeling fortunate to have stumbled into this seemingly famous restaurant for such a memoable meal under the close eye of the owner.

Beautiful southwest China

We spent our last couple of weeks in China in the lush, verdant southwest. Quaint old towns with cobblestone lanes (and loads of tourists!!) and wonderful hikes up into the hills. It was a wonderful way to unwind from the bustle of the Chinese cities and enjoy the more laidback lifestyle of the minority cultures in small villages that paint a very different picture of the country...one that is a bit more aligned with my pace! Despite our poor timing (in the midst of the rainy season), we spent an invigorating couple of days hiking in Tiger Leaping Gorge in the expansive walls of the gorge towering above us. It was wonderful to get out and stretch our legs again in such a beautiful landscape, up above the heat and away from the smog. I'll let the pictures tell the story...