Cruising Southeast Asia with a Side Trip to Taipei: It's a New Day, Vietnam!

The old traditions still exist

We boarded the Celebrity Millennium cruise ship in Hong Kong and began our 14-night cruise through Southeast Asia. Our first port was Halong Bay in the northern part of Vietnam. Visiting Vietnam was the main reason we chose this cruise. The Vietnam War had a major impact on both of us as young people, and we were anxious to see what Vietnam had been like for our soldiers, and what Vietnam was like today.

Vietnam is fast becoming a modern country

Vietnam is still a difficult topic for many Americans. We will try to stay objective in our writings and avoid getting too caught up in politics. However, the Vietnam War (referred to by the Vietnamese as "The American War of Aggression") is viewed very differently here.

Hanoi

Motorbikes transport everything here in Vietnam!

Although the ship docked at Halong Bay, we elected to spend the full day in the capitol city of Hanoi, which was about 100 miles from the port. Anne had arranged a private tour with a company called Ann Tours, and when we disembarked, our guide, Andy, was waiting for us. He lead us to a comfortable, air-conditioned Toyota SUV and introduced our driver, Mr. Shun. As you all know by now, we love private tours, and this one was exceptional. Andy and Mr. Shun took excellent care of us for the next 13 hours.

Family of six (look carefully) on one bike!

Because speed limits in Vietnam are ridiculously low -- 40 km/hr is typical (about 25 miles an hour), the drive to Hanoi, including a rest stop, took about 4 hours. This sounds painfully long, but we had a fun time taking in the sights on the road. Vietnam calls itself a "motorbike kingdom," and hundreds of motorbikes buzzed all around us carrying piles of boxes, cages of live pigs and chickens, and little babies with no helmets (scary) held tightly by their parents.

Pho eateries are EVERYWHERE

Frank also entertained himself learning about all the different types of Pho (Vietnamese soup). Andy loved Frank's enthusiasm and told him Vietnamese cuisine has 10 kinds of pho including Pho bo (beef), Pho ga (chicken), Pho heo (pork), and Pho thit cho (dog). Yes, dog meat is eaten here, and there are special farms that raise particular breeds of dog as food. Our guide Andy did say dog meat popularity is on the wane now that people are learning dogs make good pets.

Love her hat!!

We were surprised by the modernity of Hanoi with many skyscrapers and lots of traffic. Andy told us this development was quite recent and just 7 years ago, Hanoi had almost no cars.

At the Temple of Literature in Hanoi

Our tour covered many highlights of Hanoi including the Temple of Literature, a 1,000-year old Confucius temple where Vietnam's most famous scholars once studied. Gotta love a country that has a university as their national monument! However, Andy told us that schooling is very expensive in Vietnam, and people have to pay for it themselves (even for primary school). And they also have to pay for their own healthcare. So much for the benefits of living under Communism...

Talking on a cellphone while navigating
the super congested streets of Hanoi -- unbelievable

By the way, there is voting here in Vietnam; however, with a "one party" Communist regime, the outcome of the election is a foregone conclusion. We asked Andy what he thought of that system, and he said, "I can't change it." But he did add that at least Vietnam doesn't spend a fortune on campaigning.

John McCain's flight suit on display
in Hoa Lo Prison

One of the most thought-provoking sites was Hoa Lo Prison (aka Hanoi Hilton) where John McCain and other American POWs were held during the Vietnam War. This place was very heavy on anti-American propaganda with photos of smiling POWs playing pool and chess, basketball, soccer, decorating for Christmas, and even receiving souvenirs from their captors on the day they were released. A video described how the Americans bombed kindergartens, churches and hospitals. And the video stated that because of the excellent treatment they received in Hoa Lo Prison, most of the POWs ended up regretting their participation in the war and supporting the Ho Chi Minh revolution. Of course, we know that American servicemen were tortured and horribly mistreated and the supposed "confessions" were given under extreme duress.

Typical POW bed at Hoa Lo Prison

In contrast, an older portion of the prison described France's treatment of Vietnamese prisoners during the revolution against French colonial rule. This part of the museum had an actual guillotine on display along with photos of decapitated heads that were hung in the villages to discourage further uprisings. We had to admit that "Hanoi Hilton" did not look so bad compared to the French treatment (which, of course, was the intention).

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

We also got a look at the outside of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where the embalmed body of Vietnam's national hero is on display. Every year, "Uncle Ho" is shipped to Russia for a 2-month-long overhaul and a new shot of embalming fluid. Apparently, the Russians are expert at this preservation business since they do the same upkeep for Lenin and (we think) for Mao also.

Our cute salesgirl and our lacquer purchases

On a lighter note, we visited a lacquer workshop to see how the famous Vietnamese lacquer products are made. Quite fascinating actually. The lacquer is extracted from the "lacquer tree," much like collecting maple syrup. The sticky substance is used to glue pieces of mother of pearl or eggshell onto a piece of wood, and then the surface is totally covered with lacquer. Next the piece is dipped in water and the lacquer is rubbed off on the design areas. This process is repeated over and over until the piece attains a smooth finish with a shiny black background.

Delivering "a few" packages by motorbike

The ride back to the ship was long (and we were tired), but the conversation was as interesting as ever. Andy told us that the Vietnamese do not blame the American people for the war. In fact, he said they admired the anti-war protesters, and the many American vets who have returned to Vietnam to do volunteer work. Of course, the effects of the war continue, particularly in the areas of the country sprayed with Agent Orange.

Young Vietnamese boy in the market

Because so many people died in the war, the government encouraged the people to procreate and have large families by giving extra land with the birth of each child (Andy is one of eight children). As a result, Vietnam has a very young population that is enthusiastic about what is ahead for their country. As Andy said, "Vietnam is looking to the future rather than dwelling on the past."

Scenic sights along the riverside in Hoi An

Hoi An

Our second port stop was in Central Vietnam near China Beach (a famous R&R area during the war) and the historic town of Hoi An. We opted for a ship-provided excursion, "Hoi An on Your Own," that provided us with bus transportation to Hoi An and plenty of free time to roam.

Beautiful Vietnamese bus

The bus was the most beautiful bus we have ever ridden on with fringe-trimmed valances in pink satin gracing all the windows and fancy coverings on the seats. Somehow, our bus driver managed to get pulled over for speeding -- the ride was so slow, it was putting us to sleep, but apparently, he inched up over the limit. The Vietnamese really take their speed limits seriously!

Our guide, Nhien, was most enthusiastic and energetic, a real sweetheart, but a fast-talker with heavily accented English. It wasn't easy to keep up with her, but Nhien did explain that morality is very important in this touristy area of Vietnam. The local government emphasizes it strongly because they do not want visitors to be worried about being robbed.

Streets of Hoi An

Also throughout Vietnam, sales people are instructed not be aggressive because the government knows that other Asian countries (like Cambodia and India) have bad reputations for sales people accosting tourists trying to force them to buy. Central Vietnam is kind of a model region for tourism. They have no beggars, and if you happen to see one, you can call a hotline phone number and the government will take care of them. It is obvious that Vietnam wants to be an appealing destination for tourists.

Hoi An is an historic town of pretty old houses that have been converted to shops and restaurants. It is touristy, but in a good way. We had a great time wandering the streets and haggling with the friendly sales people.

Love a cold Larue beer!

When the heat and humidity wore us down, we ate a lunch of local specialties: Frank had Pho heo (of course, he ate pho!) and Anne chose a noodle dish called Cao Lao that is only authentic if made using water drawn from a particular Hoi An well. We washed it all down with a delightful cold Vietnamese beer called "Larue".

On the ride back to the ship, we made a stop at China Beach, acclaimed as one of the ten best beaches in the world. The water sure looked inviting and the setting was lovely with a Lady Buddha statue watching over the beach from the side of a nearby mountain.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Sai Gon

Ho Chi Minh City (aka Sai Gon)

Our last port in Vietnam was Ho Chi Minh City, which everyone still calls Sai Gon. We used the ship transportation to get into town, but then we were on our own. Our bus guide, Hung (or, as he comedically referred to himself - "Hung Over") was pretty good. He told us that Vietnam is like an egg: communism is the thin outer shell, but the inside of the egg is all capitalism. He also told us this joke: "What did the Buddha say when he went into a McDonald's? Make me one with everything!" Hung was a lot of fun all the way to Sai Gon.

The "Back of the Bike" kids

We decided to try something different this time around, so Anne booked a "Back of the Bike" tour (BB) which, as the name suggests, put each of us on the back of a Sai Gon motorbike. Our young driver guides, Uey and Nguyet, took such good care of us, helping us with our helmets, giving us bottles of cold water, really looking out for us every step of the way.

Motorcycle grand mama

The bike riding was less intimidating than you might think since the speed limits are low, and all the Vietnamese seem to be masters at weaving and bobbing thru traffic. But it was still unlike any ride we have ever taken!

Young girls celebrating graduation

Sai gon's sparkling city hall

Our tour combined stops at some of Sai Gon's highlights, like Notre Dame Cathedral built with stone shipped from France, along with several street food stops. In addition to being the financial center of the country, Sai Gon, is very elegant and has certainly retained some of its French heritage. The light is also incredibly bright down here in the south (much like the intense light in Florida) making the city sparkle.

Unusual "blood soup" & other food choices at the market

The BB kids had us whipping all around the city, including a stop at a very local market. It looked like a dump initially, but the dark walkways were lined with all kinds of tempting fresh fruits and vegetables.

Fabulous Pho with crabmeat

We ate at two different restaurants, hole-in-the-wall places that would never get past the health inspectors in the U.S. But the food was excellent: fabulous Pho with crabmeat and a do-it-yourself rollup (like a fajita) with a toasty little "pancake" topped with prawn wrapped in five different types of greens (the BB kids made sure we wrapped ours properly). Finally, the resulting veggie role which looked like a crude "cigar" was dipped in the best clear fish sauce ever.

The Vietnamese use a very delicate clear-colored fish sauce on their foods, not the smokin' hot red stuff we get back in the states. We loved this new fish sauce so much that Uey bought us a bottle to take home!

Creepy duck egg

We had another unusual food experience when Uey brought us a duck egg. It tasted a lot like our hard-boiled chicken eggs until Uey pointed out that it was a partially formed duckling. We must have looked a bit green because he said, "But don't worry, there are no feathers yet."

Super friendly "pavement food" lady

Our last food stop was by far the best. The BB kids were all excited to visit this lady who is famous all over the city for her friendliness and her delectable grilled meats. She works on the same bit of pavement her mother once occupied, surrounded by her small round grill, plates and utensils, and some tiny stools that stand only about a foot above the ground.

Eating pavement food style
on a little stool

We grabbed a stool out on the sidewalk and ate some of her delicious meats, joking and laughing with her even though she did not understand a word of English. What a great time experiencing "pavement food!"

When all was done, the BB kids dropped us off at the War Remnants Museum so we could have a quick look around the museum before returning to our bus. This museum had a courtyard full of ordnance from the Vietnam War. And upstairs, a photo gallery displayed photos taken by various war photographers during the war. Many of them were pictures of US servicemen, much like what we saw on the news back then. This disastrous war continues to be difficult comprehend.

He really is the Pho King!

Our visit to Vietnam was a very special one in that the people were extremely friendly and receptive to Americans, with no noticeable animosities. Of course, Vietnam is a country of young people now who were not involved in the war. Perhaps the older generation would feel differently. Frank loved Vietnamese food (especially the many varieties of pho!), but we both felt that the gentle, friendly, and accommodating people make this country most engaging.

Here are more pics of the faces (and foods) of Vietnam: