So...it's been a couple weeks since I checked in with you all. It's 2:30am and I'm staying up all night tonight to leave soon for a 6am flight from Bangkok to Indonesia. Adventure in country #5 is about to begin! I have no plan of where I'm going upon arrival so I've got some work to do on the plane. Two nights ago I flew for the first time since I arrived almost four months ago. It's been trains, buses and motorbikes for me. So, I was not thinking of "airport security" when I last packed my bags. I checked my bag and went through security where I was whisked away bysecuity to find the knife in my bag. "Knife" I ask with a look of astonishment? After unpacking every last thing in my small backpack, we found my swiss army knife. Ooops! I smiled and said, "but I'm traveling, I need it, isn't there anything I can do?" Under tight Vietnamese Security, I was escorted back to check-in. The lady at the desk frowned and said sorry with a smirk. Going against protocol while traveling, especially overseas, I asked strangers in line to put it in their to-be-checked luggage. I know! A mother (with her son), was a definite No. But four guys next line didn't think twice although he did ask me if it was a bomb, with a laugh. Uh, bad sense of humor but thanks for your help! I found him on the other side and retrieved my Swiss friend. He's come in handy to open bottles of wine and to pick the lock of a girl who locked herself out of her room one night. Mind you...I gave the security guys a chance but came to the rescue after watching them stand there helpless for five minutes. So, I've double checked my bags and have no contraband to cause me trouble tonight.
Since I last wrote, I took a two-day boat tour of Halong Bay, Vietnam where I went kayaking and explored caves. I then traveled to Sa Pa, Vietnam in the North where it was a nice reprieve to need to wear a long sleeve shirt starting in late afternoon. I did a small trek one day and then a two-day trek covering 20 miles of mountainous terrain. It was often times quite steep and very slippery due to the overnight rains. The tricky part is that I was not wearing my own shoes. Why you might ask? Well, the thing is...I needed to remove my trail shoes in honor of properly caring for my new tattoo. Yes, I got two tattoos! You read correct. I hadn't thought about the fact that my absorbent wool socks would pull the ink out. Luckily, I only realized it because I needed to get a rock out of my shoe. So, I hiked in a 10-year old pair of Tevas owned by a girl I didn't know. This resulted in a 41-year-old woman and a 9-year-old girl serving as four other pairs of hands to steady me on the climb so that I wouldn't fall off the side of the mountain. Lesson? There isn't one.
Sa Pa is a town nestled in the mountains of northern Vietnam. Hilltribe villages are tucked away in the mountains and valleys. The usual sellers of various ethnic wares roam the streets but are less aggressive than the rest of the country.
More to come...heading to the airport now.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Some Fun Facts
1 - I left Chicago three months ago today
2 - Purchased approximately 275 bottles of water
3 - Worn the same pair of shoes for 90 days
4 - Enjoyed probably 16 massages (but haven't had one in the last month)
5 - Used 3 cans of mosquito spray in 5 weeks
6 - Longest train ride - 16 hours
7 - Longest bus ride - 14 hours
8 - Have not once used a hair dryer
9 - Used a touch of make-up for a few Bangkok outings
10 - Read six long books
11 - Currently in my fourth country
12 - Have 32 new email addresses of people from around the world who say, "keep in touch"...although we know we probably won't
2 - Purchased approximately 275 bottles of water
3 - Worn the same pair of shoes for 90 days
4 - Enjoyed probably 16 massages (but haven't had one in the last month)
5 - Used 3 cans of mosquito spray in 5 weeks
6 - Longest train ride - 16 hours
7 - Longest bus ride - 14 hours
8 - Have not once used a hair dryer
9 - Used a touch of make-up for a few Bangkok outings
10 - Read six long books
11 - Currently in my fourth country
12 - Have 32 new email addresses of people from around the world who say, "keep in touch"...although we know we probably won't
Vietnam #4 - Easy Rider Voyage
Hired an Easy Rider motorcycle driver to take me on a two-day journey. (Have I mentioned my new love for riding on motorcycles? Driving them will be next.) We rode from Hoi An up the eastern coast a ways then across to the western border near Laos through the Central Highlands mountain range and National Park jungle. 350 km total. We rode for 9 hours the first day stopping along to take in the views and visit local villages. I'm talking local enough that most people just stopped and stared. The kids would run up to us and say "hello". Some were too shy so they would stay in their huts and yell hello as they peeked around corners.
I spent 30 minutes in one spot while the village gathered around me. Smiling, looking me up and down, giggling. The family was asking questions to my driver. He would answer. They would laugh or turn in embarassment. One question was, "what does she eat that makes her so big?". They also commented on my skin color which is quite brown at this point. To ease their confusion of someone with brownish skin and blond hair (yes, my hair is getting lighter), I showed them a tan line. The girls ran over and wanted to see my stomach. Tan also. By the end, there were 28 family members huddling around, getting closer and closer...ever more curious. As we drove away, all the kids were running down the road behind us waving goodbye! I could have stayed there all day.
As we drove along, people would wave and yell hello. Some would blow kisses. So amazing! It lasted for nearly two hours. I don't know if I've ever smiled so much and for so long in one day. A smile was literally plastered to my face.
The views were spectacular the entire trip. He shared stories of his family and the history of Vietnam. We spent the night in a small town. As we walked the streets to get dinner and drinks, people again ran out to greet us. I walked ahead as my driver stopped to talk and a girl literally brought a chair into the street as I approached her and a group of people. She said "sit?". So I sat and we exchanged info in broken English. They too asked about the color of my skin. My driver walked by but didn't stop because he knew it was exactly what I was seeking. Further ahead, a few of the local police guys were playing a game of volleyball in front of their station. We asked if I could join and they said I could jump in at the end of their game. I could tell they were really into it and perhaps had bets riding on it, so I asked my driver to tell them thanks but maybe some other time. That they should enjoy the rest of their game.
After a meal of venison and dried squid, I made it an early night to bed. Just as I was about to turn off the light, we lost electricity. Oh, I was so looking forward to fan and air conditioning after a day on the bike. But, I lowered my mosquito net, opened the window (with no screen) and settled in while listening to a pack of barking dogs and finally fell asleep two hours later. So much for a good night rest. I awoke with five new mosquito bites which brought the total of recent bites to 37 as of that morning.
Day 2 on the bike lasted 8 hours. More about the scenery than the people that day. I was feeling a bit off the evening before but just assumed it was from the heat and riding a bike for so long. After lunch, Mr. Tranh went for petrol and when he returned, he found me puking on the side of the restaurant! So much for the fresh fish I had just eaten after seeing her slice up the one I had just seen swimming around. No gutting of the fish included. She simply whacked it apart, cooked it as is. When I asked the driver waht something was in my cooked dish, he said, "her eggs". Enough said. He handed me some medicinal liquid to rub on my stomach, chest and upper lip. Ok, another four hours to go! The road was full of S-curves to exit the jungle. I had to have him pull over once more so I could get sick again. We arrived in Hue shortly after 5pm and I spent that evening and the next morning in my room until checkout at noon. I then sat in the un-airconditioned lobby for four hours until I left for the bus station. Seeing as I didn't think I would be up for a 20 hour bus ride, I only went six hours. The mad-man driver was so crazy that he shaved an hour off the drive. He would pass cars making the oncoming traffic move to the shoulder or the ditch. An ocoming bus had nowhere to move to, so the sides of our buses scraped each other. Driver pushed forward without showing down. The only thing in or near this town are old military caves but I have no interest today. Feeling a tiny bit better this morning, I bought a 9pm bus ticket to take me the rest of the 14 hour ride overnight tonight. I had to check out at noon so here I am sitting in a cafe near the bus stop for 9 hours today. 6 1/2 hours to go! A walk would be nice before such a long bus ride but I can't be bothered to walk in 100 degree heat feeling like this and then getting on the bus without a shower! At least I caught got up on this blog though.
Still in love with Vietnam and perhaps the best is yet to come...
I spent 30 minutes in one spot while the village gathered around me. Smiling, looking me up and down, giggling. The family was asking questions to my driver. He would answer. They would laugh or turn in embarassment. One question was, "what does she eat that makes her so big?". They also commented on my skin color which is quite brown at this point. To ease their confusion of someone with brownish skin and blond hair (yes, my hair is getting lighter), I showed them a tan line. The girls ran over and wanted to see my stomach. Tan also. By the end, there were 28 family members huddling around, getting closer and closer...ever more curious. As we drove away, all the kids were running down the road behind us waving goodbye! I could have stayed there all day.
As we drove along, people would wave and yell hello. Some would blow kisses. So amazing! It lasted for nearly two hours. I don't know if I've ever smiled so much and for so long in one day. A smile was literally plastered to my face.
The views were spectacular the entire trip. He shared stories of his family and the history of Vietnam. We spent the night in a small town. As we walked the streets to get dinner and drinks, people again ran out to greet us. I walked ahead as my driver stopped to talk and a girl literally brought a chair into the street as I approached her and a group of people. She said "sit?". So I sat and we exchanged info in broken English. They too asked about the color of my skin. My driver walked by but didn't stop because he knew it was exactly what I was seeking. Further ahead, a few of the local police guys were playing a game of volleyball in front of their station. We asked if I could join and they said I could jump in at the end of their game. I could tell they were really into it and perhaps had bets riding on it, so I asked my driver to tell them thanks but maybe some other time. That they should enjoy the rest of their game.
After a meal of venison and dried squid, I made it an early night to bed. Just as I was about to turn off the light, we lost electricity. Oh, I was so looking forward to fan and air conditioning after a day on the bike. But, I lowered my mosquito net, opened the window (with no screen) and settled in while listening to a pack of barking dogs and finally fell asleep two hours later. So much for a good night rest. I awoke with five new mosquito bites which brought the total of recent bites to 37 as of that morning.
Day 2 on the bike lasted 8 hours. More about the scenery than the people that day. I was feeling a bit off the evening before but just assumed it was from the heat and riding a bike for so long. After lunch, Mr. Tranh went for petrol and when he returned, he found me puking on the side of the restaurant! So much for the fresh fish I had just eaten after seeing her slice up the one I had just seen swimming around. No gutting of the fish included. She simply whacked it apart, cooked it as is. When I asked the driver waht something was in my cooked dish, he said, "her eggs". Enough said. He handed me some medicinal liquid to rub on my stomach, chest and upper lip. Ok, another four hours to go! The road was full of S-curves to exit the jungle. I had to have him pull over once more so I could get sick again. We arrived in Hue shortly after 5pm and I spent that evening and the next morning in my room until checkout at noon. I then sat in the un-airconditioned lobby for four hours until I left for the bus station. Seeing as I didn't think I would be up for a 20 hour bus ride, I only went six hours. The mad-man driver was so crazy that he shaved an hour off the drive. He would pass cars making the oncoming traffic move to the shoulder or the ditch. An ocoming bus had nowhere to move to, so the sides of our buses scraped each other. Driver pushed forward without showing down. The only thing in or near this town are old military caves but I have no interest today. Feeling a tiny bit better this morning, I bought a 9pm bus ticket to take me the rest of the 14 hour ride overnight tonight. I had to check out at noon so here I am sitting in a cafe near the bus stop for 9 hours today. 6 1/2 hours to go! A walk would be nice before such a long bus ride but I can't be bothered to walk in 100 degree heat feeling like this and then getting on the bus without a shower! At least I caught got up on this blog though.
Still in love with Vietnam and perhaps the best is yet to come...
Vietnam #3 - Hoi An
Hoi An, Vietnam
Where do I begin? I know I've said this before but it truly is difficult to find the words to paint the perfect picture for you. It's small. It's quaint. It's picturesque. French Colonial mixed with a touch of Tuscany, and I'm told a bit of Romania. The streets are like wide alleyways lined with cafes and shops offering local wares, antiques, and tailor-made clothing. The color of the buildings make me feel nostalgic. Music plays around every corner. The people are magical. The air is peaceful. The town is enchanting and carries a ryhthm that runs through my veins. It makes you take a single full breath that seems to last for hours. A river runs through the town dividing part to an island. The reflection tells a story. A nearby market reminds me I'm in Vietnam but otherwise it feels like a different world. I could go on and on but it wouldn't do it justice.
I decided to have a piece of clothing made and ended up having five items made and a pair of boots. It's difficult to decide which shop to go to but the evening before, I ended up talking with the employees of the restaurant/bar and one of them has a brother who owns a shop. He offered to pick me up the next morning and take me to the shop and then drive me around town. Let's just say I felt like a princess for the day. He delivered me to a shop, served me drinks while I picked out styles and fabrics. He then drove me to look at the shoes. After that, I had planned to go to the beach so he drove me there. He said it was at no charge but I invited him to have lunch with me on the beach before he left.
While we ate, we discussed many things. Something led to a discussion about the Vietnam War. It's been interesting to see how people react differently when they find out I'm from America. (I'll come back to this.) I know it's been a long time but the fact is still real. His father fought against the Americans and was captured and prisoned. His uncle sided with the Americans and now lives in Texas with his immediate family who own a nail salon. They haven't spoken since the war. He came back two hours later to pick me up and take me back to town. I made sure I saw him the next day to thank him again.
I spent some time again the next day with the girl who runs her family's shop where I got my shoes made. We had tea and fresh fruit and she invited me to her wedding on the 19th. Splendid. Wish I could have gone but needed to continue heading north. I stumbled upon a bar owned by an Australian on the island side of the town. I made a few connections there that I think will prove worthwhile in the future.
My heart is full in Hoi An. It suits me and fits like a perfect ensemble. I will return.
Be gracious. Be inspired.
Where do I begin? I know I've said this before but it truly is difficult to find the words to paint the perfect picture for you. It's small. It's quaint. It's picturesque. French Colonial mixed with a touch of Tuscany, and I'm told a bit of Romania. The streets are like wide alleyways lined with cafes and shops offering local wares, antiques, and tailor-made clothing. The color of the buildings make me feel nostalgic. Music plays around every corner. The people are magical. The air is peaceful. The town is enchanting and carries a ryhthm that runs through my veins. It makes you take a single full breath that seems to last for hours. A river runs through the town dividing part to an island. The reflection tells a story. A nearby market reminds me I'm in Vietnam but otherwise it feels like a different world. I could go on and on but it wouldn't do it justice.
I decided to have a piece of clothing made and ended up having five items made and a pair of boots. It's difficult to decide which shop to go to but the evening before, I ended up talking with the employees of the restaurant/bar and one of them has a brother who owns a shop. He offered to pick me up the next morning and take me to the shop and then drive me around town. Let's just say I felt like a princess for the day. He delivered me to a shop, served me drinks while I picked out styles and fabrics. He then drove me to look at the shoes. After that, I had planned to go to the beach so he drove me there. He said it was at no charge but I invited him to have lunch with me on the beach before he left.
While we ate, we discussed many things. Something led to a discussion about the Vietnam War. It's been interesting to see how people react differently when they find out I'm from America. (I'll come back to this.) I know it's been a long time but the fact is still real. His father fought against the Americans and was captured and prisoned. His uncle sided with the Americans and now lives in Texas with his immediate family who own a nail salon. They haven't spoken since the war. He came back two hours later to pick me up and take me back to town. I made sure I saw him the next day to thank him again.
I spent some time again the next day with the girl who runs her family's shop where I got my shoes made. We had tea and fresh fruit and she invited me to her wedding on the 19th. Splendid. Wish I could have gone but needed to continue heading north. I stumbled upon a bar owned by an Australian on the island side of the town. I made a few connections there that I think will prove worthwhile in the future.
My heart is full in Hoi An. It suits me and fits like a perfect ensemble. I will return.
Be gracious. Be inspired.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Vietnam #2
Nha Trang
Main road runs along the South China Sea. Gorgeous beaches with view of off shore islands. Upon arrival, we noticed the preparation of some event. First full day, I spent 7 hours on the beach. Johng hand-made me a buddha/good luck necklace for free after 20 minutes of us conversing. I, of course, insisted on paying him so he gave me a bracelet also. Last afternoon, we stopped for a bite to eat. Second round of drinks arrived and I asked the women next to me what was going on because police and Army uniformed men were lining the streets and people had started gathering. Turns out... Miss Universe 2008 Introductory Ceremony...Right there in Nha Trang, Vietnam! In case anyone happen to have caught a glimpse while channel surfing (b/c I don't know many people who watch the show), I was right there. Magnificant parade with the floats promendaing the women down the South China Sea shore. Energetic Vietnamese crowd. Not many Westerners where we were so it was even more spectacular. The girls working at our restaurant brought out a ladder and insisted I climb up it with them so we could have the best view. It was a riot! ( I was still in my swimsuit and cover from the day at the beach.)
We spent the rest of the evening with the two women and one of their sons who had shown up for the festivities. We communicated best we could but it was quite difficult. We bought them all drinks and took turns making celebratory toasts to Vietnam and the fact that we were all sitting there together. These two women are 51 and 49 but I never would have guessed it. Girlfriends since University. I was cherishing the evening when one of them invited us to her house the next evening. We graciously accepted and I silently thanked the Universe. I bought a boquet of Lily flowers to take to her. We were 25 minutes late by the time the taxi driver found her address. There was no buzzer so we shook the front gate. A dog started going crazy on the other side. (Later he wouldn't stop licking me and wanting to play.) Everyone on the street was staring at us...probably thinking we were lost. The daughter let us in and five family members sat staring and smiling while we waited for the woman to get home. She cried when I gave her the flowers. Sean is a photographer back in Canada so he had pictures printed that day that we had taken the evening before. More crying. By the end of two hours, 25 family members and friends arrived to meet us. There were as many moments of silence as there were moments of tears. (The night before in the restaurant, she sang us a traditional Vietnamese song with such emotion that I started crying then too. What a Wheeper I was!. I inturn sang a song as well. Amazing Grace. Yes, in the restaurant. Anyway...)
They took us on their motorbikes to dinner at a corner food stall that consisted of a low-height plastic table. No other white people around. More tears as we said goodbye to the women. Amazing what words can be exchanged through eyes and unspoken words. The last words she said (and words she had said many times before), "we will remember this day forever". The daughter and son then drove us to the hotel so I could change for an evening out. A crazy evening of dancing continued until 2am. Happy Canada Day Sean! Another for your books.
We spent the next full day on a boat tour of the islands. Hosts on the boat were embarassingly entertaining in a very Westernized fashion...including their version of the "best Vietnamese boy band of Nha Trang" performance. Traditional 7-dish lunch was served. Karoke performances by all the women of International countries. Snorkeling in the South Cina Sea. Beer started flowing at 9:30am and didn't stop until be docked at 6pm. Then...
That evening we boarded an overnight sleeper bus to Hoi An. The worst night sleep and bus experience combined I've had yet.
...In love with Vietnam, Day 9
Main road runs along the South China Sea. Gorgeous beaches with view of off shore islands. Upon arrival, we noticed the preparation of some event. First full day, I spent 7 hours on the beach. Johng hand-made me a buddha/good luck necklace for free after 20 minutes of us conversing. I, of course, insisted on paying him so he gave me a bracelet also. Last afternoon, we stopped for a bite to eat. Second round of drinks arrived and I asked the women next to me what was going on because police and Army uniformed men were lining the streets and people had started gathering. Turns out... Miss Universe 2008 Introductory Ceremony...Right there in Nha Trang, Vietnam! In case anyone happen to have caught a glimpse while channel surfing (b/c I don't know many people who watch the show), I was right there. Magnificant parade with the floats promendaing the women down the South China Sea shore. Energetic Vietnamese crowd. Not many Westerners where we were so it was even more spectacular. The girls working at our restaurant brought out a ladder and insisted I climb up it with them so we could have the best view. It was a riot! ( I was still in my swimsuit and cover from the day at the beach.)
We spent the rest of the evening with the two women and one of their sons who had shown up for the festivities. We communicated best we could but it was quite difficult. We bought them all drinks and took turns making celebratory toasts to Vietnam and the fact that we were all sitting there together. These two women are 51 and 49 but I never would have guessed it. Girlfriends since University. I was cherishing the evening when one of them invited us to her house the next evening. We graciously accepted and I silently thanked the Universe. I bought a boquet of Lily flowers to take to her. We were 25 minutes late by the time the taxi driver found her address. There was no buzzer so we shook the front gate. A dog started going crazy on the other side. (Later he wouldn't stop licking me and wanting to play.) Everyone on the street was staring at us...probably thinking we were lost. The daughter let us in and five family members sat staring and smiling while we waited for the woman to get home. She cried when I gave her the flowers. Sean is a photographer back in Canada so he had pictures printed that day that we had taken the evening before. More crying. By the end of two hours, 25 family members and friends arrived to meet us. There were as many moments of silence as there were moments of tears. (The night before in the restaurant, she sang us a traditional Vietnamese song with such emotion that I started crying then too. What a Wheeper I was!. I inturn sang a song as well. Amazing Grace. Yes, in the restaurant. Anyway...)
They took us on their motorbikes to dinner at a corner food stall that consisted of a low-height plastic table. No other white people around. More tears as we said goodbye to the women. Amazing what words can be exchanged through eyes and unspoken words. The last words she said (and words she had said many times before), "we will remember this day forever". The daughter and son then drove us to the hotel so I could change for an evening out. A crazy evening of dancing continued until 2am. Happy Canada Day Sean! Another for your books.
We spent the next full day on a boat tour of the islands. Hosts on the boat were embarassingly entertaining in a very Westernized fashion...including their version of the "best Vietnamese boy band of Nha Trang" performance. Traditional 7-dish lunch was served. Karoke performances by all the women of International countries. Snorkeling in the South Cina Sea. Beer started flowing at 9:30am and didn't stop until be docked at 6pm. Then...
That evening we boarded an overnight sleeper bus to Hoi An. The worst night sleep and bus experience combined I've had yet.
...In love with Vietnam, Day 9
Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City
Greetings from Old Saigon! 16 hours on two buses transported me from Cambodia to HCMC. A fellow Chicagoan, Andrea, was on the same bus and we ended up being roomies for two nights. I started my first full day on a Cyclo which is like a bicycle but the passenger sits in a front bucket seat and the driver on his seat in the back. I cannot describe and photos did not capture the craziness of HCMC streets. If I stood in one place and tried to count the number of motorbikes that passed, I would guess approximately 1,000 (or more) in the course of a minute. There are few stoplights in many areas. Drivers don't stop for pedestrians. Add in the 7-way intersections and wide-street roundabouts. The first attempt at crossing the street feels like a suicide mission. The advice is to cross the street slow and steady. Don't stop. Don't look at the drivers. And never back up. A bit like being the star player in your own video game trying to reach the next level without being at the game controls. Exhilirating and tiring. The city reminds me of a smaller scale Bangkok but quite different, though granted, I only spent 3 days there.
End of the first day I met a traveler with a similar planned Vietnam route. Sean, from Canada. (15 days later we are still traveling together. We celebrated his Canada Day and my July 4th.)Went on a tour of the Mekong Delta where we canoed through canals, lunched with the locals, celebrated an Aussie girls birthday. Energetic city but I was ready to leave for quieter surroundings. Other travelers have said, "skip Vietnam if you want, you won't miss anything". I continuted with an open mind b/c I've learned not to listen to other travelers. Every experience is different...for every person...on any given day.
Da Lat
An art lovers paradise resort town northwest of HCMC. Very few Westerners when we were there. It is the town where I have been stared at the most by the locals. Town surrounds a man-made lake. Hosted the 2007 International Flower Festivel. Beautiful gardens and greenhouses still exist. Old city structures and alleyways mixed with newer beautiful French and Modern architecture. Adorable.
.....Falling in love with Vietnam, Day 4
Greetings from Old Saigon! 16 hours on two buses transported me from Cambodia to HCMC. A fellow Chicagoan, Andrea, was on the same bus and we ended up being roomies for two nights. I started my first full day on a Cyclo which is like a bicycle but the passenger sits in a front bucket seat and the driver on his seat in the back. I cannot describe and photos did not capture the craziness of HCMC streets. If I stood in one place and tried to count the number of motorbikes that passed, I would guess approximately 1,000 (or more) in the course of a minute. There are few stoplights in many areas. Drivers don't stop for pedestrians. Add in the 7-way intersections and wide-street roundabouts. The first attempt at crossing the street feels like a suicide mission. The advice is to cross the street slow and steady. Don't stop. Don't look at the drivers. And never back up. A bit like being the star player in your own video game trying to reach the next level without being at the game controls. Exhilirating and tiring. The city reminds me of a smaller scale Bangkok but quite different, though granted, I only spent 3 days there.
End of the first day I met a traveler with a similar planned Vietnam route. Sean, from Canada. (15 days later we are still traveling together. We celebrated his Canada Day and my July 4th.)Went on a tour of the Mekong Delta where we canoed through canals, lunched with the locals, celebrated an Aussie girls birthday. Energetic city but I was ready to leave for quieter surroundings. Other travelers have said, "skip Vietnam if you want, you won't miss anything". I continuted with an open mind b/c I've learned not to listen to other travelers. Every experience is different...for every person...on any given day.
Da Lat
An art lovers paradise resort town northwest of HCMC. Very few Westerners when we were there. It is the town where I have been stared at the most by the locals. Town surrounds a man-made lake. Hosted the 2007 International Flower Festivel. Beautiful gardens and greenhouses still exist. Old city structures and alleyways mixed with newer beautiful French and Modern architecture. Adorable.
.....Falling in love with Vietnam, Day 4
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