Vietnam is a beautiful country that has recovered from the destruction of war.It is long,narrow and small,just 1025 miles(1650 Km) from North to South.It comprises of low,flat river deltas in the north and south,plateaus in the centre and mountains in the far North.
With the Doi Moi (renovation) policy established in the late 80's,the Socialist republic of Vietnam worked towards progressing their economy and today,the country,the size of Maharashtra,is a vibrant economy..
Being very much on the tourist circuit our wanderlust took us there and it was a FUN journey like we had never experienced before.Five couples plus 1,all 60+ or was it 65+, behaving like teenagers in gay abandon,leaving their children/G'children behind,not have a care in the world,and engage in fun and frolic.Between our cameras,cell phones and I pads we were clamoring for photos wherever we went and our guides were ever so helpful to fulfill our wishes.
Way to Go!
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| Our group from Left: Vidya,Me,Vasant,Geeta,Vasu,Goutam,Krishna,Kamal,Shaila,Nitin and Dilip |
Our first stop,transit in Kuala Lumpur en route to Hanoi.We cooled our heels at the "Jungle" right in the middle of the airport,complete with a board walk,waterfall,bird sounds and lush green flora that truly captivates you.
As we were approaching Hanoi over myriad paddy fields and homes here is a shot of what I saw below.I was pleasantly surprised.By mid morning we were in Hanoi and obtained our Visa on Arrival.30 minutes later we were inside our mini van along with guide Hoang who spoke good English having graduated with special attention to Travel/Tours.He spoke non stop and answered all our questions as we cruised along the impressive Nhat Than bridge,cable-stayed and built over the broad Red river.It was built as a friendship bridge funded by Japan.Here you see the bridge with all six lanes of traffic flowing on either side.Our first impressions at this point was very favorable. We entered the bustling city centre and were soon checking in at our Hotel in the proximity of old quarter.
After some snacking and a bit of rest we regrouped and started walking towards the old quarter.Temp~26C.
Dr. Vidya,Dilip's wife could not join in the walk as she was indisposed.
The road was swarming with two-wheelers driving cheek by jowl but there was some kind of discipline amid the chaos...last heard there are 5 million motorbikes in Hanoi with a population of 7 million.
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| Photo: Courtesy Vasumathi |
We walked till we reached St.Joseph's Cathedral,near the lake,and stopped
for a groupie or two.Here we are. Supposed to resemble Notre Dame, this church was one of the first structures built by the French colonial government in Indochina in 1886. It is the oldest church in Hanoi.Everybody used his/her Phone,camera and what have you and then we walked some more.. towards the lake..the star attraction in Hanoi.
Hoan Kiem Lake is one of the major scenic spots in the city and serves as a focal point for the public.The old quarter wraps around it making for relaxing escape from the chaos and bustle of the streets.At this time of the evening the glassy water of the lake set off the city lights beautifully.The distant yellow and the shimmering red were a mystery to us which would be unraveled soon.We walked past well manicured gardens and clean pathways fitted with benches where Dada and Dr.Geeta rested for a while while the others walked some more soaking in the pleasant atmosphere. As stomachs grumbled it was time to head back and find an eatery. Kopikars',all six of them,love fish and shrimp while three were staunch vegetarians. Vasu and I don't mind fish,so...we split in two groups that evening. We headed to a roof top restaurant for fish and beer while others dived into a Pizzeria.It was fun,Captain Dilip and bro Nitin keeping us in splits throughout.
Walked back to Hotel for a much needed rest.
Day 2: Hanoi
Got ready early and helped ourselves to a good breakfast and said Xin Chao (Hello) to Hoang our guide as we started on our tour.We see Vidya for the first time and she is busy with her crochet work on a stole or scarf or what have you.
First stop...Ba Dinh square to spend some time at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex.A traffic free area of botanical gardens,monuments,memorials and Pagodas.Ho Chi Minh was a revolutionary leader in the footsteps of Lenin,Stalin and Mao,and was the President of the communist party of Vietnam from 1951 until his death in 1969.His embalmed body lies inside a sarcophagus at a massive granite structure which looms over the square.It is generally open for public viewing except for a two month period in Oct/Nov when the embalmed body is sent to Russia for preventive maintenance and touch up.In other words we didn't see him
Ba Dinh square in front of the Tomb comprises many patches of well mowed grass with intersecting concrete pathways.A great setting for "Uncle Ho" who is adored by the Vietnamese.Well done!Several important buildings could be seen around viz.,Assembly house and some Ministerial buildings.A Vietnam flag proudly flutters in the middle of it all.
We were happy to see the change of guards ceremony.
Krishna was busy recording the commentary by Hoang but was distracted and so was Dilip when I trained my camera on the group.
We went into the botanical gardens behind the Tomb,saw the impressive Yellow Presidential Palace,built for the Governor general of Indochina, where Ho refused to live,after Independence, but received his state guests.From 1954-58 he lived at the Palace Annex,in a fairly spartan accommodation, the rooms of which are open to public viewing from outside.He commissioned the construction of his future home to be built on Stilts,in a lovely garden setting with tree cover beside a beautiful lake full of fish.He ruled wartime North Vietnam from here until his death in 1969.Who wouldn't like to live here!
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| Ho Chi Minh's Stilt house |
Goutam says these fruits resemble Bhel that we see in Kolkata that have great medicinal value and I agree.
We move slowly out of the Ho complex and a a group of children greet us on the way to our next stop.Passing through a number of shops that are waiting to attract the tourists we dissuade the ladies and reach the One Pillar Pagoda as one group.
According to legend,the Pagoda is built on a single pillar to represent the Lotus Flower. It is a tribute built by King Tong.Tong was a childless emperor who dreamt he was presented a son by a Buddhist god sitting on a lotus flower. Tong got his son and the temple was built.
Goutam up above is holding his James Bond camera to get the "Deity shot" while I get the Viet beauties on mine.
It is currently a Buddhist temple that sits above a small concrete lotus pond. There is a large Bodhi tree behind the pagoda that our erstwhile President Dr. Rajendra Prasad gifted to Ho when he came visiting India in the 50's.Guide claimed this grew from the very Bodhi tree that Buddha was sitting beneath when he attained enlightenment.We looked at each other and took Dilip away before he could sit under the Bodhi tree. Heh Heh.
This fruit is widely seen as offering to Buddha.It is called "Buddha's hand" and resembles Bananas.
These deep lemon yellow fruits vary in shape and size.Its flesh is void of juice,pulp and seeds, rendering it inedible.The culinary virtues lie within its oily rind which is powerfully fragrant and aromatic and utilized for flavoring.
The ladies have found their shop and hectic bargaining is going on,each trying to pull the price down.We are done here and we take the coach to visit the Museum of Ethnology.The Viet make up 86% of the population of Vietnam and we get a feel of the Viet culture,crafts and the living style of many ethnic groups that prevail in the land.
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| CaneTraps for catching Shrimps |
The exhibition inside the building contained displays and objects relating to crafts and arts that attested the richness of the Viet culture.Outside,we could see different wooden houses on stilts the largest being this communal house with a height of 19 meters and reached by climbing a narrow set of wooden stairs.It was fun all the way!Coming down was a bit scary.
From here we moved to the Museum of Literature. We were a bit tired and hungry but the group camaraderie
held us together to achieve more.Also called the Temple of learning,this tranquil and sprawling school was established in 1070 by the then emperor and became the site of Vietnam’s first university,the Imperial Academy six years later.Initially meant for the Royalty and the Elite,it later opened its doors to commoners.
Encompassing five walled courtyards connected by gateways,with green gardens sprinkled with Bonsai and flowers and reflecting pools,the temple is something of a retreat from the hustle on the streets outside.For contemporary Vietnamese,it is a shrine to Confucius himself,whose influence is still very much a part of Vietnamese culture.It serves as a testament to Vietnam’s long history of striving for educational excellence.
SIES representation in front of the heavenly Turtle
carrying the name and details of outstanding scholars on the tablet at its back.And Geeta praying to Confucius...for the welfare of our group,I think!
At last we head for lunch.The Veggie faction made it known that they would like authentic veggie and the Tour Org had made reservation at an Indian restaurant,Tandoor. Food was decent and we were recharged to face the next action of the day.And what an action it turned out to be.It is called the CYCLO ride.These cycle rickshaws are the reverse of a conventional one in that you are seated in front and pedaling and steering is from the back.All eleven Cyclos went in a line doing a tour of the old quarter and it was gripping with two wheelers clogging the narrow streets and sometimes even a bus,van or car competing for space.Being in the front,the passenger is spooked,but the guys are good at swerving and weaving as deftly as the two wheelers. We went through the thick shopping area and saw many food stalls on the sidewalks all doing brisk business.Photography was difficult. Barring a few close brushes the drive was a great experience akin to a roller coaster ride.I must say the drivers are a cool lot and managed it well for the 40 minutes we sat there.They earned their tip.Here is Nitin looking quite unruffled at the end.
Road side eateries thrive in Hanoi, much more than in India.Locals eat on the street everyday sitting on small tables and chairs.They get very crowded towards the evenings at the mini-restaurants,food stalls,shops on wheels etc and even women with hanging baskets of food like this one make a brisk sale .
We have now arrived at the lake and shall go to NgocSon temple meaning "Temple of the Jade mountain".This sits on an island connected to the lake shore by an elegant scarlet bridge which is lighted up in the evening.Ah! that explains the shimmering red in my photo of yesterday.What about Yellow? That's another story reserved for the next visit.The final program of the day...a water puppet show at the famed Thang Long theater which has won International awards for its mastery in puppetry.
The tradition of water puppet theater stems from a time when rice paddy fields were flooded and villagers would entertain by standing in the waist-deep water with the puppets performing over the water.This evening's show was also performed in a pool of water as the stage for the puppets.The puppets were controlled by puppeteers hiding behind a bamboo screen.The show included a number of short routines,featuring dance and frolic by a bevy of very artistic puppets both male and female as also dances and duels by mythical characters.The live music plays an integral part of the show with singers often shouting words of encouragement to the puppets.
Coach with Hoang takes us back to the Hotel.Later the fish eaters,barring Vasant and Geeta,went to a special eatery that says... No menu, just one thing - cha ca la vong. Eat it if you like or go
First of all when you enter the eatery,which resembles dingy good old "Concerns" in Matunga,somebody tells you to go up or was there an arrow?We climb a very steep stairway to reach the dining room.A guy came and gestured one,two? with his fingers.We raised the Index finger.He was happy when we also ordered Beer.Then he brought one combination of the following:plate of rice noodles,fish sauce,plate of greens and dill,bowl of peanuts,and a hot stove of sizzling fish.Here it is.
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| cha ca la vong spread |
Throw some dill and greens into the sizzling hot plate and cook it in the hot oil with the fish until fish turns brown. Eat fish and greens over the noodles garnished with peanuts;add some sauce if you can handle the fishiness/fermented shrimpiness. Between the six of us we consumed 3 such combinations with Beer to boot.It was an experience!
To round off,we visited the night market in the old quarter, and it was stifling to say the least.We hastened towards the lake and found an ice-cream kiosk.Heaven sent.Walked back to the Hotel,had a nightcap with the crowd and called it a long day.
Day 3
This morning we take a long coach ride to Halong bay,traveling 170 km East of Hanoi.On the way we take a Rest stop at Hong Ngoc Fine Arts Co.,production and business establishment of diseased soldiers,social policy beneficiaries and people with disabilities caused by napalm bombs during Vietnam war.The employees are trained free of charge in various trades viz., embroidery painting, garments,fine arts,ceramics,gem and jewelry.The products on display is a testament to the good work done by these budding craftsmen.So,we bought some souvenirs and drank some coffee while waiting for the ladies to finish.
| A while later we catch a glimpse of the famous Halong Bay and are soon at the ferry terminal and on the launch which would deliver us to our Cruiser.All very efficiently organised and executed inspite of the teeming tourist crowd.No missing bags..none overboard! |
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All of us are agog with excitement.We are just about getting settled for the fun voyage and have ordered our drinks.The boat was spacious and well maintained with many support staff to cater to our needs.Lunch,overlooking the amazing scenery was a delightful experience... Halong bay is a beautiful natural wonder in northern Vietnam near the Chinese border.The Bay is dotted with 1600 limestone isles jutting imposingly upon the skyline and covering an area of over 1,500 sq km. This extraordinary area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.The gentle cruise takes a course between these behemoths that come at you constantly and you are left in awe and wonder about this natural creation.Because of their precipitous nature,most of the islands are uninhabited.Below is an arial shot borrowed from elsewhere to give you a sense of this location.No wonder a number of movies have been shot here.
A close view of the jutting rock.We could get a good look at these by stepping on to the Ship's Prow where there was enough room for photo enthusiasts to line up at vantage points and others to relax with a beer or coffee in tables and chairs.After lunch we ambled down to our en suite cabins which were wood paneled and smartly appointed with a small balcony thrown in.In the afternoon we set off to see a fishing village.All of us got into the launch which ferried us to the switching station from where we took Sampans,5 to a boat,and rowed to the village.Below you see a view of the boats approaching the village.
It is time to pack our belongings,check out of the cabins,pay bills and be ready for brunch.After a two hour cruise we are in the vicinity of the terminal.It is a flotilla of cruise boats that are returning after a wonderful voyage.Below,the ship is already ready to welcome today's guests.
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| A refreshing voyage indeed! |
Our Guide and Driver are waiting for us and they make short work of transferring our baggage to the coach and off we go ....returning to Hanoi after picking up some water which the tour Organisor has been providing us every day.Nearer Hanoi we took the road to the airport as we were departing Hanoi and flying to Ho Chi Minh city this afternoon.
A 2 Hr Vietnam Air flight due south ~1500Km brought us to the airport in Saigon,the erstwhile name for Ho city, where our eloquent Guide VU welcomed us very warmly and conducted us to our Hotel which was in the heart of the city in the proximity of the Ben Thanh market.He stayed till we were all checked-in,passports copied and returned along with room keys,and bid us good evening, but not before informing us that we had a busy schedule ahead of us tomorrow.
So long then!
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The location of the tunnels was of great importance;they're at the end of the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail, and within striking distance of the city. Initial construction started in 1948 when the Viet Minh required somewhere to hide from French air attacks. By 1965,the tunnel complex, a system of deep underground passageways having several tiers was estimated to be 250 km long.It included,hospitals,schools,meeting rooms,kitchens and sleeping quarters. Life was difficult for the inhabitants, and to protect against outside intruders,read Americans,booby traps were laid throughout the complex.
We walked past camouflaged entry/exit points right beneath our feet, huge bomb craters, and wandered past tiny little chimneys in the ground that dispersed smoke from the underground kitchens. finally it was time for a groupie with the erstwhile soldiers inside their tent.And time for Chai for others while I ...... 
Our first port of call was the Reunification Palace. Presently the Palace is primarily a tourist destination and is occasionally used for official government functions.It was from here that South Vietnamese President Thieu directed his forces during the war.In the sprawling grounds are vivid reminders of how it all ended,with a tank crashing through the front gate and bringing the Vietnam War to a close.The building served three primary purposes.In those,it was both home and office for the President.In the basement are the stark,windowless offices of the war rooms.The middle floors are state rooms, designed to impress visiting dignitaries and government officials with their show of style and opulence. Large conference and dining tables dominate meeting rooms decorated in a stylish mix of traditional and modern.
Next we have a brief halt at the cathedral in Saigon.Built in the late 19th century by the French and known as Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, it stands as a famous landmark in Ho Chi Minh City..Right across the way from the Cathedral stands the City's Central Post Office,a period classic designed by Gustav Eiffel and built between 1886-91.The walls of its grand concourse carry historical maps of south Vietnam while a mosaic of uncle Ho finds its place at the end of the barrel vaulted hall.It has been maintained very well.
We are now nearing the end of the day but for a visit to the,Saigon War remnants museum that documents the costs of the war. It’s aimed squarely at foreign visitors–you won’t find many locals here.The tone isn’t one of victory,but one of victim.The photos are graphic and damning. Outside the building is a range of American military hardware that had been captured or abandoned, much of it handed over to the South Vietnamese regime. On the whole it is a shocking account of the war and left a bitter taste at the end of the day! washed off with a cup of filter coffee. 
Upon arrival,we embarked on a motorized boat trip around the scenic river lined with water palms, thatch and bamboo houses sheltered rich orchards.
We stopped at a brick-works, 
