Un"pho"gettable

Vietnam as a culture can be divided into three parts: the south, central, and north.

Ho Chi Minh/Saigon: It is difficult to decide what to call the city, but as I am a foreigner I feel I must use the politically correct title, Ho Chi Minh City, even if I do not agree with the history behind the name. It was renamed in 1976 to honor the emperor, Ho Chi Minh, after his communist northern soldiers defeated both the South Vietnamese army and the US allies. You can tell each citizen’s feeling towards the outcome based on what they name the city. We spent two nights, one day in HCMC, and that was more than enough. We were about 2 miles from the center of the city, but that didn't matter. I walked out on the main drag to grab some lunch and after the sixteenth time of almost being run over, I gave up and headed back. They say there are as many motorbikes as people in the city, and I could darn well believe that. The traffic is senseless! If you wish to cross the road, the best thing to do is stare right ahead and just walk, the bikes will swerve around you based on you pace. We chose to take the rest of this as a rest day for good reason.

We flew up to Hoi an, which could not be more opposite from HCMC if it tried. It was a lovely little beach town and the place we stayed was comprised of villas situated, each with their own small patio and outdoor furniture, around a large expanse covered in tall plants, flowers, and a beautiful pool. They even had bikes we could take out whenever we wished. After breakfast at the villa, which included eggs, baguette, bacon, coffee, and of course any fruit juice you could desire (I swear this place was like an oasis), we rode leisurely into town, which was only 3km away, or to the beach, 2km the opposite direction. There were only 2 main streets and I never once felt in danger of traffic or being too slow or even being pickpocketed. Hoi an is a must if you go to Vietnam (I think they have the best food as well).

A short flight later we were in Hanoi, northern Vietnam. It was another big city, though they have a nice night market which is blocked off to vehicles on the weekend. We chose to do a cruise our only full day there because everyone said we must go see Ha Long Bay. It is a wide bay full of thousands of small islands, natural caves, and floating fishermen's villages. It was a gorgeous sight and a nice break from the urban life. One thing Hanoi is well known for is Bia Hoi, a fresh beer that each cafe makes a weekly batch of. The taste, alcohol content, and freshness can change with each batch, so you never know what you’ll get, but for 25 cents, it’s hard to say no! The Sapa mountain area is the one thing I wish we had the time to do. It requires an 8 hour bus ride from Hanoi but the rice fields and remote villages are supposed to be breathtaking and the women take you to their home and host you for a few evenings to experience their lifestyle and culture. Next time, I suppose.