From Hanoi to Ho Chi Min City, the former capitals of the once divided Vietnam

A trip across the now united Socialist Republic of Vietnam

 

Departure

Here I am, as promised, to tell you about my trip to Vietnam with the usual Tonino and the addition of the legendary Gianni.
22/01/2009: Start with the Thai to the 14 or so and after a very good and comfortable trip, including reading, films and conversations, we get to Bangkok and from there, after about 50 minutes, broken down by Hanoi where we arrived at the 9.45 .....

Hanoi

23/01/2009 ...: Sadly disappointed by the weather it receives; fresh water and bitter. We could not find the guide that we had booked from Italy, but after a moment of fear that something had gone wrong, get a bunch of people that leads us in the providential agency where Gianni, recasting the tour as a mistake, we had booked a tour other than agreed. After a few hours accompany us to the hotel "Palace Hanoi" We do not recommend that as a nightclub attacks there left to rest after 4 mattino.La guide, first of all, brings us (me and John, Toni prefers to rest for a few hours) to see a water puppet show, very original. I "puppeteers" were really good. Tovava The theater is near the "old neighborhood" where the historic Hoan Kiem Lake, is bordered on the south side with the French Quarter. You can dine in a traditional restaurant, meat, fish and the famous rice noodles in broth. The thing that upsets you, in Hanoi, are 3 millions of people 6 millions of scooters, you whizzing by each side and ringing constantly. You can find them parked in the shops. A tour of the old neighborhood teeming with stalls till late (we're on the eve of Chinese New Year) and in bed.

Hanoi - Ha Long Bay

24/01/2009: The alarm clock is at 7 after a poor breakfast and mounted on a brand new Toyota sedan with a destination of Ha Long Bay. The cold continues undaunted and traffic is always the most distinctive and engaging, the scooter is delivered everything from bamboo poles were across occupying a lane and a half mo 'safety car, a speaker arranged for the transport of pigs and animals more "full bodied". We make a brief stop at a department store where we did some shopping for clothing, well-made-silk and some nice souvenirs. Here, many products are created by kids with disabilities. Arriving with great emotion and very cold, the Ha Long Bay and providence wanted me to find, on a stand, a padded jacket, which I also paid 500 euro but with only $ 35 helmets we've taken away a (play) used by the Viet Minh soldiers. After a few minutes from the boat, what appeared before our eyes, it was something surreal, perhaps helped by the fog and grayness of the time .. endless stacks of rich vegetation emerged from the bay green jade and hid the 'one after another, some eagles flying around the tops completed the magical scenery. The tour continues with a visit to one of the most beautiful caves in bay (Hang Sung Sot) in which three bedrooms, one larger than the other, kept stalactites and stalagmites that resembled the most varied shapes: turtles, the head of a dragon, etc. .. continue to the island of Titov and rewards us here, having reached the top climbing about 450 steps, the magnificent 360 degree views of the bay. We have dinner and overnight on board the cabins are comfortable.

Ha Long Bay - Hanoi. Departure

25/01/2009: to 8, hearty breakfast on board and a final round in a very suggestive: a passage through another 4 meters wide and fifty, we enter into a "lake" surrounded by stacks and 360 ° if ' High tide was coming, we were completely isolated. When you return, you could notice the houses (piles) of the fishermen, they had decided to live sul'acqua despite the government had offered their homes on the mainland. We return to Hanoi and having half a dozen hours of his departure for Hue, take a ride in the old neighborhood for a visit to the former residence of Ho Chi Minh wrote the speech in which he would do in 45 declaring the independence of Vietnam. Do you see along the promenade, the typical long houses and narrow as the merchants, in the 19th century, were taxed on the exposure building, therefore, close the front and the length that could even reach 60 meters. We continue to Dong Xuan market, the door to Quan Chuong, only 16 remained of the citadel. Reservoirs, always, various colors ee by the continuous ringing of vehicles, we run into the small temple of the White Horse "Bach." Dating back to 1010 is the oldest structure in the neighborhood and was one of four temples that protected Hanoi.Con festive air-Chinese New Year begins tomorrow-we proceed to the Hoan Kiem Lake, water medallion in the middle of turmoil between the citizen old neighborhood and the French Quarter. We can see the final preparations to welcome the new year and while on the stage stands a sweet song of Vietnam, we are approaching the hotel where we find a driver that will lead us in a train station where the 23 will take us to Hue '. The conditions of the train were mediocre, the bunks and discrete services bad. In the morning the attendant, greets us with the wishes of the new year and gives us, as customary, some dong.

Huè

01/26/2009: It's 9:00 and we are in the station yard in Hue ', the imperial capital in 1945, pending the guide will be with us for the journey in the central area. First stop, after a refreshment in the hotel, the Thien Mu Pagoda, reached via the "River of smells." The pagoda, the symbol of the city, stands well for 21 meters and consists of 7 floors, striking visiting Austin who led the monk from Thien Mu, Thich Quang Duc in Saigon where he set fire to protest against the repressive measures antibuddiste . You can also see a picture of the era of the Citadel tragedia.Ci move around the Imperial City and the fabulous Forbidden City Porpurea. This collection of palaces, temples, pavilions, ponds, gardens, was the capital of Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to the last emperor in 1945, Bao Dai. In 1947, a fire destroyed many of the 150 real structures and today some of these are so faithful restoration to be confused with the original. At the entrance are the guns of the 9 gods: four seasons and five elements. We went to the tomb of Khai Dinh at the foot of a steep hill in the court of honor at a series of stone mandarins are eternally at attention while the interior is made entirely of ceramic and glass. Before returning to the hotel, we stopped driving home to sip a beer and swap gossip with 4 the rest of his family who welcomed us very warmly, one of the children gives us some dong like our bunks.

Hoi An - My Son

27/01/2009: This morning we are ready towards Hoi An. We drive along the legendary Mandarin Road, the origins of this road dates back to the fifteenth century. and the need for a course which scholars could come to the capital to take exams in Mandarin. After four centuries, the road linking Saigon to Hanoi. The road touches four steps from the highest of which you can enjoy a breathtaking view over the bay of Danang, where he landed the first contingent of American troops in '65. Down the valley, the beautiful beach that you can see, is home to a leper colony that although the chances of recovery are still subject to quarantine. We continue on the Mandarin Road and after passing through the city of Danang, we reach Hoi An ancient and important commercial port. Features are the merchants' houses along the river as all the restaurants, shops and meeting rooms along the grid of streets. Some clothing stores are able to pack a suit in less than three hours. Visit the sanctuary of My Son, located in a lush valley, built over 1500 years ago was forgotten for centuries until the discovery of the French in 1898. In the evening we have dinner at Hoi An in a characteristic area, the TAM TAM. Before returning to the hotel for a walk along the streets and admire the house Tan Ki, always the same in which they live the descendants of a Chinese family.

Huè - Ho Chi Minh City

01/28/2009: After a flight of just over an hour, we arrived in Ho Chi Minh City and is waiting for Nghi that will accompany us throughout the tour to the south. The first stop is the museum of the history of Vietnam, Viet lunch in a typical seafood restaurant with a variety of sauces, and delicious, the cha Sun, we are preparing themselves with a leaf of rice and stuffed with minced pork, bean sprouts, mint and vermicelli soy. A brief tour of the center and along the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon, we reach the hotel. Fix your luggage and rifocillatoci a bit ', we plunge back into the chaotic movement where other night 4ml of motors ahead to let us listen to their incessant ringing. We are in the midst of the festival of flowers adorned the streets and alleys at full blast and the mixture of lights, the smells and colors, made everything exciting.

Ho Chi Min City - Mekong Delta

Nghia and the driver, nicknamed "Eligio" as much resemblance to one of our colleagues, we are waiting outside the hotel at 8:00. We set off in the Mekong Delta, a trip almost endless; over 5 ore.Una boat takes us for a ride on the delta before reaching our Homastay in Can Tho. During the tour we visit a small island / village with many activities including one of the many coconut candy factories. Impressive speed at which they are wrapped. The Homestay is basically a wooden house built on stilts in one of the streams of delta. The owners are very hospitable. spent the night on a sort of canopies with thick mattresses little more than a pack of cigarettes.

Mekong Delta

We set off for a second trip to the market on the river, the traders of fruits and vegetables, there are many, the show is very impressive, the river, among the most polluted in the world is gray military. Let's take a trip to the market, "general" where hundreds of people are struggling for the purchases of fish and meat, chicken and vegetables, dried fish and canned variety. within which we do to Can Tho, we enter a picturesque festival organized by students in honor of Ho Chi Min Music and dances, lead us to movies and photos.

Cu Chi

We start early in the time to visit the Cu Chi underground tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War in the '60s. Visit us in and we appreciate the ingenuity of the time, this network of tunnels built up to 9 feet deep was made up of a series of tunnels and rooms required for survival under the ground. Visitors then, the kitchen, the operating room, lounge, meeting room and many more .. Area over a series of ornaments reminiscent of the sad moments of war, death traps, the remains of the famous B-52 bombs, some Vietnamese produce sandals made from tires and inner tubes of cars using the techniques of the time. We shoot a dozen shots to the head with rifles used in the '60s.

Ho Cho Minh

We return to Ho Chi Minh for a visit to the museum of war and the military. A lump in my throat did not let me exit. There are many testimonies that I wanted to see, especially the marks left by the use of Napalm.

.. Till the 4th

is time to return with a stop / relax in Bangkok a couple of days. But a renal colic forces me to stay in bed until the night before departure. I can take advantage of it, however, for a seafood dinner at the famous Sea Food Market, buy a fish and you want to cook like you do. Must try.
On the way back, we discuss the A target next year ....
See you next ....