Vietnam

We arrived in Saigon after a good nine hours on a bus from Nha Trang... the last three of which were spent driving through an absolute downpour of rain. We were travelling to Saigon as the first, preparatory step in the most important highlight of our trip to Vietnam- volunteer teaching music and dance at a school for blind and deaf in the Mekong River Delta town of Ben Tre, about two hours south of HCMC by ferry and road. We had first come into contact with the foundation assisting the school in their fledgling music program, the Degenhardt Foundation (http://www.degenhardtfoundation.org), when the foundation contacted Megan's orchestra in Washington, D.C., the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic (www.wmpa.us) soliciting instrument donations. Although at the time we had no instruments to donate, we realized that the small town of Ben Tre could very easily be looped into our SE Asia itinerary- and since we both have musical backgrounds, we decided to offer ourselves as instructors, volunteers, or pretty much whatever they needed. The wheels were first set in motion in July of 2007, but we had spent a lot of time corresponding with the program assistant in Saigon, the cheerful and always helpful Hong during our time in Nha Trang by phone. When we told Hong that we would be travelling through Saigon before heading down to the Delta, she insisted that we stay with her cousin, Hoa and her husband, Yoon's family at their lovely home in downtown Saigon, Ward 8. And as is typical on this adventure, once again we found ourselves travelling blindly to a city we had never been to before, in a country where we didn't speak the native tongue, to be welcomed warmly into the home of a family we had never met. Such is life on the trail.

Arrival in Saigon that rainy night was so much more straightforward and pleasant than arrival in Hanoi weeks earlier. We easily flagged down an honest taxi driver, picked up Hong from her office, and together traveled to Hoa's house. There we were greeted by her entire family, dog, and staff. Hoa and Yoon Le have three lovely children, Michael (13), Kevin (10), and Jimmy (5), as well as four helpers (some of whom are also cousins,) who assist with cooking and housekeeping and keep watch over the family compound when everyone is away. Kevin and Michael (as well as their parents), speak excellent English, and we enjoyed listening to them play guitar, playing video games, taking the dog for walks, joking around, and shooting pool together at the local SuperBowl complex. We owe a special thanks to Kevin for letting us borrow his room for the four nights we visited. Thanks, buddy!

From the moment we were welcomed to their home, we were made to feel like family. We were automatically included in all meals, family outings (swimming at the local pool on Friday night, a visit to both Yoon and Hoa's parents' homes (including the most delicious crab feast we have ever had at Yoon's sister's house,) and a special treat- a trip by motorbike to the family "farm house" on the outskirts of Saigon for a huge dinner commemorating the passing of an important family patriarch.) Hong and Hoan (another cousin) also took us out for delicious pho on their motorbikes one afternoon. The entire visit was so special to us, and a really genuine and beautiful introduction to local life in Saigon in a normal Vietnamese family home. We could have never gained such insight into the generosity and friendliness of the Vietnamese people had we not had this incredible experience. We still keep in touch with Kevin and Giang through email, and hope that one day we can return our Vietnamese friends' hospitality in the USA. Here are some pictures:

Catt with Michael Le

Megan with Michael

Catt, Kevin, and Giang

Megan with the nannies at Hoa and Yoon's home

Meg, Kevin and Catt

Catt, Hoan, Hong, and Megan at a family reunion

Megan and Catt with the Le Family in Saigon

Preparing dinner at the family farm house- celebrating the anniversary of the death of the family patriarch

Jimmy

Fishing at the farm house

After four days of southern hospitality, we were on to the next great adventure... in the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam...

So one observation we made while we were in Vietnam... the vendors are extremely assertive (bit of a euphemism,) and even more gifted at separating you from your hard-earned dong (Vietnamese currency). They are extremely talented bargainers, and even better at convincing you that yes, you do want to buy that trinket/bracelet/leg-hair threading treatment/pineapple/grilled lobster at your beach chair. Things get ugly, though, the minute the traveller suspends one of the time-honored Rules of Purchase:

1.) If you say "maybe later" to a vendor on foot, especially in a situation where you are stationary and they are walking (say while on the beach,) they WILL come back to your chair. Don't get angry if they do.
2.) If you raise your voice and lose face while bargaining, there is a good chance the shopkeeper or vendor will, too.
3.) Pick your item carefully. Once money changes hands, there are absolutely no refunds, exchanges or returns. Period.

We witnessed a gross violation of the Rules while chilling out in the beach-side town of Nha Trang, a coastal city with a population of about 300,000, eight hours north of Saigon or so. But more on that, later.

We had selected Nha Trang because of descriptions like this one from Wikipedia:

"It is well known for its pristine beaches and excellent scuba diving and is fast becoming a popular destination for international tourists, attracting large numbers of backpackers on the Southeast Asia circuit. It is already very popular with Vietnamese tourists. Nha Trang Bay is amongst the world's most beautiful bays. Tourists can participate in Sea Festival and August- Nha Trang Rendez- vous Festival every 2 years."

While the beach at Nha Trang was nice enough, we probably would not categorize it as "amonst the world's most beautiful bays," especially after spending time in Indonesia, French Polynesia and Thailand. It is a bit built up with nondescript, concrete-block shaped mid-range motels and hotels lining the shore. There is also an extremely tacky resort being built offshore, with plans to connect Nha Trang beach to it by gondola lift. It was also perhaps one of the least restful beaches we've visited on account of the extremely opportunistic and shrewd sellers plying the beaches constantly with their items for sale. Regardless of all of this, though, our time at Nha Trang was not without humor, and we enjoyed the local food, a very clean and friendly guesthouse, and pretty easy beach access.

Pictures of Nha Trang:

waves breaking on Nha Trang Beach, Vietnam

eating lobster and crabs on Nha Trang Beach... tough life, eh?

Nha Trang Bay

When we first arrived, we headed down to the beach to spend a few hours relaxing by the sea. Typically anywhere in Asia, a local guy will own a small fleet of beach chairs and umbrellas. For a few bucks, you pay him to usethem for the afternoon. We did just that and were relaxing when the ladies began coming by, showing trays of cheap jewelry, temporary tattoos, food goods, etc to tourists lying on chairs. Three girls from Spain were sitting in beach chairs behind us. We happened to notice them bargining with one particular vendor for a while, closely looking at her selection of anklets. All of the sudden, a commotion begins. The tiny Vietnamese vendor, no more than five feet tall in a large conical hat, is up and yelling at the girls while they prance around their chairs singing taunting songs. Vietnamese vendors are coming out of the woodwork to join the original vendor in the cursing of these three girls. A circle of curious tourists begins to ring around the whole bizarre scene. Tangential to this whole thing is a large-ish lady screaming bloody hell about a frog cell-phone charm- like one of those dangly ornaments (sometimes larger than the phone itself), that people hang off their cell phones as decoration. We learn that apparently the original vendor had just sold the girls three bracelets (which they selected themselves from her tray.) Apparently, once money had been exchanged, one of the girls realized that her bracelet was broken or somehow defective. When she realized this, she pointed it out to the vendor and asked for a refund. Of course the vendor said no. As a result, the girl snatched a fistful of the vendor's wares, hid them in her pockets, and started taunting the vendor, saying she wouldn't give them back until the vendor gave her her money back. The vendor summons all of her little vendor friends, who started dropping f-bombs and threats at the girls liberally, and the whole thing is on the brink of fisticuffs- so much for the pleasant, peaceful slice of sand of which we'd dreamt. Anyhow, the original vendor starts pushing the girls, who push back, then the slapping starts, and the guy who owns the beach chair business runs in to get involved, because violent vendors are frankly bad for his business. The three Spanish girls start to stalk off (still holding the stolen goods in their pockets,) and a veritable mob of female Vietnamese vendors parades off on their heels. It gets ugly at the carpark, where the girls have parked their motor bikes- the vendors swarm the girls, steal their bikes, and say they won't give them back until the girls give back the stolen merchandise. Total stalemate, and I'm wondering if pretty soon one of them will start taking human hostages. On top of all of it, apparently the fat lady says that in addition to stealing the bracelets and anklets from the original vendor, the girls have also made off with her "froggy cell phone charm," which was a "gift to her from a nice tourist." The police come down and get involved just as it seems as if the Spanish girls are going to get a total beat-down from the mob. They sort of side with the tourists (basically because they've been instructed to err on the side of tourists in these sorts of situations- tourism is an important part of Nha Trang's revenue.) The bikes and bracelets are grudgingly exchanged. End of drama.

This sort of situation, we felt, whether it was fair or not, was the fault of the three girls. Rules are different while travelling in developing countries, especially when buying from vendors in cash. They should have more carefully examined the goods before ponying up the cash. Still, though, a humorous afternoon. And the fat lady got her frog back afterall. Good old Vietnam.

The fat lady, triumphant with her frog cell-phone charm

Chinese symbol for luck in Hoi An, Vietnam

We arrived in Hoi An, Vietnam via a surprisingly pleasant, reasonably priced bus from Hue. The journey took about four hours, and we arrived in the middle of a full-on downpour of rain. We had given our names to our guesthouse in advance of travelling to be sure that someone would meet us at the bus station. Somehow, though, through the magic Vietnamese travel gods that be, a representative FROM our accommodation showed up on our bus with a handwritten sign with our names on it, and proceeded to drive us straight to the guesthouse. Talk about door to door!

Hoi An is a lovely Vietnamese city, perhaps most famous, and rightly so, as the tailoring capital of SE Asia. The master tailors here can crank out made-to-measure clothes at a fraction of western prices in less than 24 hours... and as we were to discover, also provided the added benefit of a completely amusing and unique bargaining experience to boot. Catt's plan was to get a few tailor-made suits and shirts. Megan's plan was a little less practical- getting a few fun party dresses and a stylish winter coat (probably not to be worn for another 12 months, as we are following summer for a year, here. But practicality, schmacticality, right?)

We spent a few hours scouting out a good tailor (there are literally hundreds of shops, all offering seemingly similar prices and a mind-boggling amount of fabrics, buttons, options, etc) and finally decided upon a small shop run by some of the liveliest and most mischievous girls we'd ever encountered in our travels. Catt purchased two cashmere-blend suits (one in darker brown and one in thin white pinstripe on navy,) and some dress shirts, and Megan selected a black and white cotton dress, as well as a knee-length silver, silk dress with capped sleeves and a white, cowl-neck wool coat. After outlining on paper your choices, you are then taken upstairs to pick fabrics. We were like kids in a candy store. They literally bring you into a room with hundreds of fabric options, and you pick your lining, buttons, zippers, and just about everything else. Prices were negotiated, and then they proceed to try to goad you into buying more shirts, dresses, whatever. "Two more for YOU!" they'd shriek, slapping you on the butt, pinching your cheeks, etc, and then draping unwanted silk and wool over your head/arms/waist. The whole scene was quite comical, but worth it, because in the end, they did a fabulous job. We are really bummed that we didn't get any pictures with our salesgirls, because we got to know them quite well over the course of our few days in Hoi An.

"Old town" Hoi An was designated a UNESCO world heritage site as "a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port of the 15th to 19th centuries, whose buildings display a unique blend of local and foreign influences." During our visit we also had a chance to explore some of the historical temples, homes and museums, as well as wander the charming alleyways enjoying delicious Vietnamese coffee and deserts, crafts, and fresh fruit. There is a very evident Chinese influence in Hoi An, primarily due to the large Chinese community there. Here are some pictures.

a to-die-for desert from a street-side cafe in Hoi An

The rains pretty much continued for the duration of our visit to Hoi An, which was okay, since thankfully most of our activities in Hoi An were indoors. The entire ancient portion of the port (water-front harbor) flooded in the evenings, making for a messy tangle of cyclos, dogs, vendors and tourists.

Hoi An street in the rain

Chinese assembly hall

conical-shaped spirals of incense, Chinese temple, Hoi An

alter in a Chinese temple, Hoi An

purple lotus flower, Hoi An

paintings for sale in Hoi An, Vietnam

waterfront view from the Japanese Bridge in the rain

Hoi An flooding in the rain

boat woman in Hoi An

some elderly ladies lighting up in Hoi An

the national symbol of Vietnam, the motorbike, was alive and well in Hoi An

carrying a palm tree through town... you know, normal stuff

Hoi An locals at the market

Hoi An local carrying baskets over her shoulder- this is a very common way to transport items- especially produce- in Vietnam

A great addition to our Hoi An experience was getting to spend time with our Spanish friends from Ha Long Bay, Jose, Valle, and Luis once more. We coincidently were staying at a guesthouse right next to theirs, and met up for coffee and a tasty buffet dinner one night. The spanglish and beer carried us to the wee hours, and it was a wonderful end to a relaxing few days of retail therapy on the coast of Vietnam.