Hoi An - The tailoring capital of Vietnam

After a short bus trip from Hue, viewing at least one up turned lorry on the way, we arrived at the small town of Hoi An. Amazingly, Hoi An was pretty much untouched during the wars and as such has retained some of it's old buildings and charm. It was once an important trade port for Vietnam and Asia but is now the tailoring captial of Vietnam. Almost every other shop was offering to create you, made to measure, the latest fashion wonders for a great price.While here we had lots of free time to explore and shop. We hadn't planned to have any clothes made but when we found a place making made to measure jeans we could not resist. Charlie had a pair of jeans made and Carl had a denim jacket.The traffic in Hoi An is also pretty quiet so one afternoon we hired pushbikes and rode down to the beach for a late lunch at Mrs Mans restaurant. While enjoying a nice meal we met, and bought jewelry from, the Vietnamese Del Boy. He was great, he had all the talk and all that was missing was the chunky gold rings - we couldn't help but part with our money.Hoi An was a great place to recharge our batteries a bit before moving on to Ho Chi Minh City.

Mekong Delta (Vietnam & Caombodia) - Toum Tiou Cruise

TOUM TIOU CRUISE: SAIGON to SIEM REAP10 Days/9 NightsINTRODUCTIONSiem Reap, Phnom Penh and Saigon are the key destinations that we use to offer you trips into lands of disconcerting beauty, with an incomparable historical heritage and legendary traditions. Cambodia's waterways are more than a convenient way of getting around; they are the country's lifeblood. Take a trip on them and you get an unparalleled in-depth look at the real country, becoming totally immersed in something both gentle and spectacular that cannot be experienced by any other mode of transportation. The shallow draught of the Toum Tiou makes it possible to reach the very heart of the remotest of villages where the sense of discovery is often reciprocal. Is it the travelers or the Khmers who are most surprised by the encounter ? ITINERARYDay 1 - Monday: Saigon – My ThoAt 7:45, in the Saigon Port at Dock No. 1 (in front if Ho Chi Minh Museum), Toum Tiou is open for embarking, together with clearance of departure formalities. Then at at 8:30, the cruise depart for My Tho. Lunch and leisure on board during navigation. At about 17h, when arrival at My Tho – Toum Tiou drops anchor on river in the proximity of Thoi Son Island. Local musician band embarks to play traditional music for 45 minutes. Follow is welcome drink and info meeting about cruise, crew introduction. Welcome dinner. Overnight onboardDay 2 - Thursday: My Tho – Cai BeAt 8h in the morning, local boats are coming alongside Toum Tiou to pick up passengers and transfer to the mainland. Departure for Vinh Trang Pagoda by car - Short panoramic tour of My Tho town on the way. Continuing for Dong Tam Snake Farm and My Tho Market. On the banks of a northern arm of the Mekong, My Tho, which translates as "fragrant herb", where tourists come to discover the beauty of the delta. It's a quiet, prosperous city of about 100,000 inhabitants, famous for its many fruit orchards, gardens and the huge rice fields that surround it. The climate is warm and pleasant year round. The surrounding countryside is home to one of the most luxuriant gardens of Vietnam, with its coconut palms, banana and mango trees. When return at the pier - Passengers cruise on the river to Thoi Son Island by local boat to visit the island, explore local people’s daily life and enjoy locally seasonal fruits. At 13:00 passengers re-embark Toum Tiou and leaves My Tho for Cai Be. Lunch and leisure on board. Late afternoon, Toum Tiou at anchor on river on the proximity of Cai Be. Dinner and overnight on board.Day 3 - Wednesday: Cai Be – Vinh Long – Sa DecAt 8h, local boats are coming alongside Toum Tiou, picking up the passengers and cruise around Cai Be FloatingMarket. Continuing for Vinh Long - a brick and pottery factory, the Binh Hoa Phuoc Islet Nursery of Fruit Trees as well a typical house and a show room of traditional farming tools. Vinh Long, which translates as "Majestic Dragon", is right in the middle of the delta, between two arms of the Mekong. The soil of Vinh Long is enriched by silt deposits, making it ideal for growing mandarins and other citrus fruits. Life is organized around the water. Houses on stilts, hawkers in boats, hundreds of small craft crisscross in all directions. The hospitality of the locals makes it a tourist destination par excellence. Return on the Toum Tiou, departure for Sa Dec.Lunch on board during the navigation. Arrival at Sa Dec at about 15.00. Short panoramic tour of Sa Dec and transfer to Trung Vuong primary school. Continuing to Kien An Cung Pagoda. Stroll around Sa Dec Market along Sa Dec River bank. This small city of 30,000 inhabitants is fascinating in its unspoiled authenticity and undisturbed by tourists. It provides a glimpse of the delta where a few colonial houses still remain, including the "Chinaman's house" (from Duras' novel "The Lover", also made into a movie). Return to the boat with stopover at a nursery of flower and bonsai trees. Famous for its horticulture (it has many varieties of fabulously exotic flowers) Sa Dec was known as the "Garden of Cochin Chine" during colonial times. At about 18:30 passengers re-embark, Toum Tiou leaves Sa Dec port and drop anchor few miles away. Dinner and overnight on the river.Day 4 - Thursday: Chau DocEarly departure for Chau Doc. Breakfast during navigation. Leisure and relax onboard. Arrival after lunch at Victoria Hotel Chau Doc jetty. Located to the north at the beginning of Mekong's famous delta, Chau Doc straddles both banks of the Mekong which fans out to the dimensions of a river mouth here. Floating fish farms have sprung up everywhere. Bamboo fish drying racks are set up a meter above the water's surface. The bourgeoning downtown area features some charmingly rustic colonial buildings, squeezed in by the marketplace - the colorful, vibrant heart of the city. As always, these busy parts of town, despite their sometimes strong odors, offer wonderful photo opportunities... At 14:30 departure for fish raising rafts and Cham minority village by local boat. Return to the Victoria hotel for a walk to Chau Doc market. Visit of Sam Mountain which peaks at 237 meters. Its well-known Buddhist sanctuaries offer an unobstructed view over the mosaic of glistening rice paddies below. To the left is Cambodia, the flow of the Mekong on the horizon breaks into an infinity of silver ribbons. Visit on the way of the Lady Chua Xu temple and Tay An Pagoda. Return to the boat after sunset. Dinner at the Victoria Hotel’s restaurant. Overnight onboard at the jetty of the hotel; passengers are free to enjoy the hotel facilities (swimming pool, sauna, bar) or stroll in Chau Doc.Day 5 - Friday: Chau Doc – Kôh Dek ChauIn early morning, Toum Tiou leaves for Vinh Xuong (Vietnamese border). Arrival at Vinh Xuong check-point – Formalities clearance for Toum Tiou to cross the border. At 13:30 Toum Tiou leaves Vinh Xuong check point for Cambodia. Lunch during the navigation. 14:00 arrival at Kaam Samnaar check-point – Formalities clearance for crossing the border. Toum Tiou leaves Kaam Samnaar check point for Kôh Dek Chau Island. Arrival at Kôh Dek Chau island, at 16.30. A short break along the way, it allows to get a fascinating, close-up look at daily life in Cambodia. On the fringes of civilization, the 600 people who live on Kôh Dek Chau will receive your visit with some surprise. School children will escort you along your way. You will go through the village that occupies the full length of the island, walking along a trail shaded by date palms. Toum Tiou leaves for Phnom Penh and drops anchor few miles away. Dinner and overnight on board.Day 6 - Saturday: Kôh Dek Chau – Phnom PenhDeparture of Toum Tiou for Phnom Penh. Lunch during the navigation. Arrival at Phnom Penh, formalities clearance. At 14:30 departure for the “KILLING FIELDS” – return to the boat around 18:30. Dinner on board.Local group performs on board “APSARA” show. Overnight onboard.Day 7 - Sunday: Phnom PenhHalf day city sightseeing tour including the Royal Palace and the National Museum. At 12:30 return to the ship for the lunch on board. Afternoon is the day free exploration on own. Suggestions can be made up on the interest of passengers. (FCC, Russian market, other boutiques (antiques), etc.) Diner and overnight on board.Day 8 - Monday: Phnom Penh – Kôh Chen / Oudong – Kampong TralachDeparture of the Toum Tiou for Kôh Chen (Chinese Island). Breakfast during navigation. Arrival to Kôh Chen, small village of whose inhabitants specialize in silver and copper smiting. They make ornamental items, including delicately engraved tropical fruits, used in traditional ceremonies at the pagoda or for marriages. The distant hills of Cambodia's old capital, Oudong, and its royal stupas can be seen a few kilometers away from the ferry. At the top of the hill, the ruins of Anthareu temple. Passengers re-embark the Toum Tiou at 14.45. Lunch on board on the way to Kampong Tralach. Arrival at Kampong Tralach to visit its wonderful Vihara belonging to Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To get to it, we cross Kampong Tralach Krom village along a small road perpendicular to the river, crossing some gorgeous stretches of emerald rice paddy as we leave the river behind. The Vihara dates back to early last century. It was probably built on an older site, as indicated by thelatérite foundations, and is home to some outstanding mural paintings. These, however, are starting tosuffer from weathering. They remain one of the last survivors of cultural destruction that continuesunabated due to widespread indifference. Standing by itself in the middle of rice fields, it is a modest pagoda that receives very few visitors. Its isolation may well be its undoing, as was the case for Wat Tani Pagoda in the province of Kampot. Passengers re-embark. The Toum Tiou drops anchor few miles away.Diner and overnight on board.Day 9 - Tuesday: Kampong Tralach - Kampong Chnang – Chnok TruDeparture of the Toum Tiou early in the morning. Sail to Kampong Chnang. Breakfast during navigation. Arrival to Kampong Chnang at about 9.00. Located some 56 miles from Phnom Penh, the town of Kampong Chnang is one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonlé Sap. Fish farming is also widely practiced in the area. The area is famous for its pottery ware, unchanged in style for centuries, which is produced in sufficient quantities to supply the entire country. And not to be overlooked are the products of the Thnot tree (sugar palm – a real national symbol) that abounds in the area: a mellow tasting, caramel-colored sugar sold in large cakes and palm wine. At noon, passengers re-embark the Toum Tiou. Lunch on board on the way to Chnok Tru. Arrival at Chnok Tru at 15.00. Local boats are coming along the Toum Tiou and picking passengers for the visit of thebiggest floating village on the Tonlé Sap River. Passengers re-embark. The Toum Tiou stays overnight in the proximity of Chnok Tru. Farewell cocktail (1 glass of local liquor or juice) with Master of Ship & Cruise ManagerCaptain’s farewell dinner (Enriched menu + 1 glass of wine). Overnight on board.Day 10 - Wednesday: Chnok Tru – Siem Reap1. High water, July - January.Departure of the Toum Tiou early in the morning. Time to pack and relax a half a day by crossing the TonléSap Lake. At 13:00, enjoy the last lunch on board, then passengers disembark.2. Low water, approximately February - June.Breakfast and relaxing morning on the boat, time to pack. Daily speedboat is coming along the boat and picks up passengers for crossing the Lake. At 13:30 arrival at Phnom Krom pier. Enjoy the last lunch in a restaurant in Siem Reap.

Too many Vietnamese, not enough brains.

Long time no story tell. Hanoi was interesting we had some of our most frustrating travelling experiences here. We constatly struggled not to get ripped off from hotels right down to buying a bottle of water. Travelling by taxi or motorbike always proved challenging most of the time either the meter would jump from around 6--26 thousand in one second or you would end up miles from your destination and further away from where you originally wanted to go before the driver would finally chose to comprehend where you wanted to go so sometimes jumping out of the taxi without paying and slamming the door was the only thing you could do. Walking the streets was the most stressful part of any day, there were footpaths however they were covered in motobikes, goods from shops and more motobikes this meant that the street was the only option and not very relaxing. The vietnamese are crazy at the best of times but when they get behind the wheel of a car or on a motobike they become ten time worse, this proves hazards for a pedestrian. Who has the loudest horn has the right of way ie buses and trucks, then cars then motos then cyclo's. Hanoi was a contrast to the rest of Vietnam personally one I (Hamish) could have easily left of the itinary (in hindsight) had it not been the gateway to Harlom Bay and Sapa.

Mekong Delta (Vietnam & Caombodia) - Toum Tiou Cruise

TOUM TIOU CRUISE: SAIGON to SIEM REAP10 Days/9 NightsINTRODUCTIONSiem Reap, Phnom Penh and Saigon are the key destinations that we use to offer you trips into lands of disconcerting beauty, with an incomparable historical heritage and legendary traditions. Cambodia's waterways are more than a convenient way of getting around; they are the country's lifeblood. Take a trip on them and you get an unparalleled in-depth look at the real country, becoming totally immersed in something both gentle and spectacular that cannot be experienced by any other mode of transportation. The shallow draught of the Toum Tiou makes it possible to reach the very heart of the remotest of villages where the sense of discovery is often reciprocal. Is it the travelers or the Khmers who are most surprised by the encounter ? ITINERARYDay 1 - Monday: Saigon – My ThoAt 7:45, in the Saigon Port at Dock No. 1 (in front if Ho Chi Minh Museum), Toum Tiou is open for embarking, together with clearance of departure formalities. Then at at 8:30, the cruise depart for My Tho. Lunch and leisure on board during navigation. At about 17h, when arrival at My Tho – Toum Tiou drops anchor on river in the proximity of Thoi Son Island. Local musician band embarks to play traditional music for 45 minutes. Follow is welcome drink and info meeting about cruise, crew introduction. Welcome dinner. Overnight onboardDay 2 - Thursday: My Tho – Cai BeAt 8h in the morning, local boats are coming alongside Toum Tiou to pick up passengers and transfer to the mainland. Departure for Vinh Trang Pagoda by car - Short panoramic tour of My Tho town on the way. Continuing for Dong Tam Snake Farm and My Tho Market. On the banks of a northern arm of the Mekong, My Tho, which translates as "fragrant herb", where tourists come to discover the beauty of the delta. It's a quiet, prosperous city of about 100,000 inhabitants, famous for its many fruit orchards, gardens and the huge rice fields that surround it. The climate is warm and pleasant year round. The surrounding countryside is home to one of the most luxuriant gardens of Vietnam, with its coconut palms, banana and mango trees. When return at the pier - Passengers cruise on the river to Thoi Son Island by local boat to visit the island, explore local people’s daily life and enjoy locally seasonal fruits. At 13:00 passengers re-embark Toum Tiou and leaves My Tho for Cai Be. Lunch and leisure on board. Late afternoon, Toum Tiou at anchor on river on the proximity of Cai Be. Dinner and overnight on board.Day 3 - Wednesday: Cai Be – Vinh Long – Sa DecAt 8h, local boats are coming alongside Toum Tiou, picking up the passengers and cruise around Cai Be FloatingMarket. Continuing for Vinh Long - a brick and pottery factory, the Binh Hoa Phuoc Islet Nursery of Fruit Trees as well a typical house and a show room of traditional farming tools. Vinh Long, which translates as "Majestic Dragon", is right in the middle of the delta, between two arms of the Mekong. The soil of Vinh Long is enriched by silt deposits, making it ideal for growing mandarins and other citrus fruits. Life is organized around the water. Houses on stilts, hawkers in boats, hundreds of small craft crisscross in all directions. The hospitality of the locals makes it a tourist destination par excellence. Return on the Toum Tiou, departure for Sa Dec.Lunch on board during the navigation. Arrival at Sa Dec at about 15.00. Short panoramic tour of Sa Dec and transfer to Trung Vuong primary school. Continuing to Kien An Cung Pagoda. Stroll around Sa Dec Market along Sa Dec River bank. This small city of 30,000 inhabitants is fascinating in its unspoiled authenticity and undisturbed by tourists. It provides a glimpse of the delta where a few colonial houses still remain, including the "Chinaman's house" (from Duras' novel "The Lover", also made into a movie). Return to the boat with stopover at a nursery of flower and bonsai trees. Famous for its horticulture (it has many varieties of fabulously exotic flowers) Sa Dec was known as the "Garden of Cochin Chine" during colonial times. At about 18:30 passengers re-embark, Toum Tiou leaves Sa Dec port and drop anchor few miles away. Dinner and overnight on the river.Day 4 - Thursday: Chau DocEarly departure for Chau Doc. Breakfast during navigation. Leisure and relax onboard. Arrival after lunch at Victoria Hotel Chau Doc jetty. Located to the north at the beginning of Mekong's famous delta, Chau Doc straddles both banks of the Mekong which fans out to the dimensions of a river mouth here. Floating fish farms have sprung up everywhere. Bamboo fish drying racks are set up a meter above the water's surface. The bourgeoning downtown area features some charmingly rustic colonial buildings, squeezed in by the marketplace - the colorful, vibrant heart of the city. As always, these busy parts of town, despite their sometimes strong odors, offer wonderful photo opportunities... At 14:30 departure for fish raising rafts and Cham minority village by local boat. Return to the Victoria hotel for a walk to Chau Doc market. Visit of Sam Mountain which peaks at 237 meters. Its well-known Buddhist sanctuaries offer an unobstructed view over the mosaic of glistening rice paddies below. To the left is Cambodia, the flow of the Mekong on the horizon breaks into an infinity of silver ribbons. Visit on the way of the Lady Chua Xu temple and Tay An Pagoda. Return to the boat after sunset. Dinner at the Victoria Hotel’s restaurant. Overnight onboard at the jetty of the hotel; passengers are free to enjoy the hotel facilities (swimming pool, sauna, bar) or stroll in Chau Doc.Day 5 - Friday: Chau Doc – Kôh Dek ChauIn early morning, Toum Tiou leaves for Vinh Xuong (Vietnamese border). Arrival at Vinh Xuong check-point – Formalities clearance for Toum Tiou to cross the border. At 13:30 Toum Tiou leaves Vinh Xuong check point for Cambodia. Lunch during the navigation. 14:00 arrival at Kaam Samnaar check-point – Formalities clearance for crossing the border. Toum Tiou leaves Kaam Samnaar check point for Kôh Dek Chau Island. Arrival at Kôh Dek Chau island, at 16.30. A short break along the way, it allows to get a fascinating, close-up look at daily life in Cambodia. On the fringes of civilization, the 600 people who live on Kôh Dek Chau will receive your visit with some surprise. School children will escort you along your way. You will go through the village that occupies the full length of the island, walking along a trail shaded by date palms. Toum Tiou leaves for Phnom Penh and drops anchor few miles away. Dinner and overnight on board.Day 6 - Saturday: Kôh Dek Chau – Phnom PenhDeparture of Toum Tiou for Phnom Penh. Lunch during the navigation. Arrival at Phnom Penh, formalities clearance. At 14:30 departure for the “KILLING FIELDS” – return to the boat around 18:30. Dinner on board.Local group performs on board “APSARA” show. Overnight onboard.Day 7 - Sunday: Phnom PenhHalf day city sightseeing tour including the Royal Palace and the National Museum. At 12:30 return to the ship for the lunch on board. Afternoon is the day free exploration on own. Suggestions can be made up on the interest of passengers. (FCC, Russian market, other boutiques (antiques), etc.) Diner and overnight on board.Day 8 - Monday: Phnom Penh – Kôh Chen / Oudong – Kampong TralachDeparture of the Toum Tiou for Kôh Chen (Chinese Island). Breakfast during navigation. Arrival to Kôh Chen, small village of whose inhabitants specialize in silver and copper smiting. They make ornamental items, including delicately engraved tropical fruits, used in traditional ceremonies at the pagoda or for marriages. The distant hills of Cambodia's old capital, Oudong, and its royal stupas can be seen a few kilometers away from the ferry. At the top of the hill, the ruins of Anthareu temple. Passengers re-embark the Toum Tiou at 14.45. Lunch on board on the way to Kampong Tralach. Arrival at Kampong Tralach to visit its wonderful Vihara belonging to Wat Kampong Tralach Leu pagoda. To get to it, we cross Kampong Tralach Krom village along a small road perpendicular to the river, crossing some gorgeous stretches of emerald rice paddy as we leave the river behind. The Vihara dates back to early last century. It was probably built on an older site, as indicated by thelatérite foundations, and is home to some outstanding mural paintings. These, however, are starting tosuffer from weathering. They remain one of the last survivors of cultural destruction that continuesunabated due to widespread indifference. Standing by itself in the middle of rice fields, it is a modest pagoda that receives very few visitors. Its isolation may well be its undoing, as was the case for Wat Tani Pagoda in the province of Kampot. Passengers re-embark. The Toum Tiou drops anchor few miles away.Diner and overnight on board.Day 9 - Tuesday: Kampong Tralach - Kampong Chnang – Chnok TruDeparture of the Toum Tiou early in the morning. Sail to Kampong Chnang. Breakfast during navigation. Arrival to Kampong Chnang at about 9.00. Located some 56 miles from Phnom Penh, the town of Kampong Chnang is one of the largest fishing ports on the Tonlé Sap. Fish farming is also widely practiced in the area. The area is famous for its pottery ware, unchanged in style for centuries, which is produced in sufficient quantities to supply the entire country. And not to be overlooked are the products of the Thnot tree (sugar palm – a real national symbol) that abounds in the area: a mellow tasting, caramel-colored sugar sold in large cakes and palm wine. At noon, passengers re-embark the Toum Tiou. Lunch on board on the way to Chnok Tru. Arrival at Chnok Tru at 15.00. Local boats are coming along the Toum Tiou and picking passengers for the visit of thebiggest floating village on the Tonlé Sap River. Passengers re-embark. The Toum Tiou stays overnight in the proximity of Chnok Tru. Farewell cocktail (1 glass of local liquor or juice) with Master of Ship & Cruise ManagerCaptain’s farewell dinner (Enriched menu + 1 glass of wine). Overnight on board.Day 10 - Wednesday: Chnok Tru – Siem Reap1. High water, July - January.Departure of the Toum Tiou early in the morning. Time to pack and relax a half a day by crossing the TonléSap Lake. At 13:00, enjoy the last lunch on board, then passengers disembark.2. Low water, approximately February - June.Breakfast and relaxing morning on the boat, time to pack. Daily speedboat is coming along the boat and picks up passengers for crossing the Lake. At 13:30 arrival at Phnom Krom pier. Enjoy the last lunch in a restaurant in Siem Reap.

Vietnam Dining and Shopping

Shop Hours: Shops run from 7 or 8am to 11 or 11:30pm. Some are open from 1 or 2pm to 4 or 5pm.generic items and local handicrafts: Local specialities include lacquer painting, reed mats, embroidery, tailor-made ao dais (female national costume) & mother-of-pearl inlay on ornaments & furniture, not to mention the local conical hats. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) has the best buys for modern goods like CDs and clothing.Antiques: The best place for shopping for antiques or replicas is in Hanoi. Export of antiques restricted by Vietnamese law, but laws on the subject vague & unevenly enforced. Antique objects can be subject to inspection & seizure by customs authorities with no compensation made to owners.Determining whether something is antique is arbitrary. Purchasers of non-antique items of value should retain receipts & confirmation from shop owners &/or Ministry of Culture & Customs Department to prevent seizure upon departure. Prior to purchasing antiques, travellers may wish to determine from Ministry of Culture whether object can be exported & amount of duty. Process of exporting antiques can be difficult & time consuming; however, travellers could insist that sellers obtain all necessary permits from Ministry of Culture & Customs Department before final purchase. DININGVietnamese food varies from region to region and is a total taste sensation everywhere you go. Almost 500 traditional dishes have been recorded. Rice and noodles are the staple foods and are served with nearly all meals. The most popular dishes are spring rolls, noodles with sliced pork, eggs, shredded chicken and shrimp, shellfish steamed with ginger and sea crabs fried with salt. Among common ingredients used are: shark fin, duck, pork paste, fish, spices, fruits, vegetables, crabmeat, lobster and oysters.Rice wine is very popular, and there are many brands available. There are a variety of fruit wines such as apricot, orange or lemon. Soft drinks are processed from the many varieties of tropical fruits available. Water from the tap should be avoided, even though it has already been filtered and sterilized. If you must drink it, boil the water first.Eating in Vietnam ranges from the cheap noodle soup for a quarter of a dollar eaten on the street to a banquet in one of the luxury hotels.Restaurants: Government-run restaurants catering to tourists add a 10% service charge to the bill.Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Vietnam, but it is enormously appreciated. A 5-10% tip for a meal is a very small amount of money for most tourists but to the average Vietnamese, it can easily equal a day's wages. Please avoid tipping too much, as it will set a precedent for others.The different local foods:Pho: The most typical Vietnamese food is Pho, the noodle soup with meat in it. It is very cheap (you can get a bowl for about VND 2000 - 3000) and usually well spiced. The main pho are: Pho Bo, with beef, Pho Bo Tai, with fish and Pho Ga, with chicken. Com: Boiled rice is eaten for lunch and dinner. There are many different kinds of rice. Typically, fragrant rice is used, like Tam Thom or Nahg Huong. Grilled rice is served in autumn. It is eaten with eggs, bananas and sapodillas.Banh Chung: The traditional sticky rice cakes are made of glutinous rice, pork and green bean paste and sometimes with onion, wrapped in bamboo or banana leaves. They are made by soaking the rice in water for an entire day. Wrapped in the fresh bamboo leaves, the rice turns slightly green. There is a legend attached to the creation of this traditional dish: Prince Lang Lieu created and presented the rice cakes to his father, winning high acclaim and thus securing the throne.Nuoc mam: This fermented fish sauce is used to spice anything.Baguettes: A legacy of the French is the small white bread loaves, resembling baguettes. You can get them for as little as VND 500. Sometimes they are combined with well-spiced meat, vegetables and salad to form an excellent sandwich.Seafood: Along the coast you get excellent fresh seafood almost everywhere.Cha ca: The fried fish slices are a specialty of the north. Snake: In the Mekong delta you are able to get cheap snake. This different, but delicious meat, is prepared in a variety of ways and is well worth trying...you will be pleasantly surprised. Beer: Imported beer is available in Vietnam, although a number of domestic beers are brewed.Duck eggs: This popular dish is another worth trying but if you feel squeemish...don't as it consists of an already partly developed foetus, complete with feathers, limbs and beak.

Hue know it makes sense

Local man: "Where you from?"Jeff: "England"Local man: "England!!! Football good!!! Michael Owen"Jeff: "Yes"I must have had this conversation about 350 times already since coming to Vietnam. But I don't mind because the people here do seem to be genuinely friendly and enthusiastic. OK, so most of them want to sell you a pineapple, a book, a taxi ride, a hotel room, a postcard, or bread with flies on but everyone's got to make a living as J-Lo so succinctly sang.Vietnam is the most characterful country I've ever been to. Like in China the people are friendly and industrious and the scenery is spectacular but here there's shedfulls of charm to add in as well.Hue (pronounced "Waheeeeeyyyyyy!!!!!" or something like that) is about half way down the coast and seems to be typical of the kind of thouroughly relaxing old colonial towns in this country. It's a pretty well developed place and its setting on the banks of the Perfume River adds even more to the charm. The backpackers stay on one or two streets and everything is cheap, especially the local brew, Huda, which costs 7000 dong a bottle. That's 25 pence.We haven't done that much since we've been here - trip to the beach one day, visit to the massive walled citadel another, and a trip out to the Demilitarised Zone on our last day. The beach was long and the sand here is white. The walled citadel is a pretty interesting place to see - the scale of the place defies belief. Pity most of it was bombed in '68 but there's still plenty to see and take in.The trip out to the DMZ was another matter entirely. We visited a vast network of tunnels where the VC actually lived during the wars here, and it is yet another eye opening experience for me. It really puts the war into a different light when you visit tunnels that are about two feet wide and about five feet high (in the big parts) that they dug by hand and then lived in for years by candlelight whilst fighting the French, then the NVA and the Americans. I've been learning more about the war from books and locals (hark at my intellect) and it does leave a lasting impression.Anyway, enough historical ramblings. Off to Hoi An next to get a suit made and do some more relaxing.

Miss Saigon?

Just arrived in Saigon today. Spent ages at the vietnam border for some reason...they love a bit of red tape...like the french.Phnom Penh was good. I really liked it there. Went on the piss by the river with an English Guy and a German girl. Started at the Foreign Correspndants Club and then movd on to several lower class places.Have a magic 50 dollar note that ended up back in my wallet after i spent it which is fantastic. TYhat means i only spent 2 dollars in 4 doays.....im well up for that magic happening over and over again.anyway, we made our way out of Cambodia today. Met a Northern Irish couple and are now drinking in the backpacker district in Saigon. HAvent tried the local brew yet but the tiger is going down nicely.Hope to spend a month here in Vietnam and really looking forward to it.Cookie monster and sneerky are now officiallyt he dirtiest teddies in asia and are due a big wash.Tried to upload pics yesterday but puters too slow. We'll get it done tomorrow. the giant rat stopped to pose in front of me yesterday but i couldnt get the camera out of my bag fast enough. I think i was starting to consider him my pet so it's as well we've moved on.Anyway, we'll be in touch tomorrow.Til then.bye ybe

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Interesting things about my Journey in Vietnam

Hello Friends,I've been recently inspired by the depth of Elisha's travel journals and would like to practice writing interesting travel entries for all of you about my experience in Vietnam.I'd like to write freely so my thougts can flow. Thus, there will be no chronological order nor an order of importance. I'd like to just focus on what I have found interesting on my travels and things I've learned.Here we go...1. My great grandmother just died two days ago. It's been a trip. I came here before new years, and luckily met her before she died. She chanted to Elisha and I a beautiful sutra about the 84 famous Bodhisattvas. It was quite powerful as it sent shivers throughout my body. At the time, I thought that it was great she had the ability to chant the sutra while laying paralyzed on the bed at the ripe old age of 96. I felt she was more or less ready.So, three days ago, I call my aunt and she tells me that my great grandmother was very ill, no longer eating. I curtailed my plans to visit an island and took a train to Da Nang. That night before going to the train station, Elisha and I spotted an owl while riding on a motorcylce. This big owl with a white belly flew right above us, along the bike, and perched ontop a lampost. Elisha shared with me that Native Americans believe that owls are the messengers of death. Elisha and I figured that my great grandmother was about to die. Surely enough, as soon as we arrived in Da Nang, our family tells us that the grandmother died that night at 3:00am. The universe works in mysterious ways. And it just so happens that we made it right on time, off the train, to attend her funeral service, and to give our love and peaceful energy to my great grandmother's transformation. I felt very good with the whole service for everyone was very focused and strong to help my grandmother continue her journey. My dad, in Texas, was very happy that we made it to share our energy for my great grandmother to be liberated. I tried my best to give love and light as my aikido sensei has taught. It felt very good. Glancing over my great grandmother's corpse, I remembered a line from Lord of the Rings, spoken by Liv tyler, the elvish princess, as she was trying to save frodo, she prayed and cried, "Whatever grace within me, let it pass onto him." As I remembered these lines in my mind,opened palmed and mind focused on my great grandmother, my body shivered and tears welled up in my eyes, I was made to believe that she was going to be ok.2. We are such conditioned beings. The conditioning runs deep. I realize this when I observe my little cousins here in Vietnam. When they speak to me, they speak just like there parents do. They have similiar reactions, comments, hand gestures, facial expressions, and etc. just like their parents. It is insane. They even sometimes have the same walk. It is such a trip to witness and to observe it in them and also within myself. I must ask in what ways I have been conditioned by my parents and of which qualities do I keep and which I must ardently remove. I recommend you to do the same. For myself, one such conditioning which has become more apparent to me is my anger. This particular kind of anger I recognize, is the kind of anger I have learned from my mother. And while travelling, it has the ripe conditions to arise and for me to practice with. But, it seems that as I come to understand it more, I've discovered that this style of anger has been passed on through generations. While discussing this issue with my cousin, she shares too that she gets angry in the same way. I then asked if her mother does it too, who is my mother's sister, She says yes. And I asked if my grandfather does it too, and she says yes. It is a trip to see that some mental habits within me have been passed down. It gives a sense of compassion, especially for my mother, because she was treated with in such a way and is only reacting to the way she has been taught, as is everyone else. It is scary as I look out into the world and see how much people influence each other in their ways of being and consciousness, such unenlightened ways. Thus, I wish for everyone to surround themselves in good environments and to find truly good friends, and great teachers to show us how to think, behave, act, ad love, in enlightening ways. I am thankful to all my teachers who have helped me to remove all the conditioning and the egotistical ways of thinking that has helped me to lead a life with a bit of truth, humility, compassion, love, true happiness, and peace. I am also thankful for the dharma that teaches us the way and how to practice skillfuly to change ourselves- to discover the purity within. There is much more practice to be done, but I am hopeful.

Exploring Hanoi

As promised a more detailed overview of our recent tour, starting off with Hanoi city in Vietnam.Hanoi, 26th-28th of FebruaryWe arrived in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, in the evening on the 26th of February with a day to kill before our tour started on the 28th. The first thing we noticed on our drive from the airport to the Victory hotel was the amount of traffic on the roads (most of it motorbikes) and the fact that the horn was an integral part of driving in Vietnam.In fact, the next day one of the first things we had to learn, and nervously put into practice was crossing the road. Due to the huge volume of motorbikes coming from all directions it is just unsafe to look for a gap in the traffic and run across the road. In fact running is the most dangerous thing you could do. Instead, you have to step into the road and slowly walk acoss, this way the motorbikes have time to spot you and move around you as you cross the road. It took a bit of getting used to but it did work and surprisingly well.During our first morning we explored the city on foot and made our way to the temple on the lake and browsed some of the many goods on offer in the shops. In the afternoon we jumped into cyclos for a tour of the city taking in the major sites such as the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. We also stopped off to watch a water puppet show, a speciality of Hanoi, this was very entertaining and done well with puppeteers standing in four feet of water moving puppets on basically two bits of wood. I haven't done it justice in my description but take our word for it, it was entertaining to watch.The next day we explored more of Hanoi of foot and tried to get into the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum to catch a glimpse of the now preserved, former, leader. Unfortunately, we were just too late when we arrived (this can be blamed on a cyclo drvier who chased us down a street) and could not get in so instead walked around the Museum next door which talked about and displayed some of the recent history of Vietnam and the life history of Ho Chi Minh. That evening we met our tour group and leader and all went out for dinner at the Cyclo restaurant to get to know each other. Our tour group was made up of a good mix of nationalities and ages with the youngest at 23 and the oldest at 62.The next day we all jumped on board a mini bus and headed to Halong Bay.....

The Cu Chi tunnels

On the morning of the 9th we headed off down bumpy roads to Cu Chi and the famous Cu Chi tunnels. Once we arrived we were soon wondering through the jungle, examining booby traps, tunnels and examples of how the VC lived during the American war.During our time here we got the chance to wonder through a tunnel, unfortunately Carl was just to broad shouldered to fit (Nothing to do with all the cheap beer in Vietnam) but Charlie pressed on through the narrow tunnels, and after her five minute trek was glad to be outside again as they were very claustrophobic.We wondered around some more and got to try a few other funny things, including rice wine, snake whiskey (Carl drank some this time) and firing an AK47.After experiencing a tiny part of what life was life in the VC we headed back to HCMC for the afternoon.