... FROM SOUTH OF THE MAKONG TO THE NORTH OF HANOI...
"Women At Prayer In A Buddist Temple"
Our trip begins in the wee hours of the morning..for several flights
from the East Coast to Calif,Korea,
and we finally arrive at The TanSonNhat Airport in Saigon now known as Ho Chi Minh City However, the people living there prefer Saigon and so do I ..Some 30 hrs..later.. It took much research and planning...many hours on the internet to find guides and drivers... to each destination so that
we were able to see all the places we chose to see..
Viola! we located a wonderful agent Mr. Coung in Hanoi..who helped
make our trip throughout the country a wonderful experience..seeing all we
hoped to see and much more....I will list the Agent and the guides who helped arrange everything
for us..including flight and train within Vietnam..That's another funny story!
will talk about later..
We wish to thank all of our guides! once again... From The Co.(RAINBOW TOURS IN HANOI)..
It is now the next day 11.30 at night ..exhusted we finally arrive..In Saigon
confusion..confusion.. a mob scene! when you get out of the TanSonNhat airport..
had we not been met by our guide Mr. Hung and our driver Tuan..it would have been much more difficult to figure..
it all out...Mostly the heat and humididty..not to be believed!! it felt
like you hit a brick wall..apparently wrong time of the year..HOT, HOT, HOT!
almost could not breathe...I turned to someone standing near us and
again said I cannot believe this heat! and traffic..his answer was well,
this is Saigon..and so it was!
We loaded the car an proceded to drive downtown to the Hotel Oscar..the traffic
is completely Insane..no lights..stop signs..NOTHING! completely chaotic!!
I might add that the Oscar Hotel was just fine..and nicely located ..
Small Street Lot's Of Bike Traffic!...
After getting some needed sleep..We had time to visit some interesting places in
Saigon which is the largest city in Vietnam..off to the local markets named An Dong,Cho Lon, Ben Than...After a nice moring breakfast..we went to see the Re-Unification Palace..
I did not wish to see the War Crimes Museum..as I did not have to much interest in them..
We went to some of the bustling local markets Like Binh Tay., Cho Lon, And
then off to the Chinese Pagoda which was lovely..I must tell you to dress
very light AS COOL AS POSSIBLE!..as these places of interest are not air conditioned.
In the Evening We ate at a wonderful resturant called the Vietnamese House..
if you have a chance try the Mud fish in a clay pot.it is Fab..!! and the
vietnamese spinach..My mouth is just watering talking about it!
the food was just fantastic most everywhere..!!!and SOOOOOO Cheap! by our standards..
It was hard to spend over high end 10.00 anywere in Vietnam. and on an average of around 2.50-5.00 eating very well!!
lovely fruit-market yum!!...
The Shop
ping
is Great!! shoppers paradise really neat boutique and craft shops.. very reasonable..for most everything! some
of the shops have fixed prices..no bargining.. some places you could..
At times the heat was just so overwhelming we could not see the items we wanted to buy ..as the perspiration ran down
our faces into our eyes.. we had to somehow deal with it..So happy Our Driver had an Air.cond.car which made life much easier then using the cyclos, especially when we were looking for very special items and shops all over the place.....trying to walk there was just mad! and unbearable due to the intense heat...the cyclo drivers are crazy to! there are metered taxi's and cheap as well as a/c...
just make sure you work out the price first ..for any means of transpertation.
walking is almost an impossible fete till you sort of get used to it..I learned to just walk into the
traffic..and don't make sudden moves .. somehow, they just drive around you!
HA! IF YOUR LUCKY!!!!Our First day back I was saying to Hung our guide..about how many accidents are there like one every minute??.He responds..no, about every 5 minutes...voils! no sooner had I shut my mouth bang!! this was the first of 2 this trip...less then a minute later! ha! no harm..just a few side swipes. Accidents..no big deal..Who used insurance..I did ask where are the seat belts..Hung say's!
No we cut them off so people are not uncomfortable sitting on them! My friend
and I just burst into laughter!!!! We looked at each other..Yep this is Saigon!!!!
>
We just keep going..fenders dented mirrors hanging off...and the arial
looked pretty unhappy to... Ha! but this is Vietnam..Still not spoiled by us
tourists..
We were told aprox..60% of the tourists are French, And Some German, Korean
Japanese,ect... we did not see to many Americans..BUT! I bet in the next ten
years..it will be teaming with Us.! As huge companys are comming in
and building Big Fab.resorts.. what a shame there goes the country! ha!
Well, were off the first leg which was the Makong Delta..My very Favorite!
as I just loved the local untouched life. and the sights on the river , the floatng markets were fantastic!..and unspoiled..up to date...!
I will never forget! the Makong..It will always be one of my fondest memories..
The Delta Truly is a Photographer paradise...I took nearly 700 photo'total
far to many to show..but the people and the sights will remain with me forever!!
One Of a Hundred's Floating Markets...
We drove to Mytho(to Caibe Te Tie gian Province got a Boat to Vin Long
took the car across the Ferry to Cantho..which was just wonderful to see all the many hundreds of floating markets.. filled with human life... your eyes and your camera lens are filled with wonder..
we stayed at the Lovely Victoria Cantho resort..which is simply a paradise in it's self .. somehow set in the middle of these unchanged wonderful sights that have remained there for years..
really quite beautiful.. nice pool.. great service..and neat things to see
on the river out side of the hotel...
Cantho Resort! Hotel...
Again,
I must tell you the heat in May to June is very difficult!!! to deal with..mostly the humidity!!
was the killer! but somehow you just try manange ..so Use the pool as much
as possible..and of course your air-conditioned rooms..! which was truly pure comfort! and cool.
Well Now It would be un-true to say that this trip is a peice of cake to go and see the real people wonders of Vietnam....but sure worth every bit of effort~ and many hours of driving and boats which allowed us to see so many
people and most unusual sights..along the roads and on the river ..just simply amazing eye candy! passing the beautiful colors of the rice paddy's and the folks
working so very hard to finish a day's work..waist high in water..!
the cows, water buffalo. chickens , and ducks were all doing there jobs as well..
But! plenty of times on the long 8 hr. drives only looking out of one eye as my hand was on the other ha! traffic is very scary..if only they had some rules of the road.. and realized that blowing the horn on the car every second..can cause road rage...Ha! in My country there would be dead folks laying all over the place I did wish I brought ear plugs!!! While On land we of course needed to make pit stops. and had begun to rate them ha!
..around minus 5-10 - or more..but when you gotto go..do like the Romans...Ha!
... ELDER WOMEN ON THE RIVER...
So now began our drive South to the Makong Delta River . We arrive at the ferry..Lot to be desired..However, the easiest way to get there
by car are the ferry boats..people trying to sell you everything but I mean
everything..!
To Mytho on to Caibe Te Ie Gian Province to Vinlong to the ferry..
We drove along the small roads and villages seeing all our eyes
could take in, photo after photo..Just amazing hard working people trying to
to live there lives to the fullest..
WHAT A LESSON WE COULD TAKE FROM THEM...!!An realize how easy we As Americans
have such Luxury..almost Shameful!
We stayed that night at the Cantho Resort see the above photos. just a couple of photos of this resort which does no justice at all much more impressive in person..with the river right out side the
dock in the midst of the Makong .. So, it was very convienent to get boats to the floating markets from there....
Life On the Makong!...
These markets are simply wonderful.. on the banks you see floating houses, ducks following there leaders like little school kids..amazing! to see.
can't get my kitty k at's to do it..maybe I should have asked for a lesson! Ha!
As you will see in my photos later many are of rural life and the floatig markets..
I must say for myself the markets were just my very favorite .
The sweet folks and smells of fruit and food and oil~!So many boats selling everything to each other and to us and alway's smiling and waving hello .
Simply living the only life they grew to know it filled our eyes
with wonder..
The floating markets I must say my photos do them no justice ...to realize how huge
the size of this river is and the 100's of boats in it..every day work,work,work!
How do they do it!! Unique to anything I have ever seen so far in East Asia..
I Myself will never forget the sights, people, and smells and the beauty of this terrific country..!
The next day we leave Cantho as we continue our trip to Chau Doc.
I thought it is was the best way to see the floating markets..although
you must arrive very early am..
(TAKE LOADS OF FILM YOU WILL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH!
On the way we had lunch on the bank of the river at the most wonderful "GARDEN RESTURANT" THE FOOD
EXQUISITE.!!!quite authentic..as it is remote...The grounds were beautifuly landscaped..Many
Japanese Ming Trees ...all types and sizes.. An ..Hammocks too! that is if you wanted to take a Nap..But, who had time..
much to see and do!!
I might add! this is where I got my wish filled to hold this beautiful Boa snake..all of '80 LBS..!
and seemed to be gentle that is until he began to constrict a bit..was not sure if he was just happy to see me OR NOT!....It was them I asked his owner has this little guy eaten today! HA!.
North Vietnam
Hanoi
Vietnam's capital and second largest city retains its French colonial ambiance and is dotted with lakes and lovely parks. West of Hanoi are the Son La mountains, known for their sanctuaries, grottos, and pagodas. The traditional cultures of Vietnam's ethnic minorities still survive in the northern province's mountains, but these regions might be inaccessible because of border disputes between Vietnam and China. If a visit to the northern mountains isn't possible, travellers should be sure to visit the montagnard regions of Central Vietnam.
Also in the north is Halong Bay, which the Vietnamese consider a wonder of the world. This tranquil, magical bay is dotted with more than a thousand limestone islands, which rise from the water in dramatic rock formations and harbour extensive grottos and caves. The most notable of the caves of Halong is Dau Go, an extensive cavern filled with stalactites and stalagmites that resemble a menagerie of birds and beasts
My very favorite Botique Hotel in Hanoi is the....De Syloia Hotel...
Small quaint and lovely!
The ground floor Cay Cau restaurant serves only Vietnamese cuisine.And the food
is wonderful...This hotel is very hard to book so you must do this ahead of time
or just stop in to have a super meal!...The staff is lovely ....
Central Vietnam
Hue
In the heart of the coastal provinces, between North and South Vietnam, is the imperial city of Hue, a non-westernized enclave of Vietnam's traditions and an important repository of its ancient past. Dominated by majestic temples, ancient tombs, and the imperial citadel, Hue is a place in which time seems to have stopped. In the inland highlands of Central Vietnam are found many of Vietnam's ethnic minority groups. You can get Clothing made in hrs here.
Central Vietnam also offers one of the country's most picturesque and uncrowded beaches at Nha Trang. Nearby Hon Yen island is home to the famous sea swallow nests, which are esteemed as culinary delicacies. The idyllic Central Vietnam coastline is also the locale of the Mui Le dunes, de rigeur for photographers.
Sapa is a wonderful! Hill Tribe Village that most of us tourists want to see.. Sapa is part of
the province of Lao Cai..which really means Town of Sand it is aprox 90 or so minutes
from Lao Cai..
Sapa gives us a glimpse of some of the most incredible Mountain
Scenery and ethnic cultures in Vietnam.. The tribes are dressed in the most unusual dress
Wonderful indigo dyed embroidered cotton and elaborate silver adorned headdresses..
The children are adorable and all very friendly! Don't be shocked if your followed
And constantly asked for money Ha That is everywhere now is it not! The Sapa Market is on Saturday..Hmong and Red Dao come in town with the rising sun..
They are usually dressed well in black and aqua cotton shirts decorated I silver..
There are walking tours and hiking if your up to it!
...HMONG WOMEN SI MAI KAI...LAO KAI PROVENCE...VIETNAM
... BEAUTIFUL ANCIENT DOORWAY...VIETNAM...
Vietnamese Culture
The richness of Vietnam's origins is evident throughout its culture. Spiritual life in Vietnam is a grand panoply of belief systems, including Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Tam Giao (literally 'triple religion'), which is a blend of Taoism, popular Chinese beliefs, and ancient Vietnamese animism.
The most important festival of the year is Tet, a week-long event in late January or early February that heralds the new lunar year and the advent of spring. Celebration consists of both raucous festivity (fireworks, drums, gongs) and quiet meditation. In addition to Tet, there are about twenty other traditional and religious festivals each year.
Vietnamese architecture expresses a most graceful aesthetic of natural balance and harmony that is evident in any of the country's many numbers of historic temples and monasteries... The pre-eminent architectural form is the pagoda, a tower comprised of a series of stepped pyramidal structures and frequently adorned with lavish carvings and painted ornamentation. Generally speaking, the pagoda form symbolizes the human desire to bridge the gap between the constraints of earthly existence and the perfection of heavenly forces. Pagodas are found in every province of Vietnam.
One of the most treasured is the Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue,
Thien Mu Pagoda is situated on Ha Khe hill, on the north bank of the Perfume River a few miles southwest of central Hue. The temple complex stretches north from the river banks in seven successive tiers,
Thien Mu Pagoda...
founded in 1601 and completed more than two hundred years later. In North Vietnam, the pagodas that serve as the shrines and temples of the Son La mountains are especially worth visiting. In South Vietnam, the Giac Lam Pagoda of Ho Chi Minh City is considered to be the city's oldest and is notable as well for its many richly-carved jackwood statues.
Legend has it that Vietnam's origin lay in the harmonious union of lac Long Quan, King of the Sea, and Au Co, Princess of the Mountains. Real life was not so paradisical, as Vietnam's early history--like its recent history--is characterized by a nearly continuous struggle for autonomy. First came an entire millenium of Chinese domination, which was finally thrown off in the 9th century. External control was imposed once again in the 19th century, when Vietnam was occupied by the French.
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... FISHNETS IN HANOI...
... POTTERY ON THE STEPS...
... POTTERY MAKER...
January & February
The weather in north and along the coast of Vietnam in Jan and Feb is very comfortable, and among best months to travel of the year...Summer Months are
Extremely Hot!
DO COME BACK AND VISIT
AND HOPEFULLY I WILL HAVE MUCH MORE OF OUR ADVENTURES IN VIETNAM UP AND RUNNING
WITH MANY,MANY LOVELY PHOTOS TO SEE..!AND SO MUCH
MORE TO TELL!
... Cute Little Girls Making Hats...
Later I will list some of the hotels and resturants..ect..that we found to be very nice..and quite reasonable..
... Dock at the Hotel ...
Southeast Asia, and its food is possibly the most delicious you might ever find.
Two or More decades have passed since Vietnam was officially united, and in that time it has done a wonderful job of healing .
Today, this gracious and graceful country is an outstanding travel destination.
YOU MUST SEE THE WATER PUPPET SHOW...IT IS TRULY AMAZING!
THESE PUPPETS ARE REAL PEOPLE WAIST DEEP IN THE WATER.... A TREAT!
CHECK OUT MY OTHER SITES
Weather Map
The weather in north and along the coast of Vietnam in JAN. and FEB. is very comfortable, and among best months to travel of the year.
Wet season runs from around May to October in the north, August to December in the centre and May to November in the south.
Dry season runs from November to April in the north. January to July in the centre and December to April in the south.
Cool season Only the north has a cool season, running from December to March.
... ...cảm ơn nhiều cho bạn sự đi thăm t�i
TRAVELOGUES ... ...
