HCMC (or Saigon) is easily the most overwhelming of all the cities visited in Southeast, simply due to the number of motorbikes on the road. As I said before, all traffic regulations are light suggestions in Asia, especially Vietnam, so getting from point A to point B in Saigon is quite a challenge. Thankfully, it wasn't too hard since I had practice stepping into the road with hundreds of motor bikes whizzing at/past me in the other cities we stopped at up North. The flight from Hoi An to Saigon went smoothly (besides a slight delay and being pushed quite frequently while queing to get on the plane...there something about lines and pushing that the Vietnamese do much differently from Westerners that really bothers me!) When we got to Saigon we had some time to get a late lunch before we had our cyclo tour.
We walked down the road to a place called Pho 2000, which is where Bill Clinton ate when he visited Vietnam. The Pho was worth the hype, but the experienced was dampened when they charged us for using napkins! A little while later we met our cyclo drivers for a frightening ride around the city to see the sites at rush hour. Our guide did a great job explaining the sites like the Reunification Palace and the Post Office designed by Mr. Eiffel, but the city itself was not too impressive. I was impressed, however, by the hotels like the Carvelle and the Rex, simply because it was cool to actually see where many of the press briefings took place that we learned about in history and politics classes. When we got to the Opera House/ Western journalist hotel areas, we realized that they were setting up for the Olympic Torch.
We promptly went up to the top floor of the Rex Hotel and got seats along the balcony to secure prime torch watching views. I was surprised by how many pro-China supporters lined the streets, but not surprised that there were no protests. The actual passing of the torch was anticlimatic (a lot of waiting, not much action), but it's still cool to be able to check that off on the list of things I've seen in life.
The next day some of went to the Cu Chi tunnels, about a 45 min drive from Saigon, where the Viet Cong hid during the Vietnam war. The video that we saw there was the most biased history I have ever seen, which I found surprising in the year 2008, not sure why though. Instead of making a distinction between the South Vietnmese and the Viet Cong, like we learn in history, the video made the point that the tribe in the tunnel were Vietnamese living there and were forced to fight using these tunnels because the Americans destroyed their peaceful rural town. The video highlighted a number of heroes, referred to as "American killer heroes" and then mentioned how the Americans, "like crazy devils" bombed their "temples, schools, and even their gardens." While I appreciated a completely different perspective, it got to be a little bit too over the top (and I'm not the only one who thought so, even though I was the only American). The tunnel that we got to crawl through was made bigger for tourists, which was pretty shocking seeing as how tiny it felt as we crawled through. The whole time we were in the jungle exploring this underground network it was raining, which kind of made the whole experience feel more authentic...it reminded me of scenes from Forrest Gump.
After the tunnels I went to the War Remnants museum back in town. Museums in Southeast Asia still have a far way to come, and this one definitely fits in that category. It was basically just a photographic display with some poorly written explanations about the victims of war, especially the agent orange victims. Outside, the museum had a few former US Airplanes and helicopters. The pictures were extremely graphic, and hard to take, as was the point the of the exhibit. I'm glad I saw the side of the war that I wouldn't have purposely sought out back at home, but I wished that the exhibits were a little better put together. I think that in a few years, when academics in Vietnam seize the museum idea the museum culture will improve.
The next day we headed out early to cross the border to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, via a public bus.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Hoi An
Hoi An was my favorite stop on the month long trip. Hoi An is a small, peaceful town, that guidebooks may refer to as a tourist trap, but that did not take away from my experience at all. Yes, the town survives based on tourism, but it did not feel like a Westernized place at all. Shortly after arriving (it was a 4.5 hour bus ride from Hue), Sean, Lynda, Leia and I headed to the tailor shop down the road to browse through magazines to find clothes we wanted tailored for us. (Hoi An is THE place to get clothes tailored...cheap, speedy, quality service). We spent the afternoon getting fittings, picking out fabrics, and developing a relationship with the crazy woman who owed the shop.
That night we met the the group for dinner, at a rather western restaurant because there was a a football game on that most of the boys (all English) needed to watch. That was the first "Western" meal I ate since I began the trip. The pasta was alright, but much appreciated, as I was craving a break from the Asian food (although I know I'm going to miss it a lot!).
The next day, Lynda, Sean and I rented push bikes from the hotel ($1/day) and biked to the beach. It was such an amazing beach. Palm trees lined the back part, and provided perfect shade for laying on our towels, napping and reading. Then there was a large stretch of sand leading up to really warm water and fun waves. There were very few people on the beach, and the Vietnamese that were there, were either selling tourists unnecesary trinkets, or were sitting under the palm trees completely covered in clothing. Because they place such heavy social value on the whiteness of one's skin, the Vietnamese rarely enjoy the beach like we do. (Also, they like large people because it is a sign of wealth, so if you come to Asia and you are pasty and fat, you look like a gold mine to them!)
After the beach, we headed back to the tailors to get our clothes and have a fitting, and then went out for dinner at the same place we went the night before. The night before, while playing pool after dinner in the bar downstairs, a friend who I travelled/skied with last June in New Zealand came up to me. I was shocked to see her, as we hadn't kept in touch since she finished travelling NZ and moved to Melbourne. She was also on her way home, via SE Asia, after spending a year in Australia on a working holiday, like I did in NZ. Unfortunately, we must have missed each other (times like that when you realize how helpful cell phones can be). So, we played some more pool and then headed home to get to bed early since some of us were going diving the next day.
Diving in Hoi An is not world renowed, as there is not much to see, but I was still looking forward to it as I love being underwater and exploring the world under there. The dive company we used was not only really cheap, but provided amazing service. They set up everything for us (gear wise) and we had an excellent guide. After two dives off Cham Island, we motored over to a beach for our lunch. It was the most idyllic beach I have ever seen. There were hammocks set up between palm trees in the shade. A volleyball net on the beach and a little hut/restaruant set back among the trees. Our diving group and the restaruant workers were the only ones on the beach. After an amazing seafood lunch, we had some time to chill in the hammocks before heading back to the docks. When we got back to the docks, the sun was setting as the Vietnamese fisherman were heading out for the night, and I got some spectacular pictures.
That night I joined 4 others in my group for a cooking demonstration and meal. The guy who taught the class was great, really animated and well spoken. He is a graduate of KOTO, a program that trains street kids in hospitality up in Hanoi (we went there for a great breakfast one morning) and was started by an ex-Intrepid leader who was sick of giving money in Vientnam to causes and not seeing any affects. The chef leading the class is an amazing example of how much of an impact KOTO is making in Vietnam! The dinner was great, and I cannot wait to try the recepies...especially the steamed fish.
The next morning the hotel arranged for workers from the post office to come help us ship stuff home (customary as EVERYONE buys SOO much in Hoi An since getting clothes and shoes made is a must do here!). I shipped a couple of things, but not much because I refused to pay a lot for shipping as I had just saved so much money getting things made, and figured that if I bought it then I should be able to carry it. (Now I am slightly regretting that, as my arms are soooo sore from carring my bags around yesterday trying to find the hotel!).
We then got on vans for a 45 min ride to the airport (past China beach, where the US had a huge base) to fly to Ho Chi Minh city (aka Saigon).
That night we met the the group for dinner, at a rather western restaurant because there was a a football game on that most of the boys (all English) needed to watch. That was the first "Western" meal I ate since I began the trip. The pasta was alright, but much appreciated, as I was craving a break from the Asian food (although I know I'm going to miss it a lot!).
The next day, Lynda, Sean and I rented push bikes from the hotel ($1/day) and biked to the beach. It was such an amazing beach. Palm trees lined the back part, and provided perfect shade for laying on our towels, napping and reading. Then there was a large stretch of sand leading up to really warm water and fun waves. There were very few people on the beach, and the Vietnamese that were there, were either selling tourists unnecesary trinkets, or were sitting under the palm trees completely covered in clothing. Because they place such heavy social value on the whiteness of one's skin, the Vietnamese rarely enjoy the beach like we do. (Also, they like large people because it is a sign of wealth, so if you come to Asia and you are pasty and fat, you look like a gold mine to them!)
After the beach, we headed back to the tailors to get our clothes and have a fitting, and then went out for dinner at the same place we went the night before. The night before, while playing pool after dinner in the bar downstairs, a friend who I travelled/skied with last June in New Zealand came up to me. I was shocked to see her, as we hadn't kept in touch since she finished travelling NZ and moved to Melbourne. She was also on her way home, via SE Asia, after spending a year in Australia on a working holiday, like I did in NZ. Unfortunately, we must have missed each other (times like that when you realize how helpful cell phones can be). So, we played some more pool and then headed home to get to bed early since some of us were going diving the next day.
Diving in Hoi An is not world renowed, as there is not much to see, but I was still looking forward to it as I love being underwater and exploring the world under there. The dive company we used was not only really cheap, but provided amazing service. They set up everything for us (gear wise) and we had an excellent guide. After two dives off Cham Island, we motored over to a beach for our lunch. It was the most idyllic beach I have ever seen. There were hammocks set up between palm trees in the shade. A volleyball net on the beach and a little hut/restaruant set back among the trees. Our diving group and the restaruant workers were the only ones on the beach. After an amazing seafood lunch, we had some time to chill in the hammocks before heading back to the docks. When we got back to the docks, the sun was setting as the Vietnamese fisherman were heading out for the night, and I got some spectacular pictures.
That night I joined 4 others in my group for a cooking demonstration and meal. The guy who taught the class was great, really animated and well spoken. He is a graduate of KOTO, a program that trains street kids in hospitality up in Hanoi (we went there for a great breakfast one morning) and was started by an ex-Intrepid leader who was sick of giving money in Vientnam to causes and not seeing any affects. The chef leading the class is an amazing example of how much of an impact KOTO is making in Vietnam! The dinner was great, and I cannot wait to try the recepies...especially the steamed fish.
The next morning the hotel arranged for workers from the post office to come help us ship stuff home (customary as EVERYONE buys SOO much in Hoi An since getting clothes and shoes made is a must do here!). I shipped a couple of things, but not much because I refused to pay a lot for shipping as I had just saved so much money getting things made, and figured that if I bought it then I should be able to carry it. (Now I am slightly regretting that, as my arms are soooo sore from carring my bags around yesterday trying to find the hotel!).
We then got on vans for a 45 min ride to the airport (past China beach, where the US had a huge base) to fly to Ho Chi Minh city (aka Saigon).
Arrival in Malaysia
Yesterday was one of those days when I really wished I wasn't travelling by myself, weird how that happens right after I leave a group travel and was looking forward to the alone time! As soon as I got to Kuala Lumpur, I picked up my bags and headed to the nearest atm so I could get money to take the train into the city center. For some reason, that atm did not work, and when I went to try again, Bank of America shut off my card due to security concerns (I didnt know this at the time). I tried every single ATM in the arrivals area of the aiport, meanwhile getting harrassed by taxi drivers. Finally, I found 30 us dollars in my purse (from Cambodia, thank goodness they use that currency) and changed that money at the money exchange so I could get the train and then sort it out at the hotel.
Get to the city center, and I have no idea where I'm going from there (I should have done more research in Bangkok). A lady at a tourist info place gives me directions to the monorail, I didnt understand them, ended up walking around for a while with my really really heavy second bag (the vitesse one) for a while until I figure out the monorail is across the street. Lug my stuff over there (long walk when your bags are heavy and its 30 degress celsius). I hand my money to the ticket guy, he wont except one of the bills because it was ripped, I received it ripped from the train station machine at the airport, so I was really mad about that. Get on the train fine and to my stop fine. I refused to take a cab from the monorail stop because I could tell it was close to the hotel (although wasnt sure how close) and I didnt feel like haggling with cab drivers, especially because I didnt have a lot of money left, and wasnt sure when was the next time i could get cash. I used the map the tourist info lady gave me and found my way to the hotel after a walk that seemed like it took an hour. In all I think it took 10 min (would have taken 5 if I didnt have that gosh darn heavy duffel bag...why did I refuse to leave those books behind!?). I arrived at the hotel sweating profusely. Check in went fine, since they didnt charge me anything yet. I quickly changed my sweaty clothes and rushed to the Pertonas Towers shopping area (just up the street) to see if those ATMs would work better. No luck. I tried looking for a place where I could use skype to call the bank, again no luck (when I went back later that night, I found a place without even looking!). I headed back to the hotel and decided I needed to use the hotel phone to call the bank because I wasnt going to survive here with no money and so I just needed to bite the bullet on their international calling fees. Thankfully, I was not put on hold at all, although I did have to talk to two different people, they sorted out the issue and unlocked my card. Woo hoo.
So that night I ventured back to the PT shopping area (which is AMAZING...every single store in the world that you can think of...Top Shop, Marks and Spencer, Zara, Mango, Gap, Polo, Luis Vuitton, Coach, Gucci...EVERYTHING). Had dinner and then decided to treat myself to a movie. I saw What Happens in Vegas, which was actually really interesting to see in Kuala Lumpur because there were parts so obviously edited out due to their decency standards. Also, it was funny to hear what the audience thought was hysterical, and recognize that in more Western cultures, there would have just been a little chuckly from the crowd and not much more.
Get to the city center, and I have no idea where I'm going from there (I should have done more research in Bangkok). A lady at a tourist info place gives me directions to the monorail, I didnt understand them, ended up walking around for a while with my really really heavy second bag (the vitesse one) for a while until I figure out the monorail is across the street. Lug my stuff over there (long walk when your bags are heavy and its 30 degress celsius). I hand my money to the ticket guy, he wont except one of the bills because it was ripped, I received it ripped from the train station machine at the airport, so I was really mad about that. Get on the train fine and to my stop fine. I refused to take a cab from the monorail stop because I could tell it was close to the hotel (although wasnt sure how close) and I didnt feel like haggling with cab drivers, especially because I didnt have a lot of money left, and wasnt sure when was the next time i could get cash. I used the map the tourist info lady gave me and found my way to the hotel after a walk that seemed like it took an hour. In all I think it took 10 min (would have taken 5 if I didnt have that gosh darn heavy duffel bag...why did I refuse to leave those books behind!?). I arrived at the hotel sweating profusely. Check in went fine, since they didnt charge me anything yet. I quickly changed my sweaty clothes and rushed to the Pertonas Towers shopping area (just up the street) to see if those ATMs would work better. No luck. I tried looking for a place where I could use skype to call the bank, again no luck (when I went back later that night, I found a place without even looking!). I headed back to the hotel and decided I needed to use the hotel phone to call the bank because I wasnt going to survive here with no money and so I just needed to bite the bullet on their international calling fees. Thankfully, I was not put on hold at all, although I did have to talk to two different people, they sorted out the issue and unlocked my card. Woo hoo.
So that night I ventured back to the PT shopping area (which is AMAZING...every single store in the world that you can think of...Top Shop, Marks and Spencer, Zara, Mango, Gap, Polo, Luis Vuitton, Coach, Gucci...EVERYTHING). Had dinner and then decided to treat myself to a movie. I saw What Happens in Vegas, which was actually really interesting to see in Kuala Lumpur because there were parts so obviously edited out due to their decency standards. Also, it was funny to hear what the audience thought was hysterical, and recognize that in more Western cultures, there would have just been a little chuckly from the crowd and not much more.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Hue
After Hanoi, we had two nights/ one day in Hue. We arrived there via an overnight train from Hanoi, which was definitely not as nice as the one we took from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, nor as comfortable, but we made the best of it. I shared a cabin with Leia, Shaun and Lynda, and we passed the time played the card game Hearts for 3 hours. Even though I was the one getting criticized for telling people the (right) rules, I ended up losing! Sleeping that night was difficult, as the train was loud.
We arrived in Hue around 830, got vans to our guest house, had breakfast and then met our motocycle drivers and Vietnamese guide, Tam, who were taking us around the area for the entire day. It was such a spectacular activity, not only because traveling around via motorcycle ensured that we saw a lot all in one day, but also because I never knew how fun it is to ride motorcycles!
Our guide Tam was extremely animated, great at English, and really well educated. I learned an extensive amount about Vietnam's history before the French colonized. I also really enjoyed hearing about his personal stories about growing up during the American War. He pointed out the fields that he and his 10 brothers and sisters played in while bombs dropped less than a mile away, and how his mother would get furious with them when they were not back in the bomb shelter quickly enough. He also talked about his current life today, and how much corruption there is the government, but they all live with it because the economy is booming. He showed us pictures of his two kids, and when we asked him if he wanted more, he replied that he can't have more because of the family planning laws. His wife is a teacher, so she works for the government; if they have another child, she will not be fired, but will be "punished" by being transferred or not receiving pay raises as she should.
After our day of motoring around the city, I had an early night as we had to get up early the next morning to head to Hoi An.
We arrived in Hue around 830, got vans to our guest house, had breakfast and then met our motocycle drivers and Vietnamese guide, Tam, who were taking us around the area for the entire day. It was such a spectacular activity, not only because traveling around via motorcycle ensured that we saw a lot all in one day, but also because I never knew how fun it is to ride motorcycles!
Our guide Tam was extremely animated, great at English, and really well educated. I learned an extensive amount about Vietnam's history before the French colonized. I also really enjoyed hearing about his personal stories about growing up during the American War. He pointed out the fields that he and his 10 brothers and sisters played in while bombs dropped less than a mile away, and how his mother would get furious with them when they were not back in the bomb shelter quickly enough. He also talked about his current life today, and how much corruption there is the government, but they all live with it because the economy is booming. He showed us pictures of his two kids, and when we asked him if he wanted more, he replied that he can't have more because of the family planning laws. His wife is a teacher, so she works for the government; if they have another child, she will not be fired, but will be "punished" by being transferred or not receiving pay raises as she should.
After our day of motoring around the city, I had an early night as we had to get up early the next morning to head to Hoi An.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Halong Bay
Halong Bay was a spectacular experience, I obviously loved being back on the water again, and also the islands sticking up everywhere reminded me of Milford Sound in New Zealand, except here the thousands of small islands made the feeling more paradise-esque. We arrived around 12 and quickly boarded our boat (called a Junk Boat). The docking area was absolutely packed with tourists, both Westerners and Vietnamese, boarding identical boats. Halong Bay is the most visited spot in Vietnam.
I felt like a princess getting on the boat because as soon as I walked up the stairs to the seat/dining area, one of the crew members was handing out the wet wash-clothes like they do on long airplane rides. The tables were set for our seafood lunch, which was absolutely delicious. After dining we motored over to the caves, and we got out with our Vietnamese guide to walk around what is called the "Surprise Caves". There were three of them attached to each other, each one bigger than the next, surprisingly bigger in fact...hence the name! The caves were lit up inside, with multicolor lights, which helped to highlight the interesting formations on the walls, and also created a disney-world like feel to the experience.
After the caves we got back on the boat and motored past little floating villages where a number of Vietnamese live on their fishing boats. We then dropped anchor in a bay specifically designated for these tourist boats because it is an area protected from pirates (a very real threat to the area still!). Once we anchored, most of us put on our bathing suits and started jumping off the side of the boat. While the water didn't feel that clean, it was still really fun to float in the Gulf of Tonkin around such stunning landscape. We had diving contests off the side and floated around the boat for the whole rest of the afternoon. That night we had another delicious seafood dinner, drinks and played cards until about midnight.
The next morning we got back to the docking area around 9 and got in vans to begin the 4 hour drive to Hanoi.
I felt like a princess getting on the boat because as soon as I walked up the stairs to the seat/dining area, one of the crew members was handing out the wet wash-clothes like they do on long airplane rides. The tables were set for our seafood lunch, which was absolutely delicious. After dining we motored over to the caves, and we got out with our Vietnamese guide to walk around what is called the "Surprise Caves". There were three of them attached to each other, each one bigger than the next, surprisingly bigger in fact...hence the name! The caves were lit up inside, with multicolor lights, which helped to highlight the interesting formations on the walls, and also created a disney-world like feel to the experience.
After the caves we got back on the boat and motored past little floating villages where a number of Vietnamese live on their fishing boats. We then dropped anchor in a bay specifically designated for these tourist boats because it is an area protected from pirates (a very real threat to the area still!). Once we anchored, most of us put on our bathing suits and started jumping off the side of the boat. While the water didn't feel that clean, it was still really fun to float in the Gulf of Tonkin around such stunning landscape. We had diving contests off the side and floated around the boat for the whole rest of the afternoon. That night we had another delicious seafood dinner, drinks and played cards until about midnight.
The next morning we got back to the docking area around 9 and got in vans to begin the 4 hour drive to Hanoi.
Hanoi
Hanoi is a bustling city, where crossing the street is an extreme sport. There are motorbikes absolutely everywhere, and traffic laws are just light suggestions. So, to get anywhere in a normal amount of time you have to just step off the sidewalk and keep walking at the same pace, while the motor bikes avoid you. Really scary at first, and actually it never got less scary, but I did get much better at just going for it after the second or third time. Shopping in Hanoi is spectacular, and so is just walking around the old quarter and the French quarter. Once you can get past the extreme NOISE pollution of the horns, it is a great city to spend 3 days in.
The first day in Hanoi was our first experience with the tremendous rain fall in SE Asia, and mother nature did not spare us one bit. After a lunch in the old quarter, and some pirated DVD shopping, the sky opened up, and we were too stubborn to buy ponchos from the street ladies, and also to get into a cab. By the time we realized the pouring rain was not going to let up, we were so wet, it was too late to do anything about it. After about a 30 min walk back to the hotel (walk/ death race through motos to cross streets!) we arrived completely DRENCHED. That evening, I was not impressed with Vietnam at all. I was overwhelmed by the motos everywhere, wet, and just not happy with the day we had. Thankfully, the next day was a lot better, and my opinion of Hanoi and the rest of the country quickly changed.
The second morning we went as a group to see the preserved dead body of Uncle Ho (aka Ho Chi Minh). It was really strange lining up to see him. We had to stand in two straight single file lines and walk on a small red carpet up the stairs and through the halls to the room where the body is displayed in a glass case surrounded by 4 guards. You have to stay in your lines the entire time, and so you walk by rather quickly. The body could have been a wax replica, and it would have looked exactly the same, and I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years, they reveal that is! Apparently most Vietnamese try to come see Uncle Ho once year, or at least once in their lifetime. Every year for 2 months in September and October he is sent to Russia to be preserved again.
Once that was finished we walked with our Vietnamese guide around the palace and the former home of Ho Chi Minh (very simple, and not that interesting). The most interesting part was talking to our guide at the end. He is rather young, had recently finished business school, which he said was really hard to get into because of how popular it is right now, and also how hard it is to get a job once you get out. Because he knew English well, he had a much better advantage. He then told us that the young people do not like Communism because of how corrupt everything is, but they aren't looking to do anything about it right now because of the stability it provides. He remarked that in their country they are not afraid of terrorism like many western nations, so they just are doing the best they can with what they have for now.
When the morning was finished I went exploring around the city with Lynda and Sean for the afternoon. There was some great DVD shopping and really interesting art work and crafts to browse through. That night our group went to a water puppet show, which was really miserable. It consisted of really annoying Asian music being sung by two women who sounded like they were shouting over the not that great Asia instruments and then these puppets popping out of a pool. All the stories were in Vietnamese, and the audience was all white, so needless to say not many people really understood the cultural significance of any of the acts.
After Hanoi, we drove to Hue where we spent one night.
The second morning we went as a group to see the preserved dead body of Uncle Ho (aka Ho Chi Minh). It was really strange lining up to see him. We had to stand in two straight single file lines and walk on a small red carpet up the stairs and through the halls to the room where the body is displayed in a glass case surrounded by 4 guards. You have to stay in your lines the entire time, and so you walk by rather quickly. The body could have been a wax replica, and it would have looked exactly the same, and I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years, they reveal that is! Apparently most Vietnamese try to come see Uncle Ho once year, or at least once in their lifetime. Every year for 2 months in September and October he is sent to Russia to be preserved again.
Once that was finished we walked with our Vietnamese guide around the palace and the former home of Ho Chi Minh (very simple, and not that interesting). The most interesting part was talking to our guide at the end. He is rather young, had recently finished business school, which he said was really hard to get into because of how popular it is right now, and also how hard it is to get a job once you get out. Because he knew English well, he had a much better advantage. He then told us that the young people do not like Communism because of how corrupt everything is, but they aren't looking to do anything about it right now because of the stability it provides. He remarked that in their country they are not afraid of terrorism like many western nations, so they just are doing the best they can with what they have for now.
When the morning was finished I went exploring around the city with Lynda and Sean for the afternoon. There was some great DVD shopping and really interesting art work and crafts to browse through. That night our group went to a water puppet show, which was really miserable. It consisted of really annoying Asian music being sung by two women who sounded like they were shouting over the not that great Asia instruments and then these puppets popping out of a pool. All the stories were in Vietnamese, and the audience was all white, so needless to say not many people really understood the cultural significance of any of the acts.
After Hanoi, we drove to Hue where we spent one night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
