Transportation

The Train

We took the overnight train from Saigon to Danang. It was a long trip, leaving at 11 pm and arriving the following day at 2 pm. With everything so busy with Tet, the train was right full. We had a cabin with 6 beds and were a little worried about who we might be sharing it with. While we were waiting to load the train we were eyeing the potential candidates and desperately hoping we wouldn't have any crying kids in our car with us. It couldn't have been better. We were with 2 Vietnamese women, and 1 Vietnamese man. (The women left about 1/2 way through the trip so there were only 4 of us for the rest of the way. We slept fairly well, and the scenery was great! The food was the part that wasn't as great. We tried rice porridge for the first time, and probably won't be eating it again (if we can help it). Imagine rice....then imaging mushy rice...and then pour a cup of ocean water into it, and that's about the equivalent of what we ate (or at least tried to). Lunch was a bit better with chicken and rice, but we were happy to have more selection when we arrived at our destination.

Motorbike

In Hoi An, we took a motorbike trip about 50 km outside of town to see some Cham ruins. Although the ruins weren't too stunning or impressive, the ride there was great. We passed through many small towns, past people working in the rice fields, and past many trucks I was praying weren't going to hit us as they drove by.

These are a few pics from the trip.

The motorbike is the pickup truck of Vietnam...or southeast Asia for that matter. They transport EVERYTHING by motorbike. We've seen things from fridges, windows and doors, to pigs. Here's some proof.

Sleeper Bus

This was the first bus.....

Sylvia, you were right, the sleeper bus is not the best mode of transportation in Vietnam! We boarded our bus at 2 pm yesterday afternoon. Initially our bus surprised us, it wasn't the traditional type of sleeper bus they have here in Vietnam. There was lots of leg room, it was fairly comfortable and there were less people on the bus. There was no karaoke or Vietnamese comedy playing...all in all it was shaping up to be a good trip....until we got to Hue (another town along the coast). Although we were supposed to take the bus we were on the whole way to Hanoi, they overbooked it and bumped the 3 of us off the bus. We were taken to another bus on the other side of town...this one being the traditional sleeper bus.

This was the second bus.....

Basically, it was bunkbeds, 3 across the bus, with aisles on either side of the beds. Because we were some of the last people on the bus, we got the top bunks, which were a bit more precarious (because going around a corner, it felt very possible that you could be thrown to the ground), and not as comfortable. Also, during the night the driver stopped to pick up extra passengers who slept in the aisles of the bus (for every extra person he picked up, he pocketed the cash). They weren't too quiet getting on! People's cell phones were ringing, people were listening to music in the middle of the night, and they decided to stop and hose out the bathroom at midnight. Needless to say, I'm a few winks short of a good nights sleep. I'm happy to know the trip is over and hope we don't have to travel like that again.

To top things off, when we arrived here in Hanoi, we were told by the bus company they would provide a free taxi ride to our hotel. After waiting 15 min. for them to arrange it, we jumped in the taxi and were taken to our specified hotel. Turns out, they didn't pay the taxi driver and we were expected to cover the cost. We tried to explain to the taxi driver that the bus company was supposed to pay, but the only thing he understood was that we weren't going to pay. He tried to lock Brian's backpack in the trunk and then started calling the police all the while we were wrestling Brian's bag from him and trying to explain the situation. It ended communicating the misunderstanding, but we were still stuck with paying the fare for the taxi. We're going to try to sort this out with the bus company, but something tells me we aren't going to get very far.

You won't hear from us for another few days again. Tonight we are taking a night train to the mountains where we plan to trek up to the highest point in Vietnam. We're hoping for a good nights sleep tonight and a good few days of trekking.

Craig's Here!

With the exception of Craig's arrival, the past few days of been fairly uneventful. We've pretty much just wandered the busy streets of Saigon and taken in the sights.

There's quite a lot to catch our eye in this bustling city of 15million people or so. The first thing you notice is obviously the motorbikes. There's said to be more than 3million of them in the city...but we'll save telling you about them 'till another time.

The other thing that makes things interesting are the Tet (Lunar New Year) perparations that are taking place all over the city. It's the biggest holiday in Vietnam, so it's comparable to Christmas at home. From gifts, to street displays, to lights, things are really starting to gear up for the big party on New Years Eve, which is Jan. 25. We'll be in Ha Noi, the capital, so we're natural looking forward to what that'll look like.

here are some pics of the Tet preps...

The other night while making the big trek to Pizza Hut for a taste of home, we stumbled into the real ritzy area of the city. It's an area of about 4 blocks filled with high-end hotel and swanky restaurants, and shops selling brands such as Rolex, and Louis Vuitton. We thought this must be the yuppy white folk area, but much to our surprise the restaurants and shops were occuppied by Asians. It was a stark contrast to what we've seen in other parts of Vietnam and south east Asia. We're used to plastic chairs, and brands such as Ronex, and Louis Mutton. Obviously there are some very wealthy communists.

Last night was the grand arrival of Erin's brother Craig. He arrived safe and sound, and came with cookies and fudge from some beautiful women who love us very much. Thanks! We're glad to have him here, but we put him straight into action today though. We hit up the War Museum, which we were saving for his arrival, and will be boarded a night train north in a few hours.

So the museum....wow! What can be said? It was a real eye opener. We just finished our visit an hour ago, so we have hardly begun to process what we took in. So I won't try to put to many personal thoughts down just yet...I'll just try to explain what we saw. The museum has been constructed by the communist government, so naturaly it's going to have a real "anti-american" feel to it...and it sure did. Basically the museum tried to paint a picture of the Americans being invaders; and it did a very good job of it. It clearly demonstrated the horrors or war, and showcased the war crimes that were committed by the american government and the GIs themselves. It did this with 1000's of photo's from the 17 year war, and with excellent descriptions and timelines of the events that unfolded leaded up to "the liberation" of the south. Having not even been born yet during the time of the war, we don't have as much of a grasp as to what actually went on around the world during that time as many of you who are reading this do But it's certainly safe to say that the Americans were not innocent and were certainly not the victims in the war. I'll follow these thoughts up with more later...but for now, here's a few mediocre pictures from the museum.

This is the first thing the visitor sees in the "war crimes area".

This is the size of the largest bombs the US dropped, it would kill anything within 100M radius, and would cause extensive damage up to 2.5km.

Lang Biang Mountain

Brian and I set out on a small trekking adventure today. We managed to conquer the 2169 metre mountain known as Lang Biang (which apparently means Man and Woman).

Part of the trip we regret, was that we didn't ride the "zebra" up the road. Apparently there used to be tigers and zebras in these parts many years ago.

We rented a motorbike again today to take us to the foot of the mountain and it was all on foot after that. The first part of the hike was on a paved road winding through the pine trees. We were on the road longer than we thought we'd be, but our climb soon became a little bit more difficult.

A view of the mountain range in the background and terraced farmland in the foreground. This is a big farming area and we've been reaping the benefits at meal times, getting fresh vegetables we can't get elsewhere (like snow peas!!).

We soon turned off the road to follow a small trail about 4 km up to the peak of the mountain. It was very steep, and the clay was really slippery...but we made it, and were awarded with some amazing views of the countryside.

The walk back down wasn't the best part of the trip, with our legs aching and feet blistering, but all in all it was a really enjoyable way to spend the day. We've definitely earned our rice for supper tonight!

A view of Dalat at night.

Smiling in the Highlands!

There are quite a few things that make Erin and I smile in this world....and quite a few have them have been found here in Dalat!

Reminders of Home: It's cold here. Well not really when you compare it to Canadian cold, but it's butt cold for southeast asia. We're at around 1500m, and last night in our hotel room it was around 14C. So when we got off the bus, we put on our pants, fleece, and hats (Erin had to buy one) to fit into the crowd. It really did remind us of home, and how much we miss winter...maybe we'll come home early. :)

here's some shot of the locals bundled up...

Beautiful Scenery: Being at this elevation usually means that there are some great views. That's certainly true of Dalat. The bus ride here took our breath away several times. There were some amazing views of terraced farms, and rolling hills, as well as rocky peaks. The town itself is really beautiful too, so we thought what better way to see it and the surounding farm land then from the newly opened gondolla ride. It didn't disappoint us. The gondolla is 2.5km in length and offers some great views of the area. I noticed it was made by a Swiss/Austrian company.

here's some shots of the area...

Tacky Tourism: I realize that on the heels of my "tourism" rant, this may sound a touch contradictory...but oh well. Dalat is a very touristy town, and it had us smiling a bunch today. The thing that sets it up for being homurous, is that this town is not a place for western tourists...it's for Asians. It's a real popular place for honeymooning Vietnamese, as well as a bus load of Chinese and Korean tourists. And we soon discovered the Asians love it tacky...tacky to us anyway. At one point Erin said, "I just realized why they have so many tacky gifts in Niagara Falls", as she watched a Korean couple barter over a bright green marble tiger. Hopefully these pictures make you smile too!

if it's a photo of you as a cowboy in your holiday photos you're after, look no furthar than Dalat! We didn't feel the need...
...but we thought we'd do the classic Asian pose in front of the tiger and eagle...

...and in the gondolla.

We didn't take one of these babies for a spin on the lake, but no one told me I couldn't let 'er rip on the grass!

Great Coffee: Truth be known, it makes me smile a little more than Erin. Perhaps it makes me downright giddy! Coffee is good, it's great, it's a gift from God...and they grown tons of it in Vietnams Central Highlands. So naturaly is been a great place to get a good cup of joe. Unlike Cambodia and Thailand who like their coffee in the instant form, they know how to brew it here. So whether we're sipping a freshly ground mug, or gazing across thousands of acres of coffee plantations, or surprised by how most rural families are drying what they grow in their front yard and driveway, we've got a smile on our faces!...until of course our lack of Vietnamese causes us to order coffee with sweetend condensed milk, or iced coffee when we want hot.

Markets: In every town we visit in our travels we love to check out the local market. It's a great place to rub shoulders with the locals, and see what types of things are available in different parts of the world. Vietnam has a huge clothing business, so we spent a good amount of time wandering the vast clothing area of the market. We also enjoy eating in the market and tasting some great fruit.

100 points to whoever can tell us when that spiky red fruit is in the background.

coconut shaving operation

that was one sweet orange!

...and one good bowl of "bun bo hue"!

Fun: Today we found something that took me back to my childhood. Two of three summers my family and I visited Blue Mountain and did the "slide-ride". Have you ever been there? (It was featured at the end of every Canadian Seasame Street episode.) Anyway, I think they've shut it down now due to safety issues, and Andrew and I prooved why it was unsafe while we were there. But it's not too dangerous for Vietnam, and they've got one similar to it in Dalat. Except for being a little more modern and not quite as long it's the same principle, and Erin and I really enjoyed blasting down it!

"what's up!"

Good Company:

worlds best travel partner!

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

We've arrived! We had a quick bus trip into the city this morning and arrived at a bus station 10 km outside of the city centre. We tried really hard not to get ripped off by the moto taxi drivers, but we're not sure if we paid the true price or not. Needless to say we joined the throngs of motorbikes on the streets of Saigon. Have a look at those videos again and then put yourself in the middle of the chaos, on a motorbike, with your backpack sitting on the bike between you and the moto-driver. It was pretty crazy, but a lot of fun!

We're both loving Vietnam so far. The people have been really great, contrary to what we've heard from other travellers. We're staying a 10 min. walk from the main tourist area, and maybe that makes a difference. In the tourist area you run into higher prices in restaurants and there are English speaking Vietnamese everywhere. But, just step 10 min. away and you're living with the locals...which is where we like to be.

Today we are spending the day just checking the city out. We had to book our train and bus tickets for the remainder of our time here, as the Vietnamese new year celebration (called Tet) is coming up and everything gets booked up. We had hoped to take a train into Hanoi (in the North) but we were told it was completely booked 2 months ago. Fortunately we found a sleeper bus to take.

Tomorrow we're heading to Dalat, a town in the mountains where we'll spend a few days. We're then heading back to Saigon (we're not sure why it's still called Saigon here, but many people still refer to it that way. I surmise that it's because the South is still sympathetic to democracy...but that's just a guess. We'll try to figure that out) to meet up with my brother, Craig, who is joining us for a few weeks.

Tourists!

The scene when a bus arrives at it's destination in southeast asia. Those guys are all moto drivers looking for business. In Thailand they form a neat line, and take turns asking the passengers if they need a lift.

Today we went from CanTho, to My Tho (say Me Taw). We managed to get on a full size bus, thus reducing the chance of death if we were to get into a head on crash. We felt much safer today.

We really enjoyed the boat trip the other day in the delta, so since we're still here on the shores of the Mekong we thought we'd to another. We'd heard it was possible to see a fruit farm, a coconut candy factory, and wait for it...a honey farm. So naturally we were interested. After arriving here we learned that you had to arrange a tour from a "tourist office", (read "the government") and not just haggle a boat trip from one of the many people on the bank. It was illegal to just go on our own, and it's actually policed.

Bees working a coconut flower. These were a different species then what we work with in the commercial bee world. They were much smaller and didn't seem to sting...I tried to get them to.

So we obeyed the rules and booked a quick trip. Since we got here around lunch we didn't start our trip until about 2 pm, and had the boat to ourselves anyway...most people come to My Tho for the day from Ho Chi Minh, (which is about 75km from here), and get their "Mekong Delta experience". We were very disappointed with what we had gotten ourselves into. The bee farm, and fruit farm were both at one location, and it was little more then one beehive, and a few fruit trees. We got fed some tea with honey, and some fruit. The entire place was a government run tourist site with thousands of souvenirs. No attempt was made by anyone to teach us anything about "the farm", we figured it was because there actually was no farm. We then went to another island to see the "coconut candy workshop". Again it was just another pretend place where the coconut candies that the locals love and buy in the markets are not actually made.

Part of the trip on a channel through the island that the "farm" was on.

I realize this sounds like a ton of complaining, and it may actually be painful to read. It wasn't that we don't think there's a place for tacky tourism, because there is, and somtimes we like it. But this was a classic case of government control trying to pass something off to Western tourists as "authentic Vietnam" when really it wasn't Vietnam at all. It's not that we've ecome experts of Vietnamese curtal in the 3 days that we've been in the country, but from what we've seen so far in this country and the region, it was nothing like this. All the workers were wearing western clothes...which people in the working class not do. Everything was clean and neat...and not much in Vietnam is. And the people who showed us around were literally asking us for a "tip", which is not the culture at all. I'm not sure if this situation is something that the "non-backpacker" tourists actully want and have created for themselves, or if this is what the government thinks us westerns want. Either way, the thing that really got under our skin the most, was that we didn't have a choice in the matter. If this had been our only stop in the delta, we would have had no understanding at all of the way people actually live here. We learned nothing about how life is tied to, and completely dependent on the vast river system that is the Mekong Delta.

Dragon fruit!

But the day was redeemed! When we got off the boat, we walked towards the centre of town, and in less than 1/2km were into Vietnam again. We arrived at the market by chance, and had a wonderful time wondering the vastness of it. People were thrilled to see us, asked us for nothing, and were quick to share a smile with us and try their limited English. The people here have been great!

We did learn that the lovely small bananas that we've been eating throughout the region, grow much differently than the normal ones. That's a tall stack of ripening "lady finger" bananas. The flower is still on the bottom. And that's a bad picture of me.

Tomorrow we head to the juggernaught that is Ho Chi Minh, or as everyone still calls it, Saigon.