Hello from Vietnam!
I write from a sleeper train heading back to the city of Hanoi. Last time we were in touch my friends and I were making our way to the big, beautiful, DUSTY city of Hanoi in northern Vietnam. After trekking by plane and taxi from Hong Kong, we arrived at the famous Backpackers' Hostel in downtown Hanoi- in other words, we were oh so warmly welcomed by the crazy, fun, out going and friendly Australians who started the hostel and crowded its lobby/restaurant/bar/dance club 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Upon arrival, the hostel was filled with people from near and far. Who knew Vietnam was the vacation hot spot for Aussies! After quickly getting settled in our rooms, we made our way around the area meeting other backpackers and hearing some pretty adventurous, inspiring stories from people who have truly travelled around the world by foot. I talked to the manager/owner for awhile who has been runnimg the hostel for five years now. After visiting Vietnam he decided to move to Hanoi in hopes of bringing tourism and thus a greater industry into the city. He and his business partner/best friend work with many local businesses including tour companies, travel agencies, restaurants, and transportation services throughout the north of Vietnam. I heard only love for the city of Hanoi as he told his story.
Hanoi is a bustling city at the center of northern Vietnam surrounded by rice paddies and banana plantations, void of any traffic or "moto" laws, and made up of narrow allies, wide-spread delicious seafood, "family motorcycles" accomodating up to five people plus a dog and cart of watermelon, and very skinny buidings. Supposedly in Northern Vietnam, a traditional Vietnamese family continuously divides their home from generation to generation until it can no longer be structurally divided and as a result... very tall skinny buildings.
After a night at the hostel, we travelled four hours by bus to Halong Bay. Halong Bay, literally meaning descending dragon bay, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The bay is known for its thousands of limestone karsts and isles that have undergone various geological transformations over 500 million years due to marine trangression and regression and platonic shifts. My friends and I with about 15 other people cruised around the bay by junk boat! Now when I say cruised I do not mean your typical cruise ship. This was a junk boat- a two story boat with about ten cabins, a dining area, and the most enjoyable upper deck. We spent two days and one night at sea and luckily due to the calm bay water, no one got sea sick.
During our first day aboard, we visited and hiked multiple caves and had the pleasure of exploring the water and its surrounding cliffs by kayak. We visited the "floating village"- a village of 40 families who literally live on the water, work on the water, go to school on the water etc. We were even spoiled enough to sunbathe on deck and catch some rays. To top everything off, we were introduced to exquisite Vietnamese food. While Chinese food was truly what I expected, Vietnamese cuisine surprised me as it is not only indo-chinese but also has major French influence. For dinner we had a wide variety of dishes including multiple fresh seafood dishes and even local asian pear and dragon and jack fruit for desert. I hope to seek out some dragon fruit back in the US! During our second day aboard, we learned how to cook a variety of spring rolls both steamed and fried and made of a delicate rice paper rather than the traditional flour wrap.
After two days in Halong Bay, we made our way back to the city of Hanoi to catch an over-night sleeper train to the rural town of Sapa at the very northern edge of Vietnam. SAPA IS MY FAVORITE STOP SO FAR! It is a beautifal market town surrounded by various rural ethnic-minority villages. The town itself is set deep into the rolling mountains of Vietnam. I have never seen a landscape so stunning and unique. Northern Vietnam is a major producer of rice. The mountains surrounding Sapa are perfectly terraced to grow rice. The slopes gently descend into the surrounding villages that farm the paddies day and night. Upon arriving in Sapa the morning of Monday June 19th we got right to it and went mountain biking throughout the area! We biked through rugged exceptionally rocky villages all day and had the pleasure of eating a delicious traditional Vietnamese lunch at a homestay. Mountain biking was a great way to cover 30 km of travel in only 5 hours. Our only obstacles were wandering water buffalos, squeeling pigs, and a multitude of children excited to see tourists.
That night we explored the market and shops in town and relaxed in preperation for hiking the next day.
During our second day in Sapa, we had the pleasure of hiking 15 km through the mountains and into five various ethnic-minority villages. Each village, although possibly only consisting of five families, had a unique dialect, distinct garb, and inspriing way of life. It was fascinating to experince such a close encounter with various families and farmers in these areas especially the women. As we hiked down into the valley, women from the Dzhaou village walked with us, speaking little English, holding our hands as we descended slippery slopes and rice paddies, and hoping to sell at least one of their hand-embroidered products. These women spent day and night hiking with their children between the Dzhaou village and Sapa to sell goods for a small profit. The children were dressed beautifully in traditional garb... each cloth hand woven and embroidered with a multitude of colors. I cannot even begin to describe the "busy"ness, excitement, love, and hardwork I observed in every village. To end our last day in Sapa, we hiked to one of its moutain's peaks to appreciate the landscape and the people one last time. I absolutely love Sapa and hope to return there within the next few years... please hold me to it!
Although I love writing about my travels, the sleeper train is doing its job and I am feeling quite exhausted! Please check out my photos attached... a picture is worth 1000 words.
Love you all,
Allie
I write from a sleeper train heading back to the city of Hanoi. Last time we were in touch my friends and I were making our way to the big, beautiful, DUSTY city of Hanoi in northern Vietnam. After trekking by plane and taxi from Hong Kong, we arrived at the famous Backpackers' Hostel in downtown Hanoi- in other words, we were oh so warmly welcomed by the crazy, fun, out going and friendly Australians who started the hostel and crowded its lobby/restaurant/bar/dance club 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Upon arrival, the hostel was filled with people from near and far. Who knew Vietnam was the vacation hot spot for Aussies! After quickly getting settled in our rooms, we made our way around the area meeting other backpackers and hearing some pretty adventurous, inspiring stories from people who have truly travelled around the world by foot. I talked to the manager/owner for awhile who has been runnimg the hostel for five years now. After visiting Vietnam he decided to move to Hanoi in hopes of bringing tourism and thus a greater industry into the city. He and his business partner/best friend work with many local businesses including tour companies, travel agencies, restaurants, and transportation services throughout the north of Vietnam. I heard only love for the city of Hanoi as he told his story.
Hanoi is a bustling city at the center of northern Vietnam surrounded by rice paddies and banana plantations, void of any traffic or "moto" laws, and made up of narrow allies, wide-spread delicious seafood, "family motorcycles" accomodating up to five people plus a dog and cart of watermelon, and very skinny buidings. Supposedly in Northern Vietnam, a traditional Vietnamese family continuously divides their home from generation to generation until it can no longer be structurally divided and as a result... very tall skinny buildings.
After a night at the hostel, we travelled four hours by bus to Halong Bay. Halong Bay, literally meaning descending dragon bay, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The bay is known for its thousands of limestone karsts and isles that have undergone various geological transformations over 500 million years due to marine trangression and regression and platonic shifts. My friends and I with about 15 other people cruised around the bay by junk boat! Now when I say cruised I do not mean your typical cruise ship. This was a junk boat- a two story boat with about ten cabins, a dining area, and the most enjoyable upper deck. We spent two days and one night at sea and luckily due to the calm bay water, no one got sea sick.
During our first day aboard, we visited and hiked multiple caves and had the pleasure of exploring the water and its surrounding cliffs by kayak. We visited the "floating village"- a village of 40 families who literally live on the water, work on the water, go to school on the water etc. We were even spoiled enough to sunbathe on deck and catch some rays. To top everything off, we were introduced to exquisite Vietnamese food. While Chinese food was truly what I expected, Vietnamese cuisine surprised me as it is not only indo-chinese but also has major French influence. For dinner we had a wide variety of dishes including multiple fresh seafood dishes and even local asian pear and dragon and jack fruit for desert. I hope to seek out some dragon fruit back in the US! During our second day aboard, we learned how to cook a variety of spring rolls both steamed and fried and made of a delicate rice paper rather than the traditional flour wrap.
After two days in Halong Bay, we made our way back to the city of Hanoi to catch an over-night sleeper train to the rural town of Sapa at the very northern edge of Vietnam. SAPA IS MY FAVORITE STOP SO FAR! It is a beautifal market town surrounded by various rural ethnic-minority villages. The town itself is set deep into the rolling mountains of Vietnam. I have never seen a landscape so stunning and unique. Northern Vietnam is a major producer of rice. The mountains surrounding Sapa are perfectly terraced to grow rice. The slopes gently descend into the surrounding villages that farm the paddies day and night. Upon arriving in Sapa the morning of Monday June 19th we got right to it and went mountain biking throughout the area! We biked through rugged exceptionally rocky villages all day and had the pleasure of eating a delicious traditional Vietnamese lunch at a homestay. Mountain biking was a great way to cover 30 km of travel in only 5 hours. Our only obstacles were wandering water buffalos, squeeling pigs, and a multitude of children excited to see tourists.
That night we explored the market and shops in town and relaxed in preperation for hiking the next day.
During our second day in Sapa, we had the pleasure of hiking 15 km through the mountains and into five various ethnic-minority villages. Each village, although possibly only consisting of five families, had a unique dialect, distinct garb, and inspriing way of life. It was fascinating to experince such a close encounter with various families and farmers in these areas especially the women. As we hiked down into the valley, women from the Dzhaou village walked with us, speaking little English, holding our hands as we descended slippery slopes and rice paddies, and hoping to sell at least one of their hand-embroidered products. These women spent day and night hiking with their children between the Dzhaou village and Sapa to sell goods for a small profit. The children were dressed beautifully in traditional garb... each cloth hand woven and embroidered with a multitude of colors. I cannot even begin to describe the "busy"ness, excitement, love, and hardwork I observed in every village. To end our last day in Sapa, we hiked to one of its moutain's peaks to appreciate the landscape and the people one last time. I absolutely love Sapa and hope to return there within the next few years... please hold me to it!
Although I love writing about my travels, the sleeper train is doing its job and I am feeling quite exhausted! Please check out my photos attached... a picture is worth 1000 words.
Love you all,
Allie