Beep Beeeeeeep Beeeeep Beep

Amy Sez:

Just to back up a bit, our entry into Viet Nam was as uneventful as can be. Not sure why we thought it would be difficult. We left Thailand on a huge plane that could easily seat 350 and there were only 25 of us. We'd been strssing about our Visas since in America, it is a lot more complicated and can take weeks and cost 120 bucks or so. As it happened, our hotel in Thailand (We love Reflections Hotel), arranged it all and cost us no more than $80 and we didn't have to stand in any lines at the Vietnam Embassy or nothing. Going through customs is EZ and was less stressful that Thailand. We declared nothing and stepped on into Communist Vietnam.

The ride from the airport was the most exciting and we were so in shock of it all, we forgot about ouur cameras for the first twenty minutes or so. The simple quaintness of the bicycle has been replaced by thousands, let me repeat that THOUSANDS of motorbikes but they still wear the Nón lá hats (conical white woven ones) and the women still carry their wares in their double baskets. One photo we both missed was the man carrying the 10 or so little pigs squished into baskets on the back of his scooter. Rats.

We got to town at dusk, in time for a quick stroll around the famous (and apparently mosquito riddled. doh! more itchies) Hoan Kiem lake. We are staying in the amazingly fascinating old quarter where every street is named for the guild that was stationed here a century or two ago. There is a silk road, a metal road, a bamboo road, etc. We are on the onion road. Although our road is filled mostly with coffee shops and art galleries and cheap hotels for westerners. Oh, I always knew vietnamese coffee was good, it is so far - the best ever.

Today we went to Ha Long Bay. We got front row seats in the tourist van for most of the way which was a little nuts, even for young crazy drivers such as C and I. A few times, I couldn't help but reach out for her arm. Lanes do not exist. And the beeping is non stop for three hours there, and three back. I saw a few gun turrets left over from both the French (two story brick) and the American war (one story cement). It was the only reminder so far of these wars here. I am reading 'The Quiet American' by Graham Greene and am much excited to be in the same places.
A few words to describe what we saw: sweeping with straw brooms, pineapple stands, masked faces on bikes, Nón lá hats over long black pony tails, trash turned over into the soil, trash not turned over, trash, squatting, stacks of red bricks, water buffalo, and a plethora of green rice fields.

Anyway, Ha Long bay, a World Heritage site was misty and rainy and we sat with some terrible young Germans tourists who complained about everything including the donation they had to make for an optional twenty minute boat tour set up by the British for a school (suggested donation of 30,000 dong equates to about $1.90) . The mist was lovely but did detract from what I magine could have been a lovelier day. We met Han, our 28 year old tour guide who we talked politics and old war talk for just a bit, and Darlene a 75 year old Canadian celebrating her birthday today. She gave us home baked chocolate/p-nutbutter oatmeal cookies on the journey home.

The biggest notice so far has been the constant barrage of touters asking you to buy whatever it is they are selling. We had at least 12 people ask us today to buy their pineapples. Everywhere you look, there are souvineers. Of everything! Usually trinkets and such. Usually nothing you want especially if you are travelling light. But things are so cheap. If you stop for just a moment to look at anything, they are on you to buy. They are in the street g\trying to get you into the restaurant or bar, they are on you to travel by trishaw (thre wheeled bike), even if you have only two blocks to go. So you smile, and shake you head no - and walk on. Much worse than Thailand for some reason. I think because the guilt is worse when you walk away. You can see how poor they are. What to do? How many pineapples can you buy?

Tomorrow we have the day in Ha Noi, and we leave by train overnight to Da Nang and then spend the day and night and day in Hoi An - one of the most pristinely picturesque towns ever. Our cameras will be happy.

Oh - there has been some trouble with taking pictures in Ha Noi. Mostly people being fascinated and or paranoid by what we are doing. Chris - ever brave - just takes 'em like nothing. I've decided to focus on more graphicy things, like cool signs, and grafitti, decrepid paint, and animals. People - not so much. More when we can.

Love to all,

---A