Good Morning, Vietnam

In Hanoi we pondered the wisdom of a 12 hour night bus to our next destination, Hoi An. When we realized that the flight was under $50 each, the bus trip went by the wayside and we caught a flight for DaNang and a minibus to Hoi An. Hoi An is a World Heritage Site not unlike Antigua, Guatemala which was abandoned due to earthquakes. Hoi An, a major trading center, in the 16th and 17th centuries is charming. Dutch, chines, Japanese and Indian Traders came for fairs that lasted four to six months. Hoi An is ringed with temples and Trading Houses for the powerful. It was left relatively untouched when the river silted in and trading ships could no longer enter the port. Frozen in time, Hoi An is a treasure for the curious.

Again looking at a 12 hour night bus ride coupled with a 5 hour ferry ride, we opted for a flight to Phu Quac for $50 per ticket. Phu Quac has an interesting history. It was used a prison by the French during colonization, the Japanese during WWII and by the Americans during the Vietnam War (or as the Vietnamese call it - the American War). It has limited infrastructure and beautiful beaches. There are no reefs and the off island snorkeling was not spectacular so long swims and an evening glass of wine on the beach was the ticket. A rather calm scooter rental due to little traffic. All in all a charming place filled with Vietnamese people trying to get ahead.


















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Saigon, as I will always remember it, is a charming city once you get past the pushiness and greed. Our first altercation was coming in from the airport when the taxi driver insisted the meter was in US $ rather than dong. Doug disagreed. Things mostly got better from that point with the exception of the market mafia (more later). By the second night we had found a charming hotel with extremely helpful staff. We were amazed at the price of $22 US which included both lunch and dinner. Both meals were fine and we enjoyed eating with the staff at the evening meal. If you are headed for HCMC try the DUC VUONG Hotel on Bui Bien St. and ask for room 825. There is a lovely terrace where we played crib in the evening and escaped the bustle of the city.

We went to the market one morning and Doug was looking at T shirts when the woman told him that she had more colors and sizes inside. We browsed for a moment and found our exit blocked by two lovely young women who insisted that we were barred from leaving until we purchased something. When we tried to leave they pushed us back in. Doug bought no T shirts from that stall.
Thailand is calling and we leave for Phuket tomorrow. This time our flight is only $30 and the alternatives are frightening. Soon from Thailand.