Vietnam February
21, 22, 24, 26 March 6 and 7
We learned that Vietnam is home to some of the world’s
largest caves. It officially became a
country in 1945 with 2,140 miles of coastline and many beautiful beaches. The
Vietnamese Dong is the local money. One US dollar is equal to 22,000 dong. That
means a lot of paper in the pocket….even though you don’t have a lot of money
there. The country was united in 1975 after civil war broke out between the
north and south.
Ho Chi Minh City formerly Saigon February 21, 2017
Our ship docked in Phu My….the gateway to Ho Chi Min City.
The sun shone at a hot 91 degrees during
the day.
Did we pump the water that day? Did I mention water in this part of the world is polluted….It must be boiled if it is used off the ship. Larry and I have not trusted the water, even in bottles…. Who wants to take a chance on being sick when traveling? So the liquid of choice when our water off the ship is gone…. beer. Not my favorite thing in the world, but when it is hot, it is better than nothing.
Did we pump the water that day? Did I mention water in this part of the world is polluted….It must be boiled if it is used off the ship. Larry and I have not trusted the water, even in bottles…. Who wants to take a chance on being sick when traveling? So the liquid of choice when our water off the ship is gone…. beer. Not my favorite thing in the world, but when it is hot, it is better than nothing.
After an hour and half bus ride we arrived in
Saigon….renamed Ho Chi Minh City after the leader of North Vietnam who lead the
war against South Vietnamese and the United States.
Oh the sights we saw along the way....Can you imagine pulling this with a motorbike?
Motorbikes were loaded with all kinds of things
We passed fields of rice and little grass huts along the sides of water inlets….
no electricity, running water or modern conveniences with modern high rises in the background.
What a contrast! Once we arrived in the city a million motorbikes and scooters ruled the roads.
Air pollution is awful in this part of the world. Masks are prevalent with many folks wearing them. Larry and I can taste the air at times....it is not pleasant. Regulations must be few and far between.
We were told by the guide and the cruise director that when you cross a street as a pedestrian, green means go, yellow means go and red means go….unbelievable, but these street rules all worked when crossing the busy roads. Although my heart raced to my throat every time we used that system when crossing the street we were safely dodged by the motorbikes that yielded to us. We were told that if a pedestrian stopped or hesitated midway across, they would most likely cause an accident or get hit. Somehow we managed to get across many streets with no harm. THAT IN IT SELF WAS AMAZING!
Saigon was extremely modern….skyscrappers….modern
cars….modern shopping malls…finely dressed citizens….police force was very
prevalent throughout our walk about town
in their olive green uniforms….we spoke to one with a machine gun. We were
unable to get a photo of one….they did not allow it.
We went to…
Bitexco Tower…tallest skyscraper in Saigon….with its unusual
heli pad off the side of the building
Opera Theater….a stunning piece of Architecture
A statue of Ho Chi Minh stood in the square before the Opera House
A statue of Ho Chi Minh stood in the square before the Opera House
Central Post Office….1886 French Colonial architecture of Gustoff Eiffle …same
architect as the Eiffle Tower
Reunification Palace….home of the American Military….North
Vietnamese tanks rolled into it's compound grounds to end the war in 1975.
We walked past the Rex Hotel….where news correspondents stayed during the war
Ben Thanh Market….much, much cleaner than the Cambodian
market…lots and lots of stuff….jade, silk items, fresh produce,
Other sites of Ho Chi Minh....
This lady gave us a new fruit to try...they were a sweet treat!
The flowers in the market were gorgeous
The city had beautiful parks with benches and flowers....a nice resting spot in the heat.
Nha Trang, Vietnam February 22, 2017
The French invested to make this a resort town. Now it is known
as the Beach Capital with 5 miles of sandy beach. We did not go to the beach
because we arrived at the hottest part of the day, we elected to walk to the
gondolas after 5:00pm when the temps were nicer.
These gondolas took you across the water to an amusement park called Vinpearl.
By the time we walked back to the ship it was almost dark.
We loved NhaTrang dock because you could walk about the town without using public transportation.
Nha Trang March 6, 2017
We boarded a new ship in Hong Kong called Holland America Amsterdam. After staying on it for two days in Hong Kong, she set sail for a two day journey back to Ho Chi Ming City and Nha Trang.
Our ship arrived early in the morning and we were out to capture the sailing into the port.
The last time we came in midday and it was so hot that we waited to go out in the evening.
We spotted lots of work boats .The beach in Nha Trang was fabulous. If we ever come back we will wear a bathing suit and spend the day in the South China Sea.
We went into the shopping mall to get a few trinkets to take back home. The mall is set up different in Asia. Shop owners have their little square where they sell their merchandise...although it is open with no walls. The top floor was a food court...great for getting some pictures of the smoggy city.
Unfortunately, smog is very, very bad in South East Asia. One of the speakers on board the ship told us the smog began with the motorbike industry. Everyone owns a motorbike...in fact all we saw was motorbikes, cabs, and buses....very few personal cars.
There is still opportunity to ride in a bicycle rickshaw.
T'his gentleman and his daughter were eating their lunch on the curb by the beach.
Visiting Nah Trang was one of our favorite Vietnam Ports.
Da Nang, Vietnam February 24, 2017
We opted to take a bus to the quaint town of Hoi An where
some of Vietnam’s best preserved buildings, dating back 1000 years, are still
standing. Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage sitethat dates back to the 15th
century.
The citizens of Hoi An feel blessed that their city was not bombed
during the Vietnam War. It is a fine example of a south east Asian trading port
of long ago. This was formerly a spice trading capital.
Today the city is a bustling tourist area….sort of the
Chinese version of Williamsburg, Virginia.
Bamboo Bicycle
We enjoyed touring the inside of a
traditional merchant’s home. While there we watched silk embroidery being
fashioned.
We crossed the old Japanese built covered bridge. Porceline dishes decorated the roof of the bridge.
We crossed the old Japanese built covered bridge. Porceline dishes decorated the roof of the bridge.
We
walked along the river and visited with some local eight graders who attend
school in the afternoons only. They enjoyed practicing their English on us.
On the way to Hoi An we passed the Marble Mountains….five
sharp peaks of mountains that have
Buddist shrines inside. We were able to view marble creations that were
made from the marble that was mined from the mountains.
Marble Wonders
Peacock of Jade
In Da Nang, the fifth largest city in Vietnam, we stopped at
My Khe Beach, also named China Beach by
the American soldiers who were seeking a little R and R during the Vietnam War.
What a fantastic beach….20 miles long of white sandy beaches. Lots of modern
high rise hotels, restaurants, and condos line the street.
A beautiful drive along the beach has been preserved for all to enjoy. A rain storm moved in while we were here so our visit was cut short.
A beautiful drive along the beach has been preserved for all to enjoy. A rain storm moved in while we were here so our visit was cut short.
We also stopped to observe the round fishing boats that are
part of the area’s heritage. Fishermen had just returned and emptied their nets
from the day’s catch.
Halong Bay, Vietnam February 26, 2017
Larry and I boarded a converted fishing boat called a junk
and rode among the 1,969 islands in the bay. What beauty!
Junk Boat
My man on the junk boat
Halong Bay is honored
as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its unforgettable landscape. We visited the Dong
Thien Cung Cave on one of the islands and found it to have a huge colorful room
of stalagmite and stalactite formations.
The cave was only discovered in 1996.
Just outside of the cave
The cruise on Halong Bay was incredibly picturesque.
How lucky we were to have the sun shining today.
The hibiscus are fantastic in Vietnam.
Vietnam is in a rebuilding mode...We have been told that it is one of the fastest growing countries in the world. It has been a little over 40 years since the war ended and the Vietnamese are working hard to catch up with the rest of the world..
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