Vivacious Vietnam

The first word that comes to mind when I think of Vietnam is lively.  Too bad I was busy dying of dysentery half the time.  So I’ll recap what I did (and didn’t do) and perhaps I’ll be kind enough to spare you of the rhea details, round 2. 

As a birthday present to myself, I got to visit another country- Vietnam.  Crossing the border from Cambodia to Vietnam isn’t as sketchy as the books make it, but you definitely get called out for being a foreigner.  An extra little swipe of the passport, a little picture, and you’re good to go. 

Interesting and something I’m definitely glad I did, but nothing to write home to Mom about- no crazy questions, no strip search, no guns.

Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, as it is properly called following the Vietnam War, is Crazy!!  With a capital C.  But a good Crazy.  The streets are packed with motos (mini motorcycles).  In fact, you have to be careful not to lose your purse to a passing moto, a reason I typically left my purse back at the guesthouse.  And if a moto snatches up your purse, you better let go- if not they’ll literally drag you through the streets of Vietnam until you let you.  Not to worry though, as we never encountered this.

After a half day of exploring Saigon, we booked a trip to the Mekong Delta, a must see when visiting SE Asia, as this waterway serves a greater portion of these countries.  Although a bit touristy, we were able to ride in long boats, feed some crocs, and explore the backwoods of Vietnam.

The itinerary for day 3 of HCMC offered up a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an intricate system of underground tunnels that allowed the Viet Cong to live in these rat holes for months at a time.

Although feeling a bit rushed through the tunnels, a healthy amount of facts were thrown our way, broadening our understanding of how the Viet Cong beat the south (re: the North didn’t beat the U.S.- a common misconception).

Just a few interesting things we learned about these elaborate tunnels:

The tunnels were portioned off into 3 layers.  Cooking only took place on the 2^nd or 3^rd layers, avoiding excessive smoke from seeping out of the surface holes.  Instead, the smoke was gradually released through small pipes.  “Toilets” were located on the 3^rd level, which drained into the Mekong Delta.  And when the U.S. and the south released smoke into the tunnels, trap doors partitioned off the 1^st layer and the Viet Cong retreated to the 2^nd and 3^rd layers.

And in relation to that minor misconception (I hope you’re sensing my sarcasm from halfway across the world), the Vietnamese LOVE their old propaganda posters, all of which show the Viet Cong beating up on the U.S.  Shops of propaganda posters litter the streets of Saigon and Hanoi.  Needless to say, we didn’t bring home any of these posters.

Anyway…

Initially excited about traveling to Vietnam during Tet (Lunar New Year), we quickly learned that there’s really only one day of celebrations, followed by an eerie silence.  With the reah hitting me the day before Tet celebrations, I took a Tylenol PM to help me sleep through the night.  This, ladies and gents, led to some pretty crazy dreams.

Traditionally, on the first night of Tet, a nightlong celebration is in order, with a healthy dose of fireworks.  Delirious from the pills and having just visited the Cu Chi Tunnels, I fully heartedly thought I was in the middle of the second Vietnam War.  We were under attack and I wasn’t getting out alive… until I woke up.  I now have a better understanding for PTSD and wonder why fireworks go off on a day that is closely connected to our military.

Luckily, we had enough on our itinerary to not be bothered by this nearly complete shut down of Saigon and Hanoi.  Long days were followed by long massages.  The best massage I’ve ever had in my life came from a sketchy Vietnamese shop, offering up 120 minutes, hot stone and oils massage for a whooping $9.  This is reason enough to go back to Vietnam.

Hanoi, aside from the churches and Ho Chi Minh Complex, really just offered a bunch of shops selling loads of knock-offs, most of which were exceptional replicas.  The real reason for visiting Hanoi lies in the limestone protrusions of Halong Bay.

Thankfully, two weeks before the accident killing 12 foreigners, we loaded ourselves onto a small boat of 20 passengers to realize an even smaller world.  Following lunch, we shuttled onto land and into the caves. 

While Brandon was busy noticing the phallic structures, I became aware that of these 20 passengers there wasn’t just 1 Elon grad, but 2!!  Alex (No, I’m not referring to myself in 3^rd person… the oddity continues) had graduated from Elon just one year prior to me and is teaching English in China… small world!

With obviously lots in common, we hung out the rest of the trip, making friends across the world!  Now if we ever want to visit Shanghai, we know we always have a place to stay.

So despite living on 3 baguettes and cheese (the French left a little culture here too!) and withering away in guesthouse beds whilst the rest of Vietnam celebrated Tet, I came to appreciate the lively culture of Vietnam… with the exception of line butting (something engrained into my brain as inappropriate since the age of 5, so something I’ll never be able to simply dismiss, and definitely something the Vietnamese have no problem doing).

Vietnam is VIVACIOUS!