Thursday, January 04, 2007
Trekking in Sapa, northern Vietnam
While I hadn't originally planned to visit Sapa and the hilltribes of northern Vietnam located on the border with China, so many fellow travellers recommended it (and my colleague, Kitty) that I changed my plans. I took the overnight Tulico train from Hanoi and arrived in Lao Cai this morning at 7 a.m.
I then experienced one of the most hair-raising drives of my entire trip. The weather is cold and overcast here. Sapa is located high in the mountains (you can see Vietnam's highest mountain, Phan Xi Păng). The road to Sapa is full of sharp turns and the higher you ascend, the more mist you encounter, to the point that you can't see much in front of you. Motorbikes and scooters are plying the highways, often without their front lights turned on. My knuckles were blue after that ride and I almost kissed the earth when I was dropped off at my hotel. I was blessedly relieved when the porter swung open my hotel room door and there in the middle of the room was a big-ass heater spewing delicious heat throughout the room. Which is what I clearly stipulated when booking the hotel at least five times!
I ended up hiring a private guide to take me trekking and to visit a Hmong village. The Hmong are one of Vietnam's many ethnic minorities. They are famous for their black clothing which they make by producing indigo dye and dying the hemp they weave. They are gorgeous, friendly people: incredibly petite.The older girls and women wear their hair wrapped around their heads with a black, pillbox-like hat on top and large silver hoop earrings. They wear black velvet wrapped around their legs below the knee but either brightly-coloured rubber boots or plastic sandals on their feet. I was shocked as it's freezing here. I'm wearing a rainproof, lined jacket, a fleece and a long-sleeved shirt, trekking pants and hiking boots, plus gloves and a hat.
The Hmong women carry their babies either directly tied to their backs or in woven baskets strapped to their backs. Usually, they marry between ages 15 and 18 and have up to six children each. Most of the year, they work in the fields growing rice and indigo but in the winter, very little grows this far north so they embroider and weave their famous cloth to sell to tourists in the Sapa area as well as in the big cities like Hanoi and Saigon. Curiously, there were no men around the village. My guide told me that they are in the fields with the animals preparing the ground for the spring or doing odd jobs in Sapa City.
I had the opportunity to visit the inside of a Hmong house which was quite big. It had a dirt floor and two places where a fire was roaring. The kitchen itself and a sort of sitting room. Three generations of a family live together in the house (11 people) and the children were grouped around a colour TV running off of a generator. Some of the children were wearing short pants and had bare feet which I couldn't believe. We then had lunch at a Dai home. The Dai have taller, larger houses and appear to be more modern.
One middle-aged Hmong lady proceeded to follow us miles as we made our way back to the point where a car was waiting to take us back to my hotel. It was quite slippery as it was raining. She took my hand in hers (she is literally half my size) and guided me over the rocks and mud in her plastic sandals. She was so agile, like a little pixie. At the end, she pulled out some cushion covers and asked me to buy them. I didn't but did give her a small tip for guiding me so well. She seemed a bit shocked (I debated whether or not to do this) but I thought she deserved something for her act of kindness. The Hmong are poor so I knew my tip would help her out.
Right now, I'm preparing for a long soak in my hotel room's bathtub. I plan to head out for a pizza (I can only do so much Vietnamese food) and watch TV. Tomorrow, I will trek again for 15 km to another minority village before catching the night train back to Hanoi. I can't believe I will be returning to Amsterdam in four days!
I then experienced one of the most hair-raising drives of my entire trip. The weather is cold and overcast here. Sapa is located high in the mountains (you can see Vietnam's highest mountain, Phan Xi Păng). The road to Sapa is full of sharp turns and the higher you ascend, the more mist you encounter, to the point that you can't see much in front of you. Motorbikes and scooters are plying the highways, often without their front lights turned on. My knuckles were blue after that ride and I almost kissed the earth when I was dropped off at my hotel. I was blessedly relieved when the porter swung open my hotel room door and there in the middle of the room was a big-ass heater spewing delicious heat throughout the room. Which is what I clearly stipulated when booking the hotel at least five times!
I ended up hiring a private guide to take me trekking and to visit a Hmong village. The Hmong are one of Vietnam's many ethnic minorities. They are famous for their black clothing which they make by producing indigo dye and dying the hemp they weave. They are gorgeous, friendly people: incredibly petite.The older girls and women wear their hair wrapped around their heads with a black, pillbox-like hat on top and large silver hoop earrings. They wear black velvet wrapped around their legs below the knee but either brightly-coloured rubber boots or plastic sandals on their feet. I was shocked as it's freezing here. I'm wearing a rainproof, lined jacket, a fleece and a long-sleeved shirt, trekking pants and hiking boots, plus gloves and a hat.
The Hmong women carry their babies either directly tied to their backs or in woven baskets strapped to their backs. Usually, they marry between ages 15 and 18 and have up to six children each. Most of the year, they work in the fields growing rice and indigo but in the winter, very little grows this far north so they embroider and weave their famous cloth to sell to tourists in the Sapa area as well as in the big cities like Hanoi and Saigon. Curiously, there were no men around the village. My guide told me that they are in the fields with the animals preparing the ground for the spring or doing odd jobs in Sapa City.
I had the opportunity to visit the inside of a Hmong house which was quite big. It had a dirt floor and two places where a fire was roaring. The kitchen itself and a sort of sitting room. Three generations of a family live together in the house (11 people) and the children were grouped around a colour TV running off of a generator. Some of the children were wearing short pants and had bare feet which I couldn't believe. We then had lunch at a Dai home. The Dai have taller, larger houses and appear to be more modern.
One middle-aged Hmong lady proceeded to follow us miles as we made our way back to the point where a car was waiting to take us back to my hotel. It was quite slippery as it was raining. She took my hand in hers (she is literally half my size) and guided me over the rocks and mud in her plastic sandals. She was so agile, like a little pixie. At the end, she pulled out some cushion covers and asked me to buy them. I didn't but did give her a small tip for guiding me so well. She seemed a bit shocked (I debated whether or not to do this) but I thought she deserved something for her act of kindness. The Hmong are poor so I knew my tip would help her out.
Right now, I'm preparing for a long soak in my hotel room's bathtub. I plan to head out for a pizza (I can only do so much Vietnamese food) and watch TV. Tomorrow, I will trek again for 15 km to another minority village before catching the night train back to Hanoi. I can't believe I will be returning to Amsterdam in four days!
Sailing in Ha Long Bay
I have just experienced the second real high point of my trip, a cruise in Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay is located 40 km from Hanoi and has also been twice declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's a beautiful bay with almost two thousand limestone formations rising from the South China Sea. I took a two day tour with one night spent in a cabin on the boat moored close to a limestone formation.
The days we sailed were overcast with lots of fog which put me in mind of pirates and bandits. In 1320, a famous Vietnamese general thwarted attempts by Kublai Khan to invade Vietnam via Ha Long Bay by placing sharp bamboo poles in the misty waters which effectively destroyed Kublai's fleet. The bamboo poles are on display in one of Hanoi's museums. During the trip, we stopped at a huge cave where we observed amazing stalagtites and stalagmites. Unbelieveably, one was an exact replica of a penis. The tour guide claimed it was completely natural and not carved but I have my strong doubts. (When I can, I will upload a photo and let you be the judge.) Miraculously later, we sailed past a limestone formation which was natural and in the spitting image of a penis, complete with testicles. (I will also upload a photo of it.) The god of Ha Long Bay is definitely a man!
About 12 of us spent the night on the ship. I slept like a log. Luckily the boat was anchored so there was no rocking. All around the bay, I could see the twinkling lights of hundreds of moored boats. A bunch of my brave companions woke at 6:30 a.m. to go kayaking. I took a pass on this.
The days we sailed were overcast with lots of fog which put me in mind of pirates and bandits. In 1320, a famous Vietnamese general thwarted attempts by Kublai Khan to invade Vietnam via Ha Long Bay by placing sharp bamboo poles in the misty waters which effectively destroyed Kublai's fleet. The bamboo poles are on display in one of Hanoi's museums. During the trip, we stopped at a huge cave where we observed amazing stalagtites and stalagmites. Unbelieveably, one was an exact replica of a penis. The tour guide claimed it was completely natural and not carved but I have my strong doubts. (When I can, I will upload a photo and let you be the judge.) Miraculously later, we sailed past a limestone formation which was natural and in the spitting image of a penis, complete with testicles. (I will also upload a photo of it.) The god of Ha Long Bay is definitely a man!
About 12 of us spent the night on the ship. I slept like a log. Luckily the boat was anchored so there was no rocking. All around the bay, I could see the twinkling lights of hundreds of moored boats. A bunch of my brave companions woke at 6:30 a.m. to go kayaking. I took a pass on this.
New Year's in Hanoi
New Year's in Hanoi was a muted affair. On the advice of David, the Chinese-American guy I hung out with in Hong Kong, I reserved a table at Bobby Chin's, an Asian fusion restaurant located beside Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of Hanoi. It's a gorgeous, trendy hotel with a red velvet interior. It was hopping on New Year's. Alas, the restaurant messed up my reservation and I ended up eating at the bar but that was okay as it gave me the opportunity to talk to various guests, the friendly bar staff and Bobby Chin himself. After that, I took a long cycle (rikshaw) tour around the old quarter which was lit up nicely and full of people. So sweet: the Vietnamese yelled "Happy New Year" as I passed. They, themselves, celebrate the lunar new year, known as Tet, in mid-February.
Hanoi is very French, with old colonial buildings, wide streets and touches such as baguettes and pate being sold on every corner, chi chi French restaurants and exquisite pastry shops. Not much French is heard here amongst Vietnamese people. In fact, the only French you will hear is from French tourists (lots) and some very old Vietnamese and tour guides. English is the main foreign language and I think Chinese will soon become just as popular.
So far in Hanoi, I've explored the French quarter, the old quarter and the area around my hotel which is a bit out of the centre and devoid of any tourists. I know this because I went in search of a laundromat and Internet cafe. I managed to make a woman selling flowers on a street corner understand by miming the washing of clothes. She left her stall and marched me down the street to a little store where a crowd eventually gathered to help the foreigner. With at least six friendly people yelling and gesturing simultaneously, the laundry lady finally understood. But I was mortified when she began pulling out my dirty clothing (including bras and underwear) at which point everyone, including the men, began guffawing and clammering for a view. Next it was my turn to gesture and yell frantically. I covered my eyes and made groaning noises which were surprisingly effective and the clothes disappeared back into the bag.
One interesting thing I've found out. Abortion is a major form of birth control in Vietnam. In fact, the magazine I read claimed that Vietnam is the country with the second highest rate of abortions in the world. I find this very surprising as sex education as well as HIV/AIDS prevention is taught all over. It's especially high among teenagers and young women. I asked a Vietnamese woman about this and she said it's the result of changing cultural behaviour. Young people leave home to go to university or college, shack up with boyfriends and get carried away, far from parental supervision.
Hanoi is very French, with old colonial buildings, wide streets and touches such as baguettes and pate being sold on every corner, chi chi French restaurants and exquisite pastry shops. Not much French is heard here amongst Vietnamese people. In fact, the only French you will hear is from French tourists (lots) and some very old Vietnamese and tour guides. English is the main foreign language and I think Chinese will soon become just as popular.
So far in Hanoi, I've explored the French quarter, the old quarter and the area around my hotel which is a bit out of the centre and devoid of any tourists. I know this because I went in search of a laundromat and Internet cafe. I managed to make a woman selling flowers on a street corner understand by miming the washing of clothes. She left her stall and marched me down the street to a little store where a crowd eventually gathered to help the foreigner. With at least six friendly people yelling and gesturing simultaneously, the laundry lady finally understood. But I was mortified when she began pulling out my dirty clothing (including bras and underwear) at which point everyone, including the men, began guffawing and clammering for a view. Next it was my turn to gesture and yell frantically. I covered my eyes and made groaning noises which were surprisingly effective and the clothes disappeared back into the bag.
One interesting thing I've found out. Abortion is a major form of birth control in Vietnam. In fact, the magazine I read claimed that Vietnam is the country with the second highest rate of abortions in the world. I find this very surprising as sex education as well as HIV/AIDS prevention is taught all over. It's especially high among teenagers and young women. I asked a Vietnamese woman about this and she said it's the result of changing cultural behaviour. Young people leave home to go to university or college, shack up with boyfriends and get carried away, far from parental supervision.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Discovering the Imperial City of Hue, Vietnam
Sorry for the delay in posting. Six days ago, there was an earthquake near Taiwan which damaged the fibre optic cable which connects the Internet within Asia. Deep sea divers are still trying to fix the cable which is 30 metres below sea level so it will be some time before Broadband Internet is restored. So in the mean time, chug, chug, chug goes the Internet.
I spent three glorious days in Hue, the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam located in the centre of the city. Compared to Saigon or Hanoi, Hue is laid-back and almost provincial with its wide boulevards, tree-lined streets and quiet old city. One thing that strikes me is that for the first time, I'm in a city where there are more bicycles than motorcyles, mopeds or cars. I stayed at the lovely Saigon Morin Hotel, the oldest luxury hotel in Hue, which has the best service I've encountered anywhere in Asia. (The big plus: it was relatively quiet.) However, be warned if you come to Vietnam: most Vietnamese work seven days per week and the official starting time is 7 a.m. Even in a luxury hotel, I was woken up every morning at 7 a.m. by staff going about their business.
I spent three glorious days in Hue, the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam located in the centre of the city. Compared to Saigon or Hanoi, Hue is laid-back and almost provincial with its wide boulevards, tree-lined streets and quiet old city. One thing that strikes me is that for the first time, I'm in a city where there are more bicycles than motorcyles, mopeds or cars. I stayed at the lovely Saigon Morin Hotel, the oldest luxury hotel in Hue, which has the best service I've encountered anywhere in Asia. (The big plus: it was relatively quiet.) However, be warned if you come to Vietnam: most Vietnamese work seven days per week and the official starting time is 7 a.m. Even in a luxury hotel, I was woken up every morning at 7 a.m. by staff going about their business.
Hue sits on the tranquil Perfume River. The main sites are the Imperial City and the series of mausoleums built for the Nguyen emporers along the river. I took a day-long boat tour on the Perfume River, visiting the famous Thien Mu Pagoda and three imperial tombs of Tu Doc, Khai Dinh and Minh Mang. The main thing you need to know is that each tomb has its own personality. Tu Doc's tomb resembles this oasis of zen tranquility and is almost Japanese in design, with beautiful frangipani trees and lotus-filled ponds dominating the landscape. Kahi Dinh's tomb is an imposing, almost militaristic place with menacing dragon statues and lots of carved, life-size stone guardians. While quite stark on the outside, inside is gorgeous and awash in colour with beautiful mosaics of Japanese and Chinese ceramics and a golden statue of the emperor himself. Minh Mang's tomb is the most western of the lot with Chinese and French influences.
I also visited the citadel, known as Da Noi, which is beautiful. The sad thing is that of the original 120 buildings there, only around 20 remain due to the heavy bombing by U.S. forces during the Vietnam war. I personally think that there should be a new category of war crimes (if there isn't already) called "crimes against cultural heritage" for groups or regimes which wilfully destroy historic and cultural national treasures during the course of unprovoked war.
Yesterday, I took a half-day tour of the Demilitarized Zone, known as the DMZ, which was the stretch of land (8 km) separating the north and south Vietnamese armies until elections could be held. Elections were never held and the DMZ eventually became the site of heavy bombing during the Vietnam war. The area is now lush and covered with rice fields but it resembled a lunar landscape for years and nothing would grow there due to the napalm, agent orange and bombs. Unfortunately, it's still full of landmines and often water buffalo, cows and unlucky farmers are blown up when they accidentally come across a land mine. My tour also spent some time down in the tunnels that they locals built and lived in for five years. Seventeen babies were born in the tunnels and they have all come here with their families to honour their childhoods.
After the DMZ tour, I hopped on the overnight 'Reunification Express' night train from Hue to Hanoi which was an experience in itself. I shared a sleeping cabin with two middle-aged Vietnamese men who didn't speak a lick of English and continuously attempted to talk to me. They were lovely for the most part, sharing their hoard of food with me (chocolate wagon wheels, noodles laced with MSG, etc.) and insisting that I sleep on the bottom bunk beside one of them. (To which I vigorously nodded my head in the negative.) I was awakened at 2:30 a.m. when they woke up to eat their noodles. It is true that Asian people eat at all times of the day and they were totally oblivious to the fact that 1) it was early in the morning, 2) everyone else was asleep and 3) they were sharing a berth with a sleepy foreigner who may not appreciate being woken up. Anyway, I took it in good stride, spilling my noodles on one of their beds while struggling to prepare the noodles. The train pulled in to Hanoi at 5 a.m., about five hours ahead of the time that I was told. Luckily, my hotel admitted me early and I crashed back into bed.
