Vietnam

Best of Vietnam

May 13, 2013 /

Vietnam, the green land of conical hats, millions of motorbikes driving everywhere, tasty fresh herbs in every dish, public parks full of activity, a coastline of refreshing beaches, world largest caves, rice fields with different geometric shapes, and brave people who fought until 1975 for their independence.

We visited Vietnam for 13 days, traveling by land from the Mekong Delta in the south to Hanoi capital in the north. In every town we stopped, we felt welcomed by aromatic street food and the friendly curiosity of the locals. We were deeply touched by the history of this nation, a strong survivor to years of French colonization, Japanese invasion, and war against the United States. The horrors endured by their people during the Vietnam War are definitely a testimony of shame over the US “politics of freedom”.

Vietnam is not only a beautiful country to explore but an inspiration for many nations trying to defend their sense of identity and independence. Just like Ho Chi Minh, their national hero, said: “Our people have been struggling and sacrificing not only for our own independence and freedom but also for freedom, independence, and peace of other people in the world” (Ho Chi Minh, 1965).

Ho Chi Minh

Below are other great things we enjoyed about Vietnam:

Food and Drinks

  • Pho with Beef

  • Zorok Beer

  • Banana Sticky Rice Wine

  • Vietnamese Coffee

  • Vermicelli Noodles with Pork

  • 333 Beer

  • Tamarind Orange Juice

  • Banh Bao (White Rose): shrimp dumplings

  • Hoanh Thanh Chien: Fried Wonton topped with sweet tomato based sauce with shrimp, onions, pineapple, and cilantro

  • Biere Larue (Local Beer)

  • Snails

  • Cao Lau: noodles

  • Mi Quang: noodles

  • Bia Hanoi (Local Beer)

  • Vietnamese BBQ with Frog

  • Dragon Fruit

Favorite Sights and Activities

  • Halong Bay Cruise

  • Cu Chi Tunnels Tour

  • The Caves of Phoung Nha Ke Bang National Park

  • Thang Long Water Puppet Theater

  • The Old Town of Hoi An

  • Swimming in Nha Trang Beach

People

  • Matilda: from France, we met on the Mekong Delta tour

  • Juliana: from France, we met on the Mekong Delta tour

  • Manuel and Selina: from Switzerland, we met on the Mekong Delta tour

  • Grace, Pam, and Jen: from Malaysia, we met on the Cu Chi Tunnel Tour

  • Phoung: our waitress in Hoi An that we were able to have great conversations

  • An and Sut: Hoi An locals we met at a restaurant and shared some beers, snails, and shrimp

  • Khoi, Trung Anh, and Dinh: Vietnamese friends we met having tea. They are trying to start up a website to be able to book bus tickets online.

  • Gusepe: from Italy, we met on the bus to Hanoi from Dong Hoi

  • The Vu Family (Hang, Mr. Hao, Mrs. Vu, and Xuan Do): our CouchSurfing host in Hanoi

  • Ted: from the USA, he was CouchSurfing with Xuan Do

  • Lam: Family Vu’s 15-year-old neighbor

  • Vanessa: Vietnamese-American, we met on the Halong Bay cruise

  • Cynthia: Chinese-American, we met on the Halong Bay cruise

  • Allison and David: USA couple living in Bangkok met on the Halong Bay cruise

  • Noelia: from Argentina lives in Spain, we met on the Halong Bay cruise

  • Rod and Nam: from the USA, we met on the Halong Bay cruise

Animals Viewed

  • Water Buffalo

  • Jelly Fish

  • Monkeys

  • Bees

Native Words

  • Com = Cooked Rice

  • Pho = Rice Noodle Soup

  • Nam = Man and South

  • Tra Gung = Ginger Tea

  • Ga = Chicken

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