phở-mo info on việt nam

Trust me, I know that the idea of traveling to Vietnam can be an intimidating, but I cannot express how life-changing of a journey it is. There are no words to describe how much I loved my trip and how sad I am to leave. It was worth every penny, bug bite and anxiety filled thought! It wont take long for everyone back home to get tired of my stories and compliments to the country but too bad for them. The way I see it, the sooner I get back, the sooner I can start planning and saving for my return! I have learned so much and experienced even more. There is no doubt we achieved our goal of becoming professional packers! So for any of you out there stuffing and mashing down your suitcases, the only thing I can tell you is don't give up, you can always make room!

Below are a list of some of the most important things we found we needed to remember while traveling, in case some of you are feeling anxious before a big trip!

DO'S
•Don’t worry; greetings are no different to those in western countries! There are no cultural formalities that as a foreigner you would be expected to know or practice.
•Drink plenty of bottled water, especially when walking around sightseeing. No need to carry huge bottles around with you, a vendor is never far away and no doubt they will find you before you find them.
•Store your cash, credit cards, airline tickets and other valuables in a safe place. This is not unique to Vietnam but should be done no matter where you travel.
•To make returning to your hotel easier, take a hotel business card with you before you go out so you can use it as a reference when returning.
•The Vietnamese dress conservatively. Despite the heat, it’s best not to show off too much skin. If you do, especially girls, you’ll only draw stares from the locals.

DON'TS
•Don't be paranoid about your security, just be aware of your surroundings like you always should when travelling
•Losing your temper in Vietnam means a loss of face. Keep a cool head and remain polite, you’ll have a greater chance of getting what you want.
•Do not try to take photographs of military installations or anything to do with the military. This can be considered a breach of national security.
•Physical displays of affection between lovers in public are frowned upon. That’s why you may come across couples holding hands but not often seen hugging or kissing.
•If you can, avoid wearing a lot of jewelry or carrying a purse or bag with you. Violent crime is highly unusual in Vietnam, but petty crime is more apparent. If you have a bag, or have a digital camera around your neck, you are a potential target.

I hope those help! If you ever feel nervous or unsure, there is no harm in doing a little research before leaving. An important website to look at for Canadians is the Canadian Travel Advisory Website. Learning about a country before traveling there can help you adapt to the expectations before arriving, perhaps making the transition more comfortable.

I HEART VIETNAM

We cannot believe it is time to go home already. Nhìn thấy bạn sau này Việt Nam!( See you later Vietnam!)
WE'LL MISS YOU!!!

Our last stop on our Vietnam adventure was to the Mekong Delta. From my previous research of the area I knew that the Delta consists of a vast network of waterways formed by the Mekong River. All of the rice patties, orchards and swamplands (where most of the country’s rice is grown), were breath taking. It honestly looked like a water city with floating houses, boats and water markets. It was something I never thought existed. We were told by a local that the delta produces enough rice to feed the entire country and more! During our stay in Mui Ne we ran into another couple who couldn’t stop talking about the Delta. They told us that the best way to experience the delta is by boat. Upon our arrival we settled into our accommodation in the tourist gateway city of My Tho, and arranged for a morning tour by boat for the following day.

Mekong Delta

Mekong Delta Floating Market

It was just so amazing to see that this was how people live their day to day lives. These people dedicate their whole lives to just staying afloat (no pun intended haha!). They do not look as if waking up early is a burden upon them at all, unlike me who moans and groans for hours before I really get myself together. It was just so surreal to see shoppers come by land and water, and they just stumble from boat to boat. I was very surprised to notice that they often interrupt their shopping to enjoy bowls of noodles prepared, rather alarmingly, on open fires in special sampans.

Coconut Trees

Dear Reader: Please note, today was the day I thought I was going to die. Both from excitement and fear, I was tested in ways I did not expect when planning on spending the day learning about war history.

The day started before sunrise when we chose to get an early start on our travels to the Cu Chi Tunnels, located around an hour and a half from Ho Chi Minh City. Having only the base knowledge of the Vietnam War, we did not know what to expect from this “must-see” attraction. After being given a brief background on the tunnels and their use during the war, we were taken on a visual tour. Our guide explained everything from how they were made to the design of their green, earthy camouflage. This is where fear got the best of me. My claustrophobia took over and left me shaking like a leaf while everyone else in our tour group climbed down into the tunnels for an up close and personal look at how life was carried out underground.

Cu Chi Tunnels

Finally after 15 minutes of feeling like a wimpy, helpless little child, the pressure from both my friend and the strangers in our group encouraged me to man up, take a deep breath and experience the tight space for myself. Needless to say, after approximately 5 minutes in one of the smaller tunnels, my respect for the Vietnamese soldiers went through the roof.

In the late morning, we ended our day trip to the tunnels shooting guns ( YES, GUNS!). The shooting range at Cu Chi Tunnels allows visitors to shoot everything from a shotgun to an AK-47 for only $1.00USD a bullet! After plugging my ears and observing several male tourists getting a little too excited, I bought 1 bullet and was handed an AK-47. Yet again my nerves shook me like a leaf from holding so much power, but after the kind gentleman who handed me the machine pointed me in the right direction and counted down from 5, it was over before I knew it. The only thing I learnt from that experience was that I am a terrible shot.

After traveling back to the city, our adrenaline still pumping, we decided it would be the best time to take a quick trip around the city by taxi. Since we are low on time, we required speed. This led us to our motorcycle guides, two small Vietnamese men who I am quite certain learnt to drive a motorbike before they could walk.

Motorcycle Taxi

After a relaxing couple days spent at the beach & dunes, we have now arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, previously known as Saigon. I officially know why almost all of the names of Vietnamese restaurants in North America involve the word Saigon. Though many say that the best pho and vermicelli noodle dishes can be found in the tiny cafes throughout the city, we decided to visit a small chain restaurant called the “Wrap and Roll”, known for its cheap and delicious snacks including wrap your own spring rolls! Trust me on this one; they are even tastier than they look!

Wrap & Roll!!

Opera House, Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh Trail Map

Note to self: Get in shape and complete Ho Chi Minh Trail Bike Tour in 14 days, just to show the Dutch how we Canadians roll.

Ho Chi Minh City has so much to offer that today seemed to fly by. Tomorrow we are putting our history caps on to visit Cu Chi Tunnels to learn more about the war that shaped the Vietnam we are visiting today. Chúc ngủ ngon và có những giấc mơ đẹp (Goodnight and sweet dreams!)

Today we made the long journey flying from Hanoi to Phan Thiet. We then continued to drive 30 minutes to Mui Ne, a coastal resort town in the Binh Thuan Province of southeastern Vietnam (meaning “sheltered peninsula” in Vietnamese). After the busy city of Hanoi and the long travel day to Mui Ne, I can only begin to tell how much we were looking forward to a little rest and relaxation! We decided to stay in a small guesthouse for about $23.00 a night, instead of those flashy resorts that seemed to line the main part of the beach. The views from our guest house of the South China Sea were amazing! Unfortunately Mui Ne has suffered problems with beach erosion, so at high tide there was no beach/sand in front of our guesthouse, which can make someone feel uneasy as the ocean crashes against nothing but a cement barricade. But nonetheless, we settled in for the night awaiting our day of exploration in the morning.

Mui Ne

After investigating Mui Ne, it becomes obvious that it is Vietnam's most western style resort beach. The city itself is a typical Vietnamese fishing community sporting a fleet of beautiful fishing boats. I’ve never seen something so simple and beautiful at the same time. There were just SO many boats!! The beach beside it, however, is very glitzy and is lined with large resorts, as I mentioned before. The guest houses we were staying in were smaller and further away, but the large resorts were still hard not to miss. As we walked down the beach in the early morning we purchased two glasses of Nuoc mia, or sugar-cane juice. The juice is served from distinctive metal carts with a crank-powered sugar cane stalk crushers that release the juice. It was cheap, unique and delicious! While we sipped our Nuoc mia we noticed a variety of water activities were available along the beach including surfing, kite surfing, jet-skis, and sailing. The most popular seemed to be the kite surfing there seemed to be hundreds of them out on the ocean.

Kiteboarding in Mui Ne

Afterwards we headed towards the frequently talked about red sand dunes! When we finally got to the sand dunes (about a 20 minute walk from where we were staying), we were surprised by the number of tourists occupying the dunes. Many of the tourists were sliding down the dunes on rented pieces of plastic, we decided against this because we wanted to go see the white sand dunes, which we heard were larger and worth the 30min bus ride from downtown. Later when we arrived at the white dunes we noticed that the landscape surrounding the sand dunes was desolate and very arid. Our excitement geared up a notch when we realized they were even larger than the red sand dunes! They were also occupied by fewer tourists and expressed a more peaceful atmosphere that we were looking for.

Mui Ne Red Dunes

After wandering around the dunes and taking advantage of some photo opportunities, we cooled off with another cold drink at a nearby café. We then got back on the bus to return to our guesthouse in time to grab some dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Nothing like the sound of crashing waves and a gentle sea breeze to put your mind at ease (yes, that rhymes..)

With our excitement still buzzing from our journey to the Old Quarter, we decided today would be geared to the more educational end of the country’s history. With this in mind, we made our way to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. This memorial sits in the center of Ba Dinh Square, the location where every year the country’s independence is celebrated on September 2. It is where Ho Chi Minh (communist, former revolutionary leader, prime minister AND president) read out the Democratic Republic of Vietnam’s Declaration of Independence in 1945. After waiting in the mile long line up, we finally entered the memorial and it was our turn to view the body of the communist leader who is responsible for the formation of the country we visit today. The glass casing containing his body and the entire memorial site was designed after communist leader, Lenin, and his tomb in Moscow. The entire experience was a little daunting but you could see and feel the pride in the Vietnamese visitors who traveled there to honor their deceased leader.

Ho Chi Mausoleum

After our visit to the memorial, we decided to walk down the street to the Ho Chi Minh Museum, a museum dedicated to his legacy. Wanting to know more about the man responsible for the independence of the Vietnamese people, this was the perfect place to go. Full of his memories, artifacts and achievements, it became clear as to why the country honors him in so many ways, including naming a city after him (Ho Chi Minh City). This is certainly somewhere I would recommend history buffs pay a visit.

After a fairly somber day learning about the both the country’s pride and its struggles, we decided to spend our last night in Hanoi enjoying both the warm evening air and attempting to soak in every little detail of the city. Impossible I know, but we can try can’t we? It feels strange to be so sad leaving a place we seem to have just arrived in, yet at the same time so excited to experience the next leg of our trip! BEACHTIME HERE WE COME!

Waking up in Hanoi, we were ready to completely immerse ourselves in the amazing culture and history of the beautiful city. We knew it was going to be a great day when we saw the bright sun and clear skies! So far it seems we cannot go anywhere without buying something and we knew today would be no different. We asked our hotel front desk for a day trip suggestion that would give us a more historical look at the city. With their directions written on the back of my hand, we managed to find our way to the Old Quarter. This district of the city is known for its ancient streets and architecture as well as the small artisans/merchant shops. From the description that front desk had given us, the Old Quarter did not disappoint. Tiny streets named after specific trades are scattered with jewelry and silk shops as well as hole in the wall restaurants and bars. This is a great place to practice bartering, especially in the night market located in the heart of the district. The locals offered to help us bring the prices lower but the elders selling the goods were not easily convinced.

Old Quarter, Hanoi

Many temples in this area are open to the public and are definitely worth stepping into. They are the background to some of our favorite photos of the day. We made sure to pay careful attention on our stroll through the streets, avoiding back alleyways and trying our best not to get hit by the constant flow of bikes and taxis. At first glance the confusion of the roads is overwhelming but when you take a step back you can see the locals glide through the stream of chaos.

We managed to yet again buy several souvenirs we will need to find space in our suitcases for. We each found beautiful artwork that the merchants were selling from $2 CAD up to $30 CAD. Each piece looks so delicate and contains so much detail is it hard to believe their inexpensive cost. We both also purchased several greeting cards and notebooks made from rice paper that cost us around $1 a piece. All in all, I would mark the day as extremely successful and informing. We enjoyed every aspect of the area but I must admit the highlight of the day was finding paraphernalia from my favorite childhood cartoon The Adventures of Tintin!

A full day of walking in the sun & heat has us wiped, time to head to bed! Who knows what we will discover tomorrow, all I can say is, bring it on Hanoi.

The next afternoon we stumbled upon a unique way to get around in Hanoi, Pedicabs! Renting the Pedicab was a great way to see the city as well as experience the Vietnamese culture. Pedicabs are slow and steady giving you great opportunities to takes pictures along the way. The ride costs $3-4 dollars for an hour, so it was a cheap and a fun way to discover the city and head out on our shopping adventure.

Pedicabs!

Hanoi has many different shopping districts located all throughout the city. One of our favorite shopping districts was Trang Tien Plaza. It is one of the oldest shopping districts is Hanoi. This six story complex is the largest commercial center in Hanoi. It was built over an old department store and was constructed in 2000 and opened its doors in 2001. Trang Tien Plaza is centrally located, close to many hotels and restaurants. There was a ton to do in the area and it is located close to Hoan Kiem Lake, which turned out to be a gorgeous scenic detour. At night the Trang Tien Plaza lights up and is very flashy, not Las Vegas flashy but classy, stunning kind of flashy. The shopping center has everything from fashion to household equipment. It is a great place to get all the high end brands at inexpensive prices as well as some Vietnamese souvenirs. We also made sure to pick up some quality teas we found in the specialty shops. These will be great gifts to bring home for friends and family. We also bought some Vietnamese silks which are one of the more popular souvenirs in the city. For good quality silk be prepared to pay the price. However, we were told many outdoor markets sell silk scarf’s and garments at reasonable prices for those willing to take the time to find them.

Trang Tien Plaza

I continue to look at my suitcase then at my shopping bags, wondering how I am going to make it work.. & it is only the second day! I know that by the end of this trip we will have become professional packers, sporting wrinked clothing but a small price to pay for memories

We departed Calgary for Vietnam’s flourishing capital of Hanoi. The United Airlines flight took approximately 23 hours and 30 min, so we made sure to bring lots to keep us entertained during the flight. Our flight stopped over in San Francisco and Seoul before carrying on to Hanoi, so luckily we had a bit of a break. Hanoi has a population of 6.5 million, which is nearly 6 times the population of Calgary. Having so many people in one place is something we are definitely not use too in Canada! Hanoi has such a rich culture and so much to offer for tourists. From reading Frommers travel guide, I found out Hanoi is rated one of the worlds “Top Destinations of 2010”.

Calgary to Hanoi Route Map

We decided to start our first night in Hanoi with a bang! We stayed in a hotel that was extremely unique to say the least. Our hotel, Hang Nga, was built in 1990 in the city of Dalat. The unique aspect I am speaking of is that this hotel is made out of trees! (Who would have trunked??) The architecture is full of curves and twists making it very intriguing! The hotel cost us $60 a night, a little more expensive for Vietnam, but well worth it. Hang Nga is also open for exploring for those who chose not to stay. The hotel is very small and doesn’t hold very many guests so we made sure to book way in advance. The stay was well worth it as it is an experience we will never forget.

Hang Nga Hotel

With jetlag slowly taking over our frame of mind, its time to enjoy our hotel room and prepare for what tomorrow has to offer. Falling asleep in 3, 2, 1..

Prior to heading off to Vietnam, we thought it was was important to know some aspects about the country's culture. Before we left, we did some research and found the basic information we needed to know to help us along on our journey. One of the most informative websites we used was Lonely Planet. The following is what we found that put us ahead of the game before our travels,

•Language: Vietnamese

•Currency: Vietnamese Dong
o $1.00 CAD = 21200 VND

VND-Vietnamese Dong

•Required Documentation: Valid Canadian Passport and a Tourist Visa
o Canadian Passport must be valid one month before departure and a visa must be obtained before departure.

•Airports: Vietnam has 44 different airports.
o There are 3 international airports: Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang in Danang city

•Main Religion: Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism

SPEAK THE LINGO

The most common greeting is xin chào meaning HELLO and prounced sin chow.
Upon leaving the most simple way to say GOODBYE is chào/tạm biệt prounced chow/tam beet-et.
When asking PLEASE politely you would say Xin pronouced som.
To say THANK YOU in Vietnamese, say Cám ơn pronouced cam uhn.
While shopping an important phrase to remember is Bao Nhiêu, asking HOW MUCH? It is pronouced ba-ow nyew.
If you ever find yourself lost remember WHERE IS..? is pronouced uh dow, properly written ở đâu .

With these phrases in our pocket, we were ready for take off. Fully packed, mentally prepared and excited beyond belief, tomorrow we begin our adventure! Cho phép đi (LET'S GO)!!