Vietnam: Part 2

In Hoi An, we hooked up with Mr. Binh and Mr. Chao from Easy Riders and took the scenic route to Hue.  For several days Lesley and I rode on the back of their motorcycles while they guided us along the historically significant Ho Chi Minh trail.  Snaking through rugged mountain terrain, the trail served as a vital supply line for the North Vietnamese Army and was the target of prolonged bombing campaigns by the American and South Vietnamese Armies during the Vietnam War.  My driver, Mr. Binh, candidly shared stories of his war affected youth: months living in tunnels to escape bombings, being abandoned by his mother who fled to the US, and subsequently having to support himself on the streets of war torn Vietnam.  Binh's testimonies and commentary about Vietnam’s history painted a picture better than any book or article I had read on the subject.  As an American, it was hard not to feel partly responsible for the heartbreaking stories of Binh and others who lived alongside him.  Spending time with Binh and hearing his firsthand account of the war and its aftermath helped me understand the region in a way that would have been impossible from home. 

The narrow road twists through dense jungles and mountainous terrain.  

I think Lesley is ready to buy her own hog.

The Ho Chi Minh Trail.

After spending a couple days exploring Hue we took the train up north to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.  We were unsure of what to expect after hearing that the people in Hanoi could be rather cold and unwelcoming considering their recent history with Americans.  However the interactions we had with locals were anything but, and Hanoi turned out to be another one of our favorites.  We had the chance to meet many residents of Hanoi while in the city and if there was any lingering resentment from the war, it was hidden from us.  

Imperial palace in Hue, used by older Chinese dynasties.  

Street food!  We returned to this place several times where we cooked our own veggies and meat on a barbecue   

A common afternoon snack in Hanoi, peanuts and iced tea.  

Good luck crossing the street.  

While in Hanoi, we decided to join some of our roommates at a local snake farm which offered the chance to eat “fresh snake”.  Lesley and I both consider ourselves adventurous eaters and will try anything once, but after the snake farm I can confidently say I have found my limits.  As soon as we arrived at the snake farm, we were asked if we would like to eat the heart.  We clearly didn’t have time to comprehend what we were getting into considering how easily we made this decision and said yes.  But our folly soon became clear.  A bag of live snakes was brought out-- one for everyone foolish enough to say “yes”.  One of our roommates was brave enough to go first.  The snake was held firmly, his side cut open, and his beating heart was pulled out (still attached to the veins) where it was then bitten off and swallowed.  If that wasn’t bad enough, it was chased with a shot of rice wine (bad enough on its own) and snake blood, drained from where you just ripped its heart out.  After watching this horror show, I quickly made up my mind that there was no way I was doing that.  But that changed after Lesley quickly volunteered to go next.  There was no way I could let my girlfriend go as I chickened out.  That’s right, we both ate the beating heart of a snake out of its body and drank its blood.  I posted a video of Lesley on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0r_o21nNnQ&feature=g-upl).  If you just ate or have a weak stomach, maybe skip over the pictures and video for now.  Safe to say that this was by far the strangest culinary experience of our trip. 

First the heart.  

Then the blood to wash it down.   

More blood shots before dinner, just for good measure.  

And the rest of our snake was for dinner.  

The end for this snake is close...

After our forays into the extreme, we took a few days to explore the mountains and rice fields of Sapa, a town inhabitant by several ethnic minority groups that sits along the border between China and Vietnam.  For several days we hiked through the terraced rice fields that line the river valley.  At night, we stayed in the homes of locals who provided us with a mattress on the floor and a home cooked meal.

Home cooked meals, Vietnamese style.  

Some local kids taking a break next to a construction sight.  

These ladies were our guides as we made our way through the valley.  

The terraced rice fields created a dramatic backdrop.  

A boy and the family water buffalo.

Our last stop in Vietnam was to Ha Long Bay which features thousands of limestone karsts jutting out of the crystal blue water.  We spent two days on a private island owned by one of Vietnam's more infamous youth hostels.  Days were spent rock climbing, wake boarding, exploring coves on kayak, and being lazy on the beach.  To cool off at night, we’d take swims in the dark lagoon which was filled with bioluminescent organisms.  Swimming in the water, it looked as if you had created a path of shimmering blue and gold stars in your wake.  The underwater light show seemed like magic and made Ha Long Bay equally as amazing at night as it was during the day.   

Taking a dip off the boat.  Not a bad place to swim.

A local fisherman made his way though the thousands of rock formations that make Ha Long such an amazing place.