Sapa, Vietnam

Busy Sapa market on a Saturday.

H'mong tribe people throng the market. Note the huge rattan shopping basket they carry on their backs

These are the beautiful mountains in northern Vietnam. Beyond them is Yunnan in China. Northern Vietnam is mountainous, ideal for trekking.

Apart from Halong Bay in North Vietnam, the cool mountain resort of Sapa north-west of Hanoi is another must-see attraction. An overnight train ride from Hanoi is all it takes to reach the area. What draw visitors to Sapa are the people from the various hill tribes in the north and the beautiful mountain ranges bordering Yunnan in China. For the hardy, a trek to the villages or mountains is a priority. In the crisp cool air of Sapa, your spirits soar and all your anxiety melts away. No kidding.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Halong Bay: Undoubtedly one of the must-see attractions in north Vietnam, Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site. One way to cruise the bay is on a tourist boat like the one shown in the photo but I preferred the old-fashioned way of cruising on a junk (to be described in my next blog post)

Halong Bay: Fishermen in action.

Halong Bay: The calm waters is perfect for a leisurely cruise.

Who can resist a cruise in such placid surroundings?

Folks in Saigon (Vietnam)

A lane like this is where you find the real Vietnam.
Carrying two heavy baskets of food slung on a bamboo pole, the woman in the conical hat is a common sight.
Wearing hats to keep out the sun, and masks to protect themselves from the polluted air, these girls stand out among the crowd.

The pleasing thing about travelling in Vietnam for me was the absence of touts and beggars unlike in Indonesia and elsewhere. In my three visits to Vietnam I didn't come across any beggars in cities and towns or in the country.

I was impressed with how hardworking the ordinary folks were, both young and old. Everyone was busy with some kind of work or the other. No work was too humble as long as there was money to be made.

The younger generation knows little about the Vietnam war to be bothered. They are more interested in getting the latest cell phone, computer games and that status symbol, the motor-bike.

A fellow passenger,probably in her early 40s, in an inter-city coach said, "I hate war."

Americans need not worry about visiting Vietnam.

Vietnam - street life Part 2

Man hawking sunglasses.
A kitchen preparing food for the lunch-time crowd.
Getting his pushcart of food ready.
Cheap paper backs for backpackers. Quality is good except for maps and photos.

In Vietnam, the streets and sidewalks are where much of Vietnamese life is conducted. They are an extension of the home, serving as places to carry out small businesses, to socialise and to watch the world go by.

Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) street life

Pedestrians brave the street clogged with bikes.
Bikes to the left, right and centre.

Anyone who sets foot in Saigon always exclaims, "Wow, so many motor-bikes!"

This is definite proof that such a person has good eyesight. An estimated 20 million bikes buzz up and down the country, in the cities, towns and countryside. Where there is anything that can support two wheels, there you will see a bike.

To own a bike is a status symbol especially among young people who dominate Vietnam's populace.

The noise generated by the millions of bikes is a backdrop against which Vietnamese go about their daily life. Sitting on little stools while sipping tea or an iced soft drink they watch the world go by, noisily.

I suspect they look on the bike-clogged streets with some measure of pride. Good for you Vietnam. You have come a long way.