It will take a while to get to my 45th country.
15 hours Chicago to Incheon, South Korea
Hour and a half layover in Seoul. Always wanted to see the Incheon Airport.
6 hours to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Taxi from airport to hotel, arriving at 11PM. Long two days with maybe 5 hours of sleep.
This is my 2nd Communist country, after China. The other remaining red countries are Cuba, Laos and North Korea.
After transitioning from a socialist economy in the mid 80s to a market economy, you'll see how free market incentives have allowed business here to flourish.
Good morning, Vietnam!
Heading out of Ho Chi Minh (HCM) before the 200% humidity hits.
It's true, they have a few scooters.
Heading north and a little west.
To Cu Chi.
Posing in front of a 'Washington DC' tank from the 'American War'.
Heading back.
Back in HCM.
Love me a market. This is Ben Thahn.
Same formula seen the world over.
So many trying to make a living. But boy, they are very pushy here.
Other side of the river.
Reunification Palace is where the fall of Saigon happened in 1975 as the Communists won.
How crazy is this? Seeing the actual building used by Americans for the evacuation as Saigon fell in 1975.
Opera House showcasing more of that French colonial influence.
Rex Hotel- hotel associated with war correspondents
Nguyen Hue- shopping street
People's Committee- city hall and more of that French colonial architecture.
Looking down Nguyen Hue.
Tuesday, November 21st, 2023
Out at 6:30AM for the run.
Zig-zagging looking at what is interesting.
Have you noticed the air hung with pollution?
My Tho is the main city in the Tien Giang province.
3 hours of boat, hike, tuk tuk, sampan, hike and more boat.
It was super interesting to see, and something to think how massive it is.
Hi.
Hiking through a remote village.
It was quite peaceful among the bamboo.
Walking through yet another village.
And quite the variety of food.
Back in My Tho.
There you go, saw a sliver of the Mekong Delta (the entire area in red).
Couple hours back to HCM.
Walk down this one alley, take a right in the next alley.
And order a Banh Xeo Nhan Nam Bo. Outstanding.
Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023
Yet another morning run to soak in all the images of folks starting their day.
Typical site in Asia.
The pollution screened the view of Ho Chi Minh City.
Short drive from Danang to Hoi An.
Let's go check out old town.
Spared by the Vietnam War, the colonial city survives.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, this was a hub of trading.
The Japanese Bridge was built in 1593. You may notice it is under a major rebuild.
Old town is full of old homes and places of religion.
Cantonese Assembly Hall.
Told you about the tourists.
Walked for hours and didn't see it all.
Starting to check out the rambling central market.
Too bad there is no variety.
Food hall. Had a salad. Yep, no way.
Getting ready for nightfall.
For the lanterns.
Crossing the bridge.
To the island of An Hoi.
Along the promenade.
Surely these are of the highest sanitary level.
Night market.
Back to my Motel 6.
A full day in Hoi An.
On the island of An Hoi, let's head over to the old town.
Not as obnoxiously busy earlier in the day. However, the vendors are.
Another few hours just taking it all in.
Mesmerized of what this world has to offer.
How about crossing the river.
To enjoy some homemade Coconut Gelato.
Think it is photogenic? Like me.
Saw a rat run by.
Fukienchinese Congregation Assembly Hall
Another spin through central market.
Ca Nurong la Chuoi (fish grilled in banana leaf)
99,000 dong, or about four bucks.
So many alleys intersecting the streets.
1) I don't like coffee. Nor soda.
2) All you caffeineholics, no hating.
3) Vietnam is a major producer of coffee beans and has a strong coffee culture.
4) Egg Coffee is espresso, egg and sweetened condensed milk.
5) After drinking this ran to Laos and back.
Now this is what you'd call 'off the beaten path'.
To get rid of the coffee taste, had Pho Ice Cream (lemongrass and basil) from Quan Kem Cuo So (Window Homemade Ice Cream).
Back to old town with a few tourists.
Morning Glory is one of a famed chef's restaurants.
Muc Nhoi Tom Thir
Squid stuffed with ground pork, shrimp, wood ear mushrooms, glass noodles and cooked in an onion and lemongrass sauce
215,000 dong, or about $9USD
And they nailed it.
Good night Hoi An.
Friday, November 24th, 2023
Old town at 4AM.
Quan Cong Temple was built in 1653.
Central Market at 4:30AM.
Coconut bread, Banh Bao Vac and Banh Xeo
Driving from Hoi An to Hue via Danang.
Marble Mountain. Don't know where it got that name.
This was an intriguing thing to see- the US military base from 1959 to 1975. Most GIs came through here when coming to war.
Across the way is the South China Sea that was used for R&R by those GIs.
Further north on the outskirts of Danang are larger resorts and apartments of varying condition.
My Khe Beach looking across at Sun Peninsula.
At night, the Danang's Dragon Bridge shoots fire across the Han River.
Danang is a rambling city.
Going from the Danang to Thua Thien Hue province.
The seaside village of Lang Co.
Oyster farming.
Passing through Loc Tien and Phuruc An.
Hue has about a half million people.
Pronounced 'hway', this former capitol city straddles the Perfume River.
Nem Lui Hue
Which is the fortress city that contains the Imperial City. This is how it appeared in the early 1800s.
How it looks now.
3 kilometers of walls (hmmm), protect the Citadel.
Entering the Imperial City.
Site of the long destroyed palace.
There are other palaces, pavilions, temples, a library, gardens and theatres.
Just imagine when this was all pristine.
Wander this vast complex imagining when it was in use.
Within the Imperial City is the Forbidden City.
This was the exclusive home of royalty including their temples and living quarters.
Nighttime in Hue.
Crossing the Perfume River.
Since I love me a night market.
Was pretty much left alone.
Dong Ba Market is your typical labyrinth.
Had maybe a half dozen bother me, which was what it was each minute the previous few days.
That may be more shoes than I have....
Hoofed it back to the other side of the river than on the other side of town to Kem Trang Tien. Got a Black Seaseme, walked a half block, walked back and got a Rice Flake. And only 49 cents each.
Saturday, November 25th, 2023
Morning run. Of course.
8AM to 2PM was hitting a spots around Hue.
Found meself some waterfront property.
Thien Mu Pagoda was built in 1601.
So many images on the way to the next site.
Incense is made by hand in this area.
Dong Khanh Emperor Tomb was a summer palace before the emperor died.
It contains the palace, temples, bridges, a man made lake, gardens, servants quarters.
This is the preview for the tomb.
And the tomb complex.
Saw some monks at this remote temple.
A collage showing the climb to the Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh.
He served from 1916 to 1925. The tomb was built 1921 to 1930. Yes, it looks much older.
This is the entry way to the tomb.
There is a tunnel going to a bomb like shelter for the tomb way underneath all this.
Going back to town.
The language barrier thwarted getting the ice cream I wanted. And I don't even know what I got.
Good morning from Hue. It was pouring, so no run, just weights.
With the flight out of Hue canceled, had to get back to Danang.
Another 2 hours seeing the same thing as a couple days ago. In reverse.
Flight was just over an hour.
Two plus hours from Hanoi to Halong City.
Meaning a stream of images.
Countryside, town, repeat.
Stopping for Pho.
Chi Linh
Uong Bi
Halong City proved to be a contrast to the previous cities. More modern, newer, calmer and word is most of these massive complexes are empty. Either victims of Covid or money laundering.
Looking across Vinh Cura Luc at Sun World.
Then stopped to get Brown Sugar Pearl Super Sundae from chain Mixue.
Morning run through empty and massive developments to the beach.
Taking in the view from the hotel one more time.
If you haven't heard of it.
This is the 2,000 islets,
Tropical draped limestone pinnacles climb out of the bay.
Fresh seafood.
I had made sure the boat wasn't named SS Minnow.
Time to head back.
See Halong City?
Though a smaller population then Ho Chi Minh.
Folks selling stuff wherever they can.
Dong Xuan Market
The volume of product everywhere is just staggering.
Crossing the street is an extreme sport.
Wise decision to turn down a dark alley. Saw things. Then there was light.
Going through the area like a big food court.
And like they have a health department inspection.
YouTubers Kara and Nate also had coffee here.
Just need a grill and a stool.
Down at Kien Lake bordering the French Quarter.
Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square
Roasted Coconut.
Streets never end.
Yep. Christmas decorations in a Communist country. Saw the same thing in China.
Flowers brightening up the grubby city.
Getting a kick out of seeing all the socializing.
Tuesday, November 28th, 2023
Starting the morning run.
Why go to a fancy grocery store when you can get custom cuts on the sidewalk lit by a bicycle light?
And speaking of grocery stores....
Very busy along West Lake even at 6AM.
During his 23rd bombing mission, Lieutenant Commander John McCain was shot down and captured at this spot on October 26th, 1967. He then spent 5 horrendous years in the 'Hanoi Hilton'.
The Buddhist Tran Quoc Pagoda is on an island in West Lake.
Presidential Palace.
Going through security to access Ba Dinh square.
Later there would be lines hours long for....
....Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum.
Vendors setting up for breakfast.
Prepping banana leaves.
Stop at the hotel.
And then over to the west side of Hanoi which is 'modern'.
Navigating some narrow alleys.
To find the wreckage of a B-52. This was a much larger lake surrounded by farmland in 1972 during Operation Linebacker II (AKA, Christmas Bombing). It's kept here to show the Communist Vietnam's superiority over the Imperialist US. Though, out of ~200 bombers dropping 20,000 tons of ordnance, there were 16 shot down.
Continuing to walk the alleys.
Just like India.
So many vendors.
Those narrow alleys snaking through canyons of buildings.
Countless storefronts selling all the staples.
Why go to a fancy salon when you can conveniently get a pedicure on the sidewalk?
Loved seeing folks just socializing.
My first time having frog legs was at Jean Georges in NYC.
Hoa Lo Prison was nicknamed Hanoi Hilton by American POWs. Built in 1886 by the French, most of this horrific facility is long demolished with a museum housed it what was the gatehouse.
Most of the exhibits are about the French inhumane treatment of Vietnamese.
It took 3 hours to cross this intersection.
Only two rooms have anything about the American POWs glowing how well they were treated. Zero about the incomprehensible torture our soldiers were inflicted.
Back to the sidewalks, when you can get around motorbikes.
Ambling about, you never know what you may find.
Ever hear of train street? These are coffee shops that set up on the tracks, and when a train is coming you grab your stool and hug the building as the train whizzes by.
Heading back to Old Quarter.
See what I mean? You can't use the sidewalk so have to walk in the street dodging motorbikes.
Just like Best Buy.
Back to Kiem Lake and Turtle Tower that is the legend of how Hanoi came to be.
The vista of Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square.
Durian ice cream slab.
Like the Home Depot area.
Stopping for lunch.
Bun Bo Nom Bo
Walking back to the hotel, while doing some shopping.
Didn't buy anything. I like brands. Authentic brands.
Pho Ga Ha Noi
Rice noodle with chicken
Nem Ha Noi
Spring rolls
Heo Tam sa ot Kem Nuoc Sot
Stir fried pork with chili and lemongrass
Bo Nuong la Chuoi
Beef grilled in banana leaf
Ca Tim Nuong Mo Hanh
Grilled eggplant with oil and shallot
Good night.
Wednesday, November 29th, 2023
One more morning run in this country that was once foreign.
Pho for breakfast seemed fitting since it was created in the north.
Bus to airport.
The Hanoi airport initiated it taking 30 hours to get home.
