anythings

Next Stop is Vietnam(continue)

Exotic fruits are cut for our pleasure
It’s time to jump into another van for a four-hour ride to Halong Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin near the border with China and about 100 miles (160 km) east from Hanoi. Vịnh Hạ Long means "Bay of the Descending Dragon” in Vietnamese and this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the great natural wonders of Asia, with a coastline of 74 miles (120 km) and over 3,000 islands. We board a wooden houseboat, and cruise around these spectacular limestone mounds topped with jungle vegetation that rise through the blue-green waters of this tranquil bay. Many islands conceal caves and small beaches. The quiet is a welcome break from the constant “meep-meeps” of city scooters.
“We haven’t seen any American tourists around here,” a British woman says. “Is it true that only 20 percent of Americans have passports?” “I don’t know,” I answer. “Most of my friends think I’m nuts for coming here on vacation.”“I’d love to visit the U.S. one day,” she says, “but hear it’s pretty violent.” After a good night’s sleep on the boat, the van brings us back to Hanoi, where we spend the night, and take a long overdue shower. Before leaving the capital, I must taste one of its special foods, Cha ca, which is tasty ground fish surrounded with spicy sauces. In the northern part of the city, restaurants specialize in dog-meat, but Hanoians believe that it is bad luck to eat this during the first two weeks of the month. Early tomorrow morning, we will catch a two-hour flight to Nha Trang, a beach town that rests on the South China Sea, about 280 miles (450 km) northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. Soon the sea rolls its turquoise waves in front of us. At first glance, the beach appears to be a typical paradise, until vendors tease us with offers to cook nine-inch long (23 cm) shrimp next to our palapa, a thatched roof of dried palm leaves. Mare enjoys a manicure, while I opt for a full-body massage. Lien, the husky, middle-aged masseuse, straddles my padded lounge and drips eucalyptus oil on my back. Her hands make clicking noises as she pounds up and down my spine. Exotic fruits are cut for our pleasure, and the most pressing question of the day is whether or not it’s too early for a beer. It’s not. We sip the locally popular “Tiger” beer while the couple in the palapa next to us accepts a vendor’s offer to grill huge shrimp on the beach at their feet. They notice me staring.“We ate the shrimp yesterday and they’re fantastic,” the young man said. He rubbed his stomach. “That’s all I needed to hear,” I said. “I’m getting some, too.” “I figured you were American. I’m Portuguese, and my wife, Loi, was born in Saigon.” “We like Americans,” Loi said. “Most Vietnamese are too young to remember the American war. In 1975, the only tourists were Russian men. We called them ‘Americans with no dollars.’ We especially like your dollars.” “I appreciate your honesty,” I said. We laughed. Gnu, the shrimp vendor, smiles at me revealing two teeth. She dangles a giant shrimp in the wind, and I nod yes. Within moments, shrimp are sparred with transparent green crabs on a small grill. We dunk the tender meat into a green sauce made from fish, garlic, lime and other seasonings, including some sand. We devour more than two pounds (1 kg) of the tasty morsels for about US$ 5.As we sip Tigers, and contemplate our good fortune, the theme song from “The Godfather” plays in the background, calypso-style. That evening, we gorge on a seafood pizza on the beach, while the sun drifts behind the mountainous waters. The pizza is so good, we order another. Lien the masseuse and Gnu the cook prepare our palapa the next morning. My wife takes a massage today, and I simply drink, swim and write. Vendors share our shade while we eat, and we’re all happy. I don’t want to leave. Alas, after 14 days in Vietnam, we have many connections to make to fly home tomorrow. If You Go It’s safe, easy and inexpensive to travel in Vietnam. Many hotels offer tours, most folks speak several languages, and eager guides are plentiful. Booking flights to different cities is painless, and a good way to see a lot of the diverse countryside in a short period of time. An excellent travel agency and hotel in Ho Chi Minh City is Kim Travel, 270 De Tham Street, Dist 1, +84 08 836 9859. The Hai Yen Hotel in Nha Trang (40 Tran Phu Street, +84 58 822 828) for about US$ 20 includes breakfast and balcony sea views. This moderately comfortable hotel is considered higher end. Budget accommodation is readily available in Nha Trang. Vietnam National Administration of Tourismwww.vietnamtourism.com