The Flash

My apologies, I know it has been far too long since my last post; I have been lucky enough to attend a friend's wedding in Canada, and have simply been playing catch up since I got back. But for some time now I have been meaning to put fingers to keyboard (not quite so poetic as pen to paper, but nevertheless...) and failing, until tonight. And the reason I write now is, unusually, thanks to a television program.

Regarding television, I am of two very distinct minds. One part of me loves it (the very naughty part I generally keep subdued with ice cream and trashy romance novels); I love the escapism it offers, the mindlessness, the sheer pleasure of entertainment that requires no effort on my part other than simply listening, and sometimes even very little of that. But of course, the writer in me is generally appalled by television. It is so very mindless. It is crass. It is ugly. It glorifies in the worst part of ourselves, taking us to such levels of mediocrity that it is impossible to imagine that we could sink to any lower levels of apathy.

And yet, every once in awhile, something stirs, something redeems, something inspires. Tonight, I was watching Andrew Denton (a brilliant Australian interview) speak with Miriam Margolyes (perhaps best known as Prof. Sprout in Harry Potter). I had only a passing acquaintance with Miriam's work, but was caught up in the interview from her very first sentence as she sang the praises of Charles Dickens' female characters and contorted her face beyond recognition to impersonate one of them. From there, she spoke of her parents, her acting, her weight, her partner, her losses, her joys, and for not one moment did my mind stray from what she was saying. She had a gift of expression that was, simply put, breathtakingly beautiful.

And she reminded me once again of the beauty in words. For me, above any other medium, they can create such feeling. And of course that feeling can be of any sort of variety, but to be able to say it, to express it in a way others can understood it - that is a gift.

And all of this reminded me tonight that even as a grown up, I can still be blessed by what Emily Starr 'the flash'. (Note: Emily is my favourite L.M. Montgomery figure - sacrilege to Anne fans I know, of which of course I am one, but give Emily a try, I know she will enchant you.) For those of you who have not read Emily for awhile here a reminder:

'It had always seemed to Emily, ever since she could remember, that she was very, very near to a world of wonderful beauty. Between it and herself hung only a thin curtain; she could never draw the curtain aside-but sometimes, just for a moment, a wind fluttered it and then it was as if she caught a glimpse of the enchanting realm beyond-only a glimpse-and heard a note of unearthly music. This moment came rarely-went swiftly, leaving her breathless with the inexpressible delight of it. She could never recall it-never summon it-never pretend it; but the wonder of it stayed with her for days. And always when the flash came to her Emily felt that life was a wonderful, mysterious thing of persistent beauty.' (Emily of New Moon)

Tonight I have been visited by 'the flash' and I will glory in it, even if it means I become far too sentimentally verbose (even more so than usual that is). And my wish? That you would experience the same.

And to help you in that goal, perhaps a little Miriam Margolyes... http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/

Day 15 - Ho Chi Minh City

So, we got up today ready to give Ho Chi Minh City another chance and thankfully, she came through! We had a great day! We thought we'd start it off with one last shot at proper sightseeing, so we bundled ourselves into a taxi and headed off for District 5 and the Giam Lac Pagoda. Thus far, the religious temples had been somewhat disappointing, not because they weren't amazing (because of course they were) but because often it felt a bit zoo-like, walking around as a tourist when people were there worshipping. But this pagoda was different. It seemed a more natural sort of place (albeit absolutely stunning!) with monks walking around, tables set for lunch, school children doing homework and so on. We just seemed to be another piece in the community that was moving in and out of the temple.

So, quite happily, we decided to explore. The front grounds were littered with shrines to various gods, including a very tall, very gleaming white statue of the goddess of mercy. There were also golden statues of lions and dragons and even a cherbic buddha waiting at the front entrance to greet us.

Once inside, we walked around the first floor, a strangely barren sort of place, except for the wall of loved ones. Here two people sat before a wall of photos, pouring tea while a monk sang a very beautiful, haunting chant and rang a bell. As they laid out their food for their lost relatives, Tracey commented on the connectedness of it all and whatever your beliefs, it seem very beautiful to be able to care so practically for those who've passed. Made me miss Dad an awful lot though. Upstairs, the temple continued out into the open air, rows of sitting statues surrounded by smaller versions holding candles. Milla counted all of them - a grand total of 164!

All in all a beautiful temple that left us wishing we'd seen much more of the same. Then, off to the markets of Cholon, apparently the largest Chinatown community in the world (outside of China of course!)

This place was amazing! It had a similar feel to the Central Markets of Adelaide with all the goods, foods, and crowds, but magnified at least a thousand times. There were more people there than I've ever seen in one place, and sadly, this was where we really saw the first heartbreaking signs of poverty - children carrying children, leading blind parents, holding up disabled loved ones, asking for money, for food, for anything. The hardest moment was when two children tapped my arm and then simply stood there, moving their hands from their stomachs to their mouths. My heart seemed to stop for a moment - I just wanted to gather up every hurting person I saw and bring them home.

Despite this, we did keep going, and the markets were absolutely amazing! Where most stalls back home would have had three or four of each of their goods, these stalls were packed to overflowing, goods bursting at the seams. Strangely enough though, many people refused to sell to us. I'm not sure if it's because it was a wholesale warehouse where you have to buy a box of each item, or because we were Westerners or because they simply didn't like the colour of our shoes. I'm sure it wasn't really as arbitrary as that, but without the shared language for explanation, it certainly felt as though we were being turned away on a whim. But there's also something freeing about an environment of unknown social rules so I just jumped right in, haggled like mad and loved every second.

After weaving our way thorugh the maze of Cholon for a few hours, we decided we were ready for the outside world again and started looking up the next pagoda. Of course, pulling out a guidebook in front of thirty cyclo drivers was a terrible idea and immediately we were swamped with offers. Shaking our heads, then our hands, then pratically our whole bodies in an attempt to say "no thank you" we started walking away to get some space from the crowds. But one cyclo was particularly persistant and after awhile we accepted his offer of a ride to the Quan Am Pagoda, which turned out to be several kms away, an impossible walk in today's heat and crowds. So off we went!

Of course, choosing the most persistant cyclo driver is not always the wisest idea, a fact that became blatantly clear as the man followed us into the temple, acting as an impromptu guide, all the while telling us how much we'd like the other temples he could take us to after this one. After repeated explanations that we wouldn't be going to any others (which seemed to fall on deaf ears) I finally had to get a bit tough and say "We don't need your help anymore so thank you, but NO, you need to leave us alone now." The poor man's face fell so fast, I felt awful but had we not done something I'm sure the man would still be with us, helping me write this diary entry here in our hotel room.

Unfortunately, the temple itself was a bit of a letdown after the Giam Lac Pagoda, but the pillars covered in Asian characters were beautiful, and there were turtles in the backyard, a fact that pleased Milla to no end and made Tracey and I smile.

From there, we decided to go for a bit of a walk, exiting via the side door in case Mr. Cyclo hadn't really taken the hint and was still sitting in wait for us. And excitingly, in walking, we found the nice side of Ho Chi Minh City at last - the people were friendly, smiling and nodding as we passed, something we hadn't experienced since Hanoi. We even caused a bit of a sensation when Milla gave a little boy a stuffed koala and suddenly children appeared from everywhere, holding out hands for a koala of their own. It's amazing how something so small could mean so much - the excitement and gratitude was beautiful to behold, although a little overwhelming for Milla I think. My favourite part? The two little boys who tried to pretend like they hadn't gotten one yet - it's nice to know children are children, no matter what pat of the world you're in.

After happily wandering the backstreets for a little while, we realised we'd never find our way back to the area near our hotel by ourselves, so we decided to catch a cab. I suspect this driver was somewhat less than honest since even with all the people and crazy traffic, I could still tell we drove past the same few landmarks over and over for about fifteen minutes. So, after a VERY long and overly expensive cab ride back to District 1, we decided to wander to Dong Khoi street, the souvenir Mecca we'd started down the day before. After all, there's always time for a bit more shopping right?

Then, finally back to the hotel room for dinner (I could really get used to this cheap room service thing) and then the sad task of packing since *sigh* we leave tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to seeing Martyn, but I really LOVE Vietnam as well and wish we could stay at least another week. Maybe I could convince Martyn to come over here? Hmmm...

Lucky for us, the night's entertainment was not quite complete. At our request, the hotel had sent up scales to our room, but somehow they weren't quite what we expected. Still, they did the job and will hopefully stop us from facing any excess baggage charges tomorrow when we leave...not ready to go but I've definitely had a fantastic time!!

Day 14 - Ho Chi Minh City

Today began, thankfully, with a bit of a sleep-in, all of us exhausted from all the travelling we'd done of the last two days by every means of transportation imaginable - car, minivan, boat, foot - no donkey to be seen but I suspect just give us time...

After a yummy breakfast of frosted flakes and Tang (pretty sure that's what the Ironmen eat everyday *grin*) we headed off for the 'cultural tour' suggested by Frommers. Much like Hanoi, it seems Ho Chi Minh doesn't really do the "step right up" variety of tourist attraction, with the colonial style Post Office noted as a highlight (just a building like most others really). So, after a quick jaunt through the markets (which are entertaining for about the first two minutes and then quickly degrade into human cesspools with too many people, too many goods and far too much noise)...

and a zip past the Notre Dam Cathedral of Ho Chi Minh City (which is quite impressive actually - those Catholics really know how to build a church)...

we hit the street of Dong Khoi, a haven of little boutiques and souvenir shops where no one yells at you and the air conditioning is an unimaginable God-send. Of course, the traffic is still madness, especially in Ho Chi Minh City where a red light simply means drive up on the sidewalk until you can join moving traffic somewhere further down.

This walk proved particularly successful with Tracey finding that ever-elusive wedding outfit she's been looking for, me finding something that actually fit my 5'11 frame (even though I didn't buy it - after the shroud-dress I'm a bit scared for silk now to be honest) and Milla being fetted by all and sundry (although the people here are generally not as friendly as those of Hanoi which makes sense with their war history but does feel a bit sad).

So, all in all, everyone was pretty happy, the disaster of yesterday's tour well and truly behind us and I was beginning to warm slightly to Ho Chi Minh City despite her often cold reception to us. Everything seemed like it might actually be on the upturn... but then, sadly, disaster again... *sigh*

Going back to the tailor's to pick up our clothes, we both felt a bit of dread that everything might go wrong but since this proved largely unfounded in Hanoi, our fear was tempered by a faith that everything would once again turn out fine. Mistake. Looking very determinedly at the upside, I did get two serviceable skirts and Tracey some passable 3/4 pants, but in reality, the workmanship was particularly poor and with the suits, Tracey could have easily parked a couple of rabbit families under the arms and still had enough room for future generations. We both felt a bit speechless, especially since any suggestion of alteration was met with looks of disbelief. How could we be anything but estactic with the rabbit situation?

After this, we headed back to the hotel room, hoping to take a breather, regroup, and see the funny side. Instead, we returned to find the two beds they'd provided (to make up for the one large bed they'd given us the first night) were singles and once again would make sleep pratically impossible unless Tracey and Milla were willing to sleep stacked vertically. Keeping in mind that we had so far been very very patient while the staff just shrugged dismissively through mistake after mistake, saying only slight variations on 'oh well, you'll just have to cope', I headed downstairs to rectify the situation, asking for another bed to be sent up. After a half hearted promise that they'd try to do something, we then got the phone call that housekeeping was shut for the night and nothing could be done. Well, Tracey cracked. Heading downstairs (with admittedly a bit of stomping *grin*) she explained that this situation was not acceptable, and though there was no yelling, obviously the staff could recognise a woman on the edge (perhaps wild eyed rage looks the same in every country) and when we arrived back later, there were indeed three beds.

Sadly though, the disasters (word of the night) did not really end there. Okay, perhaps "disaster" is over-stating it, but there seemed to be a veritable conga-line of bad experiences waiting to still dance past us - rude guards at the bookstore, almost getting run over by several sidewalk motorists, terrible food at an overly expensive restaurant, etc. The one bright spark in all this madness - Milla got a haircut that looks absolutely gorgeous and the people at the salon were lovely. Thank goodness. So, tomorrow, we're off to district five to see the Emperor Jade Pagoda and Chinatown - hopefully all goes well or we may just SNAP! But I'm still ready to love you Ho Chi Minh City - just give me one reason...

Oh, that's right...

Day 13 - Ho Chi Minh City & Mekong

Despite a terrible night's sleep (turns out Milla likes to sleep sideways), we were up bright and early today to join a tour to the Mekong Delta. We had booked the tour at the last minute through our hotel and were impressed with the price ($20US) but perhaps we should have heeded Frommer's words of warning about tours like these: "...for that low, low price, expect little in the way of good tour leading and explanation. One gets the sense of being on a cattle drive (as cattle, not cowboys)." And sadly, that's exactly how it felt. From the moment we got on the bus, the day was a comedy of errors, which of course, eventually stopped being funny, no matter how optimistic a face we painted on it.

After catching a bus to the touring company, we stood waiting on the street corner for almost an hour, unsure of what was happening, except for the realisation that our hotel had slapped on an almost 50% commission charge on top of the tour price. But on the upside, we were able to watch the world of Ho Chi Minh City roll by and buy some fresh mandarins from a lovely lady walking by.

Finally our bus tour arrived and we all piled into a tiny little "air-conditioned" van. Again, we chose to fall on the side of good humour, thinking of the van as "character-filled" (rather than the rusty broken down health hazard it actually was) but when it stopped to pick up the fifteenth passenger and our tour guide was forced to catch a coach bus down to the Mekong to meet us there, we began to wonder.

Once again knocked out by the motion-sickness pills/horse tranquilisers, I missed most of the ride but woke up in time for our arrival in Mekong City and the boat deck where we would climbe aboard our touring vehicle. Now this part of the tour I was excited about. Although it was a bit of a feat to make it safely into the questionable boat we were taking without falling into the Mekong, the water was creating a cool breeze and a whole different world of water culture awaited us. Fun!

Sadly, the breeze coming off the water was pretty much the highlight of the trip from here on in. Each of the sights - the coconut candy production, the bee farm, the small village, the traditional music and the Bonsai farm were really just shops disguised as cultural experiences and little was done to show us life on the Mekong Delta as it's really lived. I realise that perhaps this is impossible, by our very presence we're treating the residents' lives as a bit of a spectacle, but there was no exchange of any sort between the people and ourselves, so it felt very zoo-like and I just couldn't get comfortable with that.

Nevertheless, seeing the Mekong itself was pretty amazing, knowing what it means to the people of Vietnam (the centre of rice production), and as always, any mishaps along the way will all end up as fodder for the travel "war stories" collection. My falling in the boat for one - enough said. But after today's experiences we did decide to skip Day 2 of the tour and head back to Ho Chi Minh.

The boats running up and down the Mekong full of tourists

Bee farm (how could she hold that without shaking?!?) I actually took the photo from quite far away (hoorah for the zoom lens!)

Milla holding a huge snake (of her own freewill! Brave girl! You couldn't pay me enough...)

The two gorgeous children who sang traditional music during our lunch (the little boy definitely stole my heart!)

One of the tour guides rowing our long boat (by far my favourite picture I took in Vietnam)

Day 12 - Ho Chi Minh City

Once again the morning came bright and early, but this time I was happy to greet it even at 7am (I'm more of a 9 or 10am kind of girl myself) since it was our last day and we wanted to squeeze in just one more walk along the beach. As usual there was no end of interesting things to see, from little cockle shells closing up tight as we approached, to children sitting in the water fully clothed, playing in the sand.

We also took the opportunity to buy a few more strands of pearls from the lovely woman who I think had decided to permanently set up shop outside our bungalow in the hopes that we might pass by and once again be tempted. Already she knows us so well. *grin*

After a quick brekkie, swim in the pool and final pack up, it was time to go and though it was sad to say goodbye to the Mui Ne Sailing Club (the best place I've ever stayed in by far), we were excited to be heading to a new destination - Ho Chi Minh City! In a luxury van no less - worth every bit of the $90US we had to pay (sadly I missed a lot of the ride, thanks once again to those horse tranquilisers masquerading as motion sickness tablets).

But I was wide awake for our arrival in Ho Chi Minh - an amazing place from the moment we drove in. Apparently Sunday is 'Wedding Day' here as we passed all manner of wedding parties with brides decked out in every color of the rainbow. Even more entertaining though was seeing very dressed up guests on their way to weddings on the back of motorcycles - some even carrying gifts and cakes! I wish I could have gotten a photo, it's amazing the balance and poise these people posess!

After checking in to the Spring Hotel, which is very nice, but really does live up to Frommer's description as "an unsettling Greco-Roman motif" (think huge marble pillars, sweeping staircases and giant plants everywhere). Still, the tackiness is kind of fun and the place is roomy and clean so it gets a big, big thumbs up in my book. The only problem of course, was the one bed in our room. Although large enough to immediately recall memories of the song "There were 10 in the bed and the little one said 'Roll over, roll over'...", sharing one bed between the three of us was not ideal (I took quite a few thumps in the back from Milla) and we're really hoping there'll be two beds when we come back from the Mekong.

So after droping everything off, we decided to hit the town. Ho Chi Minh immediately seems a lot faster than Hanoi, with more vehicles on the road (especially cars), more high rises, more Western-style shops, and more Westerners period. For me, it certainly doesn't have that same charm I found so enchanting in Hanoi, but there is a magic here, an excitement that seems to buzz all around you to constantly remind you that you're not in Kansas anymore.

The first major site to take in was the Ben Thanh Market, a must-see according to all the guidebooks. And it certainly was an amazing sight - hundreds of stalls selling all manner of wares stuffed into this tiny little street with hundreds, maybe thousands of people milling around. But perhaps we've been spoiled by the Old Quarter, because this market seemed like nothing more than a flea market for tourists (picture knock-off clothes, bags, jewellery, etc) with highly aggressive sellers who practically pull you into their shop and physically force their wares into your arms. All in all, not the most pleasant experience, but I'm glad we went and I did manage to find a bag I love (if you can't beat 'em, join 'em right?)

Day 11 - Mui Ne

Happy birthday Milla! Today began bright and early with a present hunt around our bungalow. Although not very well hidden, finding the presents did prove a bit of a trick since they were wrapped in only plastic bags, newspaper and air sickness bags, which although handy since they were readily available, were not particularly obvious like wrapping paper usually is.

After finding all the presents, we headed off for a breakfast and then to the pool for yet another swim. You'd think after a few days we might get tired of this routine but apparently relaxing never gets dull - I LOVE this place! I could certainly get used to the resort life -another cocktail madame?



After a few laps in the pool we decided to brave the ocean, rented boogie boards in hand. No question, the waves of Mui Ne are the roughest I've ever been in, hands down. Seriously, go in up to your ankles and you're being knocked over! But for one glorious moment I successfully rode a wave to shore and it was fantastic!! Admittedly, I had to fall of my board, hit the sand and bend the board practically in half about thirty times before my moment of victory, but I had my moment and it was glorious!! Sadly, there's no photographic evidence so you'll just have to take my word for it, but trust me, I was a graceful gazelle of the waves.

Finally, we emerged from the ocean, exhausted and beraggled but happy. Then it was time for another afternoon of indulgence, this time with manicures and pedicures - something I'd never had before. I was a bit concerned that there might not be enough to work with since I tend to bite my fingernails down to nubs (lovely image hmm?) but somehow those ladies pulled of a miracle and my hands look amazing (as do my feet!). Tracey and Milla are also looking gorgeous of course!



After such a wonderful relax, we decided to get gussied up for dinner, which tonight was a buffet by the pool. How amazing is this place?!? The surroundings are so beautiful - I feel like I could happily stay here forever - and we're leaving tomorrow *sigh*

Day 10 - Mui Ne

Once again we were up bright and early to head out for a beachwalk. This time we headed down towards the other shore, once again passing early morning fishermen (we've yet to be there for the catch but judging by the crowds that gather around as the buoy comes closer to shore, it's certainly a site worth seeing...maybe tomorrow).

When we got back from our walk we found some unexpected guests enjoying the final dregs of last night's cocktails we'd left out on the front porch - apparently Toblerones aren't just irresistible to humans!

After setting these poor creatures free (one did quite a little sideways stumble into the bushes) we headed off for some brekkie and then, where else? to the pool! Although continued afternoons of relaxing by the pool do not make for very exciting travel journal writing, the joy of having to do absolutely nothing but swim and soak up the sun is superb!

Later today we did find some excitement as the kite surfers took to the water, their kites many, many feet in the air as they rode the waves at amazing speeds and lifted 10 and 20 feet up in the air.

Then, at 3pm, we headed off for our facials, a treat I'm very rarely able to give myself but one that I absolutely adored. This facial was even better than expected as it came with a shoulder and foot massage (thankfully I was able to resist the urge to kick even when she touched my foot - bodes well for the pedicure tomorrow). After so much relaxing, the only thing to do was sit at the beach bar and drink a cocktail and watch the world go by...ahh, this is the life!

Tonight the girls worked up some energy before dinner, dancing around the room to Madonna (they both put on quite a show! who knew Tracey could be such an amazing back up singer/dancer even though she was fired by Milla for upstaging the main singer). Now, time for a movie, maybe another cocktail, and then wrapping presents for Milla - it's her 7th birthday tomorrow!)

Day 9 - Mui Ne

Today was a hard one - we were forced to lay on the beach in the sun, drinking cocktails, playing by the pool, eating copious amounts of delicious food, watching the gorgeous sunset from our beachfront bungalow, and shopping in the sand (apparently we can find ways to shop anywhere!). I love it here!



The first order of business today was to go for a walk along the beach, running through the waves far out to shore. While we were lucky enough to be playing, many Vietnamese people had started their work day, including a line of fishermen pulling a net in far from shore. It was an amazing process - the guy at the back acted as an anchor, pulling backwards until he reached a certain point. Then he headed to the front of the line and everyone else moved one back. I'm guessing this is so the poor person at the back doesn't get stuck doing all the hard work. We waited a little while to see what they're catch might be but eventually the pull of playing in the waves was too strong and we had to keep walking.



Heading back to our bungalow after the long beach walk, we then came across something completely unexpected - a salesman on the beach! He was selling all sorts of pearls in an array of colours and styles for unbelievable prices and despite our best efforts and recent promises to hold off on the shopping for a few days, we simply could not resist! I'd be interested to see where the pearls were farmed, I'm guessing it's nearby and it'd be great to know we're supporting local industry.



The rest of the day was a study in relaxation - swimming in the pool, enjoying local delicacies (that's more Tracey than Milla and I but still...) and generally enjoying life - did I mention I LOVE it here? But the evening was not to be outdone - after Milla had gone off to bed, Tracey and I decided to lay out on the cushioned sofas on our front porch, listen to the waves, watch the sunset, and enjoy Toblerones (a wonderful mix of Kaluha, chocolate syrup, Bailey's and cream - yum!). No place has ever been so relaxing.

Pursuing that PhD...

Isn't it great when you find that picture that just says it all?

Day 8 - Mui Ne

Travel day today! After staying up until 2am to pack, repack, repack and then repack again in order to stick to the 20kg limit for each bag, we had to get up bright and early to make our way to the airport. The journey out was just as entertaining as the journey in, with people passing by loaded to the gills on motorcycles, colorful houses, and questionable lane changes (surely those lane markers are there for a reason right?)



Whilst it was sad to be leaving Hanoi, the Old Quarter, and the staff at the Salute Hotel, we were excited to be heading to Mui Ne...roll on beach fun!!! The flight down to Nha Trang was pretty non-eventful (always happy with that) and Vietnam Airlines gave us more leg room than most airlines which was great. They also didn't raise an eyebrow at our multitudes of hand luggage (even though the sign said strictly one per person) - all in all, a top class airline.

Finding a ride down to Mui Ne (a quiet stretch of coastline three hours from the much busier beaches of Nha Trang) was a bit of a trick as a group of rather unsavoury taxi drivers (excited to see that's world-over...) immediately surrounded us with offers to take us here, there and everywhere, but eventually we settled into a mini-van and were off! As always, the journey proved half the fun and three hours went by pretty quickly as we sailed past beautiful mountains and villages (admittedly, I slept for half the trip - seriously, those motion sickness tablets are like horse tranquilisers). The best bit was when we drove through Phan Thiet and attracted stares like I've never seen. Apparently not too many westerners make the journey from Nha Trang so we were a bit of an oddity.



Then...we arrived! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Mui Ne Sailing Club, it's the most amazing place I've ever stayed in - I feel like a millionaire!!






We are staying in a beach front bungalow, simply open the door and you're practically in the waves! And much to Milla's extreme happiness, there's a pool!



The beach is absolutely gorgeous as well, with huge waves and luxiouriously soft sand, and the restaurant serves delicious food - what could be better than this place?? So, for now it's off to bed and then, tomorrow, waking up for a nice long walk on the beach....ahhh, heaven!

Day 7 - Hanoi

Today was "culture day" - the kind you have to stand in line to experience. Our official itinerary (thank you Lonely Planet) listed the one pillar pagoda, the house on stilts and the Ho Chi Minh Museum as sites worth a look. To get to the area that housed these wonders however, we had to leave the Old Quarter, so we decided to 'rickshaw' it, called a cyclo here in Vietnam. Having been pestered by a million and one drivers of these vehicles for the last week, it was great to finally nod back and say 'yes, we would like a ride'. With a little bit of haggling (only 50,000 dong), we were off, settled into the rickety cyclo whose brakes sounded extremely questionable but seemed to work well enough at most red lights (the ones we sailed through were definitely a bit harrowing). Within the Old Quarter, the cyclo was great, weaving in and out between the motorbikes, watching the sites roll by. But once we headed further afield, I wasn't so sure, packed in between cars and large rolling trucks, breathing in all the tasty fumes and worrying at any moment we might be taken out. Still, all in all not a bad way to get about.


The drivers were hilarious!

After being dropped off at Ba Dinh Square, we headed to the most obvious site, the huge masoleum dominating the place, draped in the words 'Ho Chi Minh' and surrounded by guards. There was definitely a sense of what communist Vietnam in its glory days must have been like. Sadly, we weren't able to go inside to see Ho Chi Minh's body, as it apparently goes to Russia every year in October for "undisclosed repairs" - can't imagine what exactly, sounds interesting though.

After walking around the square for awhile, we decided to head off to the One pillar pagoda, supposedly "near" Ba Dinh Square, but near must be a subjective term because nowhere could we see the elusive pagoda. So, what does any good tourist do when in doubt? Simply follow the other tourists right? Wrong! Mistakenly adopting this policy, we were herded into the Ho Chi Minh museum, to see the glory that was his house, his lake, his fish, his cars, his plants, his bridge and so on. The people here really love him! Sadly, we weren't so excited by this man and seeing all these things was less than fascinating for us. On the upside, Tracey got to experience the joys of a real Vietnamese toilet, standing in a queue with a rolled up bunch of toilet paper given to her by the directing attendant. The line to the trough-like toilet where you squat over an open urinal was shorter but Tracey decided to hold out for the Western style (and I use that word loosely) toilet behind a door which for some reason had a big circle cut out of it, rendering the door somewhat obsolete. Lucky girl hmm?

After all this excitement, we FINALLY stumbled across the One Pillar Pagoda, which the travel book describes as "interesting" and while it does slightly resemble a lotus flower emerging from the water and was built in 1049, it was a sad let down after so much searching, especially since many Westerners were rudely elbowing their way up to the shrine at the top of the pagoda and taking pictures of people worshiping (sometimes our consumerism is just too ugly to watch). So, we decided it was time to cyclo back towards home.

Tracey and Milla in front of the pagoda

Getting back to the Old Quarter, we went on a mission - to get Tracey some pearls! (There had been a lot of "my precious" moments with the beautiful pearls I had bought in Halong Bay so we definitely needed to get her some of her own). Thankfully, we were successful, finding some beautiful dark pearls, a pendant for me, and even getting Milla's nails painted. So not the best day, but it ended on a good note...