My name is Michael Smith. My dream job is to travel the globe searching and
finding the best and at times the worst of our world. To most it's a big
world...too me it's a small world, but always amazing, especially in the SE of
Asia. It's a world in a world and offers the best of mankind and the absolute
best of nature. My journey into the communist capital of Vietnam, Hanoi was long
in coming as I had occupied three months of 2006 and the first two months of
2007 touring extensively in the stunning and unforgettable country of
Thailand...from the Malaysian border in the south to the tri river delta in the
far north, called the Golden Triangle.
Before heading into Vietnam, as I was saving it for last, so I could have more
time in exploring what was soon to become one of my most favored nations, I
toured the ancient and poor, but phenomenal, country of Cambodia and onward to
Laos. Both had taken me on a wonderful journey back in time...to when people
actually enjoyed each other and worked as a community for the welfare of all.
Lessons long forgotten by the so-called modern countries of the West.
Leaving the rapturous country of Laos on the 1st of March 2007, I landed in the
much whispered about communist capital of a much long fought war in the 60's and
70's, Hanoi. As my generation had partaken in the madness of the war I was quite
familiar with the tales and horror stories, especially of the infamous Hanoi
Hilton where American POWS had been supposedly kept and tortured. Was it still
there, was the one question that drove me to research the hotel and as if time
had stood still...it was still a hotel. Remodeled, of course, but just the image
buried so deep in my mind drove me to seek it out and book my week long stay at
this hotel turned prison and then back to hotel. Definitely a journey I would
never forget as I lay awake at nights during my stay and listened in my mind to
the probably screams of captured warriors of the past.
I had befriended a couple of young guys, both from Canada,
JJ and Josh, while touring in
Laos and agreed to meet them upon landing at the Hanoi airport, as they were
flying in from Vientiane, Laos about an hour later than my arrival. So, after
breezing though immigration and grabbing my numerous bags I headed just outside
the main terminal door and squatted for a smoke. The air was heavy and fairly
humid and echoed the many sounds of busy travelers humming inaudible sounds in a
multitude of languages. My first smoke in a few hours gave me a slight buzz and
as usual I drifted...drifted back in my mind to my life and what had led up to
my fabulous career. As always I concluded that it had been my gypsy desires to
roam freely, explore everything and never take no for an answer...and at 13
years of age I left my family's small N. Texas farm and bade goodbye to my
crying Mom, my silent Father and my 6 sisters and my baby brother and hopped a
freight train westbound to, hopefully live with my 8th sibling, my eldest
sister, in the exciting city on the bay...San Francisco. It was during the days
of cheap booze, abundant pot, free love and the psychedelic brain forgings of
the Jimmy Hendrix era. Ahhh, life was good and as I eventually found, or more
correctly...stumbled, my way to adulthood I learned that the main purpose of
life was life itself...living every moment as if it was your last and
never...never...hanging onto anything too long. I still adhere to those simple
philosophies and Vietnam would just be another side-trip in my never-ending
journeys, but one I would not soon forget!
My Canadian buddies arrived on scheduled and after some howdies and hugs we
headed off in a taxi to the Hanoi Hilton, as
I had reserved 2 rooms. We must have been quite a sight as we drug our bags and
backpacks in this now modern luxury hotel, but I must say that regardless of our
appearance, we were greeted with welcoming courtesy by the staff. The lobby was
grand, but not over burdened and the suites were most accommodating with all the
amenities one would expect from such a memorial hotel. After a short reprieve of
leisure in the suites we were off to begin exploring the city and getting a feel
for the change in the cultural and economical differences from Laos and
Cambodia...Vietnam was and is a country on the move.
While walking around the city center in the midst of the local people I couldn't
help but feel somewhat timid in my awareness that I was an American. How would I
be treated? Were the people still harboring much deserved hatred towards the
citizens of the country that bombed, killed and raped their people for so many
years? My fears soon diminished as everyone I made eye contact with smiled and
were genuine in their welcoming behavior, as they went on with their daily
lives. The streets were lined with kids, old people, vendors, motorcycle and
bike taxis and uncountable sidewalk eateries. It seemed that every person was,
in their own way, an entrepreneur with every imaginable kind of shop...big and
small...offering an endless array of products and services...from shoe shining
to massages...to push carts full of snacks to gourmet restaurants. Hanoi was an
exciting and vibrant city as we soon learned and was full of well preserved
history. Museums, libraries, palaces and temples and abundant war relics were
everywhere. With my new buddies we were like a trio of kids and wandered both
day and night in and around this action packed city of millions, including a a
few million motorbikes zinging and zagging in every free space or road and
sidewalk. Walking without getting ran over was a major challenge...driving would
be suicidal. Never boring to say the least and everywhere there were stunningly
gorgeous women...fashionably adorned, postural aligned and cultured with
elegance...they were beyond sexual...they were visions of feline perfection.
Taking a $70 dollar taxi we headed off to our
next destination, Ha Long Bay. The city is
on an amazing harbor and the Gulf of Tonkin
is home to some remarkable and bizarre limestone islands. After checking in to
our choice hotel we headed out to explore the town a few kilometers away to look
around, but mostly to find some edible food, as we were all quite particular on
our dining choices. Me, I'm mostly an eggs and bacon kind of man, which I knew
from a lot of past experience that such food is rare in Asia...but off we went.
The main street lined the bay and was mostly some hotels and very expensive
restaurants and a few discrete shops... definitely not much to look at, but the
city center was quite impressive in the typical Asian manner...shops, vendors,
crowded streets and thank goodness lots of cafes. The sun was still high and
after devouring some noodles, rice and ham we walked around for hours in and out
of shops, actually boat a jacket, as the wind from the bay was cold. The boys
wanted to head to some bars and look for some ladies, what the hell' we're all
single...but what happened next is slightly x rated, but it included some thugs,
several hookers, a brawl, some busted doors and a run back to our hotel...enough
said, as this is a family tourism review.
The
next few days were sort of lazy, but we did managed to explore the harbor and
took an all day boat excursion to the islands, some deep and
impressive caves and an island
aquarium...one of a kind as for as I am aware. Don't miss it! During our day
long boat tour the weather was not very cooperative, cloudy as all heck.
Fortunately,
I did manage to shoot a few remarkable photos. As a globe trotter I have came
across some extremely impressive places, but these odd and alien shaped islands,
hundreds of family houseboats bobbing in the Tonkin Bay and with the eerie
islands...the image will most definitely remain deeply imbedded in my brain for
the rest of my life.
Next Review; Hue City...coming
soon.
