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Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia

julho - agosto 2023
3 weeks from the South to the North of Vietnam via Siem Reap in Cambodia Leia mais
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  • Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
    Dia 6

    Waking Up in Hanoi by Simi

    19 de julho de 2023, Vietnã ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    Having checked into our hotel around 1.30am we indulged ourselves with a lie-in as wet weather had been forecast.
    As it happens the rain was pretty light so headed off for for an explore around Vietnam’s capital city.

    It hit us massively the difference between HCM city aka Saigon and Hanoi- HCM city was the US base during the Vietnam War ( or the American war as the Vietnamese understandably call it) and since the country’s unification has transformed into a modern thriving metropolis- Hanoi on the other hand , having been the capital city for over 1000 years still proudly retains its ancient history and charm. It’s a crazy and noisy place which is a feast for all senses and actually I loved it and 100% reminded me of what it’s like to go travelling - you don’t necessarily need to do anything - just going for a meal and booking a bus ticket can be the biggest adventure ever sometimes!

    We navigated our way to the Temple of Literature taking in a quick glance at Train St ( but more of that later).

    Crossing the road in Hanoi is definitely not like crossing the road at home but actually as long as you followed the advice we were given then we were ok!
    Almost every tourist who arrives here has faced the famous problem of crossing the road in Vietnam and it’s become something of a rite of passage for every visitor.

    At the beginning of our explore we spent a while standing at the side of the road watching dozens of cars and scooters honking and whizzing past. It became apparent that the drivers don’t follow the Highway Code.

    The most important rule on crossing the road is to keep going. Once you’ve stepped out, you must commit to the crossing. Do not stop. Do not turn back. Even though you probably want to freeze or run back, this is actually more dangerous than forging ahead to the other side. Somehow the vehicles go round the back of you and if you walk at an even pace you actually manage to cross unscathed. It just takes confidence and belief. I felt we were like old pros by the end of the day!

    Our first stop was the tranquil Temple of Literature. Again this place did not take card but luckily the boys were free and Arushi was half price with her student ID!

    Tucked behind a walled compound with five separate courtyards, the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) was built under Ly Thanh Tong’s dynasty in 1070 to honour Confucius. It became Vietnam’s Imperial Academy shortly after – a prestigious school for top academics. Today, the temple honours Vietnam’s finest scholars and signifies the beginning of a uniform educational system in Vietnam. We loved learning all about the super hard exams the students need to put themselves through. We had a go at writing some of the Chinese characters and this was hard enough for us! .. so much to learn! We spotted a silent monk skilfully brushing calligraphy style stokes to write aChinese aspirational characteristics- this clever entrepreneurial designer had a brochure showcasing a huge variety of traits you could choose! Arushi and Eashan both bought one!

    It was clear to see how this lovely oasis in the middle of the bustling city made us feel restorative and peaceful yet it was time to move on!

    Hanoi is notorious for its coffee so we had a pit stop where Matt and I had a coffee each and the children enjoyed some juices. Thumbs up all round!

    Our next stop was Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum but not for Arushi sadly.. she had short shorts on so wasn’t allowed to the area. Ho Chi Minh’s body is preserved in the cooled, central hall, with a military honour guard. The body lies in a glass case with dim lights…. Seems quite unusual being able to go and see him like this but it’s the same for other communist leaders such as Lenin, Stalin and Mao. Apparently HCM didn’t want anything like this though for him and wanted to just be cremated.

    The mausoleum is closed occasionally for restoration and preservation work on the body and this was one of those times however you can still wander into the square to look at the building as long as you didn’t cross the infamous yellow line ! There are strict rules regarding dress, such as covered legs, and behavior, such as silence and walking in two lines, when visiting the mausoleum. The rules are strictly enforced by the staff and guards and we felt quite terrified to hear the menacing whistle being blown constantly ! They were quick
    To instil fear in us all!
    After that we decided it was time for a little repose and headed to find some lunch!    Leia mais

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  • Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
    Dia 6

    Hanoi Old Quarter by Matt

    19 de julho de 2023, Vietnã ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    Located in the east of the city, the Old Quarter is bustling with locals and tourists seeking out food, coffee or a wide array of market items, from shoes to tin boxes and everything in between.

    After a morning spent sightseeing, we'd worked up an appetite so we headed back into the Old Quarter, where our hotel is located, and found ourselves wandering down a picturesque street with lanterns hanging from the trees and plenty of Pho restaurants. We picked one, purely based on the fact that there was a western couple sitting there, and ordered our first bowls since arriving.

    Pho (pronounced fuh named after the French for fire, because of the cooking method not a spice heat) is the Vietnamese version of fast food. A simple but delicious broth with noodles and your choice of meat, or tofu for the veggies, add some lime, coriander and chillies if you like then slurp away!

    Unfortunately, during lunch, Millen's coffee kicked in and, being something he's not used to, induced a bit of a panic attack style reaction. The sensory overload of the streets of Hanoi wasn't helping to pacify him so we steered him back to the hotel and applied some damp towels and lavender oil (courtesy of BA club class!) until his heart rate had returned to normal and he was back to his happy self.

    It was a short walk to the Hoan Kiem, one of the lakes in the city. We found the water puppet venue, purchased our tickets for the next available show and wondered round the nearby streets, occasionally entering a barter but not buying anything.

    We came across Note cafe, so called as it was full of sticky notes left by customers with some words of wisdom and messages for future visitors. We tried egg coffee, a local speciality using yolk rather than milk, and a coconut cold coffee. Both were delicious, though Millen avoided trying either! We stuck our words of wisdom then headed back to the lake.

    In the middle of the lake is a small island with a temple on it. Neither are particularly special but you have to cross a cute red bridge to get there and it provides a moment's respite from the crowds and scooters.

    Our vegetarians were getting a little tired of the limited rice/noodle options so we sought out a pizza place for some variety, which also served a decent burger 😋    Leia mais

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  • Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
    Dia 6

    Water Puppet Show in Hanoi by Arushi

    19 de julho de 2023, Vietnã ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    For a total of 650,000 VND (around £21.50) we watched a fascinating puppet show in Hanoi, consisting of wooden puppets dancing in water controlled by puppeteers. We bought tickets in the early afternoon, finding there was only one show left that wasn’t sold out, and very limited seat options. We managed to buy three and two seats about 2 rows apart and went off to explore the surrounding areas until the show.

    The opening was a beautiful piece of music from the orchestra and the incredible traditional instruments, such as one which made a sound that could even be mistaken as someone singing it was so harmonious, as well as a few singers who accompanied the orchestra with both an instrument and their voice. The orchestra was colourfully adorned and were a smiley group who were clearly enjoying themselves. Then the first puppet arrived, the narrator who shared various conversations with the singers.

    Although the show was in Vietnamese, the general plot was somewhat followable, consisting of fishing, children playing, and a regatta to name a few. The most interesting parts I found were the various dances - dragons dance (which even had a bit of fire), unicorn dance, fairy dance etc… These scenes were filled with melodic music from the orchestra as well as enchantingly artful movements from the puppets. The puppets could thrash with the rapid tense music, or sway gracefully with the soothing sounds, synchronise together or chase each other.

    A particularly impressive part was the ‘catching frogs’ scene, showing the narrator chasing the leaping frogs that jumped so realistically and quickly it was easy to forget these creatures were just wooden puppets.

    The engineering of the entertaining lively puppets was something we puzzled over. You could just see through the water the poles attached to the puppets allowing the puppeteers to control the former from afar, but still we were questioning how they managed to not tangle up the poles, or exactly how the various attachments of the puppets moved (such as the arms). A quick search on google did not provide entirely satisfactory results, only showing a picture with the other side of the curtain where a shallow pool of water was, allowing the puppets to be placed in the water.

    The show lasted for about an hour and I found it very captivating and it really proved that the magic of these shows can be enjoyed even from someone who doesn’t understand any Vietnamese!    Leia mais

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  • Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
    Dia 6

    Train Street in Hanoi by Arushi

    19 de julho de 2023, Vietnã ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    We stopped at Train street on our walk this morning, only to be met with stony faced guards who refused our entry whilst simultaneously letting in others (maybe they lived on the street or owned shops there?). So, we carried on with our day, peeping glances of the infamous street here and there, a narrow alleyway crammed with bars and cafes with the main attraction of the rail tracks running down the middle of the street.

    Walking back after dinner . the whole zone was lined with touts, pamphlets and signs shoved in our faces offering drinks and food with promises of access to Train street.

    Wow, it was just full of life, lights illuminating all the nooks and crannies of this narrow street, with the tracks tucked in the middle, looking rather out of place. We snapped a few pictures, and found out the next train would be coming in 30-40 minutes, around 10 o’clock so we chose somewhere for drinks. Once we were settled in and orders were placed (2 beers and a lemonade), we sat and waited.

    After around 5 minutes there was a rush of excitement, as all the locals were yelling at people to get off the tracks, bar owners were moving things behind a yellow line (that we could barely squish behind) and everyone quietened down a bit, even the drunk Irish men who had been yelling opposite us.

    Soon, we could hear a faint chugging and could see hazy lights glowing around the corner, and then, the train arrived! It was literally inches away from us, flying by. It was a very long train, and the whole ordeal lasted for about 3 minutes as we sat dumbfounded by this strange occasion (mum kept saying how weird it is that we paid money to sit near a moving train). After what seemed a lot longer than 3 minutes, the train finally came to an end and the whole street resumed its usual hustle and bustle, the Vietnamese weren’t even phased! We stayed for a few more minutes before leaving, satisfied the 4th time lucky.    Leia mais

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  • Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
    Dia 7

    Leaving Hanoi by Matt

    20 de julho de 2023, Vietnã ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    After a short but eventful encounter with Hanoi we packed our bags, with a brief trip down the street to replace Arushi's broken suitcase with a new one, met our new guide Sunny, who certainly was, and headed out of the city.

    It rained most of the journey, heavily at times, and, as Sunny filled us in on the itinerary for the next 6 days, we were very glad to be in the tour van, dozing, chatting and catching up with the blog.    Leia mais

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  • Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
    Dia 7

    Mai Chau- Bike Ride and Swim by Eashan

    20 de julho de 2023, Vietnã ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    This morning we awoke early in the morning for our long drive ahead to our homestay. On the way we saw spectacular views overlooking Pom Coong where we then drove down to where our homestay was.

    When we got there we were taken to our room which was upstairs in a building on stilts! Millen and I were both very excited. In Hanoi I had recently bought a type of shuttlecock which was for a game called dacau which is like badminton except which your feet which I was quick to get out given the space. There was also a pool overlooking a hill on which the rest of the village was. You could also see the mountains way off into the distance which was super special, especially when the sun dipped down between the 2 tallest ones.

    In the afternoon, after a delicious platter of loads of food for lunch, we went for a 14km cycle ride in the village and its surroundings We even stopped in some paddy fields to plant some rice with the local farmers and struggled to keeps ours as neat as theirs yet have I just missed it they remained good humoured about our efforts. We weren't very good and got very muddy but it was still a great experience.

    Most of the communities in this area are actually Thai people, an ethnic group with two local branches, White Thai and Black Thai.. this is not skin colour related by the way. The Thai people are highly skilled at wet rice cultivation and their homes are built in a raised stilt style. I sampled my first sticky rice sticks here and am a big fan!

    Once we got back Millen and I went to play football with the local kids whilst the others sat and relaxed for a bit. When we came back from football, we were extremely sweaty so we went for a midnight dip (although it was only 9:30) and the underwater rainbow lights even came on for them. Then we settled down for the night with our bellies full from another delicious dinner.    Leia mais

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  • Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
    Dia 8

    Leaving Mai Chau for Puluong by Simi

    21 de julho de 2023, Vietnã ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    We left our humble home stay for the terraced paddy fields of Puluong.

    We decided to walk the last part of the way as could cut through paddy fields and enjoy the view more whilst the minivan had to take the long winding road round.

    The slow pace in Pu Luong , like Mai Chau is a striking contrast to life in Hanoi just a few hours away. Endless mountains, fertile valleys and pristine jungle and the extremely attractive rice terraces are all very good for the soul as well as being photogenic!

    Everyone we see whether it’s a small cute child, a moped riding teenager, a hard working farmer, a older generation hand loomer.. smile and say big hellos! It’s completely charming and beguiling to see their huge smiles and their gentle friendliness to us all.

    We arrived at our lovely hotel
    And enjoyed a dip in the pool
    And dinner !    Leia mais

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  • Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
    Dia 8

    Hikes & Arriving at Puluong by Eashan

    21 de julho de 2023, Vietnã ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    This morning, we set off for Mai Chau but not before a hearty breakfast of toast and pastries with coconut and other delicious food.

    We stopped on the way with an incredible view of Pu Luong and we then hiked down the mountain to meet the van at our next hotel. The path was zig-zagging down the side of the mountain. We saw loads of chickens and hens along the path. There were huge rice paddy fields along the side of the mountain which we walked along.

    At first we were going at a good steady pace but within a few minutes, the suns beating, harsh rays proved too much for any of us and we slowed down dramatically until, finally the van was in sight and we marched on until we arrived.

    We put everything away and had a look around. We had a surprisingly busy pool and a beautiful view, as well as a swing and lying area outside. Simi and Matt quickly settled down on the deckchairs by the pool with a beer while Arushi, Millen and Eashan jumped into the pool.

    That night, for dinner, we had loads of noodles and fruit and deep fried vegetables as well as pork and other meat. All of this was accompanied by fresh juice/wine to drown it down and also an army of ants invading our dinner. However we managed to get back without too many bites to settle down with some much needed rest after a long day of hikes and travelling.    Leia mais

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  • Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
    Dia 9

    Pu Luong Swing Walk by Matt

    22 de julho de 2023, Vietnã ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    We hadn't bothered to shut the curtains so we were woken up by the sun rising over the distant hills to reveal to the breath taking views of rice fields, the stunning panorama visible through the wall to wall windows from our beds! A low cloud hung over peaks but it was otherwise a clear blue sky.

    There was no sign of the giant cockroach in the bathroom, which I'd found last night clinging to the side of my toothbrush. We got ready, roused the children from next door and went out to seek the egg chef. Eashan had discovered a new breakfast favourite consisting of purple sticky rice, rolled up in a palm leaf like a cigar, dipped in chopped peanuts.

    Sunny filled us in on our day's activities, consisting of walking, waterfalls, waterwheels and rafting! We set off directly from the homestay and shortly came to a beautiful swing, decorated with colourful ribbons and perched on a ledge above the rice terraces. We took turns to have a go and, with the rice fields below and jungle in the distance, it felt, as the kids remarked, that you were on top of the world.

    After traversing the mud walls to a rock for a photo, Sunny paid a nearby shop the swing fee and we borrowed her tap to wash our feet, we set off down the winding road, lush green rice terraces either side.

    The road descended into the valley, becoming steeper and steeper, until we reached a shallow river that we needed to cross. It was cooling and a welcome relief from the muggy heat, the boys completely immersing themselves and sliding over the rocks with the current.

    From there we trekked through some villages, passing ladies using basic looms to make scarves, smiling children and old men sleeping in hammocks all underneath their wooden houses on stilts. One little boy was even keen to exchange fist pumps with Arushi and Simi.

    We finished up at a small nondescript village and ate at a very basic place, little more than an open kitchen and a few tables, with either fried noodles or noodle soup on the menu. Opting for chicken and veg fried noodles, we admired and smelled the various containers of rice wine flavoured with fruit, goat legs and even snake!    Leia mais

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  • Family Of 5 Vietnam + Cambodia
    Dia 9

    Waterfalls by Millen

    22 de julho de 2023, Vietnã ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    After being dropped off by the van we clambered 800 metres up a steep hill, sweating whilst others used the entrepreneurial method of adopting the moped taxi service instead!

    We finally reached the waterfall - it was pretty fast and furious with limited spaces from where we could jump from. However, I found a good spot to jump off from a tree, so we did that a few times until we saw a couple of boys jumping off from the rocks.

    We quickly followed them, a bit sceptical at first but we jumped in and became more confident (or as mum says cocky and even flamboyant) as time went on.

    It became busier as more of us were jumping in and even a few parents were jumping off as well! I made a new friend called Tien and we took a photo together but I quickly had so disappear down the mountain to go back in the van to head bamboo rafting    Leia mais

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