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- Day 1
- Tuesday, September 24, 2019
- ☀️ 30 °C
- Altitude: 121 ft
VietnamHoan Kiem Lake21°1’58” N 105°51’14” E
Vie. Viet. Vietna. Vietnam!

Jeez. Tickets for March 9th. Trip postponed. Tickets for September 9th. Trip postponed. Tickets for September 15th. Trip postponed. Tickets for September 23rd. Finally!
After awhile I wasn't sure that I'd ever make it back to Vietnam. This despite already planning my next visit before Augie and I left Hanoi last year. That trip with Augie was so epic that I had to get back as soon as I could.
Worth the wait! This time I flew with Nancy and our good friends Don and Mary. We've been planning this month - long trip since March. We have enlisted a tour agency to provide us with a driver who will take us to some great places as we move from north to south of this beautiful country. Two weeks in tour, three days in Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, followed by two more weeks riding motorbikes in the northern mountains near the Chinese border.
I've included some photos from last year to get us in the mood!Read more
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- Day 3
- Thursday, September 26, 2019
- ⛅ 30 °C
- Altitude: 102 ft
VietnamHoan Kiem Lake21°1’56” N 105°51’9” E
Hanoi

SFO to Hanoi
A short report here.
Our friends from Amsterdam will be staying in our house while we are away. We spent three pleasant days together before Augie dropped us at the airport. They made us some delicious beet burgers for us on our last evening together. We need to ask for the recipe.
We met our friends Don and Mary at the International Terminal and immediately headed to the KLM lounge for a bit of food and relaxation. The flight was long, but uneventful. Before we knew it we'd all slept well and arrived in Hanoi. The line to finalize the visa was tedious, but soon we were sitting in our hotel lobby having a tete a tete with the tour operator who helped us arrange our route and driver. Manh ta Tien was very enthusiastic and supportive as we laid out our route from north to south.
Hanoi
Long Ha bay
Ninh Binh
Phong Nha
Peacetrees
Hue
Hoi An
Ho Chi Minh Saigon
and the Mekong
In Hanoi we had our first meal at Bun Cha Huong Lein. The restaurant made famous when Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain shared a meal there. They have since enclosed the table and place settings in plexiglass. The food was delicious. Note that Nancy and I didn't even take time to look up at the camera.
Next. Long Ha bay cruise...Read more
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- Day 4
- Friday, September 27, 2019 at 12:00 PM
- ⛅ 29 °C
- Altitude: Sea level
VietnamLe Dragon20°49’36” N 107°8’21” E
Ha Long Long Ha Bays

Ha Long Bay. I first read about this area a limestone karsts almost thirty years ago. Sea Kayak magazine ran a trip repo on the place. It was relatively empty then, it's pretty much packed now. Manh from Vietnam Real Tours booked us a trip to the lesser traveled Long Ha bay.
This was the first cruise that Nancy and I had ever been on and I have to admit it was pretty plush. We participated in most of the activities. Kayaking, bicycling, swimming, and a cooking class. We skipped sunrise yoga in favor of staying in bed.
We cycled to a small village on Cat Ba island for a wine tasting. Cat Ba translates to 'Women's Island' and is about 100x larger than nearby 'Man's Island'. The rice wine tasting was special in that it took several forms based on whatever was being pickled in the wine. Most of the concoctions were brewed with plants and herbs to be beneficial to women's health. Vitality, cancer prevention, smooth skin, youthful appearance. The men's concoctions were brewed with scorpion and snake and dedicated to stamina and fertility.
Don and I took part in a cooking class/competition. Things were fine until he brought in a ringer from the audience to coach him on the finer points. Despite the shenanigans it all turned out to be delicious.Read more
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- Day 4
- Friday, September 27, 2019 at 9:00 PM
- 🌙 26 °C
- Altitude: 66 ft
VietnamHoan Kiem Lake21°1’47” N 105°51’8” E
Hanoian Evening

We spent the afternoon and evening exploring Hanoi and its Old Town. Actually, I spent the afternoon catching Grab taxis on failed errands for moto gear and phone sims all over the city. Nancy, Don, and Mary spent the afternoon getting lost on the way to and the way back from a water puppet show where Nancy was able to extend her 'blur' photography portfolio. We met for our first banh mi sandwich before continuing our walk into the evening.
After watching Don and Mary finish their gelatos we headed to the famous Hanoi Beer Corner. Beer corner was just getting started, but we did get to witness a beer cheerleading squad.
Beer Corner video:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/DVegn5anZtqWD4jaA
Don and Mary retired for the night and Nancy and I continued our walk to Hoàn Kiếm lake. The lake is at the center of north Vietnamese culture as it is the place where the metal to forge a famous sword was given to the king to defend the homeland. The turtle god then asked for the sword back when the king was finished with it. Hoàn Kiếm is also a center for Hanoian nightlife. People stroll its shores much like an evening promenade around the zocalo in Mexico. It seemed that every few steps we ran into people practicing dance steps, jumping rope, playing jenga, or singing pop-up karaoke.
Here are a couple of video links from our stroll.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/d5f2pxoNh1votApa8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZyzoVVfFoqcwQrQL9Read more

flowerstonehi guys, you really are having fun right from the start he? And a lot of energy, it looks like! Great pictures and vids :-)
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- Day 6
- Sunday, September 29, 2019
- ☀️ 32 °C
- Altitude: 52 ft
VietnamVũ Lâm20°13’17” N 105°56’16” E
Tam Coc Ninh Binh

We have left Hanoi and begun our trek south. We are traveling in a Ford Transit passenger van driven by Phuc, a native Hanoian who speaks only Vietnamese. We use a combination of Google Translate and texting our tour operator Manh to communicate directions and plans.
First stop is Tam Coc Ninh Binh. Tam Coc is an area of limestone karsts similar to Ha Long bay. These formations are surrounded by rice fields rather than ocean. We stay at Sunshine Homestay with Phan and her family. Augie and I so enjoyed this place last year that we extended our stay for several days. The family is pleasant, the area is fascinating, and Phan's cooking is really wonderful.
We spent our first evening hiking up the karst at Mua Cave for a view from above. The next morning we woke early and drove to nearby Trang An where we followed a waterway through nine caves and three temples. Unfortunately someone let a small Smokey like creature into one of the temple areas. Still, it is a pretty cool place. Our last stop for the day was the ancient citadel of the northern kingdom. Mary took a photogenic ride on a traditionally attired water buffalo.Read more
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- Day 8
- Tuesday, October 1, 2019
- ⛅ 33 °C
- Altitude: 89 ft
VietnamĐá Lòn17°35’44” N 106°16’60” E
Phong Nha

We spent most of a day driving from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha. The trip took a little extra because ws asked the driver to cross a stream bed to bypass a 'road closed to cars' sign. We also asked him to add a half hour or so to steer away from the busy truck traffic on the A1. This allowed us to head up into the mountains and witness some stunning landscapes. The mountain road is now designated the Ho Chi Minh route. At one point the road suddenly get very flat and straight for about a mile. The road here is a remnant of the clandestine airstrip built by the north Vietnamese to land and refuel Russian MIG fighters flown by Vietnamese pilots. The US forces in Danang were completely unprepared as they assumed that they were beyond the range of those planes. The attack shook US confidence.
Phong Nha is a town bordering Ke Bang National Park. It's sort of a case study in tourist planning and zoning gone wrong, but it does have its positives. The government built a streetscape heading out of the town to the south that is now completely crumbling and overgrown. The actual investor related development snakes up the riverside for several kilometers. Lots of homestays Nd bars right on the river.
Ke Bang National Park is home to several of the largest caves in the world. One of which is the largest. Period. That one costs 3k to enter and takes days to explore. We chose the cheaper and more visited Paradise Cave. It is vast and filled with interesting formations. See the first few photos below.
In the late afternoon we visited Phong Nha Cave. It is a few miles upriver from the town and requires a boat to visit. See the subsequent photos.
Evening we headed out to Momma D's. A new open air bar/restaurant atop one of the tallest buildings in the area. Momma D, from Edmonton, Alberta is a great host. See photo from the rooftop.Read more
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- Day 9
- Wednesday, October 2, 2019
- ⛅ 33 °C
- Altitude: 36 ft
VietnamĐông Hà16°48’12” N 107°4’50” E
PeaceTrees Vietnam

After a hearty breakfast of very fresh eggs and rolls (and chocolate pancakes for Don), we left Phong Nha early, at 7, for our day visiting with PeaceTrees, the organization Hans and Augie visited last year and one that we support as a family. It was an incredible day. The PeaceTrees slogan is "Healing the land. Building community. Planting futures." The organization, a US non-profit, based in Seattle, was started by Jerilyn Cheney and her husband Danaan Perry. Jerilyn's brother, Daniel, was killed in Vietnam and Jerilyn vowed that when the time was right, she would figure out a way forward. Her way became PeaceTrees, now a thriving organization that does land mine removal and land mine education for children as well as provide support for families with someone who has been injured by a UED. The organization works in several provinces bordering the former DMZ. These provinces were heavily bombed during the war and much of the land is still unusable due to unexploded ordinance. Consequently, they are the poorest provinces in the country. PeaceTrees also partners with communities to build kindergartens, support families with healthy food and clean water, and build community centers.
We met the In-Country Director, Ha Phan, at a small coffee shop near Dong Ha. Our first stop was a kindergarten in a small village in the mountains near Laos. On the drive to the village, Ha told us that the money for the school was donated by a Vietnam vet in memory of his best friend, killed in the war. She also told us how she came to PeaceTrees. She started as an intern after university, and was tasked with interviewing survivors of land mine explosions. The first day on the job she spoke to an 18 year old young man, just married, who lost both hands due to an explosion. That interview transformed her and she had been with the organization for 18 years now.
The school was a bright open one room building, with colorful decorations in the walls. The children were eating lunch when we arrived. The focus of the school is teaching children Vietnamese, as the Viet language is used in school, business, industry, etc. A community has to ask for a school. This is not an organization that swoops in and takes over. If the community asks, PeaceTrees works with the community to design and develop the school, which is built by locals.
As a birthday present this year, Don had given Hans a portable mini-printer, which Hans brought along. We were all taking tons of photos, and Hans took photos of groups of kids. The children were amazed, watching this 5x7 inch device spit out an image. He'd hand them the photo and they'd smile and laugh. Don and Mary handed out stickers. The kids sang for us and we sang for them: the first verse, and the first verse only, of Mary Had A Little Lamb. After distributing gifts provided by Peace Trees, we said our goodbyes and headed to lunch and coffee. Here is a link to some of the singing: https://photos.app.goo.gl/RtYkDkWMPmcGEiDQ9
The next stop in our day was the unexploded ordinance clearance site, where we met the team of 10 folks doing on the ground de-mining. Brave people. (PeaceTrees has 10 teams is the field.) They receive extensive training, but still, it is risky work with potentially fatal consequences. Wow. This work is funded by The Office of Weapons Abatement and Removal, a US Department of State office. Our tax dollars paid to drop them in the first place and are now paying to remove them. The team showed us a map of all the bombs dropped across the province, a map of dense red dots covering pretty much the entire province. The data was provided by the US Air Force. The area the team was working in was a rubber tree plantation. They started in February, and to date, had removed 92 unexploded ordance (UDX) so far, and expected to finish up at the end of the month. The area was the size of a football field. They walk every inch, using sensitive metal detectors, to ferrett out what lies below the surface. Not every find is a UDX, but it has to be treated as such.
The team had saved a cluster bomb for us to detonate. We could see it lying in the sandbagged hole they'd carefully excavated around it. It was a small black ball, the size of a tennis ball. You could see why it would be so appealing to a kid. A single bomb held hundreds of these small balls. When they exploded, they sent out small bullet - like projectiles that reached a radius of 300 feet. Anything in the area didn't have a chance. Mary and I were given the task of blowing it up, but before we did, we had to sign a waiver and provide our blood type. Just in case…. The team made sure the site was secure, then ran a wire from the bomb to the detonation site, 300 feet away. We practiced, Mary armed the device with one button and I hit the Fire button. After the technician, a young woman, wired it up, and the team leader counted down in Vietnamese, we pressed our buttons. It was deafening and terrifying. I could imagine the impact. Here is a link to the video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZehWCvYUS41Si17X6
Our day ended with a visit to the PeaceTrees office, on a former Marine base. We saw the tree Hans and Augie planted last year. It was an amazing day, and I urge you to check out the PeaceTrees website to learn more about what they do. There's a short video there about a day in the life of a young woman working on a de-mining team.Read more
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- Day 10
- Thursday, October 3, 2019
- ⛅ 35 °C
- Altitude: 33 ft
VietnamNorth Central Coast16°28’7” N 107°35’39” E
Hue

It is hot and humid again. It should remain so for the rest of the trip as we move south. Note the 'feels like' on the photo below. 114! On top of that I have come down with a head and chest cold that is slowing me further.
I did manage to get out to visit the royal tombs in this ancient capital. Hue was the residence of the royal families over the past several centuries. Emperors spent money and time designing and building their tombs and completing those of their ancestors. The practice has filtered down to middle class families in this central area of the country. We were told that this is not the practice in the north. We visited Minh Mang and Tu Duc tombs. Tu Duc was the more fascinating.
Google has misdirected us on several occasions. Earlier in the trip it sent us through a riverbed and construction zone. In between tombs it sent us on a newly constructed and very narrow road with lots of overhanging branches and right angle curves. Not the best for a 19ft long step van. Phuc managed pretty well until we encountered a tuk tuk blocking the road with no driver around. A little clutch work and a bit of shoving from the peanut gallery got us underway again. Phuc was not amused.
As my cold deepened I spent the afternoon and evening resting. Nancy, Mary, and Don toured the Imperial Palace complex. We met for dinner at another highly rated restaurant featuring local dishes; Madam Thu. Night before we hit a less fancy but just as delicious place; The Hanh Restaurant.Read more
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- Day 12
- Saturday, October 5, 2019
- ⛅ 31 °C
- Altitude: 20 ft
VietnamHoi An15°52’32” N 108°19’38” E
Hoi An

Hoi An. Chosen by Travel and Leisure magazine as the best city in the world to visit in 2019. This could be bad...
At least that's what I remember thinking when I read the article. One more place in the world to become like San Francisco, Venice, or Amsterdam. But it turned out to to be less over the top than I expected. If anything there were more Vietnamese tourist families there than any other sub group. Certainly more pleasant than last year when every other tourist scoping out the copious shops and restaurants was a a pink scowling Russian.
We drove from Hue to Hoi An over the Hai Van pass. A squiggly mountain road with a view much like a spot along the Big Sur coast. I caught a photo of our crew on the pass and a selfie with our driver Phuc. From there we skirted along the coast at Danang and arrived at our idyllic little hotel in Old Town Hoi An.
Nancy and I immediately headed out to Ba Ri tailor to be fitted for some new togs. The women who fitted us were the same sisters who'd fitted Augie and I for our Mumbai wedding suits last year. They kept asking about my son and asking to see pictures each time we returned to the shop over subsequent days.
That evening we all walked around the night market buying smoothies and looking at some interesting grilled foods. We sat and watched the spectacle on the river as tourists hired boats to float in the estuaries. People floated candles in paper boats for blessings. It was quite beautiful. Nancy commented that she was enchanted by it all.
Don and Mary spent the next day exploring with a rented scooter and visiting the beach. Nancy spent her time shopping for cold remedies, bringing me sodas, and taking photos. We did get out to some really good restaurants in town. We returned to Ban Mi Phuong and found an excellent Greek restaurant run by a congenial gentleman from Crete.
I'm feeling better today as we head to the airport in Danang for our flight to Ho Chi Minh. Hopefully a guy with a sign with be waiting for us at the other end.Read more
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- Day 14
- Monday, October 7, 2019
- ⛅ 32 °C
- Altitude: 30 ft
Vietnamkenh Hy Vong10°49’21” N 106°38’0” E
Ho Chi Minh City

We landed in Saigon, checked into our hotel and immediately made it over to the Ben Thanh market. The tourist sites refer to this as the central market in not only Saigon, but all of Vietnam. Lists of places to visit and walking tours all start here. It's a great place for introduction. The market is over 7000 square meters of clothing, knickknacks, bulk items, fresh foods, and food stalls.
We wandered around the aisles for awhile waiting for just the right scent emanating from a kitchen to lure us to lunch. We found it and took seats along with a couple of Australian tourists on holiday. They'd just finished a beef salad bowl called 'special bowl' on the menu and recommended it. That and a mango Lassi really hit the spot.
The afternoon we wandered up toward the ex presidential palace and American Consulate. Memories of war coverage came flashing back.
In the evening we took a Grab taxi to Belgo, a Belgian brew pub some 3 kilometers away. The burger and Belgian frites with Samurai sauce were excellent. The beers were spot on as well.
Our last night in Ho Chi Minh was spent at the Continental hotel. The legendary historic inn where Graham Greene wrote The Quiet American, the war journalists liked to drink in the 60s, and Bourdain preferred during his visits to the city. The hotel upgraded our rooms to suites. Nancy and I had two bedrooms with full baths and Don and Mary's spacious digs overlooked the Opera House. A night to remember.Read more
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- Day 15
- Tuesday, October 8, 2019
- ⛅ 30 °C
- Altitude: 36 ft
VietnamKhu Vực Hai10°6’45” N 105°42’45” E
Mekong

We took a two day tour on the Mekong. Another overnight on a wooden boat. It was quite relaxing and filled with activities introducing us to the region. We took a farm walk, visited a bee farm, a mushroom farm, took a bicycle ride on the levy paths, and were rowed around on small canoes by chatty Vietnamese women, ate well, and enjoyed watching the world go by on the river. The farm walk included a 'happy room' on stilts over a cesspool of fish. Our guide explained that these fish 'are only for family consumption, not for sale.'Read more
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- Day 18
- Friday, October 11, 2019 at 8:23 AM
- ⛅ 28 °C
- Altitude: 33 ft
CambodiaPhumĭ Ta Phŭl13°21’44” N 103°50’29” E
Siem Reap

We said goodbye to Mary. She flew home from Ho Chi Minh City and is now back to work as Luna's service human. Don, Nancy, and I boarded a flight to Siem Reap, a seedy tourist town adjacent to the Angkor complex of temples and cities.
The area was the center of the Khmer civilization from 900 to 1500ce. We had been comped a few Urban Adventures tours due to a snafu with our Intrepid Tours trip to India last year. We signed up for an eight hour group trip through the complex for the day after our arrival. Turned out we were the only people in the group as it is slow season in Cambodia. Vantha was our guide and Hua our driver. They had worked together for over ten years, the last three with Urban Adventures. Vantha was born in Siem Reap. He lamented some of the changes he'd seen over the past several decades as tourism has boomed in the area. Environmental degradation, extremely busy sites, and rising land costs were among his concerns. He was, however, pleased with he opportunities that this brought to the region. He shared that Siem Reap was a French colonial bastardization of Siam Re'ad which means 'defeat of the Siamese'. He expanded that criticism to the name Cambodia which is from Kampuchea
Siem Reap is a prime example of a city overrun by tourism. Bars, KTVs, massage parlors, and western restaurants everywhere. In two short blocks Don was approached by 4 different tuk tuk drivers offering to take him to various women. Augie said that as he and his friend were walking together last November the number was 40 or 50 such offers in the course of an evening.
We did manage to find several restaurants run by local women during our stay. I also tracked down two legit massage businesses. Nancy and Don had foot massages, I got the Khmer style full body. We also toured a school for local artisans working in silk, painting, sculpture, and metal work. 'Bad with the good' is what our tour guide said.
We toured the area in the air conditioned luxury of an eight person passenger van. Our tour took us to three palaces; Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and the unrestored Bantaey Kdei. It has been estimated that Angkor Thom was the largest city in the world at its height in the 13th century. One million people. This was estimated through recent LIDAR flyovers of the area.
As we toured I couldn't help but imagine what this place might have been like when Pop visited here in 1969. Even the most restored temples were overgrown with jungle. Must have been quite an experience to fly into a dirt landing and have no one around as he climbed through the ruins. As it was we were at times inundated by tour groups of over 100. Lots of selfies with the Buddhas at these sites. At one point Don mused, "I wonder how many photographs have been taken since the dawn of cell phones and digital photography?"
I write this from the Plaza Premium lounge at the airport. One of the nicest we've visited, but not enough to lure me back to Siem Reap.Read more
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- Day 22
- Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at 7:13 AM
- ⛅ 20 °C
- Altitude: 374 ft
VietnamThành Phố Hà Giang22°49’10” N 104°58’44” E
Hanoi to HaGiang

We spent the last few days preparing for and riding motorbikes from Hanoi to Ha Giang. Ha Giang is the northern most province in Vietnam.
It was fun to be in Hanoi again. We took several walks around the city and picked up our 110cc Honda Blade semi automatic motorbikes at Tigit Rentals. Augie and I used the same company and rented the same model bikes for last year's adventure. Augie said that he'd used chainsaws with larger engines than these bikes! Still, they are all that one needs on these roads. At Tigit we met a poodle chihuahua mix that is the closest thing to a demi dog I could have imagined. Way beyond cute. We also spent some time shopping for Nancy's new helmet. It is quite unique and she is very pleased as you can see in the photographs.
Our concerns about getting out of the hustle amd bustle of Hanoi were largely unfounded. It was somewhat busy, but not too bad. By one hour out we were in the countryside. By two hours out everyone got accustomed to the bikes and started to really enjoy themselves.
We stayed the first night halfway between Hanoi and Ha Giang. 170 kilometers. We were all weary when we pulled into Vu Linh Homestay. We witnessed some old world working of the land. In the evening we ate family style with three generations in the host family. Food was delicious and the rice wine flowed freely. 'Humaduum' we would exclaim as we shook hands after each and every shot of 'happy water'. We were all tipsy by the time we stumbled back to our rooms---at 8:30pm.
Second day the roads were less congested and the views got better. We dealt with a flat tire at a mechanic some 5 kilometers up the road. $1.30 to put two patches on the tube. We passed a few waterfalls and took a ferry ride on a boat piloted by an 12 year old. Video here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/c3ZBHMyRx8S3isH68
Pretty chill start to what, by all accounts, will be an incredible ride.Read more
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- Day 24
- Thursday, October 17, 2019 at 6:03 PM
- 🌧 17 °C
- Altitude: 3,110 ft
VietnamThị Trấn Mèo Vạc23°9’59” N 105°24’39” E
Ha Giang to Meo Vac

We spent the first night of our mountain riding in a Dao hill tribe village homestay. Once again the rice wine flowed freely with chant of 'Mot,Hai, Ba, Yooo!' and followed by the tribal thank you 'Homaduum' with handshakes all around. We were able to take a nice, long soak in a Dao herbal bath infused with tobacco leaves. The view across the valley was gorgeous.
People in these hills live long laborious lives. We saw children as young as six and adults well onto their 90s engaged in the efforts of day to day survival. I guess letting go with a cheap rice wine every night helps to make it a little more worthwhile. In several villages we passed gatherings of villagers dressed to the nines in brightly colored clothing.
The riding has been spectacular. Each new pass leads to another idyllic valley. Some villages look unreal and more like like demonstration models of feng shui. The riding has also been busy. There are tons of twenty and thirty year olds plying this landscape. Some solo, but most in tours of 30 or 40 motorbikes. It is zooey.
We did get off on some nice roads. Here's a video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QTLnYRtvo4wvpFni6
Not so the larger towns. They seem more like wild west boomtowns with the tourist money flowing in. Meo Vac is one such town. Busy and a bit overpriced. We landed in a circle of newly built and newly opened homestay houses constructed around a central courtyard. Unfortunately for us our quiet was interrupted by a group of 45 riders who proved themselves to be the worst of travelers. Party music thumped into the night leaving us with little rest and more than a little annoyed.Read more
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- Day 27
- Sunday, October 20, 2019
- ⛅ 22 °C
- Altitude: 3,150 ft
VietnamThị Trấn Mèo Vạc23°9’52” N 105°24’28” E
Exploring Meo Vac

This is our fourth day in Meo Vac, the northern city that is not far from the Chinese border. It is surrounded by steep mountains, and is at the bottom of the Mai Pi Leng Pass. The pass is a 22 km stretch of winding road known as the Happiness Road. It took 11 months to build and was completed in 1950 by ethnic minority and Vietnamese youth. The Youth Monument, a colossal statue built on the side of the road commemorates the effort. The pass is almost 5000 feet high and looks down into the turquoise water of the Nho Que river.
Hans took a spill a few days ago and rested up while Don and I explored. Don has been eager to get as close to the Chinese border as possible, so we were delighted to discover the road to China. It split off from the Happiness Road and switched back down to the river in tight curves. We crossed the river and followed the road as it rose steeply and steadily up and up, over another pass and another. As soon as we crossed the river, however, the macadam dissolved, replaced by stones and mud. I followed Don as he carefully and impressively picked his way through the dirt. Up and up and up.
But China was not to be. About 6 km from the border, we hit a small guard house and 2 representatives of the Vietnamese military. Just one look at us, a shake of the head, a hand gesture indicating 'turn around now' was all it took. I did pause and ask if I could take a photo, but another firm shake of the head told me that we should get out of there fast, before they asked for papers.
We were able to enjoy our ride down a bit more, stopping to admire the river, at least 1000 feet below us, waving to the kids walking home from school, gawking at the villages, and gasping at the spectacular scenery.
Before heading back to Meo Vac, we decided to ride up to the Mai Pi Leng Pass. The road hugs the limestone cliffs, with sudden and severe several thousand foot drops off to the right, so as a driver, you really have to be on your toes. The view is absolutely stunning, into Vietnam's narrowest river canyon, so we made sure to stop plenty of times.
There is a path called the Sky Path that leads into the many small villages above the road, so we found the start of it, and promised to return the following day. It lead up from the road, into the green mountains. Definitely worth the effort.
It was legendary. The path runs somewhat parallel to the road, but in some places is at least 1000 feet above the road. I think we did see all the way into China. Part of the road is scooter-able, part is a pedestrian path only (though I'm sure that at least one hapless tourist thought it might be a good idea to try it). The trail took us up and over several passes to small villages where laughing children ran away from us, hiding. We saw rural life in sharp relief. Parents working in the fields, teens doing reluctant chores, phone in hand, and the smaller kids minding the goats and cattle. Amazingly, we did not run across any other tourists walking on the path. The entire hike took about three hours, truly magical.
I'd like to pause for a minute here just to comment on the riding skills I saw first hand on this extremely narrow path with steep drop-offs and sharp turns and a descent angle of at least 10 percent. First off there's usually more than one person in the scooter. A family with a bunch of kids, teens, a couple. Second off, there's usually some load as well. A bag of cement, an enormous bundle of firewood, building materials, bags of this and that, propane cannisters. You get the picture -- overloaded. And finally, the drivers are coasting, gliding down the mountain as if they're on skis. When they reach the up slope, they coast along until the bike slows, then pop it into gear, and take off. It's truly impressive to see.
The pedestrian part of the path led us along the base of the white cliffs. We happened upon four goats, bells around their necks tinkling. A girl passed us, in traditional Hmong dress of a brightly colored heavy swishy skirt, leggings, plastic sandals, and a blouse. She carried a small bouquet of daisies she'd picked and looked as surprised to see us as we were to see her. The trail took us down hundreds of steps, through another small village and past kitchen gardens of lettuce and corn, back to the road, where we picked up our scooter.
Epic.
Now, we're on our way east, heading to Cao Bang, to see the waterfall on the Chinese border and Ho Chi Mihn's cave. Hans will come by car. My last day of riding is tomorrow, as I'll ship my bike back to Hanoi and head back to Hanoi by car with Hans. He's off to get his knee checked out by a doctor.
Until next time!Read more
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- Day 30
- Wednesday, October 23, 2019
- 🌧 24 °C
- Altitude: 653 ft
VietnamSông Trà Lĩnh22°40’12” N 106°16’7” E
Ban Gioc Waterfall

After two days riding, Don and I met up with Hans in the eastern city of Cao Bang. It's a fairly large city and is the provincal capital. It's located in the middle of the province, on the banks of the Bang Giang River. The ride from Meo Vac to Cao Bang was fairly easy, after Don and I sorted out our route. We left Meo Vac and drove in completely the wrong direction, on a twisty mountain pot-holed road, in a heavy drizzle, for a good 15 km before figuring out our mistake! Hans could see us on the map (thanks to Google location sharing), and texted and called, trying in vain to reach us. Oops. Well, an hour later we were finally heading in the right direction.
Our ride took us on a lovely, wide, well-banked and well-maintained road. We headed up and over a high pass, shrouded in mist, dropped to a river valley, and then went up and over several more passes until the air became tropical, where we stopped to take off a layer. We drove through villages and construction sites, slowed for kids getting out of school, and water buffalo crossing the road. At a coffee stop on our second day, we happened upon a praying mantis that was at least 8 or 10 inches long. It was just sitting on the concrete floor of the open air cafe. I desperately didn't want anyone to step on it, but just as desperately didn't want to touch it. So I kept my eye on it and shooed away the dogs that were very curious about it. Just as we were leaving, as I clapped my hands at the dogs and shooed them off, a local woman walked by and I pointed to it. She was wearing a traditional dress we hadn't seen before -- a white headscarf, slacks, white blouse. She reached down and plucked it off the ground, holding it fairly gently right behind its head. The praying mantis was fluttering its huge wings and waving its 8 legs. It was almost clacking. She held it up to me; I shook my head and started laughing. She started laughing and tried to put it on my shoulder, but I shrieked. The woman's friend and everyone else in the cafe started laughing as well. Howling! I could only imagine what they were thinking: how could this person be afraid of bugs? She then tossed the praying mantis in the air, it fluttered off, and we both continued to laugh.
Anyway, the waterfall. The Ban Gioc waterfall is one of the world's wonders. It's river marks the border with China and is about 80 km north of Cao Bang. It consists of two waterfalls on the Quay Son River. The water drops 98 feet and is separated into multiple falls by the topography: rocks and trees. The ground all around is wet, and it feels like it's raining (in addition to the actual rain)! And it's thunderously loud.
Standing on the Vietnamese side we saw tour boats circling one another as they made their way up to the base of the falls. Upon reaching shore Hans immediately said, 'Let's go!' and hobbled down the gang plank to the next boat out. It was great fun. We sat right up front and were often within arm's reach of the people on the Chinese sister boats. Our boat made it right to the base of the falls and we all got damp in the mist. As our boat swung back around it came within three meters of the Chinese shoreline. Don and I wanted to jump ship to see what might happen, but Hans' voice of reason called us back.
Once back on land, we helped Hans get settled at a cafe, then wandered through the stalls looking for gift-y things. No go, but we had a good time shopping and playing with the cutest puppies ever. Once the rain lifted, we walked back out to the waterfalls to admire the cascades.
And little did I know, my days as a regular run-of-the-mill tourist were just about to end. I was approached by a woman in a bright red Vietnam t-shirt, with a yellow star on the front, and 'Love Vietnam' on the back in yellow script. She was waving her phone, and beckoned me up to a monument marking the border. At first, I thought she wanted me to take her picture. But, no. She wanted me to be in her selfie. Within minutes, a dozen of her friends, all wearing identical t-shirts, were posing with me. Then group shots! I am going to be all over Instagram and social media, I just know it.
After a stop at a Bhuddist temple overlook, and a stop at the border (where we almostblost Don!) we lingered over a looong lunch. On our way back to Cao Bang, we stopped at a small village, famous for its knife making and other forging skills.
Definitely a highlight day. I didn't even know it was on my bucket list, but it was definitely one of those places. I loved waving to the Chinese tourists, and also seeing the joy of the Vietnamese tourists. People love their country here, and are so proud of its beauty. And they seem to embrace tourists.
It's a wonderful place to travel.
NancyRead more
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- Day 39
- Friday, November 1, 2019 at 7:28 PM
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 121 ft
VietnamHoan Kiem Lake21°1’58” N 105°51’14” E
Hanoi to Home

Over a week ago now, we headed south from Cao Bang -- Don on his sturdy Honda 110 and Hans and I by taxi. We passed him on the road!
Hans and I arrived in Hanoi on Thursday evening (24th), and spent most of the day Friday at one of Hanoi’s international hospitals. Turns out that Hans completely tore his quadriceps tendon, an injury that requires surgery -- the sooner the better. We spent Friday night figuring how to get Hans back home ASAP, talking to insurance, our doctor, the airlines, the credit card company...basically, anyone who could help figure our way through this. Hans ended up flying home on Saturday (26th) in business class. He had a Fit-to-Fly letter from the doctor, authorizing business class and wheelchair assistance. In Taipei, he received special treatment: transport between terminals in a cargo truck.
Don arrived in Hanoi just a few hours before Hans left for the airport. He had motorbiked south from Cao Bang to Ba Be National Park. His homestay, right on the 8km long Ba Be Lake, was down a muddy potholed jungly 5 km dirt road. He reported it as very peaceful. The next night he ended up at a homestay a few hours north of Hanoi, where he used Google translate to communicate with the owner’s parents.
Once Hans left, Don and I hit the sightseeing hard. (I felt a bit guilty, but knew that Hans would be in good hands with our son back at home.) We visited the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, a must-see if you ever go to Hanoi. It’s four floors of exhibits, all devoted to women in Vietnamese society: family, military, history, traditions, fashion, culture. The short video at the entrance is worth the price of admission. It focused on street vendors, the thousands of women selling everything from vegetables to flowers to household goods to feather dusters and toys. You see them on bicycles or scooters, or walking with heavy baskets dangling from a pole across their shoulders. We learned that the majority of these women are in Hanoi not by choice but by circumstance. There is not enough work in their home village to support their families, so they head to the city, visiting home as time allows. Life is hard: arriving at the market at 2 in the morning to buy vegetables, selling all day, returning to their boarding house at 7 or 8, only to do it again the next day.
We also visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, the Hoa Lo Prison Museum (aka Hanoi Hilton), the night market, the day market, the train street, the Temple of Literature, and the Imperial City. We ended up on a free walking tour, where we saw monuments, fountains, the cathedral, the Opera House, and were taken to a small upstairs cafe for the best egg coffee in Hanoi. (Hint: an eggnog like custard on top of a very strong espresso.) On our last morning, I got up early to walk the perimeter of Hoàn Kiếm Lake near the hotel to see the incredible variety of people exercising: stretching, dancing, jogging, bicycling, playing badminton, or lifting weights. Impressive. On his early morning walk, Don also took some videos.
Exercisers 1: https://photos.app.goo.gl/qWuczBLiikvKD4zi9
Exercisers 2: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GdjiLym9GGRERb2W8
Exercisers 3: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QnfLFzpbSRfRQk967
A few highlights from our sightseeing blast:
Train Street: Wow, it is really cool. The iconic part of Train Street, where the train curves around a bend, is closed to tourists. Too many Instagrammers -- I guess the street was overrun. Guards now sit at street crossings, preventing tourists from wandering across the tracks. We walked up, took a look, and Don offered a sticker to a little girl in a red sweater. Her grandma then walked over to us, showed us a piece of paper with 17:30 written on it. The train was due in an hour. We decided to walk around and come back. But closer to the railway station, we found a few blocks along the tracks still open to tourists, with several cafes for the weary wanderers. We parked ourselves at the Rail Way Cafe to wait. The train roared through pretty much on time, and it was a surprise. It really is dangerous! The train whizzes by at a fast clip, not two feet from where all the tourists were standing. Definitely a highlight. Don took a video:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/F6iq28tAWmDmrNp4A
The market: We wandered through the four story market, filled with fabric; souvenirs (where we loaded up on trinkets); shoes, shoes, and more shoes; tailors; food stores; and veggie stalls. Very colorful, and somewhat organized. We discovered the next market, with stalls and stalls of dried fish and shrimp; nuts; food stuffs; noodles. Outside, in a small alley, we happened upon the ‘live animal’ section. Cages and cages of song birds, soft-shelled turtles, snails, and carp swimming in tubs. A bit much for our western sensibilities. We didn’t take any pictures.
The Ho Chi Minh Complex: We decided to brave the lines and see Ho Chi Minh lying in state. We arrived early, and were delighted to see the line moving along at a fast clip. We had to surrender our bags at the security gate, but were allowed to bring our phones and small camera. We followed the line until we reached the large plaza, Ba Dihn Square, in front of the crypt itself. It’s a massive building, guarded by a military honor guard. Each soldier stands stiffly, and is completely dressed in white: pants, shirt, gloves, shoes, hat. ‘President Ho Chi Minh’ is inscribed on the outside of the building, and the slogan written inside the portico reads: ‘Nothing is more valuable than independence and freedom.’ Ho Chi Minh’s signature is in gold plate. You file in, two by two, up the stairs, into the cool, dim interior. The body lies in a glass coffin. No pictures or talking allowed. No hats or hands in pockets. You walk through at a slow but steady pace. It’s long enough to get a good look at Uncle Ho. Once outside, the route takes you through the rest of the complex: past the simple building where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked; past the Presidential Palace, where Ho Chi Minh decided not to live because it was too ornate; past the garage storing cars that ferried him to and from events; past the famous Stilt House, which reminded Uncle Ho the simple rural life; past the One Pillar Pagoda. It’s quite a huge complex for a man who didn’t want to be honored in this way. In his will, he specified that his ashes were to be scattered in the North and the South.
Ho Lao Prison: The infamous Hanoi Hilton we heard so much about during the Vietnam War. The prison where John McCain was held. Most of the exhibits focused on the French history; how the French tore down a village of potters to build the prison, and them brutally imprisoned male and female members of the resistance. A smaller section was devoted to the American War of Imperialism, with displays on the anti-war movement across the world. One part of the exhibit was a tribute to ‘Living Torches’: Men and women who immolated themselves to protest the war in Vietnam. A few panels were devoted to Norman Morrison, a Quaker who immolated himself in front of the Pentagon in 1965.
We ate a few wonderful meals, walked upwards of five miles each day, and talked about getting back home.
And here we are! I'm getting back in the swing of things while helping Hans recover from surgery. We’ll be home for a while, so let us know if you get to this part of the country. We’d love to see you.
NancyRead more
TravelerWe are looking forward to seeing your photos of your new adventure! Viet nam sounds amazing!
TravelerI hope this trip is as epic as the first!
Traveler
great picture ~