Vietnam, Seoul
During Nov 11 through Nov 20, 1996 I took a trip to Vietnam,
here are my trip notes.
Trip notes: Nov 2-3, 1996
Long foggy drive to PDX, hectic car retun. Vietnam vetrern car
shuttle guy. Phillipine girl to LAX, didn't like Asiana. Hong
Kong/Philly couple to SEL, paid $620. Al, used car salesman from
Detroit, 5th time to VN. Intense bargaining to get $4 taxi to
Saigon.
Nov 4 - Meet expats, travellers, bums at Saigon cafe - Al, Dana
from Minn, etc. University of VN, computer science prof. Give Linux
and Linux magazines - seemed pretty happy. Try Cuttlefish!
Nov 5 - '52 Renault, 72 year old nice driver - taxi to airport to
go to Hanoi. Confusion over price - my fault, I feel bad. Plane SGN
-> HAN -> SGN -> HAN (weather problems), one hour wait and
confusion in SGN. Feeling flu like on plane. Vietnam Brewery sales
guy on plane. Mini bus ride to town and bumpy cyclo ride to hotel
(1st one is full). Feeling really bad, turns out to be
diarrhea.
Nov 6 - In bed. 5 minute walk 1 block.
Nov 7 - Feeling a bit better. Morning walk around Hanoi - very
nice! Afternoon walk - meet Inger from Sweden. Go to water puppet
theater. 
Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake
Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi, out of Bao Tang Museum
Hanoi, Bao Tang Museum
Hanoi, Bao Tang Museum
Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi, Market
Hanoi, Market
Nov 8 - Feeling a bit better, cyclo ride to wrong train station,
walk to right one, walk out on train/bike bridge that we bombed.
1st train ride to Haiphong - meet Germans Linda & Karen, walk
through Haiphong - boat to Halong Bay - walk around.
Hanoi, Long Bien Bridge
Hanoi, Long Bien Bridge
Haiphong
Haiphong park
On the way to Halong Bay
On the way to Halong Bay
On the way to Halong Bay
On the way to Halong Bay
On the way to Halong Bay
Nov 9 - Boat with Linda & Karen to see caves/go swimming.
Really good weather and sights. Greg, Australian brick layer. Run
into Swedes again. 
Halong Bay, Linda and Karen
Halong Bay
Halong Bay
Halong Bay, cave
Halong Bay
Halong Bay
Halong Bay
Halong Bay
Halong Bay
Nov 10 - 6:30AM Bumpy bus to Minh Binh with Swiss Colette and ?
with enough time for boat ride around pice paddies with hills
popping out (Hoa Lu). All night train to Hue. (bombed church in
Minh Binh).
Nov 11 - Walk to Hotel - very diffent town. Rent bike and ride all
over tomb area south of Hue - very pretty but got lost in the maze
of paths, lots of kids saying "Hello" and aspiring to be tour
guides. 
Hue
Nov 12 - Ride to beach - 13 km along very scenic country road - try
to make train at 11AM - get 1PM to Danang. Try to find bus to Hoi
An - take moto with ex-ARVN guy - loves yanks. 
Hue, on the way to beach
Hue, on the way to beach
Hue, beach
Nov 13 - Bike to beach - 5 km - inundated by pinapple vendors -
size dresses and go back to beach for beers with Greg, MD and
Christian from Adalaide and Melbourne. Have dinner with Aus
sisters, folk dancing and singing - very nice.
Nov 14 - All day bus to Nha Trang - 3 beach stops. Talke dive hotel
since I'm too tired to look. Have nice bowl of beef soup (Pho) for
$.50.
Nov 15 - Bike around town and down to navel hotel. Oceanographic
Institute. Go over to Catholic Chung's house and out to "bar" with
friend Son. Watch shark TV special and walk to train station. Night
train to HCMC.
Nov 16 - Cyclo/moto to bus station. Very cramped ride to Cantho.
Walk around, market and eletctrical parts stores. "Teach" English
and politics to 12 year olds. 
Bus to Cantho
Ferry on Mekong to Cantho
Vendors on ferry boat
Nov 17 - Go on boat trip with Thay and Wong - visit floating
market, garden where I get to be photographed picking a banana.
Visit Mr. Lai, wife and 4 kids who are most gracious in providing
me beer and nice conversation. Mr. Lai was in the infantry in 1972
and went to prison in 1975 near Camau for 2 years. He really likes
Americans. He won't let me buy the beer. Ride bike around greater
Cantho after difficulty in renting bike. Have soda with girls on
Honda - boat people to Indonesia. Meet two guys in park near HCM
statue - both study economics and English. Go to have a soda with
them. 
Cantho
Cantho, river trip with Thay and Wong
Cantho, river trip
Cantho, river trip
Cantho, river trip
Cantho, river trip
Cantho, river trip
Cantho, river trip, garden
Cantho, river trip, garden
Cantho, river trip, garden
Cantho, river trip, garden
Cantho, river trip, garden
Cantho, river trip, garden
Cantho, river trip
Cantho, river trip
Cantho, river trip
Cantho, from hotel
Cantho, river trip
Cantho, river trip, entrance to Mr. Lai's
house
Cantho, river trip, Mr. Lai's house
Cantho, river trip, Mr. Lai's house
Cantho, river trip, Mr. Lai's house
Nov 18 - Morning ride to Vinh Long - walk through market, around
town. Try to rent a bike, play foosball - get beat badly. Rent a
bike and go way out south and then east. Nice rides, eat at nice
restraunt. 
Cantho to Vinh Long
Cantho to Vinh Long
Vinh Long
Vinh Long, country
Vinh Long, country
Vinh Long, country
Vinh Long, country
Vinh Long, country
Vinh Long, market
Vinh Long
Vinh Long
Nov 19 - Ride to bus station, wait for two hours then one hour to
leave for HCMC. Meet school kids - administration and construction
majors. Drop off pack, go to electronics market - bust, go to big
market - nice. Drink beers with expats, travelers. Talk cyclo to
airport. Meager attempt at bag snatching.
Nov 20 - Take bus to Hotel in Seoul - climb up hills in National
Park, listen to chanters and excersizers, eat free Korean food.