Vietnam Tips from UK News Story??!!

Am getting ready for an early 2018 "adventure" that includes Hong Kong, Vietnam, Mekong River sailing up to Cambodia, Angkor Wat, Laos and Bangkok. Of special/major interest is Vietnam!!

From the London/UK Guardian this morning, they have this headline: "Things to do in Vietnam: readers’ travel tips" with this subhead: "Beautiful countryside, delicious food and fascinating culture ... readers share the most memorable places and experiences from their travels, often discovered in the company of knowledgeable locals".

Among the story highlights are: "Vietnam is a food lover’s paradise, with countless tasty and affordable options, but the sheer amount of things and places to eat, can be overwhelming. Hanoi was the culinary highlight for me and a tour with a local guide is the perfect way to sample a wide selection in a relatively short amount of time. Our guide took us to six of her favourite places in the city. Bun cha (pork with rice noodles), mi quang (fantastic noodle dish), happy pancakes, spring rolls, pho, beautiful steamed fish, sticky rice and egg coffee (yes, you read it correctly) were some of the highlights. Water puppetry is a Vietnamese tradition and was one of the best cultural activities I did on my trip."

Lots of ideas and good background for Vietnam. It helps building my planning file and the excitement for this trip in 2018. Other ideas to share? Reactions and other insights?

Full story at:

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/nov/17/things-to-do-in-vietnam-beaches-food-hanoi-ho-chi-minh-city

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 160,834 views for this posting.

Our experience is that there places/things that many tourists do not get a chance to see. Sometimes because of a one day itinerary that makes it impossible to take in the sights and the 'atmosphere' of the city. Sometimes because of their preference to stay in four and five star western clientele oriented hotels and not venturing out by themselves as it were.

Hanoi is an amazing city. We spent four days there and it was for us one of the most interesting cities in SE Asia. You will see streets of specific shops/vendors. One block had stores that did tombstones. They were on display in various stage of completion. Another did shoes. With shoe repair vendors having their work areas on the sidewalks in front. We saw people drive up to the sidewalk area, drop off shes. We saw a cab draw up, a lady hop out, and had the heal of her high heel shoe repaired while she (and the taxi) waited. I had my shoes expertly repaired in the same manner. Alternatively there are motorbike mechanics who practice their trade in the same manner...on sidewalks.

The food is wonderful. You simply have to dive in and try it out...whether it is a sidewalk stall, night market, or local restaurant. The trick is to avoid the western style eating establishments/hotel dining rooms. Watch where the locals eat and try it out. The soups are wonderful...and there are many varieties as well as small restaurants and and night stalls that only sell soups.

Super enjoyed our visit in Vietnam earlier this year. Full details can be seen below on my live/blog. Plus a few visual samples below.

From the Travel Section of the London/UK Telegraph for this weekend, they have this headline: “17 reasons to visit Vietnam” with some of these highlights: “Hustle and bustle in Hanoi: What makes the capital so interesting is that it feels very old-fashioned, stuck in the past with its French colonial history entrenched in its pavement cafes, architecture and wide tree-lined boulevards. Take a ride in one of the thousands of tuk-tuks swarming through the city’s streets to get a sense of the daily buzz.”

That is just one of the seventeen reasons cited. Bring back nice memories in reading this fun profile. Here is more: "Halong Bay: Increasingly popular, especially with the Chinese thanks to its proximity to the border, Halong Bay remains a staggering sight: shimmering turquoise waters punctuated by mossy rocks rising steeply out of nowhere. Ho Chi Minh City offers a contrast to northern Hanoi. The swaggering city of the south is all modern skyscrapers and new building projects. Find a hotel bar high up to admire the lights as the sun sets - many would have propped up war correspondents in the Sixties."

Full story at:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/vietnam/articles/reasons-to-visit-vietnam/

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.! Just completed a Jan. 21-Feb. 20, 2018, first adventure through Southeast Asia with stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before traveling all over Vietnam and Cambodia. This includes seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 25,440 views Lots of fun, interesting pictures!! See more at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

Here are just a few visuals samples from what we saw and did with Avalon while sailing along the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia. Many, many more photos and details on the full live/blog.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

We saw many temples, palaces, markets and samples of daily life/work, including at this below spectacular Royal structure in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.:

From CNN earlier this month, they had this headline: “Hanoi vs. Ho Chi Minh City: What makes these cities unique?”with these highlights: “With history stretching back 4,000 years, Hanoi has long been one of Asia's most appealing destinations. But young upstart Ho Chi Minh City -- a mere baby at just 300 years -- has more than her share of devotees, too.”

Interesting profile. Here are some Hanoi added highlights: " 'There are four things you need to focus on when you come to Hanoi,' the driver shouts over the cough of the engine. 'History, culture, food... and fun.' A couple of days exploring this tangled patchwork of lakes, stitched together with shady alleyways, is enough to leave your head spinning with a sense of the culture and history that pervades this ancient city."

For Saigon as the locals call it: " 'There's only one way to cross the street in Saigon,' says Mario Orellana, who runs Vespa Adventure tours in Ho Chi Minh City. 'Stay calm, keep moving forward slowly and never run.' Few residents of Vietnam's vibrant southern metropolis would refer to their city as Hồ Chí Minh. From the moment you arrive, you quickly learn that it's more convenient to refer to the city by its old name."

Brings back nice memories from reading this interesting profile.

Full story at:

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/hanoi-vs-ho-chi-minh-city/index.html

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting, dramatic pictures can be seen from this live/blog at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 39,794 views for this visual sharing including Cape Town, along South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

We did a month of independent travel n Viet Nam. Started in the south in Phu Quok Island and traveled slowly north to Saigon.

While in Phu Quok we arranged a two day, one night homestay and tour with a family in the Mekong Delta. We travelled by air, bus, train, and ferry. Everyone we met was very friendly, very helpful. It is a beautiful country. Independent travel is easy to arrange. Fast internet seems to be available everywhere even at the smallest of cafes. Their economy is booming and it shows.

The food is wonderful-especially the sidewalk and/or market food.

One downside was we found there there was a lot of pollution in Hanoi.

We recommend this part of the world to anyone. But do it soon since this is a country that is changing.

We have spent four winters in SE Asia in preference to the old standbys of Florida, AZ, Hawaii, Mexico, etc. We have enjoyed the experiences immensely. Thailand is by far our favourite, followed by Viet Nam. It is like coming home for us.

The locals all seem to revert to the name Saigon and we wee told numerous times that the name would be changing back officially in the not too distant future. Not that it matters a great deal.