History Lesson

A packed bus from Hanoi to Hue was something to be desired! There was something under every seat, people sitting on top of luggage, and even people sleeping in the isles. Thank goodness for my window seat. Hue was a nice little city along a river. Here I decided to take a cyclo and have the driver take me around to explore the Citadel as well as a 21m high Pagoda. Let me tell you, I sure felt like some kind of princess being driven around the city. There is more history to Vietnam then I ever imagined. I feel almost a little ashamed coming here and not really knowing what Vietnamese people have been through, but I guess i am learning.

The next day was a tour to the demineralized zone (DMZ). The DMZ consists of an area 5km on either side of the Ben Hai River which severed as the demarcation line between South and North Vietnam during the Vietnam War...oh wait they call it the American War. It is also one of the most militarized zones in the world! We walked through the Vin Moc Tunnels where people seeked shelter during the war. I am still amazed at how they lived in a stretch of 2.8 km underground. The rest of the day was spent exploring other various sights around the area before heading back to the pouring rain in Hue.



Next was off to Hoi An a.k.a Tailor Town. I met a fantastic girl, Caroline, from Montreal and we instantly hit it off. It was New Years Eve and the hotel we stayed at had a party for all its' guests. It was really something else. The Pinza family which I met in Halong Bay also joined in the evenings crazy festivities of dancing, trivia games, caroling, and the ol' count down. What a hilarious night. The Vietnamese never cease to surprise me.

Between fittings for cloths and shoes (which was not the most pleasant experience) Caroline and I managed to rent some bikes and visit a near by beach, drink some wine, and laugh till the sun came up. I might have gone a little crazy with a pair of boots,a suit, 2 pairs of pants, 3 skirts, 2 dresses, 2 shirts, and 3 jackets! Heck you only live once, and really what other time are you going to get clothes made fitting your body exactly. The lady where I got my suit and numerous other items was soo sweet and maybe half the size of me. She made us feel really great about being in Hoi An.



Already my time in Vietnam is coming to an end and there are so many places left to experience. The hard part is going to be deciding what to see and what to leave behind.