I am sooooo glad I decided to bring my computer on this adventure! I have an iPad so I usually do not! BUT - I need to blog more often for sure… this is going to be a one of a kind experience!
As soon as we arrived in Vietnam the first thing you notice is the language difference - I expect Vietnamese is even more challenging than Japanese to learn. And of course - I responded everywhere for the first 24 hours in Japanese - duh! It’s hard to break that habit for sure!! Many people in the tourist areas speak and understand English.
Our driver met us at the airport - thank goodness - it was over 30 minutes to get to the hotel. And the hotel - small and boutique like, is located across the street from BEER STREET (check out the videos). It is so cute! Mark had read about rooms with twin beds (basically connected btw) not having windows!! I am like, “how is that legal?” Mark says - it’s VIETNAM!! Luckily - not the case - a huge window in our room! YAY!
Currency will definitely be a challenge as it is about 17,500 DONG for one Canadian dollar - yikes!! SOOOOO many zeros!! As we wandered in the late afternoon we stopped for our first beer… and Mark was given a counterfeit bill!! I asked how he could tell and he said the ink was literally smudging off - he asked for a different one and the dude never even flinched. Yeesh - lots of scams!! Kinda reminds me of our time in China!
Speaking of China - this country seems way more relaxed and free compared to the other communist countries that we have visited (can’t believe I just wrote that).
And of course it is an assault on your senses!! Sound (noise) , smells and pace are crazy!!! And the traffic is insane!! So many scooter type bikes - EVERYWHERE!! I shared a video and some pics but - I actually saw a family of 5 on one - and the mother was on the back nursing her baby while they sped by!!!! We also saw an accident on the way into the city where a bike had skidded over and the driver was lying beside it… crazy…
Beer Street was insane!! Tables and plastic chairs crowded together while bikes try to drive through a space about a metre wide!! And then there is the dealing - constant haggling… but still so fun!!
So much more to write about but Mark and I are headed to the hotel spa for massages…
Stay tuned!!
PS The coffee is a big deal here!
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