Travel Tips for Vietnam

There are millions maybe of travel blogs and vlogs with lots of information for travelers for anywhere in the world you wish to go. I am not a travel blog although I share my travels here. These opinions and tips are from a lady who is lucky enough to go someplace very special one or two times a year.

Today I have a couple tips for traveling in Vietnam. 

The first one is of a personal nature, and I also found this on our tour company's website. It is this: stock up on travel packets of tissues and hand sanitizer that easily fit in your purse or backpack. You may and we did a couple times, find yourself in a restroom that has no toilet paper and if they don't have that then they don't have paper towels for drying your hands either. 

My second tip is to buy a couple fans from a street vendor. I did and when you find yourself in a very warm crowded market or anywhere on a warm day a bit of fresh breeze you can do for yourself can make it more comfortable. We bought two and I am glad we did. Jim was not a fan of them like I was, so I found myself with one to share with someone who was struggling with the heat and needed some water and to cool off a bit more than once. I was happy to be able to help.

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Take care and stay cozy!

January 26th, Last Day in Vietnam

This is what out last meal on our last day in Vietnam ended with. I'm not counting the grab and go breakfast at the hotel at 4 am the next morning. This group of desserts tasted as nice as it they looked. Of course, I love chocolate, so the brownie and ice cream were my favorite. 

Do you think food tastes better when it is presented in a beautiful way? I am starting to think so. Just look at the plate below. So lovely and so good!

This random park scene is not so random to me. My Aunt Doris was a surgical nurse in the US Army and served in Vietnam. This park is the site of the 3rd Army Field Hospital in Saigon and where she was during the late 1960's. The building as you can see is gone now.

Our last excursion was to the site of some infamous tunnels used by the NVA to retreat to when hiding from our troops. Some members of the group went a short distance through the tunnels but I didn't. There were enough displays above ground to satisfy my curiosity.

The next morning as I said earlier, we left for the airport. Flying for the next 24 hours was hard but we made it. Saigon to Tokyo to Denver to Phoenix. The first thing I did when I got home was brew a pot of Earl Grey Tea, decaffeinated of course. 

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Take care and stay cozy!

Victoria Can Tho Resort, January 22nd

The 22nd of January found us traveling again. We took a bus from Hue to the Da Nang airport. Our plane too us to Can Tho where we stayed for the next couple nights at the Victoria Can Tho Resort. The style of this hotel reminded me of the French colonial days.

There was lots of beautiful dark wood. Asian themed art was everywhere. The grounds were beautiful and ended on the river front. For the first time ever in all the hotel rooms I have ever stayed in, there were 3 live houseplants in our room. It was such a nice comforting touch. This hotel also has 2 pools! Everything was so nice without being over the top. The staff interactions we had were very friendly and yet efficient and professional. That included front desk staff, doormen and restaurant staff. The view from our balcony was so calming. At this place you feel far away from the big city life that we were surrounded by when in Hanoi and later in Saigon.

if you would like to learn more about this special place here is a link to the hotel's website > 

Victoria Can Tho Resort - Victoria Hotels & Resorts

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Take care and stay cozy!

Dragon Boats on the Perfume River, January 21st

This day was another with a busy morning and a lazy afternoon and evening for us at least. We decided to skip a walking tour of a wet market and the chance to climb 116 steps to the top of a monument.

We started off with a ride on a "dragon boat". I was imagining something like the boats used in Hong Kong at the dragon boat races. What we went on wouldn't win any prizes in a boat race but it was a nice ride anyway. Of course, captive tourist that we were there were things to buy on the boat and we did. Jim got 2 new shirts. His size wasn't available on the boat, but they were delivered to the hotel later in the day.

We walked the grounds of a Nguyen mausoleum after the boat ride. I shared some glimpses of that below. This was another place where people gathered to take pictures. Selfies, posed, all kinds of cameras. Seeing them all, mostly women but a few men dressed in their finest was fun. 

After the mausoleum we stopped at an incense shop. We got some incense and a holder here. Jim picked out the scents. I spotted a silk painting that had to come home with me. I probably put its picture up when I get it framed and in place. Doesn't this place look so bright, cheerful and welcoming?

We had lunch again as a group. The food was brought out family style. See below that the meal included 10 items. Our group meals were always this way with 9 or 10 items on the list. I do wonder if the people of Vietnam eat this way at home. Preparing so many dishes for one meal sounds like a whole lot of work for a family cook like me. My cooking habits were formed in the old days when a plate for dinner had a protein, a starch, a serving of vegetables and maybe bread of some kind. That's just 4 things. I loved all the dishes on the list but the best here was the pumpkin soup. Loved it!

The day after this we were on the move again. More about that later.

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Take care and stay cozy!

January 20th, A Bus Ride to Hue

We started out this day on a bus ride to Hue. For today's travel we took the scenic route over Cloudy Mountain Pass. The views along the coast were stunning. I didn't even try to capture them through the windows of the bus.

Arriving in Hue we toured the palace grounds of the Nguyen emperors. I haven't been able to find a year when this complex was built but a few hundred years could be a vague but reasonable estimate. At the gate we went through to enter the compound we saw cannons and I was impressed by the amount of detail in the metal work. I've given you a picture of that below.

Walking further into the complex we saw older palace buildings, traditional music players and beautiful landscaping. All of the grounds are in various stages of restoration and very interesting to see. 

Our hotel room in Hue at Silk Path Grand Hotel was lovely. The bed was extremely wide. I think it was made of 2 full sized or 2 queen sized beds pushed together. You could get lost in it. For the first time ever anywhere, our room included fire escape hoods. I really didn't know whether to be alarmed or reassured. 

One other thing I nearly forgot about this day. I saw the coolest bridge ever. Leaving Danang to make out way over the mountains we stopped for pictures of this dragon bridge. Why can't we in the US have such cool looking bridges?

PS. Superbowl today. Will you be watching?

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Take care and stay cozy!

January in Vietnam, 5 Hotels

I was very impressed with the 5 hotels that Odessey Tours booked us and our group in for our time in Vietnam. They were all 4 or 5 star places. These were the kind of places I would probably never book in the United States mostly because of the cost. I am a simple person for the most part. With that said I did greatly enjoy the courtesy, friendliness and service at every place we stayed.

Where did we stay? I'll be listing them here just in case a trip is in your future and for future me to be able to look it up and remember.

1. Intercontinental Hanoi Westlake
2. Hyatt Regency Danang Spa and Resort
3. Silk Path Grand Hue Hotel in Hue
4. Victoria Can Tho Resort
5. Sofitel Saigon Plaza

The Hyatt Regency in Danang was my favorite of the 5. The room was lovely, and it was right on the beach. We could hear the ocean even with our room doors closed and sleeping there was so easy! For families considering a stay here you will be pleased to note that there are on site kid's activities every day. 

Today's pictures are some of the scenes from around the hotel grounds and our room. As you look at them imagine gentle ocean breezes and the sound of the waves. Feel yourself relax. Would I go back there just to stay at a hotel on a Danang beach? Hell yes! Not begging any pardon for those words either.

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Take care and stay cozy!

January 17th, Cham Museum of Sculpture, Da Nang

Continuing to share our trip through Viet Nam, on the 17th of January we flew from Hanoi to Da Nang. After arriving in Da Nang and before checking into our hotel we made a stop at the Cham Museum of Sculpture. (Link for additional information about the museum.) I hate to say this but... The sculpture was stunning but I don't think the museum is well enough organized to tell the story of the society that made them. Maybe without a guided tour that is just the way it is.

The bronze lady took my breath away when I first saw her. She was the only bronze in the museum, and I have no idea how she fits into the timeline of the other stone pieces.

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Take care and stay cozy!

Where Have I Been?

Ha Long Bay, Bing Image Creator

I plan to have lots to share here in the coming days. However, for today I feel like my times are out of sync. I found myself wide awake at 2 am so here I am a couple of hours later after unpacking, sorting laundry, catching up the book list I keep. This is after traveling about 24 hours to get home from Vietnam where we, Jim and I, spent the last 2 weeks with a wonderful guide and group of fellow travelers. 

For today, I feel a bit fuzzy and out of sync with the time of day I was in and the time of day I am in now. Vietnam is 14 hours ahead of home, so it is weird right now. So, for today, it will be laundry and football. I am kind of hoping the Lions can get into the Super Bowl. Do you have any favorites?

I am blaming any typos that show up after I click on publish on jet lag.

My own memories, pictures and more in the coming days. 

Back with more again soon.

Take care and stay cozy!