So far Vietnam has offered us a different experience so far than the previous countries. We have been trying lots of traveling via bus throughout the many different countries, long 5-12 hour stretches. So far Vietnam has come in first place in terms of bus travel. We were greeted in Cambodia with a new bus that had a flat screen TV in the front! As soon as the bus started the driver put on some tunes. We are pretty accustomed to this so far, Thailand and Laos it was the same 30 year old Reggae song over and over, Cambodia also had their local 30 year old favorite, but Vietnam...well Vietnam greeted us with Christmas music that was preformed by a reggae/disco group with ultimate fur get ups and sparkley peacock outfits, not only were these smashing hits executed to perfection, but they also played some of the songs with the Disney's cartoon, Recess. For no rhyme or reason, but that is pretty much what set the tone for us here in Vietnam, lots of random weird funny awkward things all around!!!
To add to the list of weird things, in DaLat we visited the "Crazy House" which felt like a Gaudi/Alice in Wonderland art hotel museum space. Upon entering one of the rooms in which you could rent for the night we were greeted by a drunk Easy Rider imposter (http://www.easy-riders.net/). Who escorted us onto one of the beds, closed all the windows, pushed us face up on the bed to look into the rooftop mirror above the bed, closed the door and the curtain to the room and sat right outside the curtain. When we tried to get up and leave he pushed us back onto the bed and sat back down...Weird...again we tried and fail, back on the bed....ok this is weird, we said NO THANKYOU and tried to leave, he then asked us for $1 for his attempt to let us have "private time" then when rejected asked for a cigarette. No thanks easy rider imposter, thats just too weird for us...
Moving right along our Vietnam escapade, we have rented bikes and motorbikes numerous times throughout the counrty. Its a great way to see the "real" culture and the landscapes. Jeff is always musing about how its important to see the "real (insert Country)". Half true/Half jest. It almost never fails that while we are riding along, Lalala, we get asked at least two handfulls of time (ya that's a bunch of time!) if we would like a taxi ,easy rider, motorbike, or bike taxi! Hmmm, now stop me if I am wrong, but if I have my own means of transportation I think that it is pretty clear that I don't need any additional means of transportation! But maybe that's just me...weird!
Another weird thing is that at every meal you are offered tea. This was so amazing because we love tea!! Almost everytime we go for a meal it never fails, this great tea that everyone in Vietnam seems to be drinking! We finally asked what kind of tea it is and it turns out to be Artichoke tea!! Weird!! But sooo good!! We then went as fast as we could to the local market and bought the biggest bag that we could and now look forward to bringing it home with us in mass quantities!! (not only is it good for your liver, digestion, and cholesterol but it tastes amazing!)
An unexpected weird thing happened yesterday as we were soaking in mud and mineral baths for 5 hours at the local hot springs, our bug bites and cuts that have been oozing pusd and blood non stop for the past 2 months, stopped. Wow!! Weird!! Unexpected and wonderful!! Not only did they cure us, but the baths left us with great glowing skin, relaxed muscles and an experience we plan to take home and indulge in regularly!
The Dragonfruit. I believe our favorite Fruit over here. Amount: $0.50 for one in Vietnam, $20 for one back home. Yummers. Sreaming hot pick w/ flair on the outside.
Ok, All for now. Hope you are all being safe. As they say in Vietnam, which sometimes comes across fatalistic or foreboding, but, is certainly genuine: Good Luck!
i can't wait to try artichoke tea!!!
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