Notes from one motherfucker of a bus ride to Saigon
Vietnamese snake wine is used to impress tourists and increase libido. Unfortunately, the taste doesn't quite live up to the marketing hype.
Vietnam's Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site characterized by beautiful islands. As I watched this determined old woman rowing across an open expanse of water as she has probably done many times, I was reminded of how rarely we travel long distances under our own power.
Hints of democracy in a communist country.
Wandering through the main market in Hoi An a large number of similarly dressed women passed by. These four linked arms and marched on together.
Crossing the street in Vietnam is anything but pedestrian. But follow these basic guidelines, and you should stay safe from Saigon to Hanoi.
Pho 24 is a Vietnamese chain restaurant found from Hanoi to Saigon. If you want a good beef noodle soup without the worries of ordering on the street - this is a surefire bet.
Saigon Phu Quoc Resort and Spa is one of the top places to stay on pretty little Phu Quoc Island. It offers everything that you'd expect from a tropical resort: Comfortable bungalows, swishing palm trees, a great beach, poolside and beachside bars, several restaurants and ever-smiling staff.
The Reunification Palace in central Saigon has a long and checkered history, but is best known as the place where North Vietnamese tanks charged in to end the Vietnam War in 1975. What makes it a must-see, though, is the kitschy interior: Green leather armchairs, pink telephones, porcelain vases, romantic paintings, hunting trophies, embroidered carpets, miniature gardens, model boats, modernistic rocking chairs and military paraphernalia all clash delightfully throughout the building.