yes, they still wear those hats...

...the much-awaited Vietnam post has finally come. this is my "really-awesome-round-lampshade-hats-off" to the amazing city of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam--a place to visit, enjoy, and make memories. everyone, add this to your travel list!

i spent about 5 days in Vietnam and enjoyed every single day i spent there. its a great city with a lot of culture and life. i went there not knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. so, here are some tid-bits of the time i spent there...and some tips for those that are planning on making a trip to a great city. (i think we'll do a little picture-show along the way :)


This is for my dad...he loves the view out of an airplane. Vietnam has tons of rivers.


Just to prove that I am not lying...these hats are great for blocking the sun and then protecting you from the afternoon rains! (I am of course talking about the one on the right...although, come to think of it, isn't this a great example of a "generation gap"?)




This is the local market that I went to pretty much every day to do a bit of small shopping and just check it out. It was huge and there was everything you can imagine from food to gifts to housewares! Remember, when you go to most Asian countries (including this one) you have to bargain...the rule of thumb is to get them to come down to around half the amount they started at. Just pretend to walk away and that will help in the negotiations ;)


MOTORBIKES! This was easily my favorite thing in Vietnam. Everyday I had the chance to take a motorbike ride to a destination...it was so exciting and adventurous. My first night in Vietnam we had to take a motorbike...in the rain! I had to learn to ride on the bike (no I didn't drive!) and then take the curves, then get inches from other motorbikes and walls and traffic, and then go through foot-deep waters and through alley-ways! It was crazy and TONS of fun. The last night I had an extra-long ride (about 45 mins) and it was so beautiful to sit and ride and look at the scenery with it right there in front of me and take everything in one last time. It was incredibly special...and I highly recommend them. Beware, you can take a taxi-motorbike, but I would be prepared...just like cab drivers, they are a little crazy...except with a motorbike they just start driving on the sidewalks!



This is a view from our hotel. It was an amazing hotel, great service, A/C and free internet..that's what i need!


Sharon was an amazing trip planner...she took care of everything and helped me get around town (and put up with me!). Thanks for a great time Sharon...you made it an amazing first-time visit for me! (This is me and Sharon eating some local food)

















Now, these are 2 things I don't get to see often! It was amazing to see how much they could fit on the smallest transportation vehicles possible! This was one of the small loads I saw (only one I caught on the camera!). I loved the park with statues and bushes with shapes...a dragon is so asian, right? It's awesome!




This is a "jack fruit" tree. Its so full of fruit. I think there were at least a couple hundred on that one tree. That's the kind of "fruit" I hope to be producing through all of this work!



Sharon fit so easily in the entrances to the Chu Chi Tunnels..I can't believe the Vietnamese hid for so long under the ground...its crazy. We got a chance to crawl through the tunnels and that was crazy..so dark and i got a little freaked out! The worst part of the tour was seeing the traps they used on the enemy...and probably the pretty much old-school black and white "propoganda" video we had to watch before-hand...pretty crazy!


And its not a trip without eating local food for me. This night we ate on the streetside at the night market...a quick walk from the hotel. This is a Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll (kind of like a spring roll)...Vietnamese food is really light, great flavor, and leaves you full for about an hour--then its time to eat again!


It was a great 5 days...and what made it were the 2 hour-long and $5 massages!! Can't beat that price and I wasn't going to less the chance go by. Those Vietnamese ladies know how to massage! (and I am not about to include a pic of that!).

I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to go there and hope to make it back there someday soon. If you ever get a chance to go...take it and let me know (i'll give you some pointers!). Thanks to my peeps at home who made this possible...you guys are the best!