Vietnam, Part 1: Hanoi

Vietnam. There is so much to say about this country, the many different cultures that exist within its relatively small space, the contrasts that define it, its tangled past with my country and the experience of spending time there now. It's been intimidating to write about this trip, so I've decided to break it up into various posts. These entries won't even try to cover everything; I will limit myself to my experience, which is a limited experience! I spent two weeks exploring mostly central Vietnam during spring break of 2016.

As all trips do, this one began as soon as I started researching the country and became real when I booked the ticket. Some of my older family members and friends asked me about the historical places I might see and I admit that I brushed off their comments; I wasn't going on a historical site-seeing trip. I wanted to see a new country, have some outdoor adventures, try new foods and enjoy time away from school.

Although plenty from my trip will look like vacation, it is impossible to visit Vietnam and not learn about its past. While I am still no expert, all of this history does intermingle with any trip to this fascinating country, adding perspective to even the simplest plans for a holiday.

I started my trip in Hanoi. It's an easy city to fly in and out of and there are direct flights from Yangon! I spent most of my time wandering the city (my favorite way to get to know a place), drinking coffee, sampling food and I found a great yoga studio, too. 

Yoga class, vegetarian lunch and kombucha - yes!

Hanoi street at dusk

I hope the above video works for you so that you get an idea of what the traffic is like in Hanoi! It is world-famous for a reason!

Old jets outside of the war museum

City park - view from rooftop bar

I walked around the park pictured above and enjoyed a happy hour nearby. While I love all that cities have to offer, I live in another very busy city and after a few days I was ready for a change of pace.

GOAL: I am going to publish one post per week, from now until October break. My plan is to post on Tuesdays (Look Ma, this week I'm early!). That means you will get four new posts from me in the next month! Stay tuned!

My favorite food blog right now:

Simple Vegan Food Blog - it's written by a Spanish couple, but in English! They focus on what the title says, simple recipes that are vegan. Some are Spanish-inspired, which is a bonus for me. Their tortilla is amazing. I have missed eating tortilla ever since I found out I was allergic to eggs years ago.

My playlist as I trained for the Camino de Santiago (subject of a future post):

• Grimes - Art Angels
• Chvrches - Every Open Eye
• Bomba Estéreo - Amanecer 
• twenty one pilots - Blurryface

Recent Reads:

• The Space Between Us - Thrity Umrigar - this one was for my Yangon Book club and for me it was a very compelling and fast read, exploring issues of class, gender and friendship across generations in Bombay.
• Tiny Beautiful Things - Cheryl Strayed - by the author of Wild, this is a collection of her responses to an advice column that she wrote. Great stuff about love, life, relationships and Strayed's delivery always emphasizes compassion. 
• Room - Emma Donoghue - I started this book and had a hard time putting it down... finished it in just four days! There is a movie version, too, which deviates quite a bit from the plot in the second half of the book, but it is a well-done film.
• Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) - Mindy Kaling - fun and funny. 
• Bluebeard - Kurt Vonnegut - I have been a Vonnegut fan since I first read Cat's Cradle in high school. This isn't one of his best novels (in my opinion), but it presents some interesting points about art, especially its longevity. 

Trekking to Kyaiktiyo!

My loyal readers will remember my trip to Golden Rock, aka Kyaiktiyo, in November 2014 (for a refresher, check out the post here).

As I am now well into my second year in Myanmar, I definitely miss nature and being able to get outside and hike. So, when I saw that a three day weekend was approaching, I asked my friend HPA for recommendations to get my outside fix. She suggested Golden Rock and the idea of a road trip to the base and a hike to the top took form. The rock, by the way, is said to be floating on the edge of the mountain due to one of Buddha's hairs underneath it.

Sunglasses, seatbelts, let's go!

We left Saturday morning and it took us about six hours to get to the town at the base of Golden Rock (yes, we stopped for snacks and lunch). We filled the car with girl talk and good tunes as we made our way out of Yangon, through small towns, twisting and turning until we reached Kinpun.

The Road.

We arrived late afternoon, checked into the adorable Golden Sunrise Hotel (the same place I stayed before) and wandered into town. The town was buzzing with activity and we made our way to the main street, admiring locally made snacks, sandals and souvenirs. We both bought Kyaiktiyo t-shirts and I tried on a lot of locally-made sandals, but none of the Asian sizes were big enough to fit my US size 8 feet.

Kinpun at dusk

I discovered a new vegan gluten free food that I love, ka dett. This snack is made from a finely shredded tree root, which is then fried with chilis or garlic. There are many stalls with mounds of ka dett, which you can buy for less than fifty cents per package. It tastes a little like a potato chip and it's crispy with a chewier texture.

Ka dett - my new favorite snack!

After our walk, we returned to the hotel, relaxing in the room and later sharing vegetables, fish and rice at the hotel restaurant for dinner. Although we giggled and talked like young girls at a slumber party, we knew well enough to tuck ourselves into our twin beds and turn off the lights early enough to get a solid 8 hours of sleep before our trekking adventure. I think we both felt excited, but nervous, about our upcoming uphill climb. 

Our hike begins!

On Sunday, we woke up around 7, got dressed, packed and enjoyed a breakfast with fresh coffee at the hotel before stepping out onto the road at 8:11 to begin our hike. We smiled and chatted as we followed the street to town and then pushed past where we had shopped the evening before to step onto the dirt path that slowly rose way up the mountain. 

The steps were the most challenging physical aspect of the hike for me. 

We passed many small shops, traditional homes, children playing, stray dogs and we crossed paths with hikers descending, who must have started the climb down shortly after sunrise.

We are headed the right way!

Downward dog

On the trail

I was wearing my new hiking boots and backpack that R helped me pick out in Bangkok. They both worked great! Backpack felt like it floated above my shoulders and I didn't get any blisters. You may notice my skirt... I've preferred hiking in a skirt since I have been hiking, which in my family means since I have been walking (my dad and some family photos can vouch for this - pink frills on top of Angel's Landing in Zion).

The path varied between cement steps, stones and dirt.

We slowly twisted higher and higher. The way up was gradual enough most of the time. There were shady spots to rest and enjoy a cool drink and it felt amazing to be outside of the city breathing fresh mountain air.

Shops are common

In some ways this trek is an easy one - it's a well-trodden route and there are many shops along the way, so it's easy to buy snacks, water tissues and even hot food. We tried deep fried gourd battered in lentil flour at one rest break. 

Up I go...

The views keep getting better.

We took our time, resting frequently, eating snacks and drinking water. My favorite part of the hike was the ridge, offering stunning panoramic views. After climbing upwards all morning, it was nice to be on a flat-ish trail for awhile.

I <3 Myanmar

Selfie from the ridge, getting tired, but still happy!

The last part of the hike was the most grueling, the sun was at its hottest, our bodies were growing tired and the trail worked its way to a steep incline. But, we never got cranky and we both agreed that the challenge was more in the mind, than the body. We just had to keep going!

Rest stop!

And then... we pushed up one more hill and looked to the left and we had arrived!!! We walked past the trucks that bring most people up and made our way in.

I had to stop at the office and pay the foreigner's fee, but we used the opportunity to get a victory photo.

We officially made it!

Next stop was a restaurant for a late lunch of vegetarian fried rice, lephet thoke (Burmese tea leaf salad) and tea. From there, we wandered around, taking in the whole scene (and taking lots of photos - let me know if you want to see more the next time I visit you or you visit me). As women, we are not allowed out onto the platform to touch, or add additional gold leaf, to the rock.

Sitting at the top

In front of the monastery

Good hiking partners below the rock!

And one more.

As the sun dropped lower in the sky we knew it was time to head back down. This time, we would be riding, though! We piled into a truck, squeezing next to other visitors (mostly locals, though you do see foreign visitors as well), happy to sit for this leg of the journey.

Transport to and from the top

Here's a little video to give you an idea of what the ride is like. Don't worry, Mom!

Sunset views on the way down. 

After descending, we did the short walk back to our hotel. My shower felt amazing and we did a little bit of gentle yoga before tucking into another great dinner at the Golden Sunrise and then stretching out into our beds. 

The next day was mostly our trip back to Yangon, but I can't wait for our next road trip and trek, HPA!!!

So, what are we listening to on our road trip? From my iPhone:

• CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye
• Bomba estéreo - Amanecer
• Purity Ring - Another Eternity
• and a mix of pop, rock and electronic from HPA's library.