… the whole country will unfold
when you travel from Hanoi in the North to Saigon in the South, a total
of eight different cities.
Hanoi with its Ho Chi Min Mausoleum, old quarter and rickshaw
bicycles … Hue with its magnificent walled Imperial
City ... these lay the foundation for Vietnam history.
To visit just one or two Vietnam cities limits your understanding of this
fascinating country … who wouldn’t love a country full of
surprises, delights and wonder on every level?
 The
History ... is part of Vietnam’s appeal: a thousand
years of dominance by China has left its mark in a myriad of ways …veneration
of family and ancestors, food and holidays. Tet or Chinese New Year,
in particular.
A mix of other influences: The French, the ties with China, then the
Soviet Union, have engendered an attitude of acceptance by the Vietnamese.
They really don’t care much about politics. The government, mostly
in name only, is communist. The people take voting as something they
are required to do. And one family member can vote for his entire family. “Who
did you vote for?”, our guide asked his mother. Her response: “the handsomest one.” Seems
results are decided before voting takes place.
 The
Traffic … perhaps what defines Vietnam. Lots of it,
of course. But to some a terrifying mix of motor scooters and cars
all packed with barely an inch or two between competing vehicles. There
are no rules; no stopping at marked crossings. Cross with help: your
guide, a hotel employee, or your own feeling of invincibility.
It helps to be a New Yorker.
 The
People … gentle, always smiling. Every child in Vietnam
seems to know how to salute tourists with a wave and many shouted and
excited “Hellos”. Take their pictures, then be rewarded
with ...
... giggles.
 The
Food … Breakfast Bounty Buffet … everything
from pho (noodle soup), fried rice, mixed vegetables with pork ...
and all the American standards including the best croissants this side
of Paris in Dalat at a French hotel. My one negative on Vietnamese
food is that every meal is made up of the same components: always a
soup, always spring rolls, two kinds of rice, steamed and fried; usually
some kind of shrimp dish ... extraordinary shrimp in Vietnam.
Just fruit for dessert. I took two cooking classes in Vietnam and am
determined to conquer this cuisine.
 Pho is
Vietnam’s unofficial national dish…a version served at almost
every meal. What is Pho? Some might call it a noodle soup. As served
in Vietnam, this is an oversimplification of the dish. No one likes noodles
more than I do. But what makes the best renditions of Pho is the
broth and the garnishes. I tackled Pho in my kitchen recently and the
broth was fantastic. Part of what made it so special was putting fresh
ginger and onion right on top of my electric burners to darken and make
these two ingredients more flavorful. Garnishes… top your Pho
with huge handfuls of cilantro, basil, bean sprouts, a few Serrano chilies.
Resist the temptation to squish them down into the broth. What a difference
tasting them as a true garnish makes! Next on my Vietnam cooking agenda:
pickled vegetables (love these) and Minced Pork with Lemongrass and Shrimp
Sauce.
 The
Shopping … I’ve been awarded a black belt in
shopping by my friends, a designation that I embrace. Shopping
in Vietnam is more sport than splurge. Bargain you must! Will you pay
$10 for a pair of silk pants or $5, maybe $7 ... and you will be tempted
to buy four pairs in vibrant colors (they will be my hot weather staples).
Broad-brimmed hats for $2 suggests you’ll buy three in different
colors. Silver-tipped chopsticks, a flirtatious necklace bought by
flashlight when the lights went out in the entire city of Hoi An, a
mango knife that actually works, a cache of beautiful horn serving
pieces. My biggest indulgence came in at under $125 and is an amazing
three-piece stacking lacquer box with beautiful contemporary patterns.
The Accommodations ... we skipped the
luxury American chains, staying instead in local three-star hotels that
are as comfortable and give you so much more of the local flavor.
My personal favorite moments in Vietnam:
-
-
Hoi An … everybody’s
favorite town, a walking town without killer traffic. Great cooking
class.
-
Nha Trang … our morning
on a private island with manicures and pedicures in your lounge
chair. After all those days of non-stop sightseeing, pampering
was welcome.
-
Tho Ha … the tiny island
town reached by a ten-minute ferry ride, with one industry: the
whole island is devoted to making spring roll wrappers by hand,
not machine … Loved waking through the town and seeing racks
and racks of spring roll wrappers drying in the sun on bamboo racks.
A brief lesson on how to make although most of what is available
is machine made.
-
Home visit … a home-cooked
meal by our hosts and interface with their two amazing children.
The son, a senior at Saigon University, reads the NY Times on line
each morning, and gave us a detailed discussion of his family’s
ancestors in front of their ancestral shrine. Other notable
visits too.
 You,
too, can be overwhelmed by a visit to Vietnam …
I am so enthusiastic about my trip there that I want you to experience
it, too. The best way is to take the trip that I did, from Hanoi to Saigon,
expertly planned and executed.
SWT Tours can book Vietnam for you. You do not pay more
than the tour company charges, and there’s a bonus: my recommendations
based on my experiences will guarantee a great trip.
Mary Ann Zimmerman
SWT
Tours
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