16 Things You Have to Do in Saigon

“In the sunset of dissolution, everything is illuminated by the aura of nostalgia.” ~Milan Kudera The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Czech book)

It’s my last day in Vietnam. I feel sad.

There were days I hated this place. I’ve never felt more alone in my life than I did here. But at the same time, I love it. I feel like I grew a lot in Vietnam, and the adventures I had—both living and traveling here—were some of the coolest experiences of my life. The bad days were tough, but the good days were amazing.

I normally blog more when I’m traveling around, or when some big event happens. But there were lots of daily, routine things that made living in Vietnam special. These are the things that you can’t capture with a vacation. They are the day to day highlights that make immersion fun. It’s hard to explain them to someone who didn’t live it, but I’ll do my best.

As I think back on my time in Saigon, these are the things I think you have to experience to really appreciate the magic of this place.

1. Play with your food…I love Vietnamese food! Pho is awesome, but it is just a drop in the bucket of amazing Vietnamese dishes. I’ll miss tearing up the leaves to put in my soups. I’ll miss the salty sauces, the sweet smoothies, the mystery meats that were surprisingly good. Vietnamese food ranks among some of my favorite in the world. I never got food poisoning, and there were very few dishes I didn’t like. It was all so fresh and unique.

2. Get soaked in a monsoon on a Grabbike… the weather has to be the single most frustrating part of living here. The days it doesn’t rain, it’s sweltering heat. Then when it rains, it pours. It’s a soaking waterfall like rain that lasts about an hour. And when you’re on the back of a grabbike, you have no choice but to sit there and shiver. But it also fits Saigon. It’s one of the many uncomfortable inconveniences that people here take with a smile. I aspire to be so go-with-the-flow one day.

3. Become a regular at a whiskey bar…  the whiskey bar happened to be around the corner from our first BNB back in March. At the time I arrived, my irritable stomach tolerated whiskey better than beer and wine when I was taking the stomach meds, so we became regulars. It’s nice having a bar where everybody knows your name. It’s also nice to get together with other expats and realize we all have the same fears and frustrations traveling around.

4. Spend hours googling “what bit me” to identify bug bites…Having ants on my body became a daily occurrence by about mid April. Since then, we’ve seen everything from bed bugs to fleas to spiders to ants to mosquitoes to strange beetles to intestinal worms. I’ve had it all. The paranoia of “is this the bug bite that gives me dengue?” gets old fast. But despite the creepy crawly feeling of seeing insects on you everyday, people are relatively healthy.

5. Have a “same same” bahn mi order… I was hesitant about bahn mi when I arrived. The whole street food pate kind of freaked me out. But when I found Juicy, a little bahn mi and smoothie shop by our flat, I was hooked. I came here at least 5 mornings a week. When I walk in, the lady who owns it just says “same same?” I reply “same same” and she makes me my usual egg bahn mi with a mango and passion fruit smoothie. I’ve sat here blogging, FaceTiming, Netflixing, and reading. It was a comfy little corner in the chaos of Saigon.

6. Waste hours in coffee shops… I had no idea Vietnam had such a coffee culture. While I am still not a huge coffee drinker, I love the atmosphere of Vietnamese coffee shops. Not only do they provide an air conditioned escape from the heat (or a dry escape from the rain) but it’s nice to be able to get out of the flat and go somewhere when you have nothing to do. The smells are rich, the ambiance is always tranquil, and some of the drinks (like matcha shakes, boba tea, or fresh fruit smoothies) are incredible, creative, and refreshing.

7. Trip over the pavement…sidewalks just don’t exist in Saigon. If you find one, it’s either crumbling, covered in trash, or being used as motorbike parking (or an extra lane of traffic.) It was hazardous to walk anywhere.

8. Swim just because you can… When I arrived in Vietnam, I’d never seen the Pacific Ocean (except from a plane.) I’ve now swam in the Pacific more than the Atlantic. I also joined a pool and swam laps every week. I took advantage of hotel pools. I’ve probably been in the water at least a day a week. It was a highlight of living in perpetual summer on the equator and I will miss it.

9. Sleep on the couch… the street noise in Saigon is like no other. It never stops. Even in the most outskirt and suburban areas of the town, truck traffic blares all night long. It was particularly bad outside my bedroom, so I actually slept on the couch in the living room for 4 of the 6 months we lived in that apartment. It’s a good thing massages were so cheap.

10. Walk a few blocks to catch a grab… riding motorbike taxis was the most fun part of living in Saigon. It was also the most maddening. The bike drivers had various qualifications and virtually no concern for safety. Sometimes they accepted your ride and then stopped for a smoke break before coming to get you. Sometimes they ran out of gas and left you on a curb to go refuel. Sometimes they didn’t have a gps to navigate. It could be a smooth process or an hour long ordeal to get anywhere. But that is part of Vietnam. You never know what you are going to get.

11. Don’t talk about the corruption… when protests happen (and they do) no one talks about it. When there is a curfew in place or parts of the town barricaded off, it doesn’t make the news. If you didn’t see it, you wouldn’t know. When leading political officials disappear, no one brings it up. Things just happen in Vietnam, and life goes on.

12. Feel guilty for your boarish behavior in a laundromat… the chaos of Vietnam brought out an ugly side of me. The pinnacle of my descent into madness was in a laundromat in Hanoi. While haggling over the price to do my laundry, I finally shouted “I don’t have time for you #+?%ing Vietnamese logic this early in the morning.” I grabbed my laundry and left. I feel bad about it, and I hate being that ugly American, but part of traveling is confronting various frustrations and learning to be patient. I’m not always successful, but I appreciate the ways travel has made me more flexible and open minded in frustrating situations.

13. Leave at the same time but arrive 20 minutes apart… as another fun Grab oddity, Matt and I often left at the same time to go to the same place and arrived at totally different times. Other times, one of us would leave after the other but arrive first. Planning anything was impossible. You had to appreciate life in the moment everyday, because if you took your plans too seriously, you’d go crazy.

14. Forget about the war… perhaps the thing I am most proud of from my time in Vietnam is essentially getting passed the Vietnam war. When I first got here, that was the only association, and really the only interest, I had with Vietnam. But 8 months later, the war is such a small piece of what Vietnam is to me. I could tell a dozen other stories before I would even touch on the war. As an American, it’s cool to see that history moves on, wounds heal, and Vietnam is more than one conflict.

15. Live with your best friend...In reality, friends don’t always make the best room mates and room mates don’t always make the best friends. I know we drove each other crazy on a pretty regular basis, but I truly don’t know that I would have stayed in Vietnam as long as I did if it hadn’t been for Matt. Matt listened to a lot of rants and put up with a lot of my frustrations about Saigon. I don’t think he was as bothered by it as I was, but he was always there and very supportive. I know I grew more because of him and his perspective and I am grateful for that!

16. Finally get it… it is frustrating, it is a chaotic, it’s lonely and maddening. But the funny thing is, I get it. It’s a different pace of life—and I don’t think I could do it long term—but it’s awesome. People who live in Saigon live for the joy of being alive. It’s about taking the moment, realizing that in the moment, 95 things might suck and make no sense, but you hop on your motorbike and go for it anyway. Because that’s what life is about!

For the last 2 hours, I’ve been trapped in a coffee shop by the monsoonal rain. And you know, I’m not even mad. Life works out here in Vietnam.

It’s been an unforgettable 8 months. I truly feel sad to leave and wish I had more time. But there is more world to see, and more adventures to have. I’ll come back to Southeast Asia someday. And I’ll definitely come back to Vietnam.

Hoi An

I’ve fallen in love with Hoi An. The little winding streets are filled with incense smoke and dimmly lit at night with paper laterns. The coffee smells whaft from the cafes and the street food is cheap and diverse. At night, along the river, old ladies float candles in paper boats. Plus, the beaches are clean and just a 20 minute bike ride away.

So I decided to rent a bike and stay. Instead of going back and spending my last week in Saigon–Matt’s gone, it’s been two months since I quit my job, I don’t have an apartment anymore–I’m going to spend my last week in Vietnam here.

Yesterday, I joined some Germans and we rented bikes to go see the My Son temples. The ride out into the jungle was beautiful. The temples were pretty cool too, very similar to the ruins we saw in Bangkok. The ride back was a bit more adventuresome. We stopped at what we thought was a crowded street food vendor. It turned out to actually be a funeral, and we were invited by the granddaughter of the deceased to participate. It was horribly awkward, but possibly one of the most unforgettable faux pas I’ve made in traveling.

Today, I decided to take in a few of the touristy sites. Here’s what I learned.

Hoi An was a significant trading post in the 16th and 17th centuries. Japan and China specifically had permission from the Vietnamese emperors to set up shops and make trade agreements in the port town. As a result, both Japan and China spent significant amounts of money building the infrastructure of the town which gives it a unique aesthetic. Dutch, French, and Indian traders would also come to Hoi An to do business with the Japanese and Chinese.

A truly international city for centuries, during the French occupation, Hoi An became somewhat of a resort town. This history, however, has been largely erased.

Hoi An received UNESCO World Heritage status in December of 1999. As a world heritage site, nothing can be built up or developed; the unique architecture is preserved.

The city has definitely capitalized on their not-so-hidden treasures. Various kiosks around town sell tickets that give you access to your choice of 5 of the 22 world heritage buildings. The buildings are classified as Assembly Halls, Old Houses, Communal Houses, Museums, and Temples. To be honest, I’m not completely sure what the difference is. They all looked like temples.

But here are the sites I saw.

Quang Trieu Assembly Hall

I chose this one partially because it was close to where I parked my motorbike, and partially because it had such a big crowd yesterday. The red entry gate was beautiful, as were the lanterns inside. Perhaps a highlight was the giant dragon fountain in the back. It looked like some sort of Dragon Medusa hybrid with lots of heads flinging in lots of different directions. There was also a statue of a goat and a nice little garden with a coy pond and foot bridge.

Ngyuen Tuong Family Chapel

Family chapels are part of the ancestor worship and folk religions of Vietnam. Much in the same way Catholics pray to saints for various needs, Vietnamese religions pray to deceased loved ones and rulers to protect them and help them. This chapel was built in 1806 by the Nguyen Tuong family as a place to pray to their ancestors. The building itself combines elements of Japanese and Chinese architecture. The pattern on the roof is designed like a tortuous shell, to symbolize longevity. The main alter is dedicated to the patriarch of the family who was an army commander in the Nguyen dynasty. His sons were authors and philosophers and many of their manuscripts are also on display in the chapel.

Cam Pho Communal House

The Cam Pho House was built in 1817 by Chinese settlers. From what I gather, it was a place for all Chinese residents to gather and worship their individual ancestors. Apparently communal houses have to be near a dock and have a tree in the garden. This one has both of those things. It’s a bright yellow temple with a very nice central courtyard that has a beautiful bonsai tree. (Unrelated, but there was also a really good gelato shop just across the street.)

Quan Cong/Quan Am Temple

These two temples are built right next to each other. Both halls are full of incense, with smoke so thick you can see the beams on light cut through from the shutters. The front temple was dark and full of statues of warriors and horses. The back temple was empty and displayed Japanese art. The Buddha in the back temple was illuminated with flashing neon lights (which is actually fairly common in Vietnam.) I’m not sure which temple is which, but they were both very quiet and serene.

Phuc Kien Assembly Hall

I almost skipped this one, but I bumped into some people I met in Hue and they highly recommended it. It was one do the most beautiful sites I saw. The main facade was a bright pink entrance. Inside the main temple was a large table, a sitting area, and a lovely alter with statues of whooping cranes. The back garden was under construction but there appeared to be a dragon statue here too.

Along the way I popped into some coffee shops and read and blogged.  Tomorrow, I think I’ll go to the beach. I’ve also been fitted for a new pea coat (just in time to go home to winter in the US) and I’m excited to see how it fits. It’s hard to capture how magical this city feels. It’s an absolute time warp and I’m looking forward to spending my week here.

One For The Bucket List

When I first decided to come to Vietnam, the idea of a big motorbike trip was top of my mind. I wanted the cruise through rice fields and foggy morning air just like they do in the movies. I’ve loved riding on the back of Grabbikes, but after Matt’s motorbike accident, I didn’t really feel the need to take my life in my own hands. But, I also didn’t want to leave Vietnam without at least one big motorbike adventure. And Hai Van pass seemed like the right choice.

Hai Van pass is a mountain pass right on the coast. It connects Hue to Hoi An. Everyone loves Hoi An. It’s ridiculously touristy, but the old world charm drips from the colonial era walls.

So this was my big finish Hue (another tourist favorite), motorbike ride over Hai Van pass, end with a bang in Hoi An.

My homestay in Hue booked the motorbike for me. I’d found a bunch of companies where you could follow a guide on your own bike over the pass. I figured I know nothing about a motorbike, so if it breaks down, I’d like to have someone there. Or, you know, if I crash and die, someone can at least push my body out of traffic. The guy my homestay recommended was cheaper than the companies I’d found online and it was a private tour as opposed to a group.

The night before we left, I had a bit of a scare. Reader discretion is advised for this next sentence. Sparing any graphic details, I learned that I have worms. I’d been warned that about 75% of people who visit Vietnam contract some sort of worm. A lot of expats I’ve met take worm medication once a month prophylactically. It was a creepy feeling, but not a disaster. I could get the meds over the counter when I got to Hoi An.

So after a bit of a restless night’s sleep, I was ready for the big adventure.

The picked me up at 8am. After strapping my bag to the back of his bike, he asked the routine questions of where I was from and how long I was in Vietnam. He was delighted to find I was a teacher but surprised I didn’t ride a motorbike in Saigon.

The review of the bike controls was less than 20 seconds (“gas is here, brake is here, horn is here”) and then we were off into Hue morning commuter traffic.

Within about 30 seconds I regretted not getting a bike 8 months ago. The adrenaline rapidly dissolved into excitement. Granted, traffic in Hue was a lot lighter (although I feel like I saw more accidents) but it was such a fun feeling riding through the streets.

After looping through the city for about 10 minutes, we set out into the countryside.

Bouncing along on the cement one lane road was an adventure. We rode through fishing villages and rice fields. Rice grows in southern Vietnam, but the fields are not terraced like in the north.

Every time I saw a truck, I panicked a little.

Truck! I thought. Trucks kill people. And I’d hug the shoulder of the road till it passed.

After about an hour we pulled over in one of the fishing villages.

“I think you drive too slow,” my guide said. “I think when we get to the highway it is not safe. When I fast, you fast. When I slow, you slow.”

I apprehensively agreed. It didn’t feel slow to me, but it was more or less the same feedback I got in drivers ed 10 years ago. I thought about a ski instructor telling me about how I should go a little faster than feels safe since the momentum made balancing easier.

There was a little temple near where we stopped dedicated to a tiger god. The scenery was absolutely beautiful, and promised to be an awesome day.

We stopped just a few minutes later for petrol, and then got on the highway. I did my best to keep up, and we maxed out at a top speed of 70km/hour.

When we stopped at a roadside rest area a little later, my stomach was a little queasy. I took an Imodium so I could enjoy the rest of the day without a reminder of the worms or whatever else was living in me.

And then we were back on the road. I continued to think Truck! Trucks kill people! Every time I saw one. I thought the same thing about buses too. I think buses actually scare me more than trucks but I’m not sure why.

Our next stop was Elephant Waterfall. This hidden swimming hole has become a staple on expat motorbike trips along the coast of Vietnam. We motorbiked up the jagged dirt road, bumping over the rocks and erosion that scarred the trail.

I wasn’t sure I needed to swim in a waterfall, but my guide insisted that I did. I changed into my bathing suit. I debated skipping my Bodyglove but decided that I’d cover my pealing Thailand tan. In the end, I was glad I had it because the water was freezing cold.

My guide showed me the best place to enter. As soon as I slipped in, the cold sucked the breath from my lungs. I swam out into the current of the waterfall and road down the three little eddies into the larger swimming pool at the bottom. It was cold, but it was a blast. My guide filmed me, and I have the most elated smile on my face as I sailed down the waterfall.

As I dried off in the sun, Matt texted me. We caught up about Taiwan and Hue. Then I changed and we were back on the bikes.

I decided that the little cement roads in towns were my least favorite to ride on. They were narrow and full of blind turns. I think it’s a coin toss between highway and dirt roads which I liked better. The speed of the highway was amazing, but the bobbing and weaving of the dirt roads was fun.

But for this next stretch it was all about speed. And as we cruised up into the hills overlooking the lagoon, it felt like pure freedom. I didn’t care about worms or flights or homesickness or the past 8 months or life when I get home or what comes next. It may be cliche but it truly was just me and the open road.

At one point, we were crossing a bridge. There were a lot of trucks going both ways, and, as we established, trucks kill people. There were too many trucks in oncoming traffic to pass the 18 wheeler I was behind. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve ridden so many grab bikes, or if it’s because I’ve just grown ballsy, but after careful consideration, I knew what to do.

I blared my horn, I accelerated, and I passed him on the narrow right shoulder between the truck and the railing. Thinking small thoughts, like I have a million times on Grab bikes, I whipped around the truck and sped off into traffic.

I am so Vietnamese I thought proudly.

The next stretch was Hai Van pass. Now if you think about it, this was my third time riding a motorbike. Going straight for the mountains is a bit like taking a new driver over the Rockies on their third day behind the wheel. The switch back turns freaked me out a bit but the hardest part was actually keeping my eyes on the road as I drove. The views along the coast were enchanting. It was a bit smoggy so I couldn’t see all the way to Danang but it didn’t matter. The coastline was beautiful and the aspens along the the trail were the first familiar foliage I’ve seen in 8 months.

On the other side, we stopped for lunch. We had Mi Quang noodles with beef. They aren’t my favorite Vietnamese food, but they are definitely a tasty dish. I’m sure my guide’s job is easier for someone who is just backpacking Vietnam. Having been here for 8 months, none of his tidbits or tips were new to me.

Riding through Danang was interesting. There was a funny juxtaposition. It was in Danang about 2 months ago that I started to hate Vietnam. I felt so scammed by everything in this city and it really started to jade my view of the whole country. Following that visit with the terrifying hike, and then frustrating experiences in Hanoi, and disappointing views in Halong bay, the homesickness and frustration started to grow. But then we hiked in Sapa and it was beautiful. And we went to Thailand and I missed Vietnam. And coming back and rediscovering the food and the unique brand of crazy has been fun. And seeing so much history in Hue was amazing. And this bike ride over the pass was magical. Danang was the keystone in my frustration with Vietnam and now I get to come back to it loving Vietnam!

On the flip side, traffic in Danang was terrifying. There were so many one ways and red lights and four to six lane roads. My guide didn’t seem phased by it as we kept our 70km/hour speed zooming through town.

Hoi An was about 30 minutes passed Danang. The road opened up again just out of town and we clipped along. At one red light as we entered Hoi An, my guide pointed out how to get to the beach.

Hoi An is famous for fashion, with silk and leather being huge exports. Many people buy cheap suits and jackets here. My guide introduced me to his sister who is a tailor. She gave me her card and I told her I’d come back.

We left my bike at her shop and my driver took me the last 9 minutes on the back of his bike to my homestay. It was a little outside of town in the most suburban looking neighborhood I’ve seen in Vietnam.

In the end, riding the motorbike over the pass was everything I’d hoped it would be. It was one of the most memorable adventures I’ve had traveling. I will definitely come back to Vietnam to do it again.

Hue

With 13 days left in Vietnam, I bought a one way ticket to Hue (pronounce: “h-way”.) Hue and Hoi An seem to be everyone’s favorite cities in Vietnam so I’ve saved them for the end. 

 

When I called the grab bike to the airport, it was another case of timing in Saigon. About halfway there, the sky opened up in a soaking monsoonal rain. I and my stuff were drenched, and there is nothing like sitting at the gate at the airport in soaking wet jeans.

 

All of the flights before and after mine were delayed, but mine remained optimistically on time. We boarded on time. I’ve admittedly become a bit of a jerk boarding planes in Asia. Queuing isn’t really a thing in Vietnam. It’s not as chaotic as China; some semblance of a line exists, people just have no problem jumping in wherever suits them. That said, I was very patient. I waited at the back of the “line” as people pushed on in front of me. I stayed very cool all the way on the plane, and stowed my backpack very calmly. I was dumbfounded to see the people in the row ahead of me had already reclined as I shuffled into 14F (Seriously, who reclines during boarding? They make you put you put your seat up for take off anyway!) But, I stayed calm and didn’t let Vietnam get to me this time. 

 

Surprisingly again, we did take off on time.  It was about 90 minutes to Hue, and I read on the way. When we landed, I had a text from Matt that he was getting settled in Taiwan. I attempted to call a grab bike, and while they have Grab in Hue, there were not any bikes in the area. I haggled with a few taxi drivers, eventually settling on a price for the 35 minute ride into town.

 

I booked a homestay for Hue. Viet, the owner, is very nice. He and his wife have two toddler sons. He’s lived in Hue for 14 years. It’s not the most inclusive homestay I’ve booked, but they’ve had good tips on food and getting around town.

 

The people staying in the dorm with me are some of the most social people I’ve met in a dorm. Both nights I’ve been there more than half of the people haven’t come back from partying until well into the afternoon the next day. 

 

My first night here I went to a restaurant across the street to try some local Hue foods. They were all fantastic. There were pork spring rolls, vegetarian spring rolls, and a pork soup that I really like. The central Vietnam version of a generic pale lager is called Huda and is actually pretty good. 

 

I had an early night back at the hostel, texting a friend in Prague and another in Japan (time zones makes this international networking fun.)

 

The next day, I slept in. I had such a hard time sleeping in Thailand, but I’ve definitely made up for it since being back in Vietnam. Viet’s wife made breakfast and then I walked over to see the citadel.

 

The walk was great! There was a little harassment from random motorbike riders offering either a ride or marijuana, but once I put my ear buds in, no one bothered me.

 

Hue was the historic capital of Vietnam prior to the French occupation. The Ngyuen dynasty was the last Vietnamese ruling family, and ruled from the imperial city here in central Vietnam for over 100 years. When two catholic missionaries were killed in Vietnam, the French invaded and colonized the peninsula of Indochina (modern day Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.) The French moved the administrative capital for the colony to Saigon, due to its more favorable location for shipping routes. They allowed Hue to continue as the symbolic capital and the last emperor ruled with no actual authority but symbolic power only. 

 

When the French were driven out of Vietnam and the country was divided, the communist party placed their capital in Hanoi, while the republic maintained the capital in Saigon. In the war with America in the following decades, Hue was near the demilitarized zone between north and south, but much of the city was still bombed.

 

The “citadel” is the old Ngyuen dynasty palace. A walled city, the palace was surrounded by numerous fortifications and moats. Common people lived within the walls of Hue as well. In the inner walls were housing for the emperor’s staff (known as “mandarins,”) the empress, the concubines, etc. In the most inner walls are the various halls and temples where state meetings and religious affairs where held.

 

The citadel is beautiful. Perhaps the prettiest architecture I’ve seen in Vietnam. I think one of the things I’ve missed in Vietnam is history. With the exception of the war with America, there isn’t a lot of Vietnamese history evident or accessible to tourists. But here in Hue, it truly felt like stepping back in time. 

 

Some of the views are quite iconic. There are long open air corridors with giant red columns supporting the tiled roofs. Ornate lanterns of blue glass decorate overhead, not used anymore but equally as beautiful.

 

Part of the citadel is still under restoration from being bombed in the war. The ruined sections are over grown with vegetation. There’s something amazing about the rubble too. It’s like a proud monument to the fact that no matter what conflict we have to endure, part of the beauty remains.

 

When I left the Citadel, I caught a grab bike to the Thien Mu temple. This seven story pagoda was built in 1844 on the site of a temple dating back to the 1600s. In the 1960’s the pro-catholic government in the south persecuted Buddhists in Vietnam. After nine unarmed Buddhist monks were shot in Hue, this temple became the meeting point for the Buddhist resistance. When the government refused protections for Buddhists, one monk from the temple drove himself to Saigon and set himself on fire in protest. Today, the Thien Mu Temple is still a functioning house of worship, and also a memorial to the Buddhist Crisis of 1963.

 

The temple is beautiful. The pagoda is striking and the back courtyard gardens are truly tranquil.

 

Unfortunately, a fear I’ve always had about using Grab came true today. While I was able to get a Grab for the 3 mile ride out of the city, once he dropped me off at the pagoda, I was outside the pick up area for Grab. 

 

So I had a lovely hike back to Hue. Ironically, after turning down countless offers for a ride all morning, not a single person stopped to offer me a ride on this road. 

 

It was a beautiful walk along the perfume river. Equally unfortunate however, it was mid afternoon and time for the monsoonal rain to roll in.

 

And roll in it did. 

 

I hid under the awning at a little road side convenience store. The guy brought over a folding chair for me and I waited out the rain. 

 

I’ve hated the rain in Vietnam. It makes me think of the Forrest Gump quote about Vietnam when he says, “One day it started raining, and it didn’t quit for four months. We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin’ rain, and big ol’ fat rain, rain that flew in sideways, and sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath. Shoot, it even rained at night.”

 

I’ve hated the rain. But today I didn’t hate it. It’s just part of Vietnam. It wouldn’t be Vietnam without the rain.

 

My phone was dying but I decided to give Grab another try. Surprisingly, I got a Grab. It was one of the wettest and craziest Grab rides I’ve had, but I made it back to the hostel and tipped the driver handsomely for coming to get me. 

 

I went and got a late lunch (other people there were probably eating dinner.) I enjoyed another bowl of the pork soup and vegetarian spring rolls. I certainly have not gone vegetarian in Southeast Asia, but I eat significantly less meat. And I’ve discovered so many amazing vegetarian foods. I think it’s probably a good diet change. 

 

Back at the hostel, I blogged a little and chatted with the people in my room (who were getting reward for another big night out.) I chilled until it was dinner time, and FaceTimed my mom after I ate. 

 

I was only going to do one day in Hue but I decided to do two. I really like the history and hope to see more.