North/Central Vietnam

I had five different entries written and ready to be posted about my trip to the Central and Northern regions of Vietnam. Rereading over the posts before finalizing and publishing I realized that I hated them. I had somehow lost my voice in each of the sections, and if I put them up I would only end up being disappointed with myself.

Why did I hate these posts? They all sounded like a travel brochure or a review on trip adviser. None of them were able to effectively capture my adventures. While I understand that blogging is supposed to allow people to live vicariously through others, please believe me when I say that some things just have to be experienced.

The best stories are never the ones that people write about right away. The best stories are the ones shared between friends in coffee shops, remembered late at night while trying to fall asleep, or the ones that come much later when they are triggered by a pungent smell, a loud noise, or the sound of someone’s laugh. I’m sorry that I can’t share my best stories now, as I don’t know what they are just yet, but I promise, if we get the chance to go out to coffee (or ice cream!), I’ll have plenty to say.

What I do have now are some incredible pictures, a decent play by play recap, and some really cool souvenirs from my trip. Take a look: 

Nha Trang

Snorkeling off the coast of one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We spent 5 hours out on the sea, exploring sea caves, coral reefs, and playing with TONS of fish. (Think "Finding Nemo" for your underwater images) 

Hue

The ancient capital city of Vietnam, Hue is full of historical landmarks. Both the colonial French and the imperial Vietnamese architectural styles led to massive monuments and incredible memorial sites. 

Hoi An

The shopping capital of Vietnam, you can get literally anything you want handmade in Hoi An. I ended up with a dress, custom leather boots and a pea coat (all pictured below) as well as a myriad of other pieces of clothing and accessories. Hoi An is also known for it's monthly lunar festival which includes hundreds floating lanterns. We finished our stay at Hanoi with a Vietnamese cooking class. 

Champa Ruins

The indigenous Champa people of Vietnam, (one of 54 ethnic minorities) built huge temples to the Hindu gods that date back to older than Angkor Wat. These temples were used as a hideout for the Vietcong and were heavily bombed during the Vietnam/American War in the 1970s. 

Hanoi

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is defined by its tiny bustling streets overcrowded with people, motorbikes, and street vendors. We visited Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum where the body of the revolutionary leader is preserved and on display (yes it is a creepy as it sounds). We also drank Hanoi's famous "bia hoi" or "homemade street beer", and lived to tell the tale.