Luca comes to dinner

Part of the reason for my second visit to Viet Nam was to meet up with a business associate from Manila so that we could explore possibilities of manufacturing paper in the Northern part of the country. He is an exhuberant, jovial and hilarious Italian, and as Italian as they come. His name is Luca. He immediately felt home in Ha Noi, as his twenty years and counting of living in the Philippines have enured him to Asian culture. And certainly, there are differences, but in essence, Luca makes himself understood with his semi-farcical gesturing and irresistible tirades.

So, we invited Luca to join us for an evening of live music and dinner at the Hong Ngoc Hotel; he was staying at another one of their locations not too far from our own. When we had arrived at the hotel the first night, we had noticed the instruments hanging above the stage and I knew we would make time to enjoy whomever would play them. They were all lovely, young Viet Namese women in demure dresses, one of them wearing the traditional Ao Dai costume.

There are so many varieties of instruments in Viet Namese music which borrow from other cultures, it's hard to keep up. But I have always been interested in zithers, as an Austrian friend of mine, many moons ago, had introduced me to this instrument as it was being used with Hungarian Rhapsody # 5 (one of my favorites). As far as zithers go, I have realized that you either love them, or you hate them. Some people find them downright annoying. I'm grateful that no one that evening walked out.

Dressed in Ao Dai, she's plucking the dan tranh

Dan Tranh is a 16-chord zither. What does that mean? A zither is a plucking instrument, sort of like a lute or harp, but it sits on your lap. If you click on the link,you can get the technical details as to the length, the height, the composition of the frame, etc..In order to play the Dan Tranh, the musician will wear finger plectrums on the thumb, the forefinger and middle finger only; these plectrums can be made of tortoise shell, animal horns or metal. It is reported that Dan Tranh was developed after the Tran Dynasty Chinese zither which counted either 9, 15 or 16 strings. For the last 800 years though, the Viet Namese developed specific techniques which made the instrument their own.

This resembles the Ty Ba plucking instrument which was known in China as Pipa and in Japan as Biwa. Though it is not pear shaped, and has 2 strings instead of 4, all the other characteristics are identical. The face is undecorated, and made of light and highly polished wood. Its head is sometimes carved into a longevity figure, and it comprises 4 tuning pegs at the neck. It is a member of the lute family and its length may vary. The nylon strings replaced the olden-days use of silk. It has become a core part of the Viet Namese string culture.

the musician in the center is playing the tam thap luc

Even the name of this 36-string zither is intimidating: Tam Thap Luc . It is of Viet Namese origin, and is made from soft, and light undecorated wood. On the surface, the two rows of bridges are alternately arranged consequently making 18 bridges for each row. At the left string holders, there are 36 hooks for string hanging, while at the right string holders, 36 tuning pegs are located. Strings are made from metal. Mallets consist of 2 thin and flexible bamboo slabs with their ends covered with felt for soft sounds. This instrument can be played "solo" or in an orchestra. When playing, instrumentalist beats on the surface of Tam Thap Luc with two mallets and takes advantages of techniques such as vibration, tremolo, stopping, sliding, making chords, and others. Not easy.

a very casual, and warm atmosphere

Back to the dinner table. The room was not particularly crowded, however, this was an easy way to participate in a cultural activity while resting one's feet for more arduous journeys. We were seated to the left of the stage, and had a great vantage point for viewing and taking pictures. We were so immersed into our conversation that we forgot to take pictures of all the plates, which were as scrumptious as they looked. The Christmas decorations were done tastefully and none too gory, as they can be at times. It was a marvelous evening in every way possible; the ambiance, the food, the friendship make it all very hard to forget.

Chuck, me, Luca

It's About a Huge Turtle in Viet Nam

This undated photo provided by the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo shows a captive Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle from Thanh Hoa province in Vietnam. Zoo researchers recently discovered one of the rare giant turtles in the wild in northern Vietnam.

This blog is really not about news of any sort; however, it was impossible to ignore this story, since we know about the legend of the mythical turtle living deep in the waters of the Hoan Kiem lake who swallowed Le Loi's sword. Ha Noians reported sightings of the creature, and have claimed that blessings came to them thereafter.

According to scientists, the above turtle, thought to be extinct, once existed in only two geographical areas: China, and Hoan Kiem Lake in Viet Nam. This latest discovery has scientists excited, and represents hope for the species.

Train Travel in Viet Nam

had to open a window to take this kind of shot
Though not the fastest, nor at times the most comfortable method of travel, the train does provide certain joys and benefits one could not experience any other way. Before I had even set foot in Viet Nam, I knew that I wanted to experience the Ha Noi/Sai Gon (or HCMC, if you will) at least one way. I did have some preconceived notions about train travel,-one of them being that it is subliminally romantic. Train travel allows you immersion which is simply unaffordable at 41,000 feet in the air; you can breathe the air and live the day of a Viet Namese in small ways: you will follow their footprint in the manner in which they get from point A to point B. You will purchase a ticket, and even though you may not be in the same class, the cars will succeed one another on the same track, and you will arrive at destination with more or less the same story to tell.

this is your ticket; don't lose it
Except that if you are an American, your story will be ever so slightly different. For one, you will not be able to communicate with any of the staff at the train station, on the platform or in the trains unless you are fluent in the language. But that hasn't stopped anyone from boarding the trains. Also keep in mind that the train is a wonderful venue for sharing adventures with other travelers and learning from their experiences, and they from yours. And you will meet them from Australia, from France, from Taiwan, from Israel (yes, Israel, I couldn't believe it either). The thread that weaves the common bond is that of eternal wanderlust and the nearly adolescent excitement of discovery.

Every station has vendors all along the platforms
The trains are not without drawbacks, and if you are the type of traveler that must go first class, and chooses the 5 star or 6 star hotel, then this is not for you. Though you might enjoy the luxury car, which we did spot from the outside of the train; it was a dead giveaway, with its white lacy curtains, the victorian lamp that appeared at each window, and I imagine the berths must have been super cushy. Had we done that, I feel we would have missed the point.

Avoid the Upper Berths if you can
Let me start with some of the advantages, other than cultural: it's ridiculously cheap, and we had first class, lower soft berth tickets which is considered the best you can get without hitting the "Trump" car. Keep in mind that you may have to share your cabin with other travelers, since it's 4 berths to a compartment. Try not to take the upper berths unless you enjoy the gymnastics of monkeying up and down every time you need to stretch. (it's cheaper, too).It's also quite safe. In general, the entire country is quite safe and even if I were alone, I wouldn't hesitate to board a train. If it's going to be a relatively short journey (say, 3-4 hours' time), then you don't need the berth, and might want to reserve in the seats only area. Hereagain, they have hard seats and cushy seats.

In this compartment, you can recline, but not sleep

This particular train ride was Ha Noi/Sa Pa/Ha Noi, which is a much shorter journey than the one we had taken the previous year which covered Ha Noi/Sai Gon and a few stops in between. Had we gone without stopping, it would have been about 32 hours. These are not high speed locomotives as you may have guessed. Most trains for Sa Pa leave around 10PM at night, and it makes quite a bit of sense. The trek is long enough to get you into Lo Cai Station by 6:00am the next day. They do have one train that runs during daylight, but since we had photographed the entire length of Viet Nam on the prior trip, it was not crucial to travel by day.

There will be other stops on the way

The biggest advantage? Someone else is driving. That means that you and your companion can pay attention to each other, and look at maps, edit pictures, take more pictures, walk through all the cars to check out the local scene, have some hot coffee in the dining car (most trains have those) and make friends with other tourists in the corridors. The train does stop at other towns; you have a quick opportunity to get off and buy some snacks,-and in this case, I recommend the sesame rice cakes which are awesome and the peanuts. Of course, I come equipped as well with fruit (bananas, oranges, chocolate bars, diet coke - which is very difficult to find -) and other goodies I might find at the train station kiosks. Keep in mind that the Viet Namese know how to make wicked croissants.

Not totally automated yet

The berths for me were magnificent; comfortable, with a night light overhead for reading, a little netted pouch on the side could hold my glasses. Blankets and pillows are arranged army style, and you make your own bed when you arrive. A folding table comes in very handy in the center under the window, and that's why you need to take the lower berths. Under your berths, you can store your luggage, but keep in mind that the people above your head also have theirs. Usually, one side is reserved for the couple above, and vice versa.

Now, for the not so good news. There is one essential item you must bring on any train journey, and that would be your own toilet paper. Don't ask why, or how the citizens here do it, because I couldn't tell you. Just bring it. Actually, the train ride up to Sa Pa from Ha Noi had a mountain of tissues piled in one corner of the corridor by the door, next to the lavatories. This was an unusual occurrence, and please do not count on this to happen to you. Be prepared, or very sorry. Also bring the toothpaste and toothbrush that Viet Namese hotels are so kind in providing for you on a daily basis. They did have tiny cakes of pink soap in most washing areas, but hereagain, bet on the side of safety and bring your own. The toilets are separated from the double aluminum sinks, and you want to ensure you are booked in car with a Western style toilet unless you have become adept at squatting. I feel obligated to show you the hardware below.

This is rather primitive but might be easier to negotiate for a man than for a woman. In fact, when I first arrived at Narita Airport in Japan, the first thing I did was run to the women's bathroom, and found myself forced to squat. But at least, it was porcelain, and a very pretty beige, at that.

commentary not needed here

This could be a wonderful opportunity to bring these sanitizers which kill everything in sight. There are no paper towels for drying, so hereagain, please prepare. Another very slight drawback is the noise. But I found that it was the rumbling of the train that put me to sleep. Since this part of the train also has air conditioning, they do not look kindly upon anyone opening windows. (in case you have a crazed photographer who doesn't wish to shoot through dirty windows.....).

Rice fields as far as the eye can see

What you will have missed by taking the night train is truly a sequence of breathtaking scenery. If rice is life, then Viet Nam is the bowl. Rice fields are infinite and so varied in color, depending upon the stage of the growth. Even the greens offer contrasts, and against a blue sky, or some rugged mountains, you just gape at the scene below, hoping you can slow the train just a bit more.

Oxen are part of the vernacular

You also realize fairly quickly how the average Viet Namese is part and parcel of an agrarian society. They are hard at work tilling the land, with oxen, their bare hands, and sometimes missing limbs. (reminders of the American War). Everyone here gets up very early in the morning: whether in the cities or the rural areas, or the countryside, Viet Nam is working all the time. Planting, harvesting, and maintaining the family plot which is a must for every family. Graveyards and cemeteries are some of the most colorful we had ever seen.

A typical cemetery area

As the sun begins to rise, you know you are approaching destination. It's a bit chillier in these parts than in Ha Noi. Sa Pa has been likened to the Alps, and though I have never been to the Alps, I would say that it is indeed a most exquisite town, almost picture perfect with its Fan Si Pan peak as a back drop and a lake that need borrow nothing from the Swiss.

A small shelter on mountainous terrain

The landscape does change dramatically, in that there are now higher elevations, and as soon as you are off the train, and out of the station, you'll be heading further up the mountainous roads that is not for weak hearts. Allow yourself to soak in the rice terraces: they are unlike anything I have ever seen, in pictures or otherwise. Even Bali's rice terraces didn't make that kind of impression on me. As you leave the station gates, also prepare to be assaulted by everyone who is looking to earn some dongs today. The train station here is very similar to all the other stations in what they offer by way of food and drink. But the architecture is unmistakably French. You'll see what I mean very soon.

This is the end of the road..

A Visit to Bat Trang Village

Bat Trang Village is about a 35-40 minute ride from Ha Noi, if you are with people who have an idea of how to get there. Luckily for us, we were, as Chuck's group of photographer friends are always looking for interesting things to shoot. I normally do not join these "men" outings, but when I heard that ceramics and pottery were involved, it was not possible to keep me away.

The map above may give the reader a sense of the layout of the village, but for me, I prefer to stay away from maps and lose my way around. I did know, however, that the village would be hemmed by the Hong (Red) River, and that artists' shops could be visited without advance notice. Sounded like a plan.

A bit of history about this place reveals that by the 14th century, some craftsmen were already picking up the slack from China, who at the time, had banned export of their renown blue and white ceramics. Blessed with an abundance of white clay and readily available water, it wasn't long before Bat Trang earned a reputation for the quality and beauty of their products; eventually celadon and crackled glaze were added over time. Unfortunately, exports slowed to an eventual halt when China resumed its own exports by the 18th century. Today, Viet Namese pottery and ceramics have earned their own signature and feature some of the most exquisite modern designs, though one can still find the traditional blue and white motifs everywhere.

Since food is always part of any outing, the group introduced us to this café which sat right in the center of what I'll call the commercial area. This is where tourists buses park and unload their passengers. The assortment and quality of the products encompasses anything you can think of plus more. It is virtually impossible to walk away from Bat Trang without carrying something back. As we stepped inside the café, we realized we were the only visitors. At this point, we opted for a very traditional lunch of nem rolls and seafood noodles with warm tea. The other men didn't eat as they were much more interested in taking pictures of each other and discussing the eccentricities of lenses, cameras and shooting angles. Needless to say, the food was outstanding.

Look at the design of the back of the chair that Chuck is sitting on. The Chinese influence is unmistakable, as we found the case to be in almost every historical place we visited. One of the most beautiful was the ancient capital of Hue, and I'll cover that in another post.

As we finished our meal, we took turns taking pictures of each other, and I did the honors by taking some of the entire male group together. It was now time to take a walk around the village and visit some of the workshops.

Pagodas are ubiquitous in Viet Nam, and the further away from the big cities, the more there are. Sometimes, they are just gateways, but have this very colorful and historical presence. And this village was no exception.

We started walking away from the main tourist area, we began to see some of the locals either at work or play. Why do I get the feeling that women are working harder than men here? We caught glimpses of several women pushing overloaded bicycles filled with large planting pots, heading towards the river.

What a clever way to leverage a bike's utility...and yes, that's a woman pushing.

Some of the doors leading inside the workshops were wide open, others not. Since no one spoke English, but we had our built-in guides, it was easy to introduce ourselves and get inside to see works in progress. One such piece caught my attention, and it is the clay multi-leveled home with the front courtyard. I had no idea if this would be dried and kilned and sold as natural clay work, of if it might be glazed afterwards. I loved it just as it was. On the floors, there were hundreds of vases, flat dishes, planters, some unfinished, others decorated but faded, and most just gathering dust.

It was hard to tell whether these were abandoned projects or unwanted pieces. Had I been able to carry all of these precious ceramics home, I would have taken them. Or bought them, whichever worked.

One of the most interesting things to watch was the "delivery" of the wet clay to the artist. In the photos below, you can see a huge mound of fresh clay which the woman will apportion by using some sort of a steel string to peel the material away and carry it inside. I took a close up shot of the clay which looks more like smoked oysters to me.

The artist is immersed in his work and is not really paying attention to any of us, which is good, I think....

This was at first startling then made a lot of sense, since the pieces have to be placed in ovens at high temperatures. The greyish patties you see are made of coal and they are plastered onto the outside walls of the "studio" for drying, and will be used for fire.

This is so labor intensive that it's a miracle that it does not translate into exhorbitant prices of the finished goods. But considering that China is outsourcing to Viet Nam, labor is still cheaper here than it is there.

The barges serve as homes to the tradespeople as well as transporting

to markets in Viet Nam and for eventual export.

This child is beyond adorable; many of them accompany their mothers who have stalls in the "commercial" area of this village. I started wandering in and out of each stall, picking up a vase here, and another one there, and then changing my mind, and my vases each time I saw something more amazing.

In Viet Nam, people will offer you whatever it is that they are eating. I found that they have the most peculiar way of eating guavas, a fruit that I kill to eat. The only other place I was able to find guavas was in Mexico City. Well, here they dip quarters of the fruit in hot chili powder and swear by it. This is my cue to take a hike as I cannot handle chili in any way, shape or form, especially in the Orient. The extent of my chili experience stops at Chili con carne. Full stop. I love food that is well spiced, but cannot tolerate "hot" spice. The women who had offered me the fruit were all laughing at me because I begged away from them.

I am very close to victory here, as I spot these very unsual bowls
which are dotted in white with a melon background. It is only now that I notice that they match my dress. This is what they call sublimation I suppose.

They were sturdy and beautiful and luckily for me, micro-wave safe, which meant they'd be perfect for my morning oatmeal on freezing New York mornings. One has to plan in advance. A set of 12 would have worked well, except that we had already purchased a couple of suitcases in order to be able to fit all that we had not been able to "resist" in our travels. The final purchase was 4 bowls which I still have to this day.

In addition to these bowls, I fell in love with 2 other ceramic vases, which I will post on the blog at some later date, since I will have to photograph them. One of the vases caught my heart because of its unusual triangular shape at the top, and its exquisite blending of earth tones in a very subtle block pattern. The other vase was more traditional and had a curled lip of sorts, but hereagain, the color was greyish, but upon close inspection, one could detect some blue and reddish hues in the mix. An added bonus is that instead of giving you shopping bags, they put your puchases in these straw matted pouches with handles (see it pictured next to the crouched vendor in the photo). I was very excited about these as I immediately envisioned other potential uses for the pouches when they would arrive in New York.

This is what you see as you enter the parking lot, but it's only a fraction of the array they have. You can spend an entire day, weaving in and out of stalls, and if I had a ceramic business, this is where I'd make my wholesale purchases. Forget the Lenox and the Wedgewood. I am as far away from those brands as anyone could be.

I hate to poop the party, but these men want to go on and shoot more pictures and I am worn out. I take a firm stand and declare that I really must get back to the hotel. And of course, it does take about an hour for the ride back, as we hit some traffic coming into Ha Noi.

Bat Trang needs me back, for perhaps a half-day, but this time, without a bunch of clickers. Watch out for the cows on the way home...they are all over the place, grazing.

Read about the new way to visit this village...via buffalo. Follow this link.

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Around Ha Noi's Old Quarter

If you make the trip to Viet Nam, and you opt to stay at one of the luxury Western Hotels, you will have forsaken the intrinsic value of the cultural impact of the country. These luxurious hotels are not in the Old Quarter, but the ones that are will leave an indelible mark on your experience. The first time we came, we stayed at the Lucky Hotel I, and believe me, I would not have hesitated for a second to return. But, we would have then missed the seduction of the Hong Ngoc Hotel, - another gem in the Old Quarter. There is a difference between the "Old Quarter" and the "French Quarter", though they are relatively close to one another.

paper goods of all kinds are sold in this area

The Old Quarter (also referred to as the Hoan Kiem District due to its proximity to the lake of the same name) is famous for its 36 streets, which you will read and learn about in every guide book you pick up. History claims the genesis of this district around the early 13th century, when skilled craftsmen and guildworkers migrated to the area and set up shop in clusters, selling similar products. This is also reminiscent for me, of the cooperative, or prefecture set up of Japanese paper craftsmen, but not as "primitive". Each street was home to a specific type of product and thus was named accordingly.

The names have not changed but do keep in mind that Hang Gai Street is the main drag. It also made its claim to fame through the purveyors of silk and silver which set up shop there. One can also find stunning lacquerware, embroidered prints (of which we bought several).

very narrow
shops

From an architectural standpoint, one is struck immediately by the unusually narrowness of the shops; this trait seems to also translate to the apartments and homes in most of the country. This was due in part to taxation which was determined by the width of the store front. As for the housing, it seemed more economical to build vertically than horizontally (another similarity to Japan, where real estate has gone wild). Thus, with each succeeding generation, the house would acquire a new floor.

notice the vertical character of the housing

Artists are everywhere in the Old Quarter; most are busy at work forging famous paintings from renown masters. Where else in the world can you get a Klimt for US$75 unframed? The framing cost more than the artwork, but it was worth every dong (VN currency). Yes, you can find original Viet Namese art, some of it falling into the "naif" category. It has still not made a name for itself, but it's a matter of time.

pagoda and banyan tree fight

for real estate

Don't fight the fact that street names may change after a block or two; it is simply a reflection of what they are peddling. I also didn't think it terribly important to remember which street is named for what, as we both take tremendous pleasure in losing ourselves on these crowded sidewalks, and literally continuously taking mental snapshots of everything and anything that appears.

Shoe Street?

As you may have guessed, walking is the most intimate and magical way to discover the treasures of the Old Quarter. If you get tired, hop a cyclo (seekloh) to your next destination. If it's brutally hot, take a cab; it will cost you peanuts...However, you might miss a splendid, sprawling banyan tree that may be cutting across the wires which are criss crossing above head just about everywhere. Each street will most likely also offer a pagoda or the remnants of one. The Viet Namese are not terribly religious people, but they are spiritual and most worship their ancestors. They do make their prayers in front of Buddha normally, but within the pagodas, there may be photos of martyred monks with offerings and incense on the side of their likenesses.

You will see a lot of red flags with a yellow star, accompanied by matching T-shirts, hats, and other "souvenir-like" items. Yes, this is communist Viet Nam, but you'd hardly know it.

It is impossible to have a bad meal in this city, or any other city in Viet Nam for that matter. We found more exotic fare this time around, but you are never left wanting for anything here. There is a definite fusion of Asian and French flavors which the chefs here make their own. Béchamel sauce in Ha Noi? You bet! and it's outstanding. Life is literally on the streets, and you either fall in step with everyone else, or you'll be left behind. And that would be a pity.

it's sheer madness on every single street