Hi everyone!
so...its official.
..I'm now Hannah-less. 
she's moved on to Bangkok, and I'm in Beijing. amazing how far apart you can get so quickly. but...she's now on the mailing list, which is always exciting! welcome also to James and Kate...keep me updated on Vancouver and make sure to stop in at Hells for me!!! I finally made it to Beijing....its been a while since I've written (seems to be getting to be a habit....) and SO much has happened!
First things first ~ Hue. The city is like stepping back in time. I took the train from Danang, leaving Hannah behind ~ I wasn't sure if she'd be joining me or not! After a bit of trouble with the friend subletting her apartment back in Van, she thought she may have to return home early, and so was waiting in Danang for more news. Anyways, I met a nice British couple on the train, and we found a nice cheap ($6) room in the city. After booking a tour up the Perfume River to see the Emperors Tombs the next morning, the three of us set off across the river to see what remained of the ancient Citadel.
The Citadel is a huge gated city on the North shore of the Perfume River. Within the walls of the city rests another Imperial Enclosure, and within that ~ the Forbidden Purple City. Unfortunately, most of the Forbidden City was destroyed during the war, and the space is now mainly used to grow vegetables. It was still interesting to stand on the space and imagine what used to be there....a city off-limits to all but the Emperor and his concubines, and the eunuchs who could serve the Emperor without being a threat to the concubines. Within the grounds of the Citadel were elephant rides (?) and a gorgeous traditional dance performance, which we bought $3 tickets for. It was absolutely worthwhile ....stunning costumes, and beautifully choreographed lantern dances, unicorn dances, and fan dances. Definately a hi-light of Hue.
After a great pasta dinner and some red wine, I went off to bed early ~ the pickup for the boat cruise was at 8am, and I'd just gotten an email from Hannah saying she'd make it to Hue the next day, while I was on the cruise. Good news! I booked spots on the 6pm bus to Hanoi for both of us, and then fell asleep.
The next morning, I was picked up by a tiny Vietnamese woman on a motorbike and taken down to the river, where I was the last to board a dragon boat full of tourists. Lunch orders were taken for later and COFFEE was served which I really needed, and then we headed out to see the first of three incredible tombs.
The tombs were traditionally designed by the Emperor for whom they were intended, and then built by their successor after their death. They are incredibly massive affairs.....filled with courtyards and pagodas and long walkways leading eventually to the tomb. One of the tombs was actually built by the Emperor during his life, and used as a summer palace ~ a place where he could go with his concubines and relax, fish, hunt, and read poetry. After his death, the fear of grave robbers was so high that he was never actually entombed there, but rather buried in an undisclosed location. The 200 slaves who buried him were subsequently be-headed in order to keep the location top secret ~ to this day, no-one knows where his remains are.
Concubines were devoted to one man only ~ the Emperor, to the point where even physicians were not allowed to touch them ~ at most, they could lay a finger on a satin covered wrist to feel the pulse. There were so many of them that they would often only see the Emperor once a year...and were not permitted to leave the Forbidden City for any reason during their lifetime. From what I have read, the Vietnamese are particularly proud of the fact that Vietnamese concubines were freed after the death of the Emperor, rather than buried alive with him as were the Chinese concubines. This of course has made me fascinated to get to Beijing and visit the Forbidden City here!
The overnight bus ride to Hanoi was an absolute gong show. Along the way, we passed a bus that had broken down on the side of the road, and managed to pack ALL the passengers in our already almost-full bus. So every seat is full, and the aisle is jam-packed full people as well. Really relaxing! Definately the time to pop a Gravol or two!
When we arrived in Hanoi, we caught a couple of motos and headed into the Old Quarter ~ the central area of the city, and where most of the interesting sights are located. Because it was only 6am, we had a bit of a tough time finding a hostel, having to wait for guests to check out before we could check in...but eventually we found a room, and Hannah and I split up to get some errands done. I booked my 44hour train ticket to Beijing, and Hannah did her stuff ~ then we met at a travel agency to book a tour of Halong Bay for the next day!! Upon returning to our room, we discovered that our conniving hostel owner was planning on charging us not $7/room, but $7/EACH! so we packed up our bags and found a new place to stay. What an argument that was...and my first negative experience, if you don't count Emma in Hoi An, in Vietnam.
Luckily someone noticed our Canadian flags on our bags as we walked by, and called us in to their guesthouse, where we quickly got a room for $7.
The afternoon brought a visit to the Temple of Literature, which was origianally a monument to Vietnamese scholars, and eventually turned into the country's first University, and then an amazing lunch at a place called Koto. Standing for 'Know one, Teach one" the restaurant is used as a training restaurant for impoverished youth, allowing them a chance for life off the streets. And the food was phenomenal ~ falafel, fries, salad, and pastries for dessert.
That evening, we bought tickets for the water puppets ~ a traditional art form in Vietnam that originated in the flooded rice paddies. Puppeteers (farmers) were intensely secretive about their art, passing secrets along only to sons in the family. Daughters eventually married off, and it was feared they would pass along water puppetry secrets to other families once married!! We half expected the show to be slow-paced, but it was funny, witty, and action packed. Definately a must-see if any of you are passing through Hanoi!
Following this up with drinks at a jazz club owned and operated by a Vietnamese jazz enthusiast, we met a guy who had travelled extensively through China and had tons of advice for me. Funny how things like this always work out!
Anyways, our wake-up call the next morning never came ~ the phone rang when the bus was waiting downstairs, ready to leave on the 3hour drive to Halong City. What a rush and mess that scene was. We were overtired from the jam-packed day and overnight bus of the day before, and definately annoyed at not getting our wake-up call. But what can you do....we made it on the bus and slept as best we could on the way to the Bay!!
Keep in mind our ticket cost about $50 ~ and this is what we got. An incredible tour of Halong Bay and Cat ba Island, more food at each meal than we could eat, private rooms with hot water bath both on the boat and in the hotel on Cat Ba...and kayaking, bike riding, cave exploring, and time to relax and unwind on the boat. When you realize that a weekend houseboating on Shushwap in northern BC costs about $250, and includes ...um, the boat....and crammed little rooms, food and transport extra....you realize what a bargain that is. Not to mention the kayaking was incredible...freezing cold, but incredibly beautiful. The water is emerald green and the islands and grottoes are stunning. Definately deserving of its Unesco World Heritage status.
Hannah and I went to the circus our first night back in Hanoi ~ Vietnamese performers who were trained by the Russians during the occupation. It was Hannahs first circus, and was pretty good....elephants, acrobats, monkeys, and juggling. And then finally, an early night...the next day was earmarked for errands and last minute shopping.
When the day finally came to split up ~ Hannah on a flight to Bangkok, me on a train to Beijing ~ we spent the morning visiting Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. Eeery how incredibly sombre and serious it is... guards with guns and bayonets everywhere. Stepping out of line means being grabbed and placed BACK in line ~ as I soon found out!!! (ooops). It was kinda one of those situations where, because you know it would be devastatingly INAPPROPRIATE to laugh, you have a hell of a time holding it back. Thank god we managed it.
I had a bad experience leaving Vietnam - I was yelled at by some idiot who had decided that I was trying to cheat my guesthouse by wanting to pay a half day instead of a full day, when I was leaving at 3pm. He ended up pointing his finger at me and yelling, " I don't like YOU!!" . Well you know me...held my own while he was there just fine, but fell to pieces once he left. So my 4.5 month streak has ended ~ my first tears fell in Vietnam!!!
Anyways, the train ride was long and uneventfull. The sleeper was comfy, I had a top bunk, and the Gravol meant I slept most of the way. Anyone in need of a good read should consider Wild Swans ~ can't remember the author right now, but a great background of life in China over 3 generations. I finished it on the train. When I arrived in Beijing, MAN was it cold. My friend Skotty was meant to be picking me up, but no sign of him in the busy, bitter cold station. I waited a couple of hours, and then took a cab to check out a couple of hotels on my own. The first one was disgusting, the second one much better. I found an internet cafe and emailed both Skotty and my firiend Caitlin, also in Beijing, with my address and the phone number of the hotel, and settled in to wait.
Scotty called within 45min of me emailing ~ he had completely forgotten I was coming, due to some sort of problems neccessitating a trip to the hospital. A good enough excuse as far as I'm concerned...and since it ended well, its all good. He came down to my hotel, right near the Forbidden City, and we went for dinner, then back to the place he's housesitting....then out to 'his' bar called Lush for drinks. I'm pretty exhausted but figured I should catch up with this before I get too far into my Chinese adventure.
Anyways, lots of love to all of you...I'm gonna get some sleep soon. I'll get pix up as soon as I can, and let you know how I make out in the BITTER cold that is Beijing!!
