February 19 - From Halong Bay to Saigon (via Hanoi)

We had the option to begin our day with Tai Chi on the ship’s top deck, but it was unclear whether anyone took advantage of this. We arose early anyway for coffee first and then kayaking in the bay. The day was overcast, but the water temperature was about 65 degrees. We were asked not to stray too far from our anchored ship, but we circled an island and saw a rock formation that resembled a human face in profile. Note: cruise ships similar in size to ours were numerous and anchored all over – popular place!
 

Then we were served a delicious buffet brunch that had the best beef noodle dish before being delivered back to shore on the tender to board the bus back to Hanoi. On the bus, Loc continued to discuss life in Vietnam, specifically related to family life. Marriage is expected early in a person’s life in Vietnam: age 18 for a girl and 20 for a boy. Some marriages are arranged by the families, but ALL must be approved by both families. There is only one restriction: those born in the zodiac signs of Tiger, Monkey, Snake or Pig cannot marry each other. An early marriage promotes having children at a young age. In Vietnam your children are your “pension.” Babies are not named by the parents and also cannot be named for relatives or other loved ones. Each new baby must have a unique name in the family (both families, actually), so naming a child can be very difficult! Extended families often live together with little privacy. Respect for elders is very important, and titles of respect like “grandmother” or “uncle” are always used when addressing an elder.

Arriving in Hanoi, we proceeded to a private home in a nice neighborhood where we met an artist who creates and performs with “water puppets.” His name is Phan Thanh Liem. Water puppetry dates back the 11^th century. It originated in northern Vietnam in the villages of the Red River delta. It is performed in water that is about waist deep. A large bamboo rod supports the puppet under the water and is used by the puppeteers, who are normally hidden behind a screen, to control them. The water is murky or muddy so that the audience does not see what is happening under the water. Thus, the puppets appear to be moving over the water. A very entertaining water puppet show in a small theater upstairs was performed for us. 

The shows relate to rural life in Vietnam and often have themes to educate young people humorously. Later, the artist explained the process for creating a water puppet in his studio where we also had the opportunity to purchase one of his creations. We decided to purchase the comical puppet who served as the MC of the show. He is the most notable character in water puppetry, and his name is Chu Teu, which translates to “Uncle Laugh.”

Then it was back on the bus to take us to our late lunch before heading off to the airport to go to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. On the way to the restaurant, a beautiful bridge was pointed out that was designed by Gustav Eiffel. The metal work of the bridge was made to emulate Vietnam’s mountains. Loc told us that Hanoi means city surrounded by water. The actual name is two words: Ha Noi, but this is not the same word “Ha” that is in the name Ha Long Bay. The tonality is different. This is similar to the word Ma, which actually had many meanings depending how it is pronounced (similar to Chinese). It could mean ghost, mother, because, young rice, graves, or horse.

Lunch was served at a famous restaurant called Duong Dining. We ate a fish dish that was once rated one of a “thousand dishes to eat before you die” by a New York Times restaurant critic. It was a river “mudfish” served over cold noodles. Everyone really liked it! 

Then it was off to the airport for our flight to Saigon. The flight was a little bumpy so no food was served. Who was hungry anyway?

Landing in Saigon, our bus ride took us past beautiful light displays in downtown, put up to celebrate the new year. It was a little after 9:00 PM when we checked into our hotel, the Reverie Saigon. Before turning in, we went to the hotel’s open-air Long Bar for some wine. The hotel has a beautiful and very colorful décor, including the elevator. Rob and I were extremely amused to hear a woman describe it as “top drawer.”  Who says that?