Vietnam

I spent my first Spring Break as a teacher in Vietnam! I got back last week and have been in a puppy love state since. SE Asia so has my heart. I backpacked most of the way with a good friend.. and here's my trip:

For ANYone that knows me, you know that I will pack for a whole family for a week just to go to Houston from Nacogdoches for a weekend. So, packing for one whole week in a BACKPACK was one my proudest moments!

That big red backpack was filled with all that mess around around as we made our way around the country.

First part of the trip, Ho Chi Minh City:

9 million people in this adorably colored city!

The streets of HCMC were filled with people working, eating, and living right there along the road. In little hole-the-wall places or just right on the sidewalk. It was so fun to walk through the city and get a little sneak peek of their lives. 

This guy was shining shoes and playing this card game along with a bunch of other rowdy men.  

I ate about 10 spring rolls during the week. Maybe that's an exaggeration... maybe it's not. ;) I loved them.

Beautiful displays of fruit, flowers, and handi-crafts were everywhere!

This alley doesn't look like much, but down at the end of it was the hostel we stayed in. The little road is big enough for a motorbike to fit through while people squeeze and hang out against the walls. 

We took a 1/2 day trip out the Cu Chi tunnels. So interesting to hear history from the other point of view.

 Quick flight, and we were in Hoi An:

The view of the hotel beach and the sea from my room. 

Precious little man made beach where we spent our days!

The town was just a taxi ride away from our hotel, and it was a different world.

We ate, drank, and photographed our way through this adorable town in the evenings.  I remember telling Lew, "This is the cutest place I've ever been in life."

So many noodle dishes! I ate noodles all week- this is a cute picture of the Hoi An dish, Cao Lau.

One last domestic flight, and we were in Hanoi:

We got in late, and I took a bus out to Halong Bay early the next morning-

I recommend this boat to anyone going out here! It was perfect. Only about 20 of us, very organized, and every second of it was relaxing.

View from my room in the morning!

One of my coolest moments to date.  Kayaking in the bay.

Me on the boat!

I have nothing cultural to post about Hanoi. Hah. I got back to the city and spent my last evening/night enjoying life with a friend from TEXAS and other fun people from the hostel. 

I hope to go back to Vietnam one day and see other cities I've heard about while I was there and maybe get more from Hanoi. If I don't ever get the chance though, that will be ok too. I had the best time and saw so much in that quick week!