Vietnam in a Nutshell

From my last entry in Sapa, we headed south to Hanoi. Hanoi sucks. It's very dirty, chaotic, and the people are rude.

From Hanoi, we took a boat cruise to the beautiful island-dotted seascape of Halong Bay. Actually, me and Emma went alone, apart from the group, as I've sort of, um, fallen in love with her.



From there, we hit a few beach cities called Hoi An and the other Nah Trang. Hoi An is known for its excellent tailors, and as I'm about to enter law school with the intention of being a lawyer, I had a higher-end suit made for myself (with Dolce and Gabana fabric :) and mailed home. Nah Trang, I just sat in a beachside Cabana all day, ordering fruit smoothies and cruising wi-fi.


A small pig farm in Hoi An.

Our final stop in Vietnam was Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh > Hanoi. Way better. I of course hit up the markets, where I like to bargain hard. The kill: a pair of La Coste shoes, Calvin Klein jeans, 2 Lacoste polo shirts, a Polo dress shirt, a tee shirt, and a special gift for my brother for $40!

I also visited some Vietnam War historical sites, and it was quite saddening. At the War Remnants Museum, roomfuls of graphic pictures hung on display, vividly capturing the brutality and devastation the American soldiers wrought upon the Vietnamese people. Soldiers decapitating dead bodies to play with the remains. Soldiers grinning maniachally while packing villagers into an incinerating house. Soldiers coralling men, women, children, and babies to be slaughtered with M-16's. Picture after gruesome picture. It's something you'd expect to see depicting Nazi's, not the good ol' yanks.


Emerging from an underground tunnel; one of many the Viet Cong used to evade American bombardment.

Next stop: Cambodia...