Trip to Vietnam central highlands

Back to our Vietnam photo tour. The day before yesterday we brought the boys in Saigon airport, put them in a car and distances them out to the coast of Mui Ne, where we are in the last few days have not made other than to sunbathe, swim in the surf waves and drinking good drinks. The boys arouses proper attention, they are about twice as high as an ordinary Vietnamese, and especially Mads, who has put her hair up in Samurai hairstyle sheep many glances.

Elephant riding in Buon Ma Thuot

Mui Ne is 3-4 hours driving from Saigon and the journey there is most of the time the main road between Saigon and Hanoi. That it is the country's main highway is not reflected in neither its size nor quality. Generally, there are few cars in Viet Nam, most traveling on scooter or motorcycle. The cars are typically trucks, buses or larger vehicles with CHAUFFEUR. All tests come forward and all overtakes everyone, there are several places recorded a solid line, but it has only symbolic value. It is no obstacle to overtake one that overtakes and then simultaneously with flashing lights and honking the horn to point out 'that here I come'. Well the boys slept most of the time, there were several bad accidents along the way.

As fate would have it, we arrived at Mui Ne in monsoon rain, more rain than we ever having experienced here. And now the boys otherwise really down and experience the good weather...Thank God it cleared up the next day. Vietnam travel information

Ah, but I have shown just taken a giant leap in history. Last time we were on the blog was just before we were going with Easy Riders Dalat, to Dak Lak, on the motorcycle. We knew that we had agreed to adventure, but that it should be so different we had not dreamed of. At 9 am we stood ready out on the main road with our luggage, very excited on whether there would emerge no Bikers up. No need to panic, they came with freshly washed motorcycles and large plastic poser and laces to tie our luggage to the back of the bikes so it seemed like back support. Equipped with helmets, we drove out of town and into the mountains. Travelling around for two days with two locally experienced guides who could show us everything there was to see who could find the most incredible little coffee / tea places along the way and had tremendous understanding of how when our bottoms just needed to acute pause. At night we slept at Lak lake, which was the original idea that we should have slept in a longhouse, with minority people, but I think they thought we needed to stay overnight, so they recommended us a real bed in a kind of resort. In the longhouse we would have to live with cows, pigs, chickens, ducks and elephants. The elephant then tried the next day it took us through the seas.

After a day's journey through the mountains we ended up in Dalat, which is known as the city of eternal spring. Here is an average temp of 17 degrees. The city is the largest producer of flowers and vegetables, and it is also those that produce wine, Vang Dalat.

The next morning, Peter was out playing golf on a very beautiful track that say the least, was lying in the middle of the city. Peter had had an adorable female caddy, and I was with a spectator and photographer. In the afternoon we headed to Saigon for a walk on 6-7 hours in a good car.

Tomorrow we go to Saigon again and visit on the way Cu Chi tunnels, where the boys hope for that they can shoot with an AK-47...!

Motorcycling around the central part of Vietnam

Central Vietnam

After an overnight bus trip we arrived in the former capital - Hue. City still considered to be the cultural capital of Vietnam turned out to be a huge disappointment. After 3 hours driving engine of the city, visiting the ruins of the Forbidden City (actually it is not even the ruins were only blank), Thien Mu Pagoda and the famous Le Loi Street in the French Quarter we were already very bored. It can not be excluded that affected the travel fatigue. Besides, just after the stay in Hanoi few places would do me a big impression. Either way, both we have found that the time for any changes!

Traveling around Vietnam is too less tourists than in China. As a rule, buying out the cheapest package tours, even themselves Vietnamese rely on buses open tour instead of public transport because it is cheaper. From Hue we went further south to Hoi An, once one of the most important ports in Asia. To avoid reoccurrence of the situation of Hue, carefully planned to what we are going to do. At the same Hoi An, a short walk for me was enough, the rest of the time was spent on trips out of town ... The first day was to a holyland (well, unfortunately, but it's probably for the time being last once) to the ruins of one of the sacred places of ancient Asia - My Son sanctuary. The ruins of the temple complex kingdom of Champa greatly improved my mood. Dense jungle overgrown remains of the temples can be considered some sort of harbinger of what will next be seen in Cambodia in the complex of Angkor Wat. Interesting were also references to Hinduism before we met not with this religion. With My Son through many wars has been little. Recently in 1969, the bombing of Americans have caused the destruction, among others, the highest 20-meter tower. 

The next day we rented a place as scheduled bike for two days (after the negotiations and the search for decent hardware) and so started to Chronicles Motocycle. Initially we planned to take a driving force in the way back to Hue and further north to buggy ride along the Demilitarized Zone, where the scars of war with the United States are still the most visible. Ultimately, however, we decided to drive to the south to the My Lai. Motorcycling overcame 130 km one way. Finally, I saw the similar, which always I associated with Vietnam: jungle, spilled as a result of intense rainfall the river, rice fields, small towns and then villages. It was beautiful, the sun shone and the wind cools the body nicely. To My Lai was not easy to reach, do not go here regular tours, access is not specifically marked. Fortunately, however, most road defeats while driving the main road in Vietnam - Highway # 1. 

In My Lai in 1969 Americans for 4 hours killed more than 500 Vietnamese people, mainly women and children. This is the best documented war crime Americans during the Vietnam War (pictures, eye-witnesses). At this time in the My Lai is a museum, and in the place where once was located the village - the foundations of the burned houses, plaques with the names of the dead. Place makes a big impression, especially with there quietly, few tourists arrives here. After a rest from the sun we went back, another 130km. We returned inches ... I mean, we had one minor tipper and slightly burned in the leg, and no horse in short pants and a T-shirt also meant that a little sun burnt us in their arms, legs and face PP Anyway, it was worth.

Morning stated that measures taken to reduce the effects of sunburn effect and only have brought some face me baked. This time we dressed more sensibly, long pants, shirts with long sleeves (air temperature in the south is a circle of 38 degrees, but do not feel this Motorcycling). Today we had a shorter trip, just 40km one way, by the Chinese Beaches (landing place of the first contingent of American soldiers during the Vietnam War) on Son Tra peninsula. For the same reserve on Son Tra actually not we got because at one point ended in road, but managed to find another beautiful place in which there were no other tourists. On the way back bathed in nice and warm South China Sea

There were no dump trucks, motorcycle outfit did a great job. We rode within two days, around 360 km. The local traffic easily get used, simply there are no rigid regulations on the road is littered with motorcycles, so you have to drive so that it is always somewhere press. The plan we had overnight on the beach to save cost at the hotel, but for the time being deposited on late.

Scary dishes in Vietnam travelers should try

Thit Chuot - Mouse

Vietnam cuisine is diverse and abundant, very attractive to international tourists, however there are some dishes that frighten tourists such as Trung Vit Lon (Duck embryos), Duong Dua (Coconut worms), snake wine, crispy fried insects…

Let's challenge your courage through the dishes below:

1 Trung Vit Lon (Duck embryos)

Trung Vit Lon is made from duck eggs when the embryo has developed into shape but not hatched for certain reasons. Trung Vit Lon is processed in many ways such as boil, fried with tamarind...is one of the popular dishes in Vietnam and considered a nutritious but scary food when the egg is opened with a full small duck with hairy parts.

Trung Vit Lon is sold in every street of Vietnam from rural areas to alleyways. Just a small tables, some chairs and a pot of boiled eggs and the shop is ready to serve. The Vietnamese has a habit of eating Trung Vit Lon in the morning or late evening.

This is a affordable dish, delicious and nutritious for the locals but for many international tourists it is really a horror when they see the Vietnamese eating Trung Vit Lon

2 Duong Dua (Coconut worms)

Duong Dua is one of the specialties in Vietnam however for many people only seeing the fat worms crawling about is enough to get the creeps let alone put into mouth.

Duong Dua is a form of beetle larvae. After the breeding season the beetle usually choose the healthy coconut, pierce a hole on top and lay the eggs in, the eggs hatch and the larvae grow by eating the young shoot of the coconut tree until the tree is pierced through. When the rot shoot falls is the Duong Dua are most crowded.

Although the coconut is spoilt by Duong Dua the worms are delicious and unique specialty in the coconut land of the Mekong River delta. Duong Dua is harmful species and breeding them is prohibited, it is said to enhance sexual ability for men and therefore very precious. One kg of Duong Dua usually cost 500.000 Dong (about 23 USD), out of season the price is even higher.

Especially in Tra Vinh area there are Duong Tra La (Date-palm worms), each palm tree has only 1 worm occupied until it grows wings and fly away. Just see the withered top of the tree one could find a worm inside. Duong Cha La is fat and meaty and people can fry or roast. However this is another dish that makes people frightened when they eat or eat with shut eyes.

3 Ruou Thuoc (Medicinal liquor)

Ruou Thuoc refers to a kind of traditional liquor in Vietnam in which people put herbs with raw animals or insects such as snakes, scorpions, lizards...in liquor and keep a long time for "medical substance" in the herbs and animals to dissolve in liquor.

The animals are usually soaked live, just roughly processed and not cooked. Particularly some animals are put the whole body in the jar like cobras. In addition to gecko, seahorses, bee...I myself have seen a monkey soaked in a big bottle of liquor.

The good thing about Ruou Thuoc is that the liquor is distilled the essence, herb is preserved for a long time and reduce toxicity of alcohol. Herbs to put in liquor are generally tonic, effective supporting body, stimulate digestion, enhance sexual ability...However if you have weak mind you should not try it as the appearance of the bottle itself is enough to make you horrified. Vietnam travel blog

4 Tiet Canh (Blood pudding)

Tiet Canh is a popular dish of Vietnamese people, depending on each cook Tiet Canh is processed in different ways. Tiet Canh is made from animal blood, fresh after slaughtering, coupled with light fish sauce or salt water, thoroughly stir with chopsticks, mix with minced meat, spring onion, groundnut so that the blood coagulates.

After boiling the meat, the cook cuts some cartilage, gizzard, tripe, chop into small bits and put in a bowl. The substance on the surface of the blood is brushed off, enter some broth and mix with blood then gently and quickly sprinkle the blood on the dish.

Tiet Canh is also very diverse such as duck pudding, goat pudding, snake... however the most popular is pig and duck. Very rarely people have chicken and this type of poultry is fishy and can cause disease.

Tiet Canh is popular and can be found easily at road side restaurants in Vietnam but never seen again anywhere in the world and despite it's tastiness it can make you shiver when you see it.

5 Thit Chuot (Mouse)

A lot of people see mice as the most hideous and frightening animals let alone eat them however mouse meat, especially rice mouse is served as a specialty in the menu of many Vietnamese restaurants.

Mouse is most delicious in the countryside at harvest seasons. Mice that live in the rice field only eat rice and they are clean and fat, farmers when cutting rice usually hunt and catch fat mice for food, the traps can be seen everywhere in the rice field during harvest time.

Mouse meat is white and tastes like chicken, a mice after quick processing will be cooked in many dishes from simple to sophisticated, hundreds of way to cook the rats such as sliced mouse with chili and coconut milk, fried minced mouse with lemon leaves, grilled sandwiched mouse...

The trapped mice are prepared by peeling the skin, cut off limbs, tail, nodes, throw away intestine. Only kidney, heart and liver are dried up. Mouse meat can be kept and preserved by salting in the jars to keep fresh, people also make mouse sauce.