Travel journal: February 18 - 28, 2006

    We have wonderful memories of this marvelous country, where the people are cheerful, hardworking, and do not carry grudges towards the many who have exploited them over the centuries. The map shows a long and elongated country. The coastline of more than 3000 miles faces the sea; the Gulf of Tonkin on the north, the South China Sea a bit south and then the Pacific Ocean further down and east. It is home to 77 million people. The official language is Vietnamese but Chinese is spoken in many parts of the country. The older generation, especially the members of the elite, still speak French. But the younger generation, as well as the merchants and tourists providers, speak some English and/or French.

left: Map of Vietnam and surrounding countries.

    To the north the country shares a border with China. To the west the neighboring countries are Laos and Cambodia. We started our trip in the south, in Saigon, now officially called Ho Chi Minh City. We flew to Hué, in the middle of the country and close to the demarcation line. Then we drove south to Da Nang and Hoi An. Hoi An is just a few miles south of Da Nang. From there we flew to Hanoi in the north. Halong Bay is to the east of Hanoi north of Haiphong.