Hanoi Life

Nice to be Recognized

Tired of the same old mix of Vietnamese and Western food that we "enjoy" most weeks, we decided to try the Nikko Hotel's Balinese Buffet.  We often go to the Nikko because the food is pretty good and there is a large variety, including grill station and a carved roast, often lamb or beef.

We also enjoy the attention we get from the staff who recognize us and speak to Ira in Vietnamese.  Also, Adwin, the F & B Manager and Earnie, the General Manager, usually stop by to chat for a while.  It makes us feel like VIPs!  Ira still enjoys the way heads turn when people realize that he is speaking Vietnamese.  Sometimes even his own head turns!

The Balinese promotion featured several dishes prepared by Chef Neta, visiting from the Nikko Bali.  Ira wore a shirt with a story.  Way back in 1998, Ira's mother Pearl and her friend Anita joined us for part of an Asian trip.  One of the stops was Bali.  On a shopping expedition to Kuta, we left the bags with Pearl and Anita while we went to fetch our car and driver.  After returning to the hotel, we set out our purchases only to find that the shirt we bought for Ira was missing.  The next day, when the driver picked us up for an excursion, he held out a package with the missing shirt, which had apparently been left in the car.  Nine years later, it is still in good shape.

In addition to the chef, there were two visiting Balinese dancers who entertained during the meal.  It brought back memories of our four visits to that lovely island, an oasis of Hinduism and culture amidst the madness that is the rest of Indonesia.  Of course even tranquil Bali has been the scene of so many terrorist attacks.

The food was interesting and tasty, nothing at all like the food we found on our visits to Bali!  There are many reasons to visit Bali: tranquil beaches, surfing if you go for that, gamelan music and many dances, Monkey Forest(sorry Pearl) but food is not one of them.  We know!  Bob Perry will tell us that in Ubud he found many wonderful culinary treats.  He will also tell you that Ubud is NOT New Hope.  You have to go there and judge for yourselves.

We don't know when we will return to Bali, but this dinner did bring back some fond memories.

Speaking of food, a survey found that the highest concentration of fast food outlets in the US is in Oklahoma City!  Naomi and Chuck, be careful!

We close with a sign Ira encountered the other day, sort of a "sign of the times."  It read : FATS FOOD!

Party Time!!!

The title sounds exciting but the party was merely a do for new customers at Cafe My Way and YES the restaurant is named after the song made so popular by Frank Sinatra.  The lyrics are prominently displayed on pillars around the establishment.

Ira had been to the first My Way which is located well out of the city center and recognized the name so we tried it out one day before a concert at the Opera House.  The new My Way is just across the street from the Opera House so should gain some business from the great location.

The decor is quite modern and the menu is large, ranging from Vietnamese dishes to a quite passable burger and on to European food as well.  Their beer list includes about 100 brands, most from Belgium and other fine brewers.

When we had dinner, the GM, Philip Owings came over and chatted.  It turns out that Ira remembered him as the F & B Director at the Nikko Hotel back in the fall of 2005.  Phil was born in Vietnam but got out during the American War and grew up in Washington State.  He speaks flawless, slightly accented English and, in fact, does not speak Vietnamese, though he has some comprehension.

Phil put our name on the list so we got a written invitation to the function.  The owners of the restaurant are trying to build brand loyalty by establishing both a Frequent Diners Club and an Executive Club.  Members would get certain benefits, discounts and other perks.  We wonder why people would pay several hundred dollars for the Executive Club, but time will tell.

The party was nice.  Servers circulated with trays of drinks, including the Belgian beer Soubise, and hors d'oeuvre, and there were tables with other food.  A guitar trio supplied the music, much better than the rock music we had expected.  All in all it was a pleasant way to spend the evening and one less time we have to decide where to eat.

While it may not be our "hangout," the fact that they treat us so well makes it a certainty that we will spend some time at My Way and would probably recommend it to others.

No Whining Here

But there was plenty of wine at Le Beaulieu, the fine French restaurant at the Hotel Metropole, the hotel of record here in the capital city.  Ira ran into Carl Gagnon, the F & B Manager at the Metropole and thus found out about a dinner featuring the wines of d'Arenberg, a well-known winery in Australia.  Carl saved us two places which was quite nice as the event was sold out without even having to be advertised.

We saw quite a few people that we knew and still others that we recognized from seeing them around town.  Reception lasted a bit longer than we had wished so that it was after 8:30 when we finally made our way to the table.

The multi-course dinner, each course accompanied by a different wine, was created by our friend Chef Boris and was a delight to the eye as well as to the palate.  We particularly enjoyed the oyster in salt and the scallop served on foie gras.  Since the wines and most of the guests were Australians, there was a kangaroo course as well.  The wines were excellent and d'Arenberg makes a lot of different wines so there was something for everyone.

The winemaker, Chester Osborn, was present and filled us in on the characteristics of the various  wines.  He is very down-to-earth and you can tell he enjoys what he does.  His outfit was rather outre and with his long hair and colorful clothing, he stood out in the crowd.

Unfortunately, the dinner took so long that we left before dessert as it was past 11:30 on a weeknight. We love these events but have always felt that they should be less drawn out and should end at a reasonable time.  However, next chance we get, we will certainly attend!

The next night we attended a concert at the Opera House given by the Conservatory's orchestra, the Hanoi Philharmonic.  There was an excellent rendition of the Mozart Flute Concerto and the Tchaikovsky 5th Symphony, one of the orchestra's favorite pieces.

Ira had lunch with Steve Sherlock, a member of AmCham who lives in Minneapolis and travels to Vietnam several times a year.  They had fun chatting about how the country has changed over the past years.  Steve was actually here during the American War but he now comes back to do good, through a non-profit Aid to Southeast Asia(www.asavn.org) that he founded in 1989 to deliver medical supplies to Vietnamese in need.  He also does some paid consulting work but is much more concerned with the people than with the dollars. 

Later, Ira met with Ms Linh, a lawyer whose firm is seeking someone to cooperate on some projects, including one in which a Malaysian company will be purchasing shares in a Vietnamese securities company.  Right after the meeting, Linh asked Ira if he would be able to prepare a draft agreement for the transaction.  Of course, this was Friday afternoon and she didn't need it until........right  MONDAY!  Regardless, he agreed to see what he could do so there is a project in the works.  It would be great to keep some connection with this country that is on the rise and to have a reason to keep in touch with our adopted city of Hanoi.

We try to relax on the weekends but things do keep cropping up so we do them, rather than let them go by.  We hope to visit the studio of Quang, whose wedding we attended a few weeks ago.  We hope we may find a painting that we like so that we can have it to hang on our wall.  It would be wonderful to have art from an artist we know, rather than just a random painting.

Anyway, we will just watch films on Saturday night and stay in.  We have a decent selection thanks to the very cheap prices.  Our only problem is that occasionally one of them malfunctions. We just have to have a backup for that eventuality.

For now, we wish you all a pleasant weekend and hope to blog again soon.

One for You, Nineteen for Me

Or so says the Beatles song "Taxman."  It wasn't quite that bad, but we did just mail in our Form 1040, together with a piece of paper with numbers written on it.  Checks are unknown here in Hanoi, so we don't write many.  We have always said "Give us the income and we will be glad to pay the tax."  At least our tax money doesn't go to finance a senseless war halfway around the world as it once did right here.  Oh, that's right, it STILL does!

Ira has a meeting with a lawyer to discuss some sort of projects involving foreign investment and will also meet with one of Hanoi's top fashion designers to discuss the potential for introducing her designs in the US.  Vietnam is an up-and-coming economy and a good one in which to invest.

If any of you are members of the New York Wagner Society, you will have noticed Ira's article about the Wagner Gala in Hong Kong.  It is always nice to see your name in print and the article appeared unedited.

The Vice President of Iran is currently a guest here at Sofitel Plaza.  We are, of course, not so thrilled with the politics of the nation formerly known as Persia, especially their feelings towards Americans and Jews.  As a Jewish American, Ira felt a bit queasy when he saw the red carpet laid out.  He was not too queasy to walk on it and announce himself as the Ambassador from nowhere, which amused the staff greatly.

The other day we watched our video of "Gone With the Wind."  It is strange to realize that this classic is nearly 70 years old!  Using the Internet, it was easy to get bios of the actors, several of whom died young, and to see that the story was based upon Margaret Mitchell's only novel.

For now thats all the news that fits, so we will blog at you later.  Final thought:  when we woke up and looked out the window and saw a large yellow disc which seemed sort of familiar.  Between the fog and the pollution, it is so unusual to see the sun.  Hope you all have a sunny day!

Rosy to the Rescue

Carol has been seeking a new large cosmetic bag since we got back to Hanoi in August.  We tried in many stores and on Rosymode.com and "Rosy" a/k/a Nga found a few samples, none of which was large enough.  She promised to be on the lookout, but a few weeks ago, she left on an extended shopping expedition to Saigon.  The other day, Ira got a message that Rosy was back in Hanoi and had a bag.  Ira only told Carol that there was a surprise in store and that it would arrive on Saturday around 9 am.  A few minutes past nine, the phone rang and Ira let Ms Nga come in with the bag.  Ta-da!!  It proved to be both attractive and functional and Carol's got a brand new bag.

Saturday marked the occasion of the UNIS Spring Fair.  This is a charity event at which all of the money from the games and food goes to a charity, usually a Vietnamese school.  Carol had to run the sound system for a "talent" show, at least for the Elementary School participants.  There was singing, dancing and also a couple of instrumental musicians who performed on the big stage.  We saw quite a few people that we knew and Ira was able to amuse himself by strolling the grounds and chatting with anyone who would chat back.

We really enjoy classical music but also have a soft spot for traditional Vietnamese music.  One of the restaurants we frequent is Club 51 Ly Thai To.  formerly known as the Ly Club, it has the best decor in town, with plush draperies, beautiful furnishings and amazing black-and-white photographs of the Ly Dynasty, to whom the owner is related.  Three nights a week, the restaurants features traditional Vietnamese music, so we had to give it a try.  The instrumental music makes a perfect background for Vietnamese food, and Club 51 has a varied menu from which to choose.  Our friend Mr. Tu, the GM was not there, but we are well known by the staff which makes the experience even more fun.

Sofitel Plaza has two restaurants. One is Brasserie Westlake, which is not really a brasserie and which does not command a view of West Lake, is the all day restaurant serving buffets at all meals, together with an a la carte menu.  The staff is friendly and helpful, but we don't eat there too often, despite its being just an elevator ride away.  The  other is the Ming Palace, run by Chef Gu, a friendly Shanghainese fellow who never fails to greet us and offer suggestions.  There is a Chinese menu and a Vietnamese menu, but the best time to go is for the all-you-can-eat dim sum lunch.  Our F & B Manager, Ron, is a large enthusiastic Canadian who is doing a lot to improve the quality and the variety of food.  Since Ming  Palace was doing no business on Saturday and Sunday evenings, he has instituted a Vietnamese buffet, accompanied by traditional Vietnamese music.   We decided to try it and it was really great!  There were five or six separate stations, each with its own chef preparing specialties to order.  there were salads, spring rolls, pancakes and much more.  The servers all know us and love to speak Vietnamese with Ira so it is always a festive occasion when we eat at Ming Palace.

This weekend even the weather cooperated with warm temperatures and the appearance of a strange yellow disc up in the sky.  What was that anyway?  Usually, between the clouds and the pollution, all we can see is gray.

The weekends are all too short for Carol but this one had some interesting times as well as a nice surprise.  Watch this space for details of a rather different surprise that might not have been greeted with quite the same enthusiasm.

The Gift of Music

Since our first trip to Vietnam back in 1994, we have always tried to bring something to give to underprivileged children.  Ira lugged 50 pounds of recorders on our first trip together with a keyboard and some toys.  We were fortunate enough to meet Madame Thanh Thanh, the Minister at the National Fund for Vietnamese Children and she helped us find an orphanage where we could bring the gifts.

On future visits, Carol usually organized donations from the students at her home district.  They were always pleased to contribute and to see our photos of the children who were the recipients.

During the time between March and August of 2005, we had a few small tasks to accomplish: We were both working full-time; Carol had to finish her work as Music Coordinator at Council Rock and to manage all of the paperwork for retirement; we had to prepare our house for sale; work on our personal items, throwing out what was not necessary and selling what we could at flea markets and a yard sale and later, showing the house, selling both of our cars and of course the difficult task of saying goodbye for a while to family.

In the midst of all of this, Carol had the idea that she might get the instrument company with which she had dealt for many years to donate small violins that could be given to poor Vietnamese children who could not afford to buy or rent instruments.

In exchange for press coverage and a photo-op with a local politician, the company came up with 23 violins in 1/2 and 1/4 sizes.  We had to negotiate the shipping and finally were able to have them shipped under UNIS-Hanoi's exemption.

When the violins arrived, several weeks after we did, Carol had them delivered to her music room and wound up using them for her after school beginning violin classes.  When the last of these sessions ended, Carol wanted to make sure that the little violins would reach the recipients for whom they were intended.

Since we have had an ongoing relationship with the Hanoi National Conservatory of Music since 1998, this seemed to be the logical place to deliver the instruments.  The Conservatory turns out many fine musicians and the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra is made up of professors, talented students and other professional musicians from the Conservatory.

Over the past 10 years, we have had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Ha the former Rector, and Dr. Minh who is Head of the Jazz Department.  Carol's Vietnam Jazz Project, a cooperative effort that linked the Conservatory with the jazz musicians at Council Rock, was a huge step in international music.

Since our arrival in Hanoi, Dr. Minh has always provided us with tickets for the Hanoi Philharmonic concerts and with help with anything we have needed as we found our way around the Hanoi musical scene.  Carol had hoped to forge a link between the Conservatory and UNIS, but unfortunately the UNIS Music department was not receptive to the idea.

Minh agreed to take the violins, together with a đàn bầu, the traditional monochord that had been presented to us years ago by Ambassador Ngo Quang Xuan and which Carol believed belonged in Vietnam.  We set a date for the handover, never dreaming of what would follow.

There were basically three steps to complete this delivery: Order "taxi to" the large size taxi to accommodate all those violins; get past the gate at UNIS with the taxi and take the violins; have the Conservatory people ready to accept them.  In Vietnam, indeed in most places, things are often delayed, forgotten or otherwise stopped from happening smoothly.  Before we left for vacation, Carol arranged with the Facilities Director to have a note sent to the guards, authorizing us to enter with a taxi.  UNIS would still be closed for Spring Break so she wanted to have this cleared in advance.

When we arrived home after our short trip to Nha Trang, DàLạt and SàiGòn, we asked a bellman to order the large taxi for 9 am and we had already emailed to Dr. Minh confirming the appointment for 10 am.  Nothing can go wrong, can go wrong, can go wrong.....

When we got downstairs, sure enough Trung had our taxi waiting.  Ira explained the mission to the driver and we proceeded to the gates of UNIS. Unfortunately, the guards, though pleasant and accommodating, had no knowledge of our mission and they would not permit us to enter with the taxi and of course the person who was going to leave the note was not in.

We went inside the office and Ms Hiền the receptionist, came to our aid.  She made a couple of phone calls and then had us write out a note explaining why we were there.  When she presented it to the guards(just doin' our job maam)they waved us through and we collected the violins.

When we arrived at the Conservatory, nearly exactly at 10 am, we drove into the courtyard and tried to figure out where to find Dr. Minh.  Before we could make a move, the young woman in charge of International Relations came down the stairs and told us to come up to the meeting room.  We have dealt with her in the past and she is friendly and efficient with an excellent command of English.  She generally serves as interpreter during our meetings.  At first this was a necessity as Dr. Minh spoke little or no English.  He is now quite comfortable speaking  English but in formal situations still resorts to the interpreter.

We lined up the violins and waited for Minh to come in, greet us and say thank you and see you later.  We were surprised to see Ngo Van Thanh, the new Rector who is also Professor of Strings and Concertmaster of the Hanoi Philharmonic, come into the room.  He greeted us warmly and then took out one of the half size violins, which looked like a toy in his hands.  Bear in mind that these are used student instruments of average quality meant for beginners and small ones at that.  As Thanh began to play from the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, the room was filled with a rich sound so surprising that Ira had to remark to the professor in Vietnamese "There is more music in that violin than we thought!" 

Soon the room was filled with people and we were asked to sit down at the conference table.  Ms Hai Van then acted as interpreter as Thanh and Minh made speeches introducing all of the luminaries who had gathered to honor our small gift.  Carol too had to speak and the official photographer took many photos of the occasion.  We were assured that the violins would be used well with many going to students from the provinces who are accepted to study at the Conservatory.

We were overwhelmed at the reception we received and enjoyed chatting with the students and faculty  that had assembled.  We were even more amazed that, in typical Vietnamese fashion, they presented Carol with wonderful gifts out of proportion to our little offering.

We have always loved the arts and our collaboration with the Hanoi National Conservatory has been long and rewarding and we hope it can continue into the future, perhaps even extending to a visit to the US by the Hanoi Philharmonic.  Music is truly the international language.

SàiGòn Blues

We landed in SàiGòn and remembered our first visit to Vietnam when it all seemed so exotic.  Now it is just normal as the Vietnamese always say.  As for calling the country's largest city Ho Chi Minh City, many, if not most, call it by the old name of SàiGòn and so shall we.

Ira's illness made it likely that our itinerary might be curtailed.  We had a tentative dinner engagement with a colleague of Ira's but as is so often the case, we were "pocket vetoed," which is to say, we never received a response.  No matter.  Our first stop after checking into the Park Hyatt, was International SOS, our health care provider that has offices in both HàNội and Sàigòn.  A nice Canadian doctor gave Ira some medication and electrolytes and he also assured Carol that her injuries needed nothing more than rest.  We then spent some time in the room and also went out to the pool for a bit more rest.

In the evening, Carol needed food so we went to the roof of the Rex Hotel.  On our first visit, we had stayed at the kitschy Rex, the hotel of record during the late American War.  The foreign correspondents used to gather on the roof to drink and chat and file their stories.  In the old days, they had caged birds, but the threat of H5N1 has banished them.  There are still topiary animals and the signature revolving crown that mark the spot.

By the morning, we were able to get around enough to visit Reunification Palace, the  site of the workplace of the president of South Vietnam during the American War.  Tanks crashed through the gates on the historic day of 30 April, 1975, the same day when the helicopters took the last Americans out of Vietnam, ending one of the worst periods in American history.

We had a nice little set lunch for $2.99US at Lemongrass, a restaurant that we have visited many times over the years.  It was hot and dusty and dingy but now it is brightly lit, comfortably cool and still offers flavorful Vietnamese food.

Next was a visit to Diamond Plaza, an extremely upscale shopping center that did not lack for customers, nearly all of whom were Vietnamese, a testimonial to the rise in the economic fortunes of the citizens here.  We may be out of touch with prices around the world, but these have to be approaching those of Western nations.

It wouldn't be right to visit SàiGòn and not drop in on our friend Tony Nong.  Tony was our first travel agent back in 1994 and has been a friend ever since.  He and his brother left Vietnam in 1975 as a young boy on one of the helicopters from the American Embassy where his mother Ann worked.  She started a tour company with the hope that some American would have news of her sons.  Miraculously she found him and he came to visit and finally to live.  If you ever need help with travel arrangements in Southeast Asia Tony is THE man.  He even got us emergency visas back in 2000 when  we were about to be shipped back to Singapore.

After a drink and some food at SaigonSaigon, high atop the Hotel Caravelle, we made for the airport and our two hour flight home.  We were at SaigonSaigon on its opening night many years ago and it remains quite hip and increasingly expensive.

We had yet one more problem to overcome before settling into our bed.  There had been a truck accident on the road out of the airport and we were held up for nearly an hour waiting for it to be cleared.  When we arrived, it was great to be greeted by our friends the bellmen and to go upstairs to a bed which does NOT include the duvet.

History(kinda) Repeats Itself

As we travel in the Wayback Machine all the way to 1994, we find ourselves in a van, going from DàLạt to Nha Trang, bouncing along the rutted road, sweating despite the air con being on full, and trying to communicate with our driver and guide.  Carol was a bit fearful of flying on Vietnam Airlines so we went by car and later by train.  For an account of our train journey, feel free to access http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/1088/2481462/5/brt0_art;jsessionid=9FA6405235CD2D2330A6EE33C71CEA25

Actually the article was entitled, with apologies to Duke Ellington, "Take the Hue Train," but headline writers are the same everywhere so it became "TAKING" which doesn't have the same punch.

This time around, we reversed the trip, going from Nha Trang up to DàLạt.  DàLạt is the main city in the Central Highlands and is loved for its pastoral setting on a lake, its cool climate and as the garden of Vietnam, producing exquisite fruit, vegetables and flowers.  It is a favored spot for vacationers and honeymooners alike.  The Bao Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam, had several palaces here before he sold out to the French and retired to Paris to live out his days.  He died in 1997 at the age of 83.  Even in exile, it's great to be the emperor!

On our first visit, the weather was cold and damp, with intermittent torrential rains.  We stayed at one of the Bao Dai's palaces but it was far from palatial, probably owing to the fact that he had not lived there in fifty years.  We didn't have periodic interruptions of electric power.  We rather had short periodic bursts of power when the dim lights actually flickered on for nearly two minutes at a time.  Other than that, unless you count the mosquitoes and the mildew, it was a great place.  After we had seen the few sights around the city(there were some spectacular waterfalls on the way in), we were doomed to sit in the room feeling not at all like royalty.  Carol finally came to the rescue at about 5 am on our second day.  She decided that another night in the palace was more than we should have to stand so she went down to the room where our driver and guide were sleeping, banged on the door and Carol spoke just three words:  "Nha Trang NOW!"  The pajama clad young men rubbed sleep from their eyes and tried to comprehend what this meant.  One look at Carol's face convinced them and soon we were driving down towards Nha Trang in search of sun and a bit of warmth.

This time around, our trip to DàLạt was much more pleasant.  The car had good air conditioning and our driver, Tín, was pleasant and very safe.  He  spoke with Ira in slow Vietnamese and it was easy to communicate.  The four hours passed quickly as we had only minimal stops,including just a few for photo-ops.

DàLạt is beautiful and cool and fresh and the Sofitel Dalat Palace is a gorgeous old-world hotel.  Once again, our living in a Sofitel got us into a great room with a view of the lake.  The hotel was once one of the Bao Dai's residences.  Being an emperor, he had more than one and none was shabby.

We explored the hotel and then we went into town to see the market and walk around  the streets.  The market is full of the most wonderful produce, representative of the goods that are shipped to the major markets of Vietnam.

The best items seem to be the avocados.  In 1994 we bought some ripe ones and ate them right there with plastic spoons.

One thing that we saw for the first time, was censorship.  Now we are not so naive as to believe that a country without a free press and with a press that seems to have no accountability has no censorship.  One has only to read the papers or watch the news to see that certain criticism never occurs.  therefore, it must not be allowed or we would see some.  On this occasion, however, we noticed that in a copy of The International Herald Tribune(Raise your hand if you remember The New York Herald Tribune)two articles has been blacked out with magic marker.  The receptionist told us it was probably the work of children, but as we could see that both articles had something to do with Vietnam, it was likely not the little tykes who were responsible.  As the years pass, we like to think that there will be less of this occurring and that there will be much more transparency and a freer press.  Say what you will about the problems with the US Government, when the Framers of the Constitution added the Bill of Rights, it was not by accident that the First Amendment dealt with a free press.

The restaurant in the hotel is called Le Rabelais and it has superior French cuisine.  We each settled on a different tasting menu and worked our way through it slowly as there were so many different courses.  We did have some of the famous avocados in various incarnations.  The avocado is called quả bơ, which translates as "butter fruit."  It is creamy and delicious.  Our meals included salmon in parchment, foie gras and duck confit.  Each course was beautifully presented and was well orchestrated, although the overall amount of food may have been excessive.  The dining room is beautiful and a great setting from which you can view the lake. 

Unfortunately the other shoe dropped that night as Ira was taken violently ill.  He managed to get dressed the next morning and to get on the van to the airport.  When we previously spoke of symmetry and irony, we note that there was a bit of role reversal as this trip Ira got ill and Carol had a fall.  Regardless, he didn't eat for almost 48 hours so you KNOW he was less than himself as 48 minutes is usually a long time for him.

The trip to DàLạt  was still a great experience as we got to see the city again from a different perspective and to enjoy a different set of experiences.

Biển Xanh Cát Trắng

We aren't sure where this comes from, but it means something like "blue water, white sand."  The Vietnamese love their beaches and flock to them whenever possible.  Though the traditional ideals of feminine beauty are embodied by very pale skin, so much so that many women wear long sleeves and head coverings even in the heat of summer to avoid exposure to the sun, the modern Vietnamese seem to have no qualms about bronzing in the sun.

When we visited Nha Trang in 1994, it was a sleepy little seaside town with a few seedy hotels and a crowded beach composed of rough gray sand.  We did enjoy a meal at the Lys Restaurant where we met a Vietnamese couple who owned several restaurants in Boston.  We actually ate in Pho Pasteur later that year and were treated like visiting royalty.

Present day Nha Trang has grown into the leading seaside resort in Vietnam.  The streets are well-paved and the buildings more modern than we remembered.  There are now many 5 star hotels and resorts and the beach is clean and white.  Our flight from Hanoi, at the rather early hour of 6:40 am, was filled, mostly with Vietnamese travelers off for some days spent as the Philadelphians say "down the shore."

There had been some leftover auction items from the annual AmCham gala so Ira put in a low-ball bid on two nights at the Sofitel Vinpearl Resort.  Located on a private island accessible by boat or the world's longest cable car, Vinpearl is self contained with restaurants, bars, a beautiful beach and the biggest swimming pool we have ever seen.  The pool and the South China Sea were both at Carol's favorite temperature an invigorating warmer than bath water!

  Since we live at a Sofitel, we were upgraded to a large room with ocean view and a wraparound balcony.  The hotel staff is aware of the early arrival of the only flight from Hanoi, so our room was ready.  We were able to unpack, explore the hotel facilities, have lunch and hit the beach before noon.  Speaking of unpacking, when Ira looked for his socks, they were nowhere to be found.  It seems more of this inadvertence shows up day after day.  Can it be premature senility?  Perhaps not premature!  There are worse things to have forgotten and Ira was able to look like the sporty fraternity guy he never was.

The resort was fairly busy with most of the guests being Vietnamese, Japanese and Russian.  After a  leisurely day spent at the beach and in the pool, we ate at the more upscale restaurant, which features a fish tank from which you can select your dinner.  The prices seem a bit high, until you realize that a one kilo fish is ample for two people.  Our grilled garoupa was meaty and flavorful and the young servers were quite personable and able.  Surprisingly, Ira was able to both understand and be understood despite the radically different Vietnamese spoken here.  Many letters have different pronunciation and even native Hanoians often have troubles when they travel from the capital.

Although we are clearly and inalterably city people, we can't help but admit there is something special about standing on your balcony thinking of who knows what and viewing sand, sea and evening stars.

Our second day began well enough as we enjoyed breakfast and then spent more time at the pool and on the beach.  We wandered a bit and found an ostentation of peacocks(you could look it up that is the collective noun for this showy bird), ensconced in a large wire cage.  There was one white one and several of the more colorful variety including a cute chick.  The fowl seemed rather oblivious to our presence.

Since we had dined in the night before, we decided to vote ourselves off the island for the second night.  We had heard about The Sailing Club as a place to have drinks and dinner so we readied ourselves for the short trip across to the mainland.  Ira was to take the cable car, while Carol felt the boat might be safer.  Sadly, it was not to be.  No the cable car did not crash, nor did the boat sink.  As we were ready to board the shuttle bus, Carol tripped over an extremely dangerous short step and tumbled to the ground, injuring her cheek(the one on her face, which is considerably more vulnerable than the other) her knee, and her fingers.  We got some ice and she was able to get up to the room to rest. 

Since it wasn't advisable to go out, we ordered room service and had oysters, prawns and steak out on the balcony, making the best of a difficult situation.  Fortunately we can report that Carol suffered no lasting effects other than some bruising and soreness and she will go on other trips in the future.(pun intended but not seriously).  Of course, on our first trip after moving to Hanoi, we visited Sapa and Ira fell when the ground beneath him gave way after torrential rains and he wound up with a fractured vertebra.  Fortunately, it only hurt when he laughed.  When you hear of our adventures in DàLạt, you will note an eerily ironic symmetry.

The morning after, we were able to eat breakfast and ride a shuttle without incident on the way to the mainland.  Carol took the fast boat while Ira did enjoy the ride on the 3.3 km cable car, swinging 40 m above the sea.  It was a nice ride although a bit warm.

Since there are no flights from Nha Trang to DàLạt, we opted to hire a car to take us on the four hour journey.  It takes about the same amount of time as would a connecting flight through SàiGòn and the scenery is better, although the risk of injury is probably fifteen times greater in a car.  Until we got here, we thought the Italians were reckless drivers!

Booking through Exotissimo, the largest tour company in Vietnam, the car would cost about 120US but Ira found a local company that priced it at 90.  Since all of these trips are contracted out to local companies, price is probably the only consideration.  Of course, there is the issue of reliability, but in our experience the high priced spread is often no better than "Joe's Tours."  In an attempt to avoid a glitch, Ira sms'd the tour company in Hanoi and, not a minute after he sent the message, his phone rang and it was the local operator confirming the details.  At least that's how Ira understood the conversation, since the only way to improve language skills is to use them, so the conversation was in Vietnamese.

When Ira got off the cable car, he was greeted by Carol who had already found our car and driver, so we were ready to embark on the next leg of the journey, bidding a fond farewell to Nha Trang, with its truly blue water and white sand.