Vietnam

English below

In der Vergangenheit war Vietnam oftmals von Kriegen mit den Chinesen, Japanern, Amerikanern oder den Franzosen betroffen. Heute ist das Land weitgehend frei von Kriegen, sieht sich aber einer noch grösseren Bedrohung konfrontiert: Die Globalisierung!

Der wachsende Touristenstrom hat Vietnam in den letzten Jahren überrannt. Um darauf zu reagieren, werden in kleinen Küstenorten halt riesige Resorts aus dem Boden gestampft und der ganze Scharm vernichtet. Hinzu kommt der immense Abfallberg, der (meistens von den eigenen Leuten) in den Flüssen oder einfach neben der Strasse deponiert wird.


Davon sind die diversen UNESCO Welterbe Regionen nicht verschont geblieben. So war baden meist nicht wirklich angenehm, da man immer diversen Büchsen, Flaschen, Plastiksaecke und anderen Objekten ausweichen musste. Wenn man dieser “Zerstörung “ nicht bald etwas entgegensetzt, sehe ich für Vietnam nicht wirklich eine gute Zukunft voraus. Denn der Tourismus wird sich sonst schnell nach Laos, Kambodscha oder wieder zurück nach Thailand bewegen.
Nichts desto trotz hatten wir eine super Zeit, da uns Karin und Rolf (unsere Freunde aus der Schweiz) besuchten und wir eine unterhaltsame Zeit miteinander verbracht haben! Danke für alles Ihr zwei!!!

Nun geht es aber weiter nach Kambodscha und wir freuen uns schon auf die nächsten Abenteuer!

Vietnam has been another surprise. Since the very beginning I was expecting Vietnam to be my favourite county on this trip, but I guess that that’s where I went wrong. Haven't I learnt yet not to have expectations? It's hard though...


The one great part was that our friends Karin and Rolf came from Switzerland to join us for a few weeks and we had a really great time with them!

The problem with Vietnam is that it's a country that has basically been at war for as long as anyone can remember (with China, with Japan, with itself/USA....etc etc) and the last couple of decades have been the first war-free ones. The peace has brought the tourists here in droves, and the country and people were not, still are not, ready for them. For example, the UNESCO world heritage site-Halong Bay. Thousands of islands with massive peaks dotted along what must have once been beautiful water, but as there is no control the bay is overrun with cruise boats and the water is just one giant garbage dump. One person on our boat saw needles floating in the water we were supposed to be swimming in!!
Though some people there are very nice and helpful most of them want one thing- to rip you off. I get that bartering is part of the culture here but when you have to barter in a proper shop for a bottle of water because it’s quoted at three times the normal price to you, its gets tiring really quickly. I think it's also because of the influx of travelers that the Vietnamese have become very aggressive, even after firmly repeating No, they continue to harass and shove their wares in your face and grab your arm.

With that said, it wasn't ALL bad. Andi and I went on a tour of the Demilitarized Zone between what was north and South Vietnam and it was incredible. There was no much that I honestly had no idea about in the war where the Americans involved themselves. What also made the tour so special was that our guide fought in the war for South Vietnam and even had to spend 3 years in a "re-education" camp after the North won.


Also I mentioned before, it was great hanging out with Karin and Rolf, drinking beers at 7 am, Vietnamese cooking class, and experiencing "interesting" night bus rides together! :) Another highlight was Tam Coc-the one place we were able to step off the very well trodden tourist trail! It is called the Halong Bay of the rice paddies and was absolutely beautiful. And, Hanoi and Hoh Chi Minh City (Saigon)-finally the crazy in-your-face Asia we had been expecting. You risk your life every time you cross the street, but you just have to keep moving!!

All in all..Vietnam-disappointing? Yes. No. I don't know. Was happy to leave. Am happy to have done it.