"I can not say that made me fall in love with Vietnam ... (and in Cambodia) ... that everything is so intense ... Colors, taste, even rain ... Nothing like ... rain in They say everything that you are looking for, you will find here, you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat ... You could forgive for the fact that there was no war. " These were the words of Thomas Fowler from the film "The Quiet American", which so accurately summarizes Vietnam. This is a land that captures the very essence of your soul and sends you on an unforgettable journey through the land of the dragon.
Ancient mythology tells us that the people of Vietnam are descendants of the Lord of the Dragons Lazzi, Long Qun and the Immortal Fairy u C¡¡. They produced 100 children, 50 of whom lived with their mother in the mountains, and the remaining 50 with their father at sea. Thus, immersed in the mythology of the country of Vietnam, that each region is shrouded in some kind of history of mythological education.
Landing in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, home to about 3.7 million people and 1.2 million motorcycles, is like landing in the heart of a giant mosquito that never sleeps. Endless streams of bikes pass by you every day, and many families of them 4 go to daily classes. Farmers from the surrounding areas meet at the “morning market at 03:00 and by 07:00 hours. They became clear and left. At night, entire streets turn into night markets that trade until late at night and still retain some of their old city charm. ” The old quarter, often known as “36 streets”, has more than 2,000 years old. In this area there were once houses numerous craft guilds that created work areas. When the streets were always called, each street was named after the craft was sold on this street and so today, if you need shoes, you go to Hang Guai, and for decoration - Hang Bac.
Leaving the hustle and bustle of the city behind and heading north to the sea, Highway 5 will take you to the World Heritage Site and the tail of the “descending dragon.” Halong Bay is an endless canvas from the limestone islands of 1969, of which 989 are named. Many of these islands are home to numerous caves, some of which can be visited on foot, while others are pleasantly kayaking.
According to local legend, Halong Bay was created by a family of dragons sent by the gods to protect the Vietnamese from the Chinese invaders. Dragons spat out pears and jade stones, which soon turned into countless islands, protecting people from invaders. Today, these same islands provide a safe home for many small floating villages, whose inhabitants survive over 200 species of fish and 450 different species of mollusks that provide water.
Far south of Halong Bay is the picturesque small historic city of Hoi An, where the Quiet American was partially withdrawn. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, the city served as one of the most important trading ports of Southeast Asia for spices and silk, and today still remains a paradise for traders. Cars are prohibited, and the narrow cobbled streets are lined with old buildings, temples, pagodas and endless shops selling handmade pants for $ 15, evening dresses for suits worth $ 25, and three items for $ 40. In the center, the city is the Ving Hung Hotel, which during filming served as a dressing room for Michael Kane. Today, tourists tend to enroll in the same room, overlooking the narrow noisy lantern, illuminated by the streets below, which comes alive during the festival of the full moon.
From the calm tranquility of Hoi An, a short flight takes you to the belly of a dragon, Saigon or on a modern day, the city of H-Ch-Min, through the huge tar streets with high modern hotels and halls, it is hard to believe that the city began as a small fishing village in was originally a floating forest, but, on its way to the neighboring districts, the peace of forgotten days soon rests. Endless rice fields overlook the myriad roads that spread out of the city. Frontera work on the ground. ,
picking rice in the blazing heat. Old carts are filled with tired horses. Rubber trees are methodically planted in rows, their sticky juice slowly seeping into wooden collection bowls.
Returning in time, the person arrives in Xi Chi, which 121 km of hand-held underground tunnels became famous as the battle of the Vietnam War. In the forest zone, the B52 bomber is clogged, and the endless splashing of firearms can be heard from the firing range. Some tunnels are open to tourists to experience for a short time what life should be like in tunnels. In the hot time of the day, 7 of us descended into the dark abyss below us. The tunnels are narrow, dark, airless and in places go down and narrow, so the stomach crawls. 40 m is all I needed to understand that, being not claustrophobic, another 20 m probably would have turned me. Lack of air. The stifling heat. For the Viet Cong, life in the tunnels was difficult. Sometimes, during the heavy bombardment of American troops, the Vietcong was forced to remain underground for many days. Malaria and disease were rampant and were the second leading cause of death after combat wounds.
How terrible the life in the tunnels must have been the images of military weapons and traps set by the Viet Cong for Americans who will remain in my memory for a lifetime, but as one local guide said, when your way of life is attacked you will do everything that in your power to protect it.
South of Saigon lie the dragon's legs and arms, which claws spread to form the massive space of the Mekong Delta. The area, also known as the Virgin Dragon Delta, drains more than 790,000 km2. The Mekong is the 12th longest river in the world and runs from the Tibetan plateau through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia to Vietnam and, finally, to the southern porcelain sea.
With such a space of water, it is not surprising that the inhabitants of the Mekong region are river people. Where the streets of Hanoi come alive in the early morning markets, the Mekong tribes erupt into a bowl-shaped bath for washing, as hundreds of boats move along narrow canals laden with bananas, grapefruit, jackfruit, spinach, fish, and all kinds of plant imagination. Trade takes place under the shadow of Vietnamese hats, while the owners of hotels and restaurants on the coastline shout instructions on the water of their daily needs. About 20 minutes to the Mekong, we headed along a narrow tributary to meet life upriver. In the waters of fishing. Children ride and play along narrow sidewalks, dodging chicks and dogs. Mothers sit on the edge of the water, washing their clothes, while men are busy fixing their boats. Farmers live on combined fish and rice farms, producing an average of $ 35 a month, and small family-run survival enterprises make rice cakes, rice paper, and powerful rice wine.
Leaving the peace and tranquility of the Mekong, our next stop was neighboring Cambodia, lying in the back of the dragon. As in Vietnam, the history of Cambodia is overshadowed by foreign invasions, international political intervention and internal conflicts. The top of the history of Cambodia laid during the reign of the Chimera kings between about 800-1400 year. It was during this period that the Khmer kings built the most extensive concentration of religious temples in the world — the Angkor temple complex — and the hundreds of surrounding temples.
Then, in 1431, the Thais plundered the area, and the Angkor complex was abandoned. For nearly 200 years, the forces of nature invaded temples. Figure trees settled on the walls of the temple and slowly swallowed the building. Moss decorated complicated threads, and aerial roots flowed to the floor.
Today the complex of temples is a World Heritage Site. Many of the Hindu statues have been removed and replaced with Buddha sculptures, and numerous repairs are currently underway. Time sees that he has an indelible impression. I lost my heart from the difficulties of Cambodia.
I can not say what made me love Vietnam and Cambodia. Perhaps it was the ever smiling faces of people, the simplicity of life, or the vast green rice fields; the smell of rain or the sounds of children splashing about the feet of a soccer ball at home. Perhaps it was the excitement with which sellers bargain at prices or the intense respect shown by children for their elders. Whatever the reasons, they left an indelible imprint on my heart and desire to return to my soul.
