VIETNAM IN ALL ITS GLORY

The reason for my absence is the trip my family and I took to Vietnam. Two and half weeks of sniffing up an unfamiliar culture, tasting most healthy and delicious food combinations, spending quality time with my parents and sisters and de-stressing from all the craziness back home. Again, my parents did a great job in sorting out a holiday which memories will stay with me for the rest of my life! Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Whale Island, Nha Trang. See it all, done it all!

Hanoi being one of the bigger cities was a great place to dive into the adventure. After an attempt of trying not to be run over by hundreds of scooters while crossing the road we arrived at a small, 'one-dish only' restaurant. Being lit up by the brightest lights that hung from the ceiling and surrounded by Vietnamese people we had the best meal ever! A two-day boat trip in Ha Long Bay showed us the beauty of the ocean and her surroundings. A cluster of limestone island rising from the ocean made de view from the boat spectacular. I will just forget about the visit we paid to one of the caves there, were we got 'stuck' with hundreds of other loud, sweaty tourists trying to identify the shape of each rock. After two days we went back to Hanoi in order to move on to the former royal city of Vietnam: Hue. The hotel we stayed in offered us a rooftop pool and relaxation. It was was the perfect place to visit after a lot of sight seeing. The people in Hue were friendly, the atmosphere was good and the city contained beautiful monuments (e.g. King City). After a few days we said our goodbye's to Hue and continued our trip. Hoi An it was. A little city that is covered in lights during nighttime. The first time you see Hoi An by nighttime feels like a moment of magic. This and the fun cooking class we took also made Hoi An a great pick. After Hoi An it was time to really relax. We took a plain to Nha Trang and from there travelled to Whale Island. A small bounty island counting thirty-one huts for the guests to stay in. The huts couldn't have been more basic but the accommodation fitted the setting perfectly. The beach, the occasional smile of the sun that came through, snorkeling gear and some sunblock in order not to get fried. The perfect getaway. (Minus the thirsty mosquito's that seemed to have made us their prey.) A few days of Whale Island was followed up by a few days in Nha Trang. Nha Trang wasn't exactly the cozy fishers town my mom was told. Loud pop music boomed in our ears as we walked through the streets nearby our hotel. We decided to stay away from those booming sounds as much as possible and laid on the beach from morning till afternoon. Touching up our (semi-) brown color and reliving our holiday experiences couldn't have been a better way to end this trip.