Vietnam pt. II – the center: Hoi An, Da Nang, Hue

We spent last week in the central part of Vietnam, where we finally spent time with locals!

From Nha Trang, we first arrived in Hoi An, little town under the UNESCO patrimony. The center of the town is situated around a small river and is all composed of warm yellow-ochre small houses, which give you the feeling of being in some Mediterranean place.

In the evening, the town turns into a romantic fairytale, with colourful lanterns lightening up every corner of the tiny streets, and giving magic to the water of the river, which reflect the fire in a blurry mirror… many people send a small lantern in the river, hoping that they will carry their dreams and make them come true…

On the downside, this dreamy scenario is populated by many foreigners, touristic shops, and so forth. Buuuuut, luckily we were hosted by a local, dear Lan. We were staying at her hotel on Hoi An Beach, 15 minutes away from the City, where we also met 2 great italian travelers (of course and as usual, not living in Italy anymore, but coming from Australia), Chiara and Diego.

In the afternoon, our future host for the next stop in Vietnam joined us in Hoi An and brought us to a wonderful more hidden place: Coconut Island, where we have been taken for a coconut boat ride through a bamboo forest.

Here also we met extremely nice people who decided to turn our outfit into a totally eco-friendly bamboo leaves one. 😛

In the evening, Lan was so nice to bring us to her native village some 30 minutes outside Hoi An. This reminded me a lot of the Philippines, with its genuine bumpy roads and friendly inhabitants.

The day after, we left for Da Nang, where we spent 3 beautiful days with Tuan and his family. We had the chance of experiencing a Vietnamese family life and to be blessed with their generosity and hospitality.

The surroundings of Da Nang offer amazing sights and activities, such as rafting in a waterfall,

..zip-line for my dad,

..amazing sunrise watching from Monkey Mountain (monkeys actually crossed the road while we were driving there!!), with a breathtaking view of the City and its beaches,

..relaxing beach and sunbathing time,

..hiking and gorgeous view from Marble Mountain.

However, all these wonders are little thing compared to the most valuable thing we got to see: the tenderness and warmth with which we have been welcomed, treated and loved by Tuan and his family. We have new friends, or as my father says, he has a new son. (Or as i say, Tuan can be the father and my dad the son, since he took such good care of him – especially with his food pickyness :P).

Result of our stay in Da Nang:

– daddy is officially enrolled in the book of scooter bad asses drivers of Asia;

– we had already found our daily provider of vietnamese coffee;

– dad has a certain sex-appeal to vietnamese ladies. Or maybe they just find him curious somehow!
– for those who are worried he got skinnier, dad’s food cultural shock is settling…
After leaving Da Nang, we went to Hue, ancient capital of Vietnam, where we visited some emperors’ tombs

and the old Imperial City – also UNESCO patrimony.

Tuan joined us again for our last day in central Vietnam, which made it harder to leave, but also a perfectly meaningful goodbye. Cám on for everything!

And now North, I am looking at you: here we come!…

Vietnam pt. I – the south: Saigon, Dalat, Nha Trang

From Manila, I left for Vietnam, direction Ho Chi Minh City – former Saigon. I arrived late in the night, and slept at the airport… I actually was in good company, as at least 5 other people slept in the arrivals terminal. All this to finally meet up in the morning with….my daddy!!!

We spent the day in Saigon, touring district 1 where all main buildings and sightseeing points are situated. Central market, presidential residence, various skyscrapers, river Saigon….And everywhere, all the time, reckless motorcycles. After sipping mango smoothie (my fav delicacy!) and some cold coffee with milk (new addiction : Vietnamese coffee with milk!!! So tasty!),

I challenge you to figure out how this works 😉

..of course I challenged my father to take a moto ride to reach China Town – district 5. I cannot describe the crazy adrenaline peaks we got, since driving in Asia is like war. No rules, no direction, no order, nor restrictions. Just crazyness. I think Mad Max – Fury Road was probably inspired after an Asia tour. Anyway. We survived!

We will be touring Vietnam for 2 weeks going around by bus. The first ride was on a night bus, very handy invention. Seats are comfortable horizontal ones, so that you can easily fall asleep and wake up once you reach your destination. At least, for easy sleepers like me 😉

The first stop was in Dalat, a town 1500 m on the sea level. This time, having experienced Baguio in the philippines mountains, I did not even expect any cold weather. So I was just happy to find a slightly fresher air, with perfect 24 degrees. Dalat is calmer than Saigon, with less hectic traffic, but still a big market and many motorcycles all around. In general, it is a bit hard to interract with Vietnamese people because many of them do not speak nor understand English. I think they are a bit scared or frustrated not to understand, so they tend to avoid contact. Or maybe my father and I are just scary, that could also be possible. Anyway, we managed to interract with a very nice taxi driver, who brought us a bit everywhere in the surroundings of Dalat: a cable car that brought us to a lake where a peaceful, very inspiring buddhist formation monastery stands;

some waterfalls, that we reached through a sort of roller coaster;

the last Vietnam king’s residence – actually so plain and basic 50s style that i did not take a picture with my phone;

and the so-called ”crazy house”, a very odd building which is also a hotel for interested tourists. Here you can climb all around, inside, up and down the building. As usual, I forgot I am afraid of heights until when I was on the top of a rooftop. And as usual my dad was teasing and making fun of me.

The day after we left Dalat, direction central Vietnam. However, before taking a night bus to go north, we had a stop over in Nha Trang, very popular seaside destination it seems, taking into consideration the multitude of pale and blonds we came across. Just the time for a swim with a wonderful view of green hills and rocky islands, and it was time to go.

I realized once more that I really enjoy the bus. When you are not asleep (:p), you really get the feeling of travelling from place to place, passing through changes in nature, villages, colours and weather. In china I came to the conclusion that all airports are the same. By bus, you see how intimate and personal every km you go through is. You realize how everything is different and unique.

Bye Bye Philippines

And so it is… it’s time to leave the Philippines.

In the past days since when I came back from Palawan, l went with Annabel and two of her friends to Baguio, a city in the mountains 5 hours North of Manila. The landscape there was very different from the islands l have been to. Moutains are so green and full of life, and Baguio is known to be the filipinos’ vacation place for summer holidays since the air is fresh and the heath doesn’t strike as much as in the flat land. Everybody l had talked to warned me that ”brrrr, it’s so cold in Baguio! ”. So in the end i finished to convince myself and dressed with the warmest clothes l have (which are long leggins and a sweatshirt by the way : I am not really prepared for the cold!). Welllll, let me tell you that coming from European winter, these people are nuts! Baguio must be around 20 degrees!!! Perfect temperature. But I guess that compared to the standard and everlasting 30 – 35 degrees, this can be considered freezing. Once again, points of view. 😉

Anyway, l will remember Baguio as a very mystical place. Every afternoon fog comes out and embraces everything around. Then it starts pouring rain (which instead for filipinos is just normal rain). Perfect ressemblance to a cold winter day, that needs to be warmed up with some hot chocolate. Well, we actually had some at a hobbit place… 😉

Then the morning after, everything is as nothing had happened. Blue sky and Sunshine. But again, in the afternoon fog knocks again….And so life goes.

To make it even more mystical, a native tribe lives in the region of Baguio, the Igorot. Unfortunaly, we did not have the chance to meet. But IN THE END, despite my reluctancy, Annabel insisted to still have the right to a little igorot moment….

After 2 days in Baguio, we came back to Manila for my last day, to go see the other side of huge shopping malls and tall post-modern buildings. I asked Annabel to bring me to the other side of Manila. So we visited a school run by nuns for children from defavorable areas, and later Tondo, number one district in crime rate. We were welcomed by the district counselors, who explained us that 9000 people live in the district, half of which are under 18 years old. Of these, 70 – 80 % do not go to school. Plans are in action to give them food, health assistance and education. If only half skyscraper was dedicated to them….

This last picture is a good sum up of how people must see me here. Blonde. Lost. Clumsy. Smiley. Happy. 🙂

Now my time here is over for the moment. I have maaaany hours at the airport ahead of me to fly away. Then a sleeping night in another airport to finally meet in the morning someone special. My travel companion.

I feel like a sponge. I got impregnated with everything; heat, sea, green, sweat, rice, hands, rain, eyes, waves, kisses, stones, sand, songs, wind. I am pollution, bamboo, air conditioning, guitars, shells, love, skyscrapers, traffic, emptyness, crowd.

I am sure that if you squeeze me a bit, some of this will come out to Life.

It’s more fun (beauty) (love) (warmth) (magic) in the Philippines!

People from Palawan

Also the Palawan experience has come to an end.

Here indeed l tasted special food,

(Crocodile meat!!)

..went to paradise beaches,

(Pristine beach – Puerto Princesa)

..and explored breathtaking wonders of nature..

(the underground river, one of the wonders of the world)

However, what I enjoyed exploring the most were the people I came across, with their stories, mysteries, battles, dreams, beauties. This is harder to write down on a touch screen of a smartphone. But pictures maybe froze a sparkle of their essence. Salamat for letting me close! Here are some of the wonderful People from Palawan.

Loloy bringing his colours and soul wherever he goes.

Sandy and his afrodisiac jokes.

Faye faye.

Jefa, coming every night around 5am to sleep on my feet.

Little John Wayne from Tazmania.

Bamboo Nest jamming night.

Mauro and Francesco, brothers from italy. Or almost brothers.

Jonathan.

Flucky and his tender heart.

CJ and his amazing cuisine that reflects his soul.

Bamboo.

Ahh.. every time I leave I have this weight on my stomach leaving the people who made my days behind… but it then turns into bittersweet gratefulness for having met them! See you soon.

Manila throwback – Palawan moveforward

Last weekend after leaving Mindoro l went back to Manila and its traffic jams to meet up with my dear friend Stephanie, originally from Manila, currently working in Singapore and soon headed to New York. A real chance to be able to catch her!! Peak of the weekend: 1 hour relaxing massage made by blind massagers… unique experience and nice conversations with the massager. Even if blind, she said l was so beautiful, like my country. The charm of coming from italy 😉

After the Manila throwback and spending nice time with steph, l took a plane to the next island: Palawan, which was voted ‘best Island of the world’ twice! I didnt even know when I decided to come here!

In Palawan I am staying in Puerto Princesa with Jonathan. Before arriving I just knew that he runs a guesthouse (ndr: the Bamboo Nest) and a bakery. I far could have imagined the kind of place it is. Everything is built with bamboo and seems to be born from nature and hidden in the jungle…

He created this whole place with the help of locals, with the aim of forming a community that loves life, nature and appreciates the value of time and space.

Also his friends / coworkers here seem to be born to fit in this environment. When i was going to grab something to eat after a morning of snorkeling (first time in my life, l am astonished by the beauty of the world existing under the water surface), I somehow ran into Loloy, his crazy wife (the tuktuk he decorated as a nest itself, and that is the current place where he lives) and girlfriend (the motorcycle that carries his ‘wife’ around). He offered me a ride to drop me off at some restaurant, while he was on his way to pick up a certain Francesco from the airport… The crazy ride started. And i didnt drop off ’cause i wanted some more!!!

Along with Loloy, i also met the first italians of this trip. Two brothers from sicily and one guy from la Spezia. Of course, none of them has lived in italy since years. We somehow had a sort of implicit, silent complicity, but we never mentioned anything about it. We just had a nice time in each other’s company and with all the people working in the guesthouse, with beers, drums and guitar… 🙂
Today instead i went with Jonathan to Napsan, a barangay 2 hours of motorcycle away from Puerto Princesa. The road to get there was amazing, we went up to the mountains that then go straight back to the sea, and stopped at a tribe’s village, where a lot of mistery take place. I am not sure what happened, i just saw the tribe guy mixing a piece of bone, tooth and pearl together, many botttle containing roots, leaves and other natural ingredients, and a theoretically ancient sword. I think it was for a ritual to attract good energy. To my questions and lost looks, Jonathan just told me life should keep being full of mistery. What to say. May it be like this then, and for once my curiosity has to be shut down. Eyes closed, and embrace the foggy essence surrounding reality.

Mindoro

Mindoro, Mindoro…. now that I just left this untouched paradise, how can I talk about you and all the beautiful wonders you hide without tears in my eyes!

I spent one week in this island, southern from Manila, divided into West and East part by a chain of mountains. I was exactly in Salvación, a barangay of Rizal, in Occidental Mindoro. By stroke of luck, l was hosted by Charmine’s family, so I got the chance to fully immerge into the local culture.
I cannot write all l experienced, saw, felt, ate, smelled, touched, in the past week. So I will just give an insight of a typical day in Mindoro.

1. Morning: Wake up wake up!!!! The sun is up but it is still cool outside. Days start very early, as at 6h30 am all the family is already up to start the day when it is still not too hot. This reminded me a lot of when i walked a bit of the Santiago path: how a day’s perspective changes when you wake up so early…time is expanded, you feel more energy, and somehow you are different. Now let’s say that despite this appreciation for early mornings, l was often the last one to wake up, and just because I heard someone else’s voice… most likely Mama Tess coming on purpose into the room to awake the sleepy foreigner. Then we would generally go to the beach, where i swimmed and enjoyed the sun, while my filipino family hid under the palmtrees… here the paler you are, the better! They even have commercials on TV to sell ‘whitening’ powders…. meanwhile in the occidental world: people pay for artificial sunbathe all year long. Plus, noone seems enjoy swimming or being at the beach that much….aaaa, when you are so used on living in a paradise and you dont even see it anymore!!!

2. Midday: lunch time, or better, any food time, is very important. People here eat extremely delicious food, but especially they eat SO MUCH! And 5 times per day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are normally RICE (so many rice fields, rice is everywhere and seems to constantly self-cook itself!) accompanied by meat, fish or seafood and yummyyummy sauces like soy sauce+lime+garlic+onions, or the unforgettable fish-sauce, or sauce for chicken, or sauce for mangos….aaaah. I just loved these sauces! Then half-morning and half-afternoon you have snacks, which can be anything: from turron (fried wrapped banana with sugar) to fruits, to rice sweets… during all these meals i was told to ”eat more!” or ”drink more!!!”, so no wonder if in the last days everyone was so happy telling me how i got fat because I enjoyed the food! (Me a bit less)

3. Afternoon: after all this eating, wisdom says to rest. And enjoy the bamboo rest house where the heat does not hit so badly. After resting, we would go to see the first rice fields harvest, or just hang around with family and friends, or take motorcycle rides (of course 3 in a motorbike, with no helmets,and through bumpy roads) or cook… since I was so lucky to be able to take part in ate Yheng (Charmine’s sister)’s wedding, l even experienced the process of killing, preparing and cooking chickens and a pig from the family’s farm. For sentimental hearts again, do not try to mental picture this. But it was indeed an experience!

4. Evening: since days start early, they also end quite early. At 18h30 the sun falls. Watching a sunset from paradise : check!

Then dinner time. Ah, i forgot to say. Here people still have the pleasure to eat with their hands, like when we were kids. Because nobody tells them not to. So Kuja Junjun patiently taught me the finest techniques to eat rice with the thumb, or to take off the shrimps’ skin… well, let’s say that he just takes it off for me all straight… : )
After dinner we would go to tita Hellen and tito Arnel to play video-oke, the philipino version of karaoke…I also need to mention how philipinos are such romantic people. Everyone seems to listen and enjoy love songs from the 60s and 70s. Tenderness level: overload.

5. Night: goodnight world. Brothers and sisters sleep together in the same room. Neighbors dont have fences to separate their space from the others’. Privacy here has a different meaning. And maybe this is the key to the smiles on everyone’s faces. There is litterally no space for being nervous, moody, angry, stressed… there is just the right amount of space to curve your lips and just smile.

This place taught me so much. What is essential, what is simple happiness. For all these smiles: SALAMAT !

I WILL SEE YOU SOON ..

Zipline in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro

I arrived in Occidental Mindoro some days ago already… I have so much to tell about it, but I will first make a little parenthesis and talk about a day trip we had yesterday to Sablayan, northern from Salvación Rizal where I am staying with my new friend Charmine and her family.

Sablayan is the biggest village in Occidental Mindoro and is well known for hosting the world’s longest zipline (1,7 km long), connecting the main land with Pandan Pequeño – a tiny island in front of it. Of course when you say adventure, Charmine says ”Let’s goooo!”.

And since I am here and this is a big entertainment for all the family, it became a collective adventure! So we left in the pajero of Kuya Kenny, in 8 (me, Charmine, her brother Kuja Jun Jun, mum Tess, cousin Kuja Kenny, friend Meya,sister Ate Yheng and future husband Kuja Jeff — by the way, the wedding is in a couple of days and I will be able to attend it!!!!).

(just 5 of us, since we did not fit all in the pic)

Now you should that roads that connect the villages in Occidental Mindoro are themselves a challenging experience. A pajero is a sort of big jeep that is equipped to face bumps and savage roads; but going in 8 in the jeep was still something adventurous and turned into a rollercoast, where by looking out of the window you could just get lost in infinite rice fields, cruise rivers and seas, or just have a quick look into people of different villages’ life (their homes, the products they produce and sell, their kids, their skin, eyes and smiles… everyone is so beautiful here).

(children playing in the street in Sablayan)

When we arrived in Sablayan, we were expecting some other foreigners because of the zipline attraction. However, maybe because of the cloudy weather, we did not find any. Better like this 😉

So zipline: before climbing the high tower from which you will then jump, they have to check on your blood pressure. ‘Oh my god’ – I thought – ‘that means one can actually faint and die’. But when I asked if anyone ever died and they laughed at me I felt a little bit safer. Or maybe not 😛

All of us turned out to be in good health, so we climbed the tower.

Now : for those who know me quite well, you know my controversial relation with heights. I am the first one excited to climb and to forget that once I am up I am so afraid and it is really hard to get me down afterwards. But there was no choice. So three, two, one…. aaaaahhhh no wait noooo i dont wanna aahhhhhhhh too late.

(Charmine being calm and cool)

(I will avoid posting the video with me screaming. For private screening only :p)

After we waited for everyone to reach the island, we had a casual snack :rice of course, with balot, or : how to eat a chicken at his embryonal stadium. I was a bit hesitant, but hey, when can I ever taste it again? For those with sentimental soul, skip the next picture.

After we took a little boat to bring us to Pandan Grande – another island close by. It is amazing how everything works by word of mouth and you organize things to give service to people. There is no time schedule for the boat, not even a boat stop. You just ask locals to bring you and then they will come and get you when you ask them to. Sailing the Philppines Sea was a peaceful moment.The water is deep blue, and I was thinking that while in Europe I would be sleeping in my bed after a busy or boring or nervous day, there I was, in the middle of the sea. I had already been a bird and then a fish. Flying and sailing. I felt so grateful. Especially for the lovely, joyful, caring people I am with..

We spent the rest of the day swimming, resting, looking for shells and rocks for the new home of Ate Yheng and Jeff. She told me that here it is believed that when you take a rock from a place and bring it with you, you will be back there once again. ”It is only a belief” she said. But I believe in beliefs.

Manila, m’am!

From China, two days ago l arrived to the Philippines.

Now, this is Manila :(me tickling skyscrapers – no, they are not ticklish)

But this is also Manila:(and this is not even a slum!)

The city is full of controversies. I had the chance to tour around with a local, my friend Stephanie’s mum, who took care of me very carefully. Especially in terms of food tasting. As a consequence, I came to several realizations…

Lessons learned:

– My addiction to caffeine has gotten severe, and I hadn’t even noticed. But when the constant headache that i thought of as a result of jet lag and heat disappeared after some coffee, my dependency got clear. Thanks italian genetics!

– Do not ever trust appearances. I spent one hour or so talking to Pau, beautiful girl who helped me with getting a philipino sim card. Only once l left people told me her name is actually Paulo, and she’s a he! I mean, he’s a she! Nevermind… she was very beautiful and kind.

– Concept of ”beautiful” : being pale, blonde, and looking lost with a dumb smile on the face will provide you with a lot of ”you’re so beautiful, m’am!”.

– Air conditioned IS NOT evil. After a lifetime of fighting AC, I came to the conclusion that it can save your night sleep.

– ”smile, m’am, it keeps you younger!’- quoting Rex, the driver, of whom I will speak more in details later on.

Lessons unlearned:

– the concept of coconut. Forget that brownish, hairy thing. And welcome this in your life: (coconut juice drunk from a real coconut!!!!)

– the concept of ”traffic” (OH my GOD),”crossing the street”(aka: suicidal attempt) and ”public transport”:(a JEEPNEY in the traffic. Also revisit the idea of hop-on hop-off)

(not really a public transport, but being cared of by a mother means also taking a carriage drive..I swear Derek and the old papa were extremely nice to the horse)

– How coffee, milk, cookies and cereals are just too much of a conventional breakfast. Why not smoked fish, Rice and incredible futuristic fruits?

– How you serve coffee (how many times did i mention coffee already!?): when you do get it, know that you are reaching coffee heaven:(yes, that tea pot is actually full of coffee. That’s all the caffeine you get. And how your endless headache disappears!!!!)