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Suzy’s Singapore & Vietnam Journal June
2006
I’ve
always loved aircrafts and long haul flights. We boarded award winning
Singapore Airlines in LAX with about 30 hours of travel time ahead of
us. With 8 magazines, 6 movies, 4 meals and a sleeping pill, the time
went quickly and I arrived relaxed and ready to explore. American
airports are not very people friendly. Singapore’s ultra-modern airport
invites you to linger with free internet terminals, a cinema, rooftop
swimming pool, aromatherapy spas, oxygen bars, indoor nature garden with
waterfalls and koi pond.
I’m part of 28 singles from Adventures For Singles (770-432-8225
Atlanta, GA
www.adventuresforsingles.com $1885+tax with RT air from LAX.) This
was a smaller group than expected, but I understand several people
dropped out claiming fear of bird flu. I could sense I was part of a
quality entourage of seasoned culture-vultures.
We began with an orientation tour at the top of Mt. Farber and its
spectacular views. The group was impressed by this sparkling metropolis
located between Malaysia and Indonesia. Singapore is the leader of S.E.
Asia, a bustling port that was modernized by the East India Trading
Company and the British Empire. It’s called the “Lion City” and
inhabited by 4 million souls. 76% are Chinese and the other minorities
all blend harmoniously. Singapore is a city, state, capital and country
all in one and draws 8 million visitors per year, yet few Americans have
yet discovered it.
Suzy and our guide Farida
Our group at Merlion Park
We
checked into the opulent Regent Hotel of The Four Seasons. I’m
given a suite and swear this hotel wins the award for the most
gracious staff on the planet. We’ve arrived at a perfect time
with the “Great Shopping Festival” on full swing. There’s
nothing like “retail therapy” to soothe our jet lag minds.
Orchard Road, like a tree lined Fifth Avenue, was only a block
away and center of all life. Shopping is the national obsession
here and bargain hunting a blood sport.
Regent Four Seasons Hotel
There are
150 mega-malls with some that never close. I’m a label slave and
purchased a used authentic Rolex with documents, for a fraction of its
original cost. We had only 4 days here. So I had much to do, it’s like
Hong Kong on steroids. The Arts Festival was on with many venues from
painting and sculpture to music and dance. At night Clarke Quay on the
river became party central with its trendy clubs rocking until dawn.
We
had an astute and friendly guide named Farida who showed us all
the sights with a wonderful sense of humor. We visited the lush
National Orchard Gardens with its 60,000 orchids, China Town
with its markets and temples and Little India with its intense
aromas and vibrant colors.
Then
we went to the ultra-contemporary financial district, Merlion
Park with its landmark fountain and the historic colonial area
that was established by Sir Stanford Raffles.
Merlion Park landmark fountain
We stopped
to sip a Singapore Sling at the famous Long Bar of Raffles Hotel where
rooms start at $700 per night. Our other tours included Jurong Bird
Park and the Night Safari at the zoo, considered the best in the world
with its free roaming enclosures for 2500 animals. In our free time, we
rode rickshaws around town and took the cable car over to Sentosa
Island.
Breakfast with the
Orangutans
Doug, Terry & Joe at Raffles
Suzy at Jurong Bird Park
Some of us
opted to head back to the zoo for a Jungle Breakfast with the
Orangutans. At night Terry & I dinned on jumbo chili crabs and rice
cakes. This vibrant island-state of Singapore is glistening clean with
purple bougainvillea bushes lining the highways. All cars are equipped
with alarms to sound if one exceeds the speed limit. No graffiti, no
gangs and in this tightly “controlled democracy”, it’s the death penalty
for drug traffickers. We all made jokes about getting caned for chewing
gum or jay-walking.
It was a nice leisurely visit here. I usually feel like Jack Bauer on
the TV series “24” on my trips with non-stop itineraries. Here I felt
well rested as I boarded for our 3 hour flight to Vietnam.
Arriving in Hanoi is like stepping into another world with rice
paddies, sampans, lotus blossoms, coconut milk and noodle soups.
It’s like a time machine dropped us back to the 15th century in
this graceful land steeped in history. It was far poorer than I
anticipated. There was however, an alluring charm which was
found in the gentility of the people with the sincerest of
smiles. I’ve always been a fan of the Third World. Whereas
Singapore was dynamic, Hanoi was culturally stimulating. The
city was studded with lakes and shaded by tamarind trees. It
was a dichotomy that bustled with Chi-energy and yet was
tranquil at the same time.
Gloria, Marsha & John walk
Hanoi streets
Cynthia rickshaw riding
Hanoi
We checked
into the deluxe Sheraton Resort, an oasis of calm amidst the chaos. Our
fabulous guide named Hong was with us for 6 glorious days. His first
lesson was to teach us how to cross the streets. The traffic here is
horrendously busy with 7 lanes packed with 2.4 million motor scooters.
“It’s called the Chicken Game” he explained. “Don’t run, don’t stop,
just walk slowly so the drivers can predict your direction. They will
miss you!” That afternoon I stood in fear stranded 20 minutes curbside
realizing this “lesson” went against every one of my survival instincts.
Entire families passed by on a single scooter; I understand this is
called the “Vietnamese sandwich.” Everything was transported by these
mopeds, 8 piglets, a dozen chickens upside down, a TV, a tree and more.
The pollution was thick and heavy. The inner city looked tired and
worn. Suddenly there was a monsoon downpour. People draped ponchos and
it became raincoat city. The traffic never slowed. I ducked for
cover. It dissipated as quickly as it began, life went on and the air
was temporarily washed clean. I finally crossed the street by walking
slowly at an even pace. Everyone missed me.
Halong Bay
This is heavy!
Sailing Halong Bay
The sun
shined every day on our tours which included the Temple of Literature,
One Pillar Pagoda, the French Quarter and the Ho Chi Mihn memorial. We
lined up with hundreds of people and entered the tomb where Ho Chi
Mihn’s preserved body is visibly encased just like Lennon in Moscow.
Armed communist soldiers commanded us to remain in silent reverence, no
cameras, umbrellas, sunglasses allowed and arms at our sides at all
times. Later we visited Hoa Lo Prison, or the Fiery Furnace. Built by
the French in 1896, thousands of political prisoners were tortured here
until 1954. We viewed the dungeons with leg irons, torture equipment and
“head cutting machines.” In the 1960’s the Vietcong used it as a
prisoner of war detention center for American pilots shot down during
the Vietnam War. It was our captive pilots that sardonically named this
place “The Hanoi Hilton.” We also did a walking tour through the Old
Quarter where each narrow lane was named for its ancient craft: Silk
St., Coffin St., Grilled Fish St., etc. Hong led us to a food market
with turtles, sea slugs, pig heads and other unmentionable creatures for
sale. “Thit Chow” is dog stew which is considered peasant food here and
“country rat” is ceremoniously served at all birthday parties. They say
it’s much healthier than “city rat.”
Most of our meals were included and thankfully rodents were never
offered. We enjoyed elaborate American and Japanese breakfast buffets
and 10 coarse lunches. Every restaurant was affordable. One evening my
dinner menu presented salad of jellyfish, deep fried eel, ginger
crickets and sticky rice with tender roasted pigeon. It seems the
Vietnamese will eat anything that moves because it all “tastes like
chicken.”
Rickshaw rides
Pigs to market
At Ho Chi Mihn Mausoleum
We
attended the Water Puppet Show, an ancient art form unique to Hanoi.
This blend of music and dance on water was has been the source of
entertainment of villagers for centuries. We then scattered to explore
the city, Asia’s oldest capital. Some went for massages and pedicures
at prices that couldn’t be resisted. Some shopped for souvenirs while
others had clothes tailor made for them. I had an embroidered silk
dress cut to my body in 4 hours for only $45. We also visited the
handicraft villages for bargains in art. Want a “Monet?” No problem,
just $25. Be careful, it’s wet. There were also ceramics and beautiful
lacquerware. The currency was a great challenge for us as $10,500 Dong
equals 65 cents. We felt like millionaires, yet it was disheartening to
learn that the annual per capita income is just $320! We tipped
generously throughout.
Vietnam’s pulse is found in its cities whereas its decorous grace is
found in its villages. We headed out through the countryside for a full
day cruise on Halong Bay. The air was fresh as we passed rice paddies,
duck and prawn farms. It was rice harvest time and hundreds of rice
farmers were laboriously bent over their ponds. Timid children smiled
and waved as we drove by. We arrived at this natural UNESCO World
Heritage Site and boarded our private wooden junk boat. Quietly we
sailed into a peaceful dreamscape that looked surreal with 3,000 islands
of sheer limestone cliffs emerging from the calm emerald sea. There was
a timeless, haunting quality to this scenery. Nat. Geo. called it
“magic in stone and water.” We enjoyed a fantastic seafood lunch with
fresh caught crab and prawns. It was a perfect day in the sun in the
land of escapism and serenity.
The streets
Scooters everywhere
Suzy on the junk
The
highlight of the trip for me was our group’s cyclo-tour through Old
Hanoi on the last day. We turned a corner downtown to find 28
bicycle-rickshaws lined up to peddle us individually for an hour through
the narrow scooter filled lanes of oncoming traffic. There were some
near-misses at the red lights which were always ignored. We all laughed
as the locals stared. Terry at 6’4” is considered huge even in America.
Here he looked like King Tut seated on a throne as his 90lb. driver
peddled him effortlessly in line with our group. Later we went our
separate ways for independent exploration. After several hours, I found
myself lost in an area of town with no taxis. I had to get back to join
others for dinner. I had no choice but to hire a ride on a scooter.
Dressed in a skirt with my arms full of bags, I mounted the tiny seat
and off we went. On the highway, I wrapped my arms and legs around my
driver like an octopus. He laughed the entire way to the Sheraton.
We flew back to Singapore for a good nights rest at the Le Meridian
before our long flight home to Los Angeles via Tokyo. I reflected on
journey well done with new insights gained on history and culture. It
was like visiting two different planets within one vacation. The
contrast of this trip is evident in our photos from the contemporary
garden paradise of Singapore, to the new renaissance of traditional
Vietnam. This is certainly an Asian affair to be remembered.
Adventures for Singles is the original singles travel company for the
international group traveler. We specialize in travel for singles,
post to travel blogs or singles travel blogs regularly with Suzy's trip
journals. Though Adventures For Singles is not primarily about
dating, it does happen and we've have had 17 marriages directly related
to our single vacations. Our goal is to provide an
affordable, quality vacations for adult singles. Singles travel
packages, single travel, adventure travel destinations for singles
describes what we do. We always are looking to add single male
travelers to our groups and singles cruises
