Strange things can put me in a panic. For most people it is public speaking or interviewing for a new job. For me it is eating with chopsticks. For me it is a symbol of cultural inadequacy and ignorance. I know that’s taking things a bit far, but for some reason when I’m trying to use chopsticks I start sweating, from the nerves not the spices. When I order food here they almost always bring me chopsticks, no fork, maybe a spoon. Then I’m supposed to consume my meal as smoothly as possible without sitting there the remainder of the day. It is pure torture. I feel all eyes are on me. I’m a slurping sloppy mess when I’m eating with chopsticks. This afternoon I ordered a bowl of Pho Bo, rice noodles with beef in a delicious mildly spicy broth. I had an hour before catching my bus to Hoi An. I knew it was serious. If I wanted to get at least half of it in my stomach I had to focus intently at the task at hand. Don’t look at the cute guys across the table, or the motorbikes zooming by. Don’t gawk at the fake Ray Ban sunglasses sold on the corner of the street. Focus on this simple task, eating. But it’s not so simple. Within minutes broth had splattered on my light blue tank top, I was constantly using my napkin to dab at the juice running down my chin. I’m sure the refined French girl sitting two tables beside me must of thought I was representing the USA quite well.

If I could just eat with chopsticks, I would feel like I’ve made it in life. That I’ve joined the masses of noodle and rice eating people who can master eating with two wooden sticks. I would be the queen of the world. It’s all I really want at the moment. And I will conquer the chopsticks, just you wait.

April 25, 2014

 First and last full day in Hue. This city has wide streets with less traffic then Hanoi, making it easier to walk around and explore. It would be a nice place to live, especially on the south side of the river. The air was actually breezy today, with clear blue skies. I don’t know if it was the breeze but the humidity levels seemed way lower then I expected to find in central Vietnam. It’s more pleasant then Luang Prabang and I walked around the city from breakfast until late afternoon without accumulating intense amounts of body sweat. I splurged a little on a nicer hotel last night after I got off the train. I had been sitting in a warm train car with no food for over fourteen hours so I was ready for it. It’s the first time I’ve booked a hotel that was featured in Lonely Planet, and it was very apparent. I had forgotten what nice hotel rooms are like, with pristine sheets and towels and air-conditioned that cause you to pull up your covers at night. The television was a bonus too; I was able to watch an action film and BBC news for falling fast asleep until mid morning. They even keep the fridge stocked in the room, with horrid little snacks like Oreos and snickers and beer. I’ve been keeping away from the soda and sugar, opting for fresh fruit and vegetables. But I decided if I was staying in splendor I might as well treat myself to the whole nine yards.

Today I walked across the river to the Imperial Enclosure, spending several hours exploring the recently renovated buildings. It was originally built in 1804 by Emperor Gia Long. I loved the painted doors with the intricate details of dragons and flowers. It was also nice to walk around the beautifully manicured gardens with moats and ponds filled with lily pads. I sat in the shade of a tree in the garden for a while and read from my book. Recently an Irish guy I met at a guesthouse in Pai loaded my kindle with 250 bestsellers. It was a kind thing to do because now I am set for reading for the remainder of my trip. On big travel days, such as the train ride yesterday, I can finish an entire book. Hell, I might even read Fifty Shades of Grey since it’s there. I’ll probably hate it though. I finished up walking around then went through the gates and picked one of the many restaurants lining the streets for lunch. I ordered a rice noodle dish with sprouts, mint, lettuce, beef and a peanut sauce. This leads me to a confession. Let’s call it the rise and fall of a vegetarian in Southeast Asia. Thailand makes it glorious to be a vegetarian, with tofu in almost every dish it’s easy to cut out the meat. But Vietnamese food is another matter. The barbeque meats is where it’s at, and I will not refuse it. I can’t seem to get enough of Bun Cha, (barbeque pork) or Pho Bo (broth with noodles and beef). All my thoughts and ideals about vegetarianism are out the window at the moment, and I’m unsure when I’ll call them back. So I will be feasting for now! On to Hoi An tomorrow, where I hope to catch some sun and beach at Cham Islands. I decided to skip out on Phong Nha-Ke National Park because it’s a good 7 hours north of year.

I’m at the main railway station in Hanoi, Vietnam; about to start a 14-hour train rides down the coast to Hue, in central Vietnam. Hue is a rich historical town of citadels, temples, pagodas, and palaces. I made the split second decision to go south rather then north to Sapa. Sapa sounded enchanting, with rolling hills, rice paddies, and misty mountains leading up to the Chinese border. Most likely the minute my feet hit Sapa soil I would have found a quiet homestay or guesthouse and stayed for days. But there lies the danger of nice quiet towns; I never want to leave. So I’ll be missing the colorful Flower Power Hmong market in Bac La tomorrow morning as well. But all the trains to Sapa were full, and I was starting to feel the need to make my way towards Cambodia eventually so I can see Angkor Wat. I’ll spend a few days in Hue then make a short trip to see Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, home to the world’s largest and longest caves, Phong Nha Cave and Paradise Cave. I’ve read the park is a tropical evergreen jungle, and after spending nearly a week in the bustling, loud city of Hanoi I’m eager for some pristine nature. I’ll try to stay at Phong Nha Farmstay, which is near the park. Once there I’m free to rent a bicycle or kayak to explore the area.

I spent yesterday and the day before on a boat in Halong Bay. It was grey and drizzling outside so the rocky formations weren’t quite as striking as the photographs but it was far more pleasant as far as temperature goes. I thoroughly enjoyed the kayaking we did in the bay, as well as the hike up to the top of one of the islands. We spent the evening lounging on the boat and learning how to fish for squid, which the boat workers joked would be our breakfast.