Vietnam: Day 7, Save the Best for Last!

Getting up on Day 7 brought a mixed bag of feelings…excitement for the grand finale tour we had planned, the distressing thought of saying adieu post that, being thankful for the journey that was, and the soft outpouring of love for an awaited reunion with our loved ones at the end of our sojourn… an olla podrida of emotions! Speaking of which, we dashed through our breakfast and packing and checking out formalities, so that we could head out for our last walkabout in Hanoi. We had our return flight in the evening so we decided to make the most of the morning and afternoon.

Once again, we relied on Grab to get to the Grand grey-granite Ho Chi Mausoleum at Ba Dinh Square straightaway. We landed there on some sort of public holiday (Lunar Calendar) as there was a huge queue and layered security at the entrance itself. We had gone to the square day before in the evening for a walk and it was quite pleasant and sans the tourist crowd, but we couldn’t enter the mausoleum and other areas at that hour. We did catch the change of guard ceremony and lot of cute young army dudes going about their evening routine run!!!

Anyways, we complied with all security requests and stood in line for our meeting with the very revered President Ho Chi Minh. And it was worth all the wait! It still gives me goose bumps! The President’s embalmed body inside the glass case looked so real and awe-inspiring. The resplendently decked military guard standing around him added to the recherché. We paid our respects to the man and his legacy in the few moments we were allowed in his presence.

View of the Stilt House from across the Carp Pond

Thereafter, we headed to check out Ho Chi Minh Museum, the Presidential Palace, and Uncle Ho’s collection of cars followed by his unassuming home, a traditional Vietnamese house built on Stilts still conserved with his humble belongings. It is said that the president chose to stay in the stilt house as opposed to the Presidential Palace in order to step away from the bitter memories of the French decadence and apathy symbolized by the Palace. The house is situated amidst a green well-stocked garden around a carp-pond. It was nice to have the company of little kindergarten munchkins following their teachers in queues learning about the great leader and being inspired at such a formative age.

Presidential Palace

Located inside the same complex is one of Hanoi’s most iconic images, One Pillar Pagoda, another architectural marvel. As the name suggests, it is a structure balancing itself on one single concrete foundation pillar in the middle of a tiny lotus pond connected by a bridge on one side.   

After the grand old Square and presidential complex, witness to all major historical turn of events, we headed towards the West Lake to offer prayers at the TrấnQuốc Pagoda, the oldest in Hanoi (dating back to the 6^th century) located on a small island making it one of the most scenic and serene locations. The pagoda gardens also have an Indian connection featuring the sacred Bodhi Tree (Peepal tree) donated by our first President, Shri Rajendra Prasad in the year 1959. This Pagoda is a definite must visit location in Hanoi.  

The Bodhi Tree

Nearby, we also have Quán Thánh Temple, meaning the ‘Place of the Gods’, a 11^th century temple dedicated to the Taoist god Xuan Wu, the ‘Dark Warrior’, who is especially revered by martial artists. People come to the temple to burn joss paper/ fake money, as an offering to the deceased family members for a comfortable after-life.

The entire area surrounding the West Lake is quite scenic and a pleasant place with fountains, park benches, large green cover, and cafes to relax and unwind, quite far-removed from the lively bustling cacophony of sounds and images of the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake.

To be continued…

P.S. All pictures courtesy myself and my sisters Ami & Vishaka.

Time Travel in Vietnam; Day 6

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair …, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way …”

(Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, Para.1, Line, 1)

These contradictions, dichotomies, iniquitousness, unfairness and the travesty of it all…and no, I don’t want to live anywhere but here where I am, in the age where I am. I am under no illusion that the grass is greener anywhere else. There are lot of things I would like to change and experience. However, I am not wistfully dreaming away.  A great loss, a lot of time wasted mulling over things that could be, and finally Vietnam has definitely taught me one thing …LIVE EACH DAY…one day at a time! We all have our dreams, calling, roles and responsibilities and even within our limitations we can do a lot, if only we wanted to…Nothing is less, nothing is more…it is what you want to do with/in your life that matters…

Day 6 in Vietnam. A beautiful blessed day, the entire city washed clean with rain, a light drizzle casting slight doubts on our walkabout; we decided to leap and skip the puddles and carry on. Our first stop was St Joseph's Cathedral right besides us. A catholic church built by the French modelled on Notre Dame De Paris.

After ‘confessing’ our plans to have unlimited fun, we made our way to the quirky old Hanoi Train Street. Albeit being Indians, we have seen all kinds of trains in all possible degrees of rubbernecking; nothing prepares us for the wild and whacky ways of the residents near this rail road. Straight out of science fiction, the train demands a momentary displacement of objects in the way and everything goes back to as it was seconds later. However, we could only imagine the scenario as the track seems to have been closed because of dangerous tourist and commercial activities on and near the railroad! But it is still worth a visit!

Moving ahead with our time travel, we forayed into 11^th century Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university and now more of a temple/shrine dedicated to Confucius. It is green, peaceful, and impressive and one can only visualize how young scholars at the Imperial Academy must have conducted their lives inside this boarding school of yore. Thanks to the Chinese and Korean historical dramas (Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Hwarang, etc), I could bring alive the scenes and breathe in the same aura. There is also a traditional handicraft expo (Ho Van Cultural Village) and a quaint café around a small lake opposite the Temple of literature.

After some hydration and refill there, we marched on to another Unesco Heritage site, the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long. A grand enclosure of historical sites panned across three main structures. This place takes the longest to explore! My favourite was D67 Tunnel and House with its bomb shelters and sound proof bunkers where from 1954 to 1975, the People's Army of Vietnam, had its headquarters under General Giáp. There are also lot of exhibitions inside the Citadel and we got lucky to catch one displaying Vietnamese Folk Paintings. There is also a Vietnamese Military History Museum adjacent to the Citadel which we missed, but you can check it out, as I have heard it is quite insightful and features a collection of artefacts and aircrafts from various military campaigns.

The Princess Tower

Inside the Bunker

North Gate, Imperial Citadel

Thereafter, we took a Grab to a picture-perfect miracle garden[i] of sort, Thung lũng hoa Hồ Tây, a vast blooming landscaped flower garden on the banks of West Lake (Tay Ho District), Hanoi. Not much is written about it online. I just came across it while mapping my walkabout around the West Lake area in Hanoi. It is a must visit, but please be mindful of the flowering season. We went in Jan so could enjoy its splendour in full bloom. However, make sure you go there when it is nice and sunny, preferably before four in the evening to get perfect Instagram worthy clicks.

To be Continued…

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[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai_Miracle_Garden

Vietnam: Day 5, Hanoi, Sights & Sounds!

Saying Adieu to Ha long, a place ‘where the dragon descends’ is quite difficult to spell out here. The place infused me with exceptional amount of positive energy with its beautiful and peaceful vistas. It is not that I haven’t seen beautiful places before but most of them are often marred by some man-made disturbance or the memory of it, except perhaps most of Switzerland. Vietnam was also in the throes of such a tortured past, but the entire community chose to move ahead and build a peaceful home for their present. However, I believe it is unquestionably imperative to remember the past, as those who don’t, are condemned to repeat it.

The Vietnamese have also paid tribute to each of their fallen martyrs, as they were re-building their home. One such memorial is Hoa Lo Prison (Maison Centrale). The unnerving stillness of various life-like prison re-constructions can evoke a gamut of emotions subject to our views. The Vietnamese called the place Hoa Lo (Hell’s Hole) and the American POWs sarcastically referred to it as Hanoi Hilton. Although, the Americans would question the depiction of humane treatment of American POWs, I don’t think they have any right to question it. It was a gruesome place of torture and a stark reminder of the past as well as a warning to all those who rally for war and retribution at the slightest provocation! Recalling the memories of the place brings to my mind this beautifully stark poem penned by Ocean Vuong, a Vietnamese-American poet.

Kissing in Vietnamese By Ocean Vuong[i]

My grandmother kisses

as if bombs are bursting in the backyard,
where mint and jasmine lace their perfumes
through the kitchen window,
as if somewhere, a body is falling apart
and flames are making their way back
through the intricacies of a young boy’s thigh,
as if to walk out the door, your torso
would dance from exit wounds.
When my grandmother kisses, there would be
no flashy smooching, no western music
of pursed lips, she kisses as if to breathe
you inside her, nose pressed to cheek
so that your scent is relearned
and your sweat pearls into drops of gold
inside her lungs, as if while she holds you
death also, is clutching your wrist.
My grandmother kisses as if history
never ended, as if somewhere
a body is still
falling apart.

I have a habit of going off on a tangent catching a ride on every wisp of thought that strays across my mind. I think my mind oscillates betwixt dancing in a trance and struck Argus-eyed like a deer! 

Anyhow, next on our walking tour was the Vietnamese Women’s Museum[ii] a modern museum showcasing the ‘his’tory, culture, fashion style of Vietnamese women. It was interesting and quite informative with lot of videos and photo essays. We continued ahead straight into the heart of French Quarter of Hanoi, to the Hanoi Opera House. It transports you instantly to the old continent because of its French-inspired architecture. I have so far watched only one opera show till date and I remember it quite vividly, although not just for the performance! It was Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District[iii] at the Geneva Opera House; thought-provoking, mesmerizing, and a complete sensory delight! I was a studying back then and went there along with hundred odd fellow students with sponsored tickets. In the middle of a particularly poignant scene, there was a slip and a nip and one of us brilliant scholars couldn’t contain their inner imp and let out a tiny giggle! For a moment there was complete and utter silence as the stupefaction permeated our rows. And then it happened! Our herd of distinguished monkeys couldn’t contain it anymore and we all let out scattered squeals of amusement with the speed of toppling dominoes until, one of the elderly ladies sitting ahead admonished us with a stern shush! O Horror, horror, horror[iv] of it!

@ Hanoi Opera House 2020

@ Geneva Opera House 2007

Coming back to Vietnam, we moved on to Trang Tien Plaza overlooking the Hoan Kiem lake from the French side. The Plaza is a high-end shopping mall complete with all major luxury fashion brands. We just availed the washrooms and scampered! Then we headed around the lake to the iconic red-painted bridge over the lake (Cau The Huc / The Huc Bridge) and then across to Den Ngoc Son temple (Temple of the Jade Mountain). We didn’t go inside this temple as there was an entry fee. However, the place around the lake is quite tranquil and scenic and we rested on one of the benches nearby.

Inside the Plaza

After that, we zig-zagged across streets to the Ceramic Mosaic Mural Road[v], one of the longest of its kind. We covered only a short distance as the road adjacent was quite busy and noisy and we didn’t want to crash into anything while admiring the scenes along. The scenes are quite fascinating and varied from modern art to children’s painting and depictions of Vietnamese culture and history. The work culminates at the pier of Long Bien Bridge, another historic construction in Hanoi, but overly congested with traffic around the area[vi]. We walked across to Dong Xuan Market and adjoining streets and then made our way back to the Hoan Kiem lake area after dinner for a pleasant night time stroll.

Temples along the way 

Temples on the way

Preparations for a concert near the Lake area

Across the Jade Temple

To be continued…

P.S. I suggest entirely skipping the walk to Ceramic Mosaic Mural, Long Bien Bridge, Dong Xuan Market! Traffic is unsettling! Check out Sapa instead! We had originally planned the walk this way, but we finished very early and hence had lot of time on our hands. I suggest, you can take an overnight limousine bus ride to check out Sapa and come back to Hanoi same day.

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[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Vuong

[ii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_Women%27s_Museum

[iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Macbeth_of_the_Mtsensk_District_(opera)

[iv] https://www.azquotes.com/author/13382-William_Shakespeare/tag/horror

[v] We had originally planned the walk this way but we finished very early and hence had lot of time on our hands. I suggest, you can take an overnight limousine bus ride to check out Sapa and come back to Hanoi same day.

[vi] I suggest entirely skipping the walk to Ceramic Mosaic Mural, Long Bien Bridge, Dong Xuan Market! Traffic is unsettling! Check out Sapa instead!

Vietnam Day 4: Back to Hanoi! Shopping & Savouring!

We made our way back to Hanoi and had planned to spend the day checking out some famous Hanoi old quarter streets known for their wares; Hang Gai [i](Hemp / Silk Street), and Hang Dau [ii] (Bags and Shoes) in particular. Many of the streets are named after the wares they sell, there is a silver jewellery street, and one that sells only chocolates, one with wooden handmade products like combs, spoons, etc. I forgot the name of the street which sells chocolates but it is on the same street where the famous Bach Ma temple[iii] is located. Our day was exclusively set for shopping and indulging our taste buds. However, I will pool all our food and drink and shopping recommendations together here.  

We started with some street food right besides our homestay[iv] (Hanoi Old Quarter Homestay). We were recommended Bún Dậu Thập Cẩm and but maybe because the rice vermicelli noodle cake was served cold, the sausages and fried tofu were dripping oil and the shrimp paste was quite pungent …we didn’t enjoy it very much.

I suggest going for fresh grilled dishes with rice/rice noodles and side dishes, instead of fried ones.  We had a great time grilling our own food in one of those Korean style barbeque pavement joints( around the corner from our homestay) where we selected our own meat and veggies to be grilled and then had an exciting time listening to the sizzle on our stove grill and gobbling them down with chopsticks…We used chopsticks everywhere we went. It is easy and fun once you get the hang of it. This table top K Town grill experience is a must, especially for all my fellow crazy K Drama fans!

For a quick bite while shopping, you can try Banh Xeo (Crispy Pancake) Vietnamese omelette loaded with all the goodies you can think of! One must savour steaming hot Banh Bao [v] (easily available in any of the street food joints) and Salty Cheese Buns at King Roti [vi] (Really yum…melts in your mouth!). The liquid nitrogen infused cereal balls also known as Dragon's Breath are also a fun treat if you want some great videos of vapours escaping your nose and mouth! It tastes okay and we were fine after eating. However, do not indulge little kids just to be on the safe side.

Dragon's Breath Candy

                                                   

For lunch, you can try Noodle & Roll. They have a great menu to choose from including vegan options. We went there twice as it was right behind our alley and was quite cheap. We got to finally try fresh Vietnamese Spring rolls (Goi Cuon) and they immediately registered into our favourite food list along with Bun Bo Nam Bo and grilled meat on lettuce wraps! Many a times we have had Bánh mì (Vietnamese Bread Sandwich with choice of fillings) for an early lunch. Make sure, you have it at a street joint popular with locals and tourists and fresh and hot. It is a safe bet and fills you up for all the walking around.

For dinner, the quintessential Vietnamese Pho is a must try, although you can get it everywhere throughout the day. If you want to eat at a good restaurant with a decently priced menu, I highly recommend Gecko[viii] . Must try their Fish/Veg options in lemongrass flavoured tangy sauce with a side of rice and Cinnamon and Honey tea for a drink. We could never try any of the high-end restaurants as we would always grab a quick bite of something while roaming around and then would not be hungry enough for a proper fine-dining experience! We also missed out Cha Ca La Vong, Vietnamese turmeric fish with dill and noodles. I suggest you don’t miss it… and try it when you are there!

Dinner @ Gecko

The coffee lovers can try all sorts of coffee here. I personally liked the cold versions of Vietnamese coffee and make sure you load yourself with the Vietnamese instant coffee sachets for a steaming cuppa wherever you go! My sisters tried Vietnamese local beer and found it quite light and breezy. There are all sorts of international fast food joints around the Hoan Kiem Lake area, but we avoided them like plague to save space for local cuisine at all times. Best decision ever!

The entire Old Quarter is a shopper’s delight. It has all sorts of bric-a-brac and is a lucky treasure hunt sort of experience overall. We got some nice bargains for good fancy bags, shoes, clothes, and souvenirs. The Hang Gai street tailors promise you a customised outfit in 24 hours at a good bargain. We can buy the Vietnamese traditional costume Áo dài[ix] for just around (250000 VND/ 773 Rupees/ 11 $), or you can get it custom made in pure silk for around Rs 4000/- (55 $).

The Hanoi Night Market area (personal favourite) is lively during the day also with shops where you can drive a hard bargain and come out smiling ear to ear! Beautiful dresses, shoes, trinkets, caps, hats, silk scarves and shawls, you name it …and the place’s got it! Every minute we had, after our walking sight seeing tours, we headed straight to Old Quarter to explore a new street each evening. The Dong Xuan Market is a whole sale market, you can skip it unless you are looking for some good quality leather bags (good copies).  

The French Quarter is mostly a high-end shopping area with elegant French architecture and wide-open spaces and roads, a complete opposite of the Old Quarter, but showcasing another part of Hanoi history and lifestyle. Do try Mochi Ice-cream at Kem Trang Tien, while checking out the Trang Tien Plaza. We didn’t buy anything inside the plaza but it provides the cleanest place for a toilet break in the area!

To be continued…

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[i] https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/shopping/hang-gai-street/

[ii] https://www.vietnamonline.com/maps/hanoi/hang-dau-street.html

[iii] Closed for renovation when we were there!

[iv] https://www.booking.com/hotel/vn/hanoi-old-quarter-homestay.en-gb.html

[v] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bánh_bao

[vi] https://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant_Review-g293924-d9767745-Reviews-King_Roti-Hanoi.html  

[vii] https://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant_Review-g293924-d2095487-Reviews-Gecko_Restaurant_89_hang_Bo-Hanoi.html

[viii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Áo_dài

To Travel or Not to Travel..

I have been raring to go, my restless feet ready for the next pit-stop in life for as long as I remember.  Thanks to my father who had a transferable job, our family moved every two to three years. And in those days, trains were the only reasonable mode of transport across the country. So, it was four to five days in the train across a minimum of six to seven states in the country. Some of the best childhood memories; the long waits (the longest was 11 hours I think) at the railway stations where my sister came out with her own edition of India’s Got Talent dancing, hopping, singing, running, jumping, and what not, trying to convince our father to buy from every vendor that crossed our paths ( our father would be all game but my mother would be throwing daggers at us with her eyes), the counting of trucks, cars, tractors, while our parents enjoyed rounds of rummy, the endless rounds of snacks, scanning and memorizing every bit of action in Tinkle, Archies Digest, and Enid Blyton books, our imagination running wild loaded with the stories from the books and with the nonstop onslaught of characters entering our coupe. Thank goodness we didn’t have mobile phones back then! 

I believe that in India, we have many constraints preventing us from travelling. Primarily, we think it is a waste of money!  Money is something which needs to be accumulated in the banks not to be touched unless it is an emergency. Travel experience is not seen as a value addition in life and definitely not considered as an experience. It is true that money is a constraint for lot of people. If I was not lucky enough to get the funding for my ventures and study abroad, I don’t think I would have been able to self- finance. Our parents' generation had lot of liabilities and limited income at their perusal and they provided us with their best. But I am not referring to them! I am talking about those who have the money and are still hesitant and guilty about spending it. I am hollering out to those who continue to hang onto what they have for the future…I am not implying that you take a loan or go bankrupt to fund your travel! Please be reasonable. Keep aside for the future and then plan accordingly.

Some of our parents are still saving in case WE need the money! Please tell them that you are grown up enough to manage and although you love their blessings, they should spend their hard-earned money to explore things they always wanted to. Most of them also reason that they are happiest spending time with us and playing with their grand kid. I would say you do that for some part of the year but plan something else for the rest of the year!

I also believe that not everyone loves to travel. I am married to a superman who travels only when he needs to save the world and keeps a close watch on the planet through the magic box and his universal remote. He saves on his frequent flier miles and invests in the best of Scottish exports. Add some entertainment and best buddies and he has his vacation mapped out right where he sits. 

It is 2020 and our lives and times have already undergone decades of evolution; we are open to new ideas and new ways of broadening our world view. Our Prime Minister himself advised us to visit at least 15 local destinations by the year 2022 to promote domestic tourism[i].

So, I say why not? Flex your muscles, oil your joints, spread your wings …the world is at your feet!

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[i] “The World Travel and Tourism Council calculated that tourism generated ₹16.91 lakh crore (US$240 billion) or 9.2% of India's GDP in 2018 and supported 42.673 million jobs, 8.1% of its total employment.[2] The sector is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 6.9% to ₹32.05 lakh crore (US$450 billion) by 2028 (9.9% of GDP).[3] In October 2015, India's medical tourism sector was estimated to be worth US$3 billion, and it is projected to grow to US$7–8 billion by 2020.[4]” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_India
Image Source : www.themarysue.com  

Vietnam Day 3- Halong Bay Cruise

I'm easy like Sunday morning…[i]

After a long time, I could say I was free to do as I pleased on a Sunday morning. No little kid poking me in the eye to get up earlier than I wanted to ( I did miss the little munchkin and my heartbeat) but I could also just lie there staring at the ceiling enjoying my Sunday bliss…

I woke up just to smell the fresh air and freedom out in the balcony with my steaming cup of Vietnamese coffee! True, what they say, freedom is also a state of mind…. We can be bound by so many things; self-imposed and otherwise. I believe it is very important to prioritize. I have drifted from one task to another for so long to drown out my inner voice and calling. I literally screwed myself shut inside a bottle and sat on the lid just in case. But moments like this, make one realise, that true freedom is within us.

I am well aware that many countries are at war or under totalitarian regimes, or where citizens are heavily monitored and also the fact that 'freedom' is not always a given; however, I am deliberately excluding those exigencies here. I am not familiar with the constraints enough to fathom their plight or write about them at this juncture. But I would still say the greatest of freedom fighters and revolutionaries remained free even inside prisons and solitary confinement. They were bound physically and tortured and humiliated on a daily basis, but they became stronger each day for they didn’t let their minds be enslaved. They remained resilient and free inside. Our visit later in the week to the Hoa Lo Prison (Maison Centrale[ii]) in Hanoi reinforced this thought. I believe that deep inside, we already know what we can do to liberate ourselves from the mental blockades we cage ourselves in. But, most of us either ignore or drown out or literally water board our true spirit and inner voice.

Today, there was no drowning, only limitless fun on the sea with a beautiful weather…the sun shining down on us even in January! No fog clouding our minds, no rain dampening our spirits…we were ready to soak some sun and have lots of fun on our Halong Bay cruise!  We took our time in the morning as our cruise started at noon from Tuần Châu Harbour[iii]. We lazed around, had a hearty breakfast and then took a Grab[iv] to the harbour where we met our tour guide, Duc. There were lots and lots of tiny cruiser boats around with many tour groups, mostly foreigners, but it was not over-crowded. There was free Wi-fi again, plus a few restaurants and bars, a super market, and lot of souvenir shops at the Marina. Our double decker ferry had around 40 to 50 people. Most of the tourists were on a day cruise like us but there were plenty of luxury overnight cruises available. Our cruise was around Rs. 2500(34 $) /person including on board lunch and evening tea and snacks.

Our Ride

We started off with spectacular limestone Karsts scattered across the horizon. The dazzling emerald green water surrounding us, we immediately spotted the Fighting Cock islet[v] ahead of us. Our first stop was Titop Island where we docked and climbed 427 steps to the top to enjoy a panoramic view of the bay and its surroundings. It was a 10-15-minute hike followed by a cursory glance at the white sandy beaches as it was a little too sunny for us Indians to enjoy it. It was beautiful though. We were given the choice to either hike the mountain or relax on the beach; we chose the former. Please remember to carry water in glass bottles. The Island was named by Vietnam’s beloved leader Ho Chi Minh after the Russian cosmonaut G Titov, when he toured the Bay with “Uncle Ho”.  

Titop Beach

View from Titop 

Thereafter, we headed to Sung Sot cave, also called amazing cave and surprising cave (a Unesco heritage site). It was very similar to the Alhoota Cave, I visited in Muscat, Oman. Beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations bathed in natural sunlight in various places with underground ponds and spectacular rock formations which dazzle as if diamonds are scattered across it. While we made our way to the Alhoota Cave uber luxuriously in a train, there is quite a steep climb to reach the caves in Vietnam, so come prepared with some level of fitness. You will enjoy a breath-taking view on the climb so that’s a big motivation to carry on.

Hiking to the Caves

After the caves, we headed to the Halong Bay Pier where we were again given the option to either tandem kayak or go on bamboo boats to tour the lagoon. I chose the bamboo boat to relax and enjoy the view.  My sisters decided to kayak. It was their first time; full of excitement and anticipation!  Since both of them had entirely different world view and perspective, they paddled the kayak in their own direction, even when they decided on the same destination! They swung the paddle with such remarkable grit and conviction that they managed to target most of the bamboo boats in the area and occasionally even stationary objects. The highlight of the tour was their encounter with the bamboo boat I was in. I accidently documented the mega-collision. But it was all hunky-dory, my sisters marched ahead with the same grit they had approached us. I am still not sure whether our boat pushed them aside or they had paddled ahead!  I was really worried about them but they were still waving and laughing, and more importantly, they both loved the water and swimming, so I decided to relax. 

 

Inside the Lagoon

Our boat took us to a beautiful closed lagoon with monkeys dangling off the hill. Lot of selfies and clicks later, we came out of the beautiful setting.  My darling sisters thoroughly enjoyed learning tandem paddling on a kayak. There numerous run-ins on the pier and surroundings didn’t leave them much time to enjoy the lagoon but they had a ball of a time, especially when I showed them their video! We laughed so hard and so long, the entire boat was staring at us! We shared our experiences and joy over a tiny cup of tea and Green (mung) bean cakes[vi] and enjoyed the sun set on the beautiful glimmering Halong Bay on our way back.

Later that evening, we checked out the remarkable Ceramic Mosaic Mural known as Vietnam Heritage and World Natural Heritage[vii] right next to our residential tower. It was a beautiful seamless blend of various heritage sites of Vietnam and the world.

The Ceramic Mural

Our dinner was seafood fried rice with a side of fried spring rolls. We decided to go heavy with all the trek and walk we had done. Once again, a beautiful day with us savouring every minute of it!

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[i] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCsZ3_db_Fk

[ii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hỏa_Lò_Prison 

[iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuần_Châu  

[iv] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grab_(company)

[v] https://www.halongbaytours.com/destinations/fighting-cocks-islet.html

[vi] https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=5A2A105B5754E69EF553A9AE72DD5B3071C0159E&thid=OIP.FdfplD2f11L2ya30VTZoRQHaFj&mediaurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloomize.com%2Fimg%2Ftravel-vn10-greenbeancake.jpg&exph=420&expw=560&q=green+bean+cake%2c+vietnam&selectedindex=0&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=0,3,4,6,8,10&ccid=FdfplD2f&simid=608007466949282837&sim=11

[vii] https://news.destination-asia.com/2234-sq-m-ceramic-relief-built-in-ha-long-city/

Sustainable Development

We keep hearing this term thrown about almost on a daily basis, whether it is a discussion about the future of the entire planet or our countries, our cities or even our colonies. So, what is ‘sustainable development’?

Each one of us strives to make our lives better. Most of us run from pillar to post each day to raise the standard of our living. We try to maintain the lifestyle we are used to and make it better. Collectively we wish to have better roads, better transport facilities, 24x7 power and water supply, etc. to improve the quality of our lives. Individually we may have the power and resources to make a difference in our own lives, however, to bring an effective change in the society, we require more than just concerted effort.

Good Planning is the essence and foundation of any vision moving towards the realm of reality. It is important to gather all the pieces of puzzle and then put them together, i.e., to collect data pertaining to all spheres of life in an area and then design the best possible way to make things better for the people of the area. Every plan has to be tailor-made to suit the needs of the area in question. Every area is endowed with potentials and constraints peculiar to it and a development planner takes all this into consideration before making the best set of choices for developing an area. For example, a terrain with steep slopes and bad soil quality need not have the facilities for cultivating paddy. The development of this area should be done in such a manner as to provide an alternative use, thereby enhancing the utility of all the available resources within the area and assuring future generations the same or better benefits. Resources here include human resources also.

“Earth, atmosphere, sky, sun, moon, stars, waters, plants, trees, moving creatures, swimming creatures, creeping creatures all are hailed and offered oblations” (Taittiriya Samhita i-8-13).

Today as we march into the future, we are reminded of the cataclysmic upheavals that we might invite upon ourselves by ignoring that voice of wisdom left to us by our forefathers. In our search for security from each other, we have inadvertently left ourselves at the mercy of the ground beneath us and the sky above us. There is no point making a development plan which cannot be supported by the resources available or by the inhabitants of the region. Excessive reliance on coal for power without appropriately (environmentally, economically, and socially viable) harnessing the overflowing rivers in an area could be one example of a skewed development plan and planning for industries on the banks of river without having any provisions for treating industrial waste being flushed out into the same rivers could be another. Such kind of development, which cannot be sustained for further growth and progress, can it be termed ‘sustainable development’?

The preparation of a sustainable development plan is also an exercise in democracy. The development planners have to be in touch with ground realities. They have to interact with the people of the region on a consistent basis while designing and implementing the plan, in order to know the feasibility and effectiveness of the plans. They also need to be aware of the culture of the region along with the knowledge of the socio-economic-political equation of the region. The current brand of vote-bank democracy in India with its short term political and economic goals is not enough to bring about sustainable development. So is the case with China, which has achieved miraculous economic growth over the past 30 years to become the world's second largest single-country economy. But it is also heading towards rapid resource depletion and environmental pollution. Only the development initiatives and designs, which positively impact our present while paving a solid path for an even better tomorrow, can be categorized as ‘Sustainable Development’.

Florence Nightingale once said, “To understand God’s thoughts, we must study statistics, for these are measure of his purpose”. 

Development planners need not just study statistics, but they need to feel the pulse of the people to be able to design good sustainable plans. On the other hand, at the micro level we, as individuals and citizens of the world, have a responsibility to our future selves and our generations to come to practice and advocate sustainable way of life in every way possible.