Vietnam & South Korea

March 19-29, 2010
LH471 YYZ-FRA, LH4220 FRA-CDG, Mar 21 TG931 CDG-BKK, Mar 22 TG600 BKK-HKG, UA869 HKG-SGN, Mar 24 VN 234 SGN-HAN, Mar 27 OZ734 HAN-ICN, Mar 29 OZ236 ICN-ORD, UA417 ORD-YYZ

With work travel taking the forefront and still crazy US security requirements, we'd slowed down our weekend travel, but did have this one big trip to Vietnam in March.  This was another First Class award ticket and had some pretty crazy routings that involved multiple days, many hours in First Class lounges, and a trip back to the best First Class experience in Frankfurt.  After a few itinerary changes, we were lucky to get a nonstop flight out of Toronto to avoid the US.  Vietnam was our main destination but on the way we stopped in Paris for nothing other than routing convenience.  We also touched down in Frankfurt, Bangkok and Hong Kong on our way to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).  In Vietnam, visitors do not dare drive, and the trains are a little difficult, so I booked a private tour with car, driver and tour guide.  It was very affordable and allowed us to see what we wanted at our own pace.  It also included a private overnight cruise in Halong Bay where we had a pretty large boat with a crew of four as well as a guide.  It felt a little opulent, but it was shockingly affordable.  On the way back we got to stop in South Korea and met up with my cousin Miles who showed us around Seoul.  It was a great trip and I’m very glad that I got to see both Vietnam and a sampling of Korea.  Given the war history of both, it was a very interesting contrast.   

March 19-20
Overnight flight to Paris with a lengthy break in the Frankfurt first class terminal

Le pont Alexandre III; walking through the city was much warmer than in February

The Pantheon on our way back to the hotel at the end of the day

March 21-22
A relaxing morning followed by overnight and all day flying and lots of lounging

March 23
Start with a boat tour along Mekong Delta, and afternoon/evening back in the city

Small candy factory popping rice

One of the many colourful boats along the Mekong Delta

After a small fender bender ended our car trip, we walk to Ho Chi Minh opera house

A few bicycles remain in the crazy traffic.  Crossing the street was an adventure every time

Notre Dame Cathedral in the heart of old Saigon

Post Office with a decidedly train station look

We end the day with a drink at the Sheraton Saigon open roof top bar

March 24
Start with Cu Chi tunnel tour, afternoon in the city and night flight to Hanoi

Rubber tree forest planted in areas deforested in the war

Stuck in one of the more difficult entries to the extensive network of Viet Cong tunnels at Cu Chi

One of the more crazy things we saw carried on motorcyles

Reunification Palace, previously Independence Palace, former home of S. Vietnam President

Interior decor stuck in the period of the fall of Saigon when helicopters fled from the roof

A sampling of the 4 million motorcycles in the city

March 25
All day tour of Hanoi, Cyclo Tour and Water Puppet Show

School group on tour of Ho Chi Minh palace gardens

Ho Chi Minh’s primary residence on the palace grounds

Home of embalmed Ho Chi Minh, luckily not in Russia for annual 2-month maintenance

Outdoor water puppet theatre at the Museum of Ethnology

Bahnar Community House, typical of hill tribes on grounds of museum

Wood carving on the grounds of the museum

Stones honoring laureates of Imperial Acaedemy at the Confucian Temple of Literature

Traveling via Cyclo through the old streets of Hanoi

Bridge leading to Ngoc Son Temple in Hoan Kiem Lake

Water Puppet show ends a long day of touring

March 26
Up early for a long drive to Halong Bay and start our overnight cruise  

Just after noon we start sailing through thousands of rock islands in the bay

View from the cruise company’s private island looking back on one of the larger ships

Tom and I in front of our ship

Cave in middle of the island, previously occupied by local fishermen

Looking back on our boat from the island, before our kayak trip

Collection of the many fishing boats throughout the bay

Our chef put together some very impressive sculptures displayed between courses

Final sculpture of the evening, a watermelon replica of our ship

March 27
Toured fishing village, lunch on the boat and evening in Hanoi before overnight flight

Cultivating oysters from the floating fishing village

Boats passing through the hole in the rock

Enjoying our time on the small boat before lunch on the ship and our long ride home

Evening over Hoan Kiem Lake after dinner

March 28
After a short overnight flight have the entire day in Seoul

Two Brothers statue outside Korean War Museum

After lunch with my cousin Miles we tour Gyeongbokgung Palace

National Folk Museum

Statue of King Sejong in the city centre

Cheonggyecheon walkway and fountain cuts through the buildings

Wider view of the walkway before sunset

View from below Seoul Tower in Namsan Park

The view from Namsan Park gives a small clue of the expanse of the city

March 29
Most of the day in Seoul then an evening flight to Chicago and home to Toronto

Seoul Olympic park from the 1988 Summer Olympics

Memorial of Olympics, acknowledges significant milestones

Bukchon neighbourhood of traditional Hanok homes

Looking over the modern city to the Seoul tower

Me standing at one of the designated “photo spots” on the street

We have a late check out from the hotel and fly home for 15 hours in First Class comfort