Vietnam, with a heavy heart

Hello everyone! We are in the final three days of our stay in Vietnam. We’ve had some of the best days here, but I’ve had personal lows. Our dear cousin passed away at home, and again, it is so hard to be so far away. I want to hug and cry with my family after such a massive loss. But we continue on our itinerary, I continue smiling for the kids, and we go on. 

We began our Vietnam journey in Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City with our favorite day. Our worlds were brightened by our beautiful friend Kristina, who moved from Seattle to Ho Chi Minh nearly five years ago. We were over the moon to see her! 

Kristina took us to her favorite spots in the city. We started at the Cafe Apartments, a perfect example of Vietnam’s goal of repurposing private space for public use. The apartments are home to dozens of small businesses, and we loved visiting many of them. 

We spent the day walking around the city, stopping for cold drinks and ice cream as the temps neared 100 degrees. 

Kristina taught us how to cross the street in Vietnam: slowly and always forward (never stop, never go back), and trust that no one will hit you as they speed past. We boated back to the hotel, and Kristina sent me and Ryan away while she had quality time with the kids. We didn’t object! After a riverside dinner date, and many farewell hugs, we said “see you soon” to Kristina. We were sad, but our hearts were full. 

From Ho Chi Minh we drove to Can Tho, where we stayed on a tiny island in the Hau River. Our two days there felt like our first vacation in eight months. The kids were safe to bike around and play, so we all got some much-needed space. We also visited the floating market, which felt like a glimpse into the past. 

We left Can Tho and flew to Hoi An, a treasure of a town. As Ginny described, Hoi An is rich with clothiers and lantern makers. We visited a custom clothing shop our first day, which was so fun.

The girls each got two dresses, Baker got a custom wool suit and shirt to wear to the Spring Art Showcase (they left room to grow!), I got a wool coat, and Ryan got…..a new work wardrobe. (He hasn’t had a new suit since he played in Japan, so it was about time!)

I’ve never had something made to fit my body, and it really is heaven. We shipped nearly everything home, so it’ll all stay in Q’s garage for four months (thanks, Q!). 

The following day we toured Hoi An with our fantastic guide, Singh. We walked through the street market, which is open to motor bikes and pedestrians. My anxiety was through the roof trying to keep the kids out of traffic, and it was made worse by the constant honking. So much honking. 

We then had a much more peaceful visit to the Chinese temple. The temples are not devoted to any particular god or religion. They are beautiful places for people to pray and worship however feels meaningful to them. It felt really good to be there. 

From there we visited a lantern shop, and the kids learned to make cloth lanterns. It was messy and sticky and fun. And the lanterns turned out really great! 

The next day was very special. We spent the day with the Phap family in Go Noi village. They are a family of farmers, growing peanuts, eggplant, sweet potatoes, beans, chilis, and more. They are among the kindest people we have ever met. They showed us around their eldest son’s home, taught us how they farmed, took us on a bike ride through town, and helped us cook Banh Xeo (our new favorite Vietnamese food). The kids did math and language lessons with the neighborhood kids. It was a perfect day. 

On our final day in Hoi An, we took a boat out to Cham Island to snorkel. Ginny got so sick on the ride over, but playing on the beach made her feel better. We snorkeled for a bit in the frigid water of the Vietnam Sea (pro tip: do not ask if it’s the South China Sea…that will not go well). Nothing spectacular, but we enjoyed the day. (That's Lu straddling my chest, her preferred snorkeling position.)

Then we flew to Hanoi, which was not our favorite. And it was 30 degrees cooler than Hoi An, which came as a shock. The one thing worth writing about was our visit to Hanoi Hilton, the prison where American GIs (like John McCain) were held during the Vietnam War. It is now a museum dedicated to both the Vietnamese prisoners held there during French occupation (when it was called “Maison Central”) and to what the Vietnamese call the American War. 

We had explained the war in simple terms to the kids before visiting the prison, but it was still a struggle for all of us. The kids couldn’t understand that level of pain and destruction. Videos of B-52 bombers unloading over northern Vietnam were particularly painful to watch. The personal accounts of people who lived through the American bombings of Hanoi broke my heart. 

This country has been through hell, and it has regrown into one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I am amazed and inspired by the strength, resilience, and kindness of the Vietnamese people. I understand why Kristina never came home. 

Our final three days in Vietnam will be in Ninh Binh, a city on the Red River Delta. We already experienced the Tam Coc river tour, and marveled at how people here row with their FEET. Skills!

We are excited for more river-based activities before heading to Laos in a few days.

I send love to you all, especially to my Gewalt cousins during this hard time. I am celebrating Patti’s life from across the world. 

Love,

Madeline