Soulful Sapa

Photo by Ben Turnbull on Unsplash

Well it’s time to leave the big smoke behind and head inland to explore the natural beauty this country has to plate up. Sapa is a must see for any nature lover. Tucked away in the north-west corner of Vietnam is a bowl full of iconic rice paddy vistas and forest walks. The local population is occupied by five main ethnic groups that have lived off the land for years.

I found myself drawn to a small eatery in the main street of Cau May Street called Moment Romantic Restaurant. The traditional Vietnamese food was the best I’d had during my culinary journey. How had I not heard more about this food heaven? I was lucky enough to meet the owner and found that they did not have an online presence.

Photo retrieved from Tripadivsor

I thought it would be remiss of me not to offer my help and create a web page to help promote the restaurant. With my online skills and the owners culinary genius we could generate much more business for them. All it took was an hour of my time, and we had a webpage and social media plan in place.  

I feel that travel presents a unique opportunity to learn as well as teach different skills. People from all over the world have their own unique skills that if you just asked, they are often very accommodating to teach. It is also a great to be able to give back and engage with the local culture. Make your trip meaningful. 

War and Ice-Cream?

By Lars Curfs, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39738487

1955 saw Vietnam thrust into the spot light as the Resistance war against America began. From that day, the majority of Western culture has affixed Vietnam with a communist tag. This essence brings with it a distaste and fear as well as apprehension to travel there. What those who succumb to this stereotype miss out on is the diversity and culture that Vietnam truly has. However, there are too, those that do travel to Vietnam without the knowledge of its war torn past, ignorantly disrespectful to the troubled history. The Cu Chi Tunnels, just outside of Ho Chi Minh city, have become a tourist hotspot for those who want to shoot assault rifles and machine guns and take photos half sticking out of military tunnels. 

Photo by Sam Williams on Unsplash

Now I’m not saying that these tunnels aren’t worth visiting because they are a spectacular experience. However, it is appropriate to understand their purpose and context in history. Furthermore, although Vietnam is still currently a one-party communist state, it is one of the fastest-growing economies in South-East Asia and with that comes the infrastructure and support for tourists to travel the country safely and effectively. 

Significant, historical events like war and invasions are major influences on a countries culture. Vietnam's food culture has been greatly influenced by different conflicts with other cultures. The Resistance was against America saw Vietnam introduced to Ice Cream. The delicious treat has been adapted and modified in a unique Vietnamese way. Vietnamese coffee ice-cream is a must try. 

Retrieved from Vice

And so, the communist essence that shadows Vietnam does not accurately illustrate how Vietnam is open to new ideas and evolution.