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Eating 0.60$ Pad Thai on a side street in Bangkok, was one of the last places I imagined receiving travel advice. But in a 5 min whirl of conversation, with a randomly seated Kiwi traveler, my plan to go to Ha long bay was cemented. Hanoi would be the base camp, with trecks north to mountains and east to the water. Although even the thought of this plan made me wince (knowing how much of this beautiful country I was sacrificing to the south); it was pleasing to know i would have time to absorb a bit of this area of the country. Hanoi traffic is crazy from my western perspective. You just have to commit to crossing and then follow through. The motorbikes will naturally snake around you. It's amazing, scary and easy all at the same time. This intricate traffic dance is worth every second once you get to the local spot serving Bun Bo Nam Bo. But enjoy the walk as well. Hell, I even passed through a "market" that had been created on the side walk close to my hotel, in the time it took me to buy a bottle of water. Vendors loosely gathered around with buckets filled with all types of delicacies, including two eels that happened to flop out just as was stepping through on the way home. Side note, go to Sapa! I took an overnight train to Sapa both ways, in order to maximize my time in this mountainous paradise. Traversing through rice fields with with my "guide" and two German travelers was one of the supreme highlights of Asia for me. We talked of family, bamboo trees, Cuban coffee and much more. We connected and even swam together in cold rivers and had tea in the guide's home after the tour. Seeing remote waterfalls while twisting through the mountains (that boarder China) at sunset on a motorcycle; wasn't a bad day two either. Next up, Ha long bay. I was told that it would be packed with tourists but the overnight boat trip to this bay was majestic. And it was both! I was immediately surrounded with the Vietnamese language upon entering the shuttle heading west, being the only one of two "foreigners." Eventually ending on up on a boat that showed me some of the wonders of Vietnam. Although the kayaking and sunset were lovely. It was the company I kept that will stay with me. Skipping the normal niceties, the head of the boat and I jumped into full friendship. He told me of his father ( a north Vietnamese Army General) and I told him about my grandfather (who fled Cuba in 1962). We talked about life in intimate ways. When I asked why there were so many local "tourists” on the boat usually populated by people from other nations; he stated it was Independence Day. “Independence from whom?”I asked. "You." When all others on the ship retired to their cabins, I remaind with him and the crew in the galley, eating squid that stained our hands, smoking the traditional pipe while drinking warm wine that brought this whole wonderful experience together. It's so lovely to learn in this fashion!