Arriving in Da Nang in early April, Sofia and Pablo seemed to be the only foreigners, the locals constantly waved and said hello.
The welcome of the people excited the couple from Mexico, Sofia (29 years old) and Pablo (30 years old) excited. “We have never experienced the feeling of being the only foreign tourists in the city. People and tourists in Da Nang are surprised to see us, waving and saying “Hello, Hello”. This warm welcome makes us feel like we’re from another planet,” they laughed and said.
The couple arrived in Da Nang on March 31, after three transit flights. They spent nearly 10 days in Vietnam for their honeymoon and are now in Ha Long, Quang Ninh. They shared that they booked a trip to Vietnam 2 years ago, but had to cancel because of Covid-19. Although many countries in the region have opened their doors first, they still decided to wait because they know that Vietnam is a popular place for newlyweds to spend their honeymoon, or important occasions in life.
“When we said we were going to Vietnam, our friends all expressed excitement. They wanted to hear about the trip when we returned. Because Mexicans know Vietnam is a country with beautiful scenery, mountains and sea. and a different lifestyle than ours,” Sofia shared.
Pablo and Sofia at the Golden Bridge, a famous destination that many people remind them of when traveling to Da Nang. Photo: NVCC
In the past few days, what impressed them most in Vietnam was the hospitality, from the welcome of Da Nang people to the service of Hoi An resort. “We see that Vietnamese people always respect and try to understand international guests. This is different and respectable,” they said.
Because of the hospitality of the people, the couple always felt safe. They can wear jewelry, money to go out, even walk alone in the middle of the night, which is not advisable in Mexico.
Before traveling, they used to watch many movies about Vietnam in the past with vast fields, no cars, people carrying things with donkeys. Therefore, the landscape of Da Nang city surprises them with modern streets, especially no waste. The couple then visited Ba Na Hills, wondering how people could build a massive, modern building on top of the mountain.
Another point that the couple loves when in Vietnam is the cheap price. The days in Hoi An, Quang Nam were rainy. Although sad because they can’t experience much, they have romantic walks in the old town, visit tailor-made clothes shops with “extremely cheap” prices. Cao Lau, pho… also cost about 10% of a dish in their country.
The next thing that makes the couple excited is the culture, the difference in lifestyle. When they arrive in Hanoi, they ride a cyclo, weaving between the crowded traffic, surrounded by countless “beep beep” horns. They shared that in Mexico when the driver used the horn, it was very stressful, there could be conflicts, but in Vietnam, it is a habit.
The scene in Vietnam is also very different, not far from modern cities like Da Nang and Hoi An is a peaceful countryside with fields and vegetable villages. Coming to Hanoi, the beauty blends between modern and ancient clearly. On the same street, there are also high-rise buildings and ancient temples that make them constantly surprised.
They also experience flower making and learn about Vietnamese worshiping customs when coming to Hanoi. “It’s special when many generations from Vietnamese grandparents and parents live together, take care of their children and grandchildren, and vice versa, children and grandchildren respect and remember them when they die by burning incense every day and celebrating their death anniversary. I only have one public holiday to remember the dead,” Sofia and Pablo said.
However, they also encountered problems before the flight from Da Nang to Hanoi. On the loudspeaker, it was announced that they would change the door to the plane from 4 to 6, but because they did not pay attention, they missed the information. While sitting, seeing a lot of people moving, the couple actively asked everyone what was going on but no one answered, everyone waved because they didn’t know English. They were worried then, afraid of missing their flight, until the airport staff helped.
Or another time in a Hanoi restaurant, the menu was not in English, so they had to use Google’s translation tool, body language to order food or drinks.
“Being able to speak English is something we hope Vietnam in general and tourism people in particular can improve on, because not all international tourists can use the local language. The rest of our trip. We are better than expected,” Pablo shared.
The couple experienced flower mothering during their visit to Hanoi, and they also expressed interest in seeing and folding lotus flowers. Photo: NVCC
After the trip to Ha Long Bay, the couple will fly to Ho Chi Minh City and return home. They shared that they will continue to introduce friends and relatives to Vietnam. For them, the current entry regulations for international visitors to Vietnam are convenient, just need to apply for an e-visa, have a passport and test negative for nCoV by PCR. The travel company they booked the service had prepared medical insurance and travel with Covid-19 coverage, so it was completely safe.
Lan Huong
at Blogtuan.info – Source: vnexpress.net – Read the original article here
