This week I took my travels to the region of Southeast Asia. I decided to visit the country of
Vietnam, while there I explored the beautiful capital Hanoi. My next stop in
Vietnam was the magnificent islands of Ha Long Bay. Then, taking my travels out
of Vietnam, I visited Thailand, going for a more city-like experience I visited
the capital city, Bangkok. Here’s what I did!
Vietnam:
As I stated, my first stop in Vietnam was the capital city
of Hanoi. Hanoi lies on the right bank of the Red River of Vietnam. It is
currently the country’s second largest city in population. The city holds rich
culture with Southeast Asian, Chinese, and even French Influences! With such different
cultures being present, it allows for some amazing architectural design. Going
along with the strong influence of cultures also comes with some great street
shopping. Just about anywhere you will be able to find some sort of street
shopping, whether your looking for an outfit, or a traditional bite to eat,
there is something for just about everyone!
Many temples are spread throughout the city as well. My favorite
one I visited was the temple of the Jade Mountain, also called the Ngoc Son
Temple. The temple is located - quite literally - right on lake Hoàn Kiếm, sitting
right on the small island of the lake known as Jade Island. It really is unlike
any temple I have seen so far!
After visiting Hanoi, I decided to visit Ha Long Bay in
Vietnam. Ha Long Bay is famously known for its glimmering emerald waters and its
limestone islands. The whole region is something so mystical that you can only
capture for yourself. I decided to take multiple boat tours of the region, go
scuba diving, and of course rock climbing. The region is filled with endless
activities anyone can enjoy.
Thailand:
My next stop was to the country of Thailand. As I stated, I
visited the capital city of Bangkok. The city is filled with endless activities
to take part in either during the daytime and of course the nighttime.
The first thing I did in Bangkok was visit the Khaosan Road.
This is a short street located in Central Bangkok, known for its shopping and
nightlife. The spirit of Khaosan Road is bright and exciting, filled with
countless cafes, bars, restaurants, tattoo shops, clothing stores, food
venders, and much, much more. Whatever it is you could be seeking, Khaosan Road
will have it!
Next, I visited one of the many temples scattered throughout
the city. This temple is known as Wat Phra Kaew, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
The temple is regarded as the most sacred of Buddhist temples in Thailand! Its
buildings are unlike any other - I must say, Buddhist Temples carry over a new
type of architectural art unlike many of the other temples I have visited. It’s
a shame I didn’t have time to visit them all! However, I did get a change to
visit the iconic Temple known as Wat Arun, another Buddhist temple located on
the River as well. Here, you can see what makes the temple iconic, with the ornately
tilted central prang (spire) – the large pointed building seen in the third
photograph below.
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