Vietnam - General Information

 VIETNAM - A COUNTRY FULL OF NATURE AND HISTORY

History and Location.

Located at the eastern edge of South Asia, Vietnam is an ancient country with records of dynasties ruling the country well before Christ (in the BC era). It had been colonised in the past by the Chinese from whom the Vietnamese gained freedom until they were colonised yet again by the French. They remained a French Colony where the French faced many rebellions by the Vietnamese who finally defeated the French in 1954, This ended French domination of the region called French Indochina and gave birth to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Vietnam

From 1964 to 1975, the North Vietnamese Communist Gurralis fought a bloody and devastating battle with the Americans, which is known as the Vietnam War. This war ended when Saigon in South Vietnam was won over by North Vietnamese Communist forces from the South Vietnamese forces and Americans.

As evident, it's a Communist country that has an open market economy to align economically with the rest of the world. It is also a major tourist destination offering visitors History, Nature, Beaches, Adventure, Trekking and a safe, peaceful and hospitable environment with warm and smiling people to add to the fun of travelling to Vietnam. In fact, Ha Noi, Vietnam's capital city is one of the ten most visited cities in the world as per TripAdvisor.

How to Reach Vietnam (from India).

It's a happy state for visiting Vietnam as there are direct flights to Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) city from Delhi and Mumbai, operated by Vietjet (Budget) and Vietnam Airlines (full Service). There are other airlines also flying to Vietnam with one stop. As of now, return tickets are not costly.

Getting Around in Vietnam.

Travelling between cities by air is reasonably priced in Vietnam. Vietjet, Vietnam Airlines and Vietravel Airlines fly on the local routes. There are plenty of flights between major cities in Vietnam.

 Vietnam Railway spans from the North to the South, mostly along the coast. The railway is state-owned but some private operators are allowed to run luxury coaches which get attached to regular trains. Trains are relatively inexpensive compared to internal air travel and are a better option than intercity buses from a comfort point of view.

Railways is one of the best ways to explore Vietnam

There are intercity buses available from various operators. Most Buses are either Sleeper or Push back setting ones. Buses are very comfortable and modern. They can be easily booked.

Intercity Buses, They come in many colours

Food Options.

Vietnam may appear to be a hardcore NonVeg eating country, which is true to some extent with seafood and Pork being the most consumed food, however, Vegans and vegetarian cuisine also have gained good ground across Vietnam. The best part for Indian tourists is, that almost all major destinations have multiple Indian restaurants where simple veg food is available. These restaurants also provide Jain food on demand.

Banh Mi - The most famous Vietnamese Sandwich. Available with Non-Veg and Veg filling

Accommodation

Vietnam is fully geared up as a tourist destination. The range of accommodation here is as wide as any other place which values tourists. Starting from luxury hotels, budget hotels, boutique hotels, B and Bs and also hostels, there is accommodation suitable for every budget. Where one wants to stay, there will always be availability of that kind of accommodation.

Local Transport.

Grab is an Uber-like aggregator in East Asia. You can get a cab through Grab. There are also some local aggregators about whom you can check with your hotel. Your hotel also can get a cab for you. There are motorcycle taxis also which are widely prevalent. One can rent scooters also for self-driven sightseeing. Local buses (Public Transport) also exist details of which can be ascertained five minutes before your departure on the Google Maps Public Transport tab.

There are also Cycle Rickshaws, which are not pulled but pushed from behind. They are popular among tourists for short hops. They are called Cyclo and can be hailed on city streets of old parts of Vietnamese cities.

A Cyclo

Major Places of Interest.

Here is the list of main places worth visiting in Vietnam -

(a)  Ho Chi Minh City, A very French South Vietnam city.

(b) Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

(c) Sapa, One of the northernmost cities, it is not very touristy but a charming place.

(d) Halong Bay, one of the wonders of the world.

(e) Hoi An, a Quaint little French town.

(f) Da Nang, the ultimate seaside beauty.

(g) Hue, a happening city with lots of history.

Summary.

Vietnam is a popular destination with plenty of history, natural beauty, ancient Pagodas and much more. It has a good food scene and also a vibrant nightlife. With multiple options for intra and inter-city travel, travelling is easy and it is not costly. People are nice and friendly. The country is safe but usual caution while being abroad has to be exercised. 

Currency exchange, buying a local SIM, etc is very simple. The food scene is fabulous with every type of food being available, may it be seafood, non-veg, veg and Vegan, What to talk of the famous Vietnamese Coffee in its full range, normal coffee, egg coffee, salted cream coffee, coconut coffee, etc.

The air tickets to Vietnam and the air tickets for internal travel are reasonably priced.

This makes Vietnam a destination for your next travel. Are you packing your bags?

To know more, contact us at - enquiry@happystepstravels.com

Uzbekistan Travel Part IV - Samarkand

SAMARKAND

 Introduction. Situated almost in the centre of Uzbekistan, Samarkand is yet another famous and historic city of Uzbekistan. This city has been in existence since 7 BCE. Once upon a time, Bukhara and Samarkand were the biggest cities on the Silk Road between China and Europe. There is evidence that Alexzander the Great in 329 BCE.

Today, Samarkand is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan, with a population of about 5 Lakh. Historically and even now, this city is a melting pot of cultures and an important centre for education. 

This city is divided into two parts. Historic Samarkand has all the old buildings, some dating from Timur's time when Samarkand was the capital of Timur. The modern part of Samarkand was built during the Tsarist era when Samarkand was won over by the Russian Empire.

How to Reach Samarkand. 

By Air. Well-connected with major cities across the region including Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Istanbul, etc. as well as Tashkent, it is easy to reach this city by air. 

By Rail. Samarkand is also connected by High-Speed rail with Tashkent and Bukhara. Slower trains are also available but surprisingly they also cost nearly the same as High Speed trains.

By Road. Road connectivity between all the major cities of Uzbekistan exists but road travel is slower and less comfortable compared to rail and air travel.

Stay Options at Samarkand.

Samarkand is the most well-known destination in Uzbekistan, and stay options are the last of the worries. It boasts of all ranges of hotels, a variety of B & Bs, Boutique hotels and hostels offering bunk beds and private rooms.

These accommodations are available around Registan Square and also the Russian part (fully local but known as the Russian Part as that is where Russians were when Uzbekistan was part of the USSR). Russian part is supposed to have some nightlife too.

The range of budget is also as vast as the available choices. Hence, worries about accommodation should not bother any traveller.

Food Options in Samarkand.

Samarkand is a foodie's paradise for Uzbek food. A variety of Kebabs, Pilaf (Pulav)  , and various meat dishes are the attractions of Uzbek cuisine. Availability of Indian food is limited. Internet searches show just two places where Indian food is available. 

However, an Indian man from Bangalore opened an Indian Restaurant in Samarkand in 2022. It is called "The Indian Kitchen" which is located about two km from Registan Square and is listed on Google Maps.

But if one is comfortable eating non-veg food, Uzbekistan in general and Samarkand in particular is a place to be.

Moving around in Samarkand.

The best way to move around is by Yellow taxis, which are easily available and not costly. They have a fixed fare for a trip within the town and another fare for trips to the outskirts.

Another option is Tram. Trams are comfortable but have very limited reach. One can travel by tram between the railway station and Siyab Bazar.

City Buses do exist, but they are confusing and complicated. Though cheap, they are better avoided.

Places worth a visit in Samarkand.

Samarkand, once one of the most prominent stops on the Silk Route, is, full of monuments worth visiting. 

Registan Square.

The most well-known and famous landmark in Samarkand is a trio of three famous buildings, Tillya Kori, a stunning building with a lot of decors in golden colour, and it contains a small mosque, Sherdor Madarasa and Ulugh Beg Madarasa.

Registan Square, Tiliya Kori in the center

Tilliya Kori

Ulughbeg Madarasa

Ulughbeg Statue in this Madarass

Tiliya Kori

Motifs of Sun, Tiger and Deer on the main gate.

Inside a Madarassa in Registan

Sher Dor Madarasa inside Decoration

Registan, meaning Desert in the Persian language, actually means city square in Uzbek parlance. This place came into being between 1369 and 1405 CE.

These three above-mentioned buildings are some of the well-preserved monuments of that era, however, they also have had their share of neglect and had to be renovated. Here are some shots of photographs of the renovation time.

The courtyard between these three buildings is huge and that helps visitors photograph the facade of the buildings well. Visiting Registan Square in the night is a great experience, with the whole square looking stunningly beautiful in its night illumination. 

Night Mood of Registan. This picture is a bit blurred but kept it here to show the beauty

Just stunning

Tillya Kori, the central building which was a madrassa and a mosque, is at its golden opulent best, and it's worth every second of your visit.

Enjoy the Grandure

Vertical Panorama

Intricate Inlay Work

The Gur-e-Amir (Mausoleum of Amir Timur).

 Timur Lang (Lame), a Mongol ruler who united the demoralized Uzbek Nation and ruled a huge empire from Europe to the west and the Chinese border to the west, Delhi, India to the south and the Russian border to the north, died of Pneumonia in 1405 CE during winter.

He had got a simple Crypt (stone chamber) built at Shakhrisabz, his home town, as his own grave. The present Gul-e-Amir complex was the memorial and resting place of his grandson and his heir apparent, who died a year ago. However, when Timur died, it was peak winter and the pass leading to Shakhrisabz was snowbound, hence he was buried in the complex made for his son.

The Gul-e-Amir complex also has many other tombs of Timur's family members and his spiritual teachers. There are many interesting stories about the tomb of Timur but it is important to note that what is seen on the surface are just the markers while all the actual tombs are in the basement.

Gur-e-Amir Complex

A long shot

Inlay work at the gate

Inside

A Carved wooden door

Kabragah, the Graveyard of male members of Amir Timur and his Guru

This tank was supposed to keep Pomegranate juice to be fed to soldiers before war (Not sure of it)

It is also worth visiting this complex at night, like the Registan complex, when it projects a very different mood to the viewers.

Night mood of Gur-e-Amir

Bibi Khynam Mosque.

This mosque was the most important mosque in the 15th century when Timur built it. Timur started building this mosque even before the India Conquest. After his conquest of India, when this mosque was almost ready, this mosque revealed construction flaws. These flaws were corrected on Timur's order. He named it after his favourite wife Bibi Khanyam. When we visited there, it was under renovation.

Another reason for its fame was that it had the world's second-largest Quran, kept here on the marble Quran stand (Photograph below). The Quran is now shifted to a museum in Tashkent. Enjoy few photos of this mosque below -

Inside the Mosque, it was under renovation

Quran Stand for the Massive Quran

Conclusion.

Samarkand is part of historical trilogy of cities in Uzbekistan. It has the right mix of the ancient and the modern. Dont even think of skipping Samarkand while visiting Uzbekistan.

Sinhagad Trek - A cherished trekking destination, and my first ever trek to SInhagad.

Pune Darwaja, Trekkers Touch Point

Introduction. 

Sinhagad, an ancient fort tracing its history to almost 2000 years, was originally named Kondhana after Rishi Kondinya and was ruled by many dynasties before it became part of Maratha Swarajya under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Chhatrapati Shivaji acquired this fort twice before peacefully but had to give it up this fort to the Mughals under the Treaty of Purandar in the year 1665. How it came back under the fold of Marathas is a folklore known to every old and young person in Maharashtra and beyond.

Who does not remember with due reverence, the heroic battle fought by the Maratha army in the year 1670 under Tanaji Malusare, of around 300 soldiers, in a daring midnight raid, with a mighty Mughal army of strength of roughly 5000 men under Subhedar Udaybhan Rathod, a brave Rajput working for Mughals. This happened on 4 Feb 1670. The famous words of Chhatrapati Shivaji, "Gad Aala pan Sinha Gela" (We won the fort but lost our Lion, Tanaji) still resound in people's ears.

Such a lofty fort, the second closest from Pune, the first being Malhargad, a small fortress across Dive Ghat (and the last one built by Marathas) and third being Purandar beyond Saswad, has been my dream trek. Dream trek, not because it is the toughest trek in the Syadhari mountains, it is actually graded easy, but because I wanted to tread on that very territory where Chatrapati's Mavals treaded, with nothing else but the willpower and love for motherland and freedom on a pitch dark night. For me, it was a long due Pilgrimage completed.

As for trekking, I am not a regular but I have done some treks that many have not down like Hemkund Saheb in Uttaranchal, and Tiger Nest Monastery at Bhutan, but Sinhagad, that is very special for every Marathi heart.

Location.

Situated about 40 km west of Pune on the Bhuleshwer range of Sahyadri Mountains, Sinhagad is 760 meters above ground and about 1300 meters from Mean Sea Level (MSL). It has a motorable road leading to public parking just a hundred meters away from one of its two gates, namely Pune Darwaja. One can travel to the fort by a two-wheeler, four-wheeler, or even by a cab or PMPL Bus.

Visiting the places of interest in this fort may take anywhere between 2 to 4 hours. There are places worth visiting including a Cannon storage, Stables, Tanaji Malusare memorial, Udaybhan Memorial, unfortunately generally disrespected by many visitors, Kali and Hanuman temple, Tilak Bungalow, Samadhi of Chatrapati Rajaram, who died here in 1700 CE. This fort also has a tank with clean drinking water called Dev Taki. There are various Burz of the fort that also can be visited. 

Trekking to Sinhagad.

There are two ways to trek to the Sinhagad fort. the first one, which was used by us, is about 23 km from Swargate. One follows the Sinhagad road and after Khadakwasala dam, skirting  DIAT, Girinagar, reaches Atkarwadi village. The trek starts from here and ends at Pune Darwaza. There is ample paid parking available for two and four-wheelers in this village. There are also a few hotels available for tea, snacks, breakfast, and lunch. 

The second trek starts from Donje village and goes to Kalyan Darwaza. I have not experienced this trek.

There are also small hutments available on the trekking route serving Buttermilk, Lime Juice, bread and cute things like Raw mangoes, Amla, etc. Some of these huts also serve Pithale (a Dish made from Gram Flour) and Bhakari (Country flat bread made mostly of Shorgham flour), the diet staple, diet of this region.

This path is about 2.8 km with varying terrains to cover. some are plain, some are moderate climbs and some are steep climbs. Some people also mentioned (just overheard) that this trek has 4 or 5 stages but neither there are such markings nor such stages mentioned in any blog. Maybe they were referring to the kind of surfaces encountered by trekkers during this trek.

Sinhagad trek, from either route, is considered easy. both routes take about 2 hours for amateur trekkers. Seasoned trekkers, on the other hand, take about 45 to 50 minutes to reach the fort.

Many trekkers start early, very early, like at 4 a.m, particularly on weekends. It was mentioned that on weekends, it's a non-ending stream of trekkers going up the hill to Sinhagad. When we trekked on a Saturday, we did not experience such a rush but while we were descending, many trekkers were seen climbing up. late in the morning. All of them were troubled by the sharp and bright sun.

Trekking Essentials.

That brings me to list out the trekking essentials that I discerned with my experience -

1. Ample parking is available for trekkers for both 2 and 4-wheelers. That should not be a concern.

2. Dressing in comfortable sportswear and having some type of tracksuit top, in wintery months, and rain cover (in monsoon) is essential. Using Jeans and flashy tops will trouble the climbers as the heat builds up.

3.  Use good sports shoes with a firm grip. If trekking shoes are used, that is even better.

4.  A golf Cap would be helpful but is not essential.

5.  Up to two ltr of drinking water is good enough for the ascent to Sinhagad. There are enough stalls available, which would be functional as one descends where water, lime juice, buttermilk, etc is available.

6. Most important of all is, to start early when the sun is not up. That is for two reasons, one, you will be able to reach on top with a relatively cooler climate before the Sun comes up. Second, witnessing the sunrise from Sinhagad is a great experience. One may need a torchlight to climb up early (we had climbed up in natural light but I would recommend carrying a torch by each individual climber).

7. A variety of Breakfast (and lunch) options are available along the way (which are useful during descent) and at the parking area. They are a boon for tired minds and legs when one is back from the trek.

Having covered most of the information. I wish all the trekkers to Sinhagad all the very best. Keep Walking.

Now some of the photos that I took at Sinhagad and on the way down (Remember, we climbed starting at 4 am when only natural light was there.

Pune in the night, from SInhagad hill

Ugawala Chandra Punava Cha (Moon of Full Moon Night)

Little Star Up in the Sky (Eakal Tara)

Tya Chandrachya Chandanya (those stars accompanying the Moon)

The village below (the start point)

A very calm moon

Breaking of Dawn

Dawn as seen from Pune Darwaja

Tejonidhi Lohgol (The bright Ironball)

Final Climb

Sayhadri Ranges

Looking Down from Pune Darwaja Bastian

Pune Darwaja

Verdict.  Sinhagad trek is something worth trying. It helps you test yourself against rugged hills which helps you strengthen your confidence and self-respect. My verdict is, to get out of your comfort zone and go for it.