Postcards from Vietnam: 4

Nature is kind of fanciful. It is ultimately the whim that we cannot explain. It creates sublime, beautiful, attractive shapes that become unforgettable. And as time goes by – imperceptibly for us, who will at best enjoy seventy-odd years on the planet – inexpressible beauty emerges from the chaos. Halong Bay was formed that way.

I cannot really say in what sort of weather it is best to discover Halong Bay. It probably matters not. There is an overwhelming magic to this part of the world, but it is revealed to the visitor both through shades and though brightness. Absence of sunshine or glaring sunlight may render one location as something completely different one day to the next.

Halong Bay was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1994. This marvellous place faces many threats and challenges: among them, the pollution of the waters seems to be a matter that needs urgent attention. On Halong Bay waters are floating tonnes of plastic and polystyrene. It is fast becoming a floating rubbish dump.

La naturaleza es, por así decirlo, caprichosa. Es a fin de cuentas un capricho que nos resulta inexplicable. La naturaleza crea formas sublimes, hermosas y atractivas, y resultan ser inolvidables. Conforme pasa el tiempo – de manera imperceptible para nosotros, que en el mejor de los casos disfrutaremos de unos setenta y pico años en el planeta – del caos emerge una belleza inexpresable. Así se formó Halong Bay.

No me atrevo a decir en qué clase de tiempo es mejor descubrir Halong Bay. Probablemente no importe. Esta parte del mundo posee una magia irresistible, pero al visitante se le revela tanto por medio de sombras como de luz. La ausencia del sol o su presencia deslumbrante pueden hacer que un lugar sea completamente diferente de un día a otro.

Halong Bay fue declarado Patrimonio de la Humanidad en 1994. Este maravilloso lugar se enfrenta a muchas amenazas y retos: entre ellos, la contaminación de las aguas parece ser un asunto que requiere atención urgente. En las aguas de Halong Bay flotan toneladas de plástico y de poliestireno. Se está convirtiendo rápidamente en un vertedero flotante.

Las corrientes amontonan la basura

Postcards from Vietnam: 3

Phở: the quintessential Vietnamese dish

Nothing defines Vietnam better than phở. This humble noodle soup is one of the most satisfying yet simple dishes one can encounter. In the big cities of Vietnam, it is the young, busy people’s favourite lunch or dinner. The secret to phở is of course the stock. Made in big pots and using the freshest ingredients, the flavours of the herbs and the lime juice are enhanced by the sublime taste of the stock.

phở

One of the curiosities in Ho Chi Minh (the former Saigon) is the photographs of President Clinton happily enjoying his bowl of phở and posing with the staff. The photographs now decorate the Phở 2000 restaurant, across from the Bến Thành Market in downtown Saigon, a reminder of Clinton’s historic visit.

Due to the pressures 21^st-century life puts on people, it is becoming increasingly difficult for families to make phở at home. Unsurprisingly, franchises have been sprouting in the cities, with Phở 24 one of the best I tried. Yet the best phở is the one the visitor will find where tourists rarely venture, where the locals sit down to eat and the English language becomes useless.

The culinary variety of Vietnam is astounding. Despite rice being the staple food one can find anywhere, each region has its own dishes and variations. Visitors to the former imperial capital, Huế, should give Bún bò Huế a try. This is a spicy, rich soup that incorporates the flavour of lemon grass and shrimp paste.

Bún bò Huế