Ryan's Gone East

If you ever have the opportunity to eat a real, proper Kobe beef steak, don't pass up the opportunity, no matter the cost. I can now happily say I've eaten a Kobe beef steak in Kobe, Japan. To say it's the best meat I've ever eaten is an understatement. It was the most tender, melt in your mouth steak I've ever had, and nothing will ever compare. After our gastronomic delight, we headed to Osaka Castle, which was a beautiful respite from the busy city. It's quite an amazing architectural marvel set among ancient buildings. Truly another sight that can't be explained well with words - like so many other things I've gotten to see on this trip. We're headed for our first guided tour tomorrow to Nara - to see the temples and feed the deer.

Though barely... If you're ever booking a trip and decide to do an overnight red eye flight, make sure your hotel allows check in before 3pm. We were absolutely shattered today, so our first day in Osaka didn't amount to much. We had a bit of fun getting into the country too. With Joe being a bit under the weather, and was pulled into quarantine after lighting up the thermal cameras at the border. Fortunately he got into the country without any issues. As for the end of Vietnam, we stayed in the lap of luxury in Ha Long Bay, and no picture will ever do it justice. It is a truly unique piece of the world, which is sadly being ruined with pollution. That didn't stop me from taking a dip in the water though. We're off to Kobe tomorrow for some authentic Kobe beef, and the most expensive meal of the trip. Though it will be so worth it.

Our full day in Hanoi was a whirlwind tour of the city, and I'd estimate that we walked about 25km around the city today. We started with a tour around to see the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam. We actually got to see a graduation ceremony for a bunch of kindergarteners. We then went to the infamous Hanoi Hilton, the Hoa Lo Prison. This was where POWs from the American War were taken, including John McCain. It was very interesting to hear how well the prisoners were treated. History is, after all, written by the victors (Look up Jeremiah Denton for the other side). We then took a trip to the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site right in the centre of the city. This site was used for the visiting Emperor in ancient times. More recently, it was used as a command centre and bunker during the war. We capped the day with some hearty northern Pho for dinner, and a trip to Hanoi train street. Houses and cafes are built right along the tra...

Up to Hanoi today, after a short morning flight. We don't generally plan any tours on travel days in case of any delays or issues with transportation. This generally also means that we don't really know what to do in any city we're in. One thing we absolutely had to do was stop in for some Bun Cha where Anthony Bourdain and Barack Obama went for dinner. It absolutely loved up to that hype, and we shared a table with some Hanoi locals. Our interpreter Joe overheard that they were recommending things and we tried just about everything on the menu. It was absolutely delicious. We wandered around the old quarter, which simply cannot be described. Tiny streets, crammed with all manner of shops, restaurants, homes, and the ubiquitous plastic chairs on the sidewalk and streets themselves. Every crossing of the road is an adventure here, and it's absolutely amazing. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday.

Vietnam has some of the best food I've ever eaten in since of the most sketchy "restaurants"I ever seen. We've eaten most of our meals on the side of the road in little plastic chairs, and it's all been absolutely incredible.

No trip to Da Nang would be complete without a 15 minute trip up a gondola to the Ba Na Hills. The highest point in Da Nang and built originally by the French after their invasion. The site has now become an amusement park, which was actually a lot better than it sounds. The views and buildings were quite amazing, and despite the forecast for thunderstorms, we managed to stay dry for the day. We're off on a short trip down to Hoi An tomorrow for our food adventure, and our last full day in the south of Vietnam.