Vietnam is our first meet-up spot with our worldschooling friends. In total, we are four families, seven kids. We all met earlier this year in Bulgaria. We originally signed up for a worldschool hub in Vietnam and Thailand that got canceled. We decided to go anyway and make a worldschool hub.
The Vietnam visa process is not easy. There is an online system that seems straightforward, but if you make a mistake on your visa application, it is difficult, if not impossible, to fix it. We made it to Vietnam, but you do have to plan ahead. They recently changed the visas to 90 days from 30 days.
We arrived in Da Nang and had a couple of days to explore before heading to Hoi An. We had a wonderful reunion at the airport with our worldschool friends Vicki, Jake, and Dexter. Kristian joined us the following day. Even though we just met them earlier this year, it feels like we have been friends for a long time.
The Airbnb we rented has a stunning view of the beach. It is a two-bedroom condo on the 39th floor. Da Nang is a beautiful beach town. With 1. 2 million people, it feels more manageable than Bangkok.
We ate at a Vegan restaurant called Roots for dinner. The food in Vietnam is incredible. There are so many restaurants in Da Nang with Vegan and Vegetarian options. Dexter wanted a drink in a coconut on the beach, and we made it happen after dinner.
We had a slow morning the next day. We met the Sigstons for brunch at a Je m’aime cafe & eatery. After lunch, we went to a 3-D art museum. We have been to a few now, and it always entertains.
We walked home along the beach. It took over an hour. We found a starfish along the way, which Vickie saved by putting it back in the water. We had another mouth-watering dinner at Khong Vegan Kitchen.
The next day Vicki coaxed me out of the house for a morning swim in the ocean. We went at 6:30 a.m., and the beach was not crowded. It may have been because it was Ghost Day.
Ghost Day, also known as “Vu Lan” or “Hungry Ghost Festival,” is a significant cultural and religious observance in Vietnam. This annual event, typically falling on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, holds deep roots in Buddhist and Taoist traditions. This year it was on August 30.
It is a time when Vietnamese people pay homage to their deceased ancestors, and wandering spirits are believed to roam the earthly realm during this period. It is like Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico. During Ghost Day, families visit pagodas and temples to make offerings to the spirits. They burn incense, offer food, and perform rituals to ensure that their ancestors’ souls are comforted and that restless spirits find solace. Special altars are set up in homes, adorned with offerings of fruit, flowers, and symbolic paper items.
One of the most distinctive aspects of Ghost Day is the release of colorful paper lanterns and floating offerings on waterways to guide lost souls back to the afterlife. This act of compassion reflects the Vietnamese belief in reincarnation and the importance of showing kindness to all beings.
Ghost Day not only serves as a spiritual occasion but also reinforces family bonds as generations come together to honor their ancestors and strengthen their cultural ties. Strong familial bonds are something we love about Asian cultures.
We went back to Roots for breakfast. Michael and Lucas went across the street to eat a non-vegan breakfast. Henry stayed with me and said the vegan sausages were good. It did not hurt that they
came with french fries.
We visited the Ho Chi Minh Museum and learned about the Vietnam War from the perspective of the Vietnamese. It was a sobering experience. Every war has at least two sides.
We went back to the beach in the afternoon, and it was much more crowded. The waves were big. Lucas and Henry had a blast body surfing and wrestling in the waves.
We divided up for dinner. Michael took Lucas, Henry, and Jake out for pizza, and Vicki, Dexter, Kristian, and I found yet another stupendous vegan restaurant called Loving Vegan. Michael and I discovered a street market after dinner. There was live music, street food, vendors, and rows and rows of massage chairs.
We packed up on day four. Vicki and I took another early morning swim in the ocean, but the beach was crowded. It was a Friday, but that did not stop people from swarming the beach at sunrise for
volleyball and swimming. The waves were knocking us around.
Four days is not enough time in Da Nang. We could have easily stayed a month.
