"You cannot discover new lands unless you are willing to lose sight of the shore" /André Gide/
In the morning of May 21st (2026) eleven bright and courageous adventurers straight from Torino’s 3rd Age University association dive into the unknown waters of authentic Vietnamese life, David Long as their experienced local guide and Ena as his little helping fairy with a mix of European languages (Italian, French and Spanish) to give meaning to everything that their eyes pick up from around.
What was pushing you to come here?
„Curiosity!“ comes from many group members without a second thought.
What do you expect?
„We are opened to everything that comes.“
Those 11 bold Italian travellers, all retired from their everyday work, have just an evening in Hanoi to rest from the jet lag and to help their souls reach the destination, before Mr. Linh’s Adventures with its strong support team helps them open the doors to everything that Northern Vietnam has to offer.
What are your first impressions from the few hours you’ve been here?
„Very kind people.“ „Red flags everywhere.“ „Not so much poverty actually.“
„A chaos!“ are they all laughing.
The first adventure day brings us already an introductory taste of everything Vietnam is – its hotpot of beliefs and values, the everyday worries of its people, but also strenghts that have helped them through centuries, through Chinese, French, Mongols and Americans, the traditional way of living, its food, its political system and aspiration of peaceful life, its humid heat and the actually well working organic traffic style that seems a chaos even to Italians.
Why are the facades so narrow?
Do you have an obligation to put the red flags everywhere?
What is the role of a woman in the society today?
How is the medical system here?
David helps us understand the meanings of the pond, the old tree, and the village gate | Mr Linh's Adventures
1.5 hours ride from Hanoi takes us through countless questions and wet rice fields to Duong Lam – one of the oldest villages near the capital. David helps us to understand the pond, the old tree and the village gate meaning. We peak into the old wells, we touch the pink-brown tuffa stone that 450 years old houses are made of, we are greeted by 4 generations of the same family to have our first delicious traditional meal all together, to end it with a symbolic sip of Happy Water, learning the first Vietnamese words going with the toast. Most of us still use the fork – give us some more days to learn to use the sticks! ;) Red flag becomes the symbol of Vietnamese force of life (like blood in our veins) and the yellow star transforms into five important professions to build up a strong nation. Temples to venerate ancestors and kings, but also other personalities important to the village, the meaning of each temple, the Confucius next to Ho Chi Minh – it all will get more clear in the days to come. „Just please don’t turn your bottom to the ancestors!“
Cicadas are sawing their usual afternoon melodies – wow, they are loud! The ages old sacred banyan trees (or Buddha trees) are catching our adventurers with their charm for long moments. The otherworldy jackfruits sold just right under them. The rice harvest is in at its peak and many of us touch a rice grain for the first time of our life in its natural form.
After hours spent discovering the ancient Vietnam, road starts to bring us up the mountains slowly. We ride through the land that hides marble. The cinnamon trees uncover the mystery of our cinnamon rolls. A walk through green tea slopes bring us closer to the aromatic cup, Vietnamese people take as a shot after eating. And many of us discover that peanuts are underground parts of the plant, and not its visible fruits.
Countless questions more bring us through a wedding party to our first Homestay among one of the Vietnamese biggest minority – the Thai people in Nghia Lo town. The day’s heat washed down under shower, a delicious meal gathers us together.
So what is your emotion of the first adventure day?
„Green, a lot of green everywhere!“ „Beautiful landscapes and oppenness.“ „The heat, the sweat, the rain that makes the nature fresh, so many fruits!“ „The smiles – how kindly all the people greet us and smile to us.“
Chúc sức khỏe!