The journey continues! How many ways to say 'hot'??? Humm? Humid. Wow it's really Hot and Humid. Can't believe how Hot it is. How Humid it is.. It is SO....How can we sweat so MUCH? Whatz the temperature? Is that F or C? How Cold is the Beer? Is there Ice? Fruit Smoothie; Ice Made with Mineral Water?
HANOI
Several nights (lost count) in a very sweet 'Boutique Hotel' exploring the city morning and evening. Hiding in air-con room afternoons. One afternoon I fade faster than Jim and he continues on his sightseeing quest... he is barely out of my sight and he hears "do you want to buy me?" from a young 'lady'. He doesn't even look at her (he says) and said "No Thanks" (he says!) and she replies woefully "But Why Not?" Offers of 'boom - boom' or marijuana are constant for him. Me? Occasionally asked if I want pot, and other than the (very) odd proposal for a 'nice motorcycle ride' , or a long lingering hand shake and equally long gaze (??!!!) that's it!
Was super to see Uncle Ho (aka Ho Chi Minh deceased 1975) once again for me, but Jim's first visit. He's keeping very well and I was shocked to see how much better he looks than 1997, gained some weight in his face and coloring is good, if a little waxy. Gosh what do you expect after 30 dead years? He takes a break from the mausoleun for 3 months every year restoration work, in Russia. Visiting him is a very solomn occasion, hats off, serious face on. The 4 guards surrounding his body are all in white, and standing still as statues. Jim had to control the urge to moan, 'Oh No It's True he is Really Gone', and fall sobbing, to his knees. In this event, my role was to console him, pat his back and tell others (including guards) 'he's been like this since 1975, now he finally has to face it....' Needless to say we controlled ourselves.
Night Market area - very Ho Hum. SE Asian Markets really are looking all the same-same. Winners: Mo Chit (Bangkok) and home of Jimmy Choo knock off hand bags and everything else imaginable (and unimaginable) in literally acres of stalls. Ellen and Belle: would compete with that overwhelming market in Goa, believe it or not. I've actually been back to Mo Chit 3X!!!!! I know where the best grilled Chicken Wrap is on the street AND that you must buy Mangosteen's from the lady with big cart at the NE Gate by 12 noon or she's sold out and gone. Oh, yes and we know where the Market Police Office is, and have met several undercover agents (when Jim's day backpack was lifted). The other very enjoyable market is the Textile Market in Laos.
Early morning e.g. 5:45 - 8 am Democratic Communist Party announcements and music broadcast on loud speakers in the Old Quarter is not our favorite way to wake up in the morning.
HALONG BAY
NOTE: Please assume all Busses in SE Asia say Air Con but really are not, that the seats are plastic and uncomfortable and are painfully slow. This trip is standard issue only THIS time we are dropped off at the side of a busy highway (as opposed to the middle of a large community with no clue where we are) in the middle of nowhere, with no clue where we are.
5 - 7 motor bikes and their have-to-earn- a-Dong owners (all are crouched under the only tree... by the side of the road) eagerly surround us, offering to load a wheely and one of us on one motor bike. Jim looks doubtful, and I am astounded, and both of us look confused. Meanwhile two drivers confidently grabs one 20 Kg whe appear in a state of confusion. Yeah, right! It WAS funny watching them trying to figure out Where Will this Go and How Do I Get it There!!! First, they try to balance it on the back seat, but cannot for the life of them find even 2" to squeeze a passenger. Then one driver somehow struggles with my bag and balances it on the front of the bike, between him and the handlebars. Only problem is he can't SEE over it nor can he hang on to both handles and the beast at the same time!!! Nevertheless he beams confidently at me! We finally agree to hire FOUR motorbikes, one each for us and each Wheely has their own! And off we go in convoy style. Only issue: we have Vietnamese Motorbike Drivers. And we are cowardly North Americans. We find ourselves tettering down a busy,one-wayroad, going the wrong way and crowding the cement barriers in a very close and personal manner. Broke into a fearful sweat with this ride!
Then the hotel. Oh what a story. This got real old real fast! PS signs everywhere 'No Smoking'. But every room has an ashtray and when Room #1 reeked of cig smoke, we inquire 'smoking room?' and point to No Smoking sign. She warmly smiles at us and says reassuringly 'no problem' and shows us the ashtray! Room #2 carpet filthy and reeking of mold Room #3 Air Con doesn't work and finally The Winner!!! Behind Door #4 a barely acceptable room!!! We were so happy to leave this hotel it was one time we left someplace...on time!!!
Halong Bay-us kayaking through a tunnel
World Heritage Site: 3000 limestone 'karsts' scattered in turquoise water, mystical and magical and beautiful. And even in the 'off season' appallingly touristy and busy in Halong Bay. We took a full day trip and separated from the larger 30-person group for the afternoon. This was the best part ever - we cruised thru the karsts, eventually ending up on a dreamy white sand beach in crystal clear (and clean!) green water. Wow. Wow.
Captured jelly fish (on Jim's oar)... swim anyone?!
Snippet: as we cruise up to a Floating Fishing Village (as touted by tourist brochures) to kayak, we are asked if we what to explore the 'caves', and if so we need to pay a 'Park Fee' of 5,000 Dong each. When we declined, we were then advised we could only take the kayaks around the boats! We agreed and off we went...to the caves. Which we thoroughly explored, and laughed with the 2 other uncompliant kayakers who followed suit. We happily return to our boat, along side the 'guide' that told us we needed to pay extra (she was bringing back the 6 or 7 innocent victims who DID pay), and that was it.
Moral: do not believe everything you are told! Everyone here needs to, and so has learned, to develop as many diverse ways as possible to make a buck. People serving food can also take you out tomorrow for a motorcyle tour, or their best friend/brother/aunt is very good AND available to (fill in the blanks) ... take you on a boat tour, find a handicraft shop, sell you a t-shirt, feed you real VN food.... on and on.
This beautiful warm smile is for the teeny tiny Canadian flag pin on her sweater!!!
Note Tribal tatoo (forehead) This lady was her son's skipper, and had at least 50 linen shirts neatly piled in plastic bags, book marks, small paintings and drawings, small carvings, an ice cooler with beer (offered at 7:30 am!! does she think we are Auzzies or something?) and on and on. She was lovely until she realized we were not buying anything. Then not so friendly.
Jim: DMZ Vinh Moc Tunnels - a coastal village went underground for 4 years during American bombing, included a 'maternity room' (6 babies born in 2 yrs), meeting room and bedrooms in 2 kms of tunnels.
HANOI
Several nights (lost count) in a very sweet 'Boutique Hotel' exploring the city morning and evening. Hiding in air-con room afternoons. One afternoon I fade faster than Jim and he continues on his sightseeing quest... he is barely out of my sight and he hears "do you want to buy me?" from a young 'lady'. He doesn't even look at her (he says) and said "No Thanks" (he says!) and she replies woefully "But Why Not?" Offers of 'boom - boom' or marijuana are constant for him. Me? Occasionally asked if I want pot, and other than the (very) odd proposal for a 'nice motorcycle ride' , or a long lingering hand shake and equally long gaze (??!!!) that's it!
Was super to see Uncle Ho (aka Ho Chi Minh deceased 1975) once again for me, but Jim's first visit. He's keeping very well and I was shocked to see how much better he looks than 1997, gained some weight in his face and coloring is good, if a little waxy. Gosh what do you expect after 30 dead years? He takes a break from the mausoleun for 3 months every year restoration work, in Russia. Visiting him is a very solomn occasion, hats off, serious face on. The 4 guards surrounding his body are all in white, and standing still as statues. Jim had to control the urge to moan, 'Oh No It's True he is Really Gone', and fall sobbing, to his knees. In this event, my role was to console him, pat his back and tell others (including guards) 'he's been like this since 1975, now he finally has to face it....' Needless to say we controlled ourselves.
Night Market area - very Ho Hum. SE Asian Markets really are looking all the same-same. Winners: Mo Chit (Bangkok) and home of Jimmy Choo knock off hand bags and everything else imaginable (and unimaginable) in literally acres of stalls. Ellen and Belle: would compete with that overwhelming market in Goa, believe it or not. I've actually been back to Mo Chit 3X!!!!! I know where the best grilled Chicken Wrap is on the street AND that you must buy Mangosteen's from the lady with big cart at the NE Gate by 12 noon or she's sold out and gone. Oh, yes and we know where the Market Police Office is, and have met several undercover agents (when Jim's day backpack was lifted). The other very enjoyable market is the Textile Market in Laos.
Early morning e.g. 5:45 - 8 am Democratic Communist Party announcements and music broadcast on loud speakers in the Old Quarter is not our favorite way to wake up in the morning.
HALONG BAY
NOTE: Please assume all Busses in SE Asia say Air Con but really are not, that the seats are plastic and uncomfortable and are painfully slow. This trip is standard issue only THIS time we are dropped off at the side of a busy highway (as opposed to the middle of a large community with no clue where we are) in the middle of nowhere, with no clue where we are.
5 - 7 motor bikes and their have-to-earn- a-Dong owners (all are crouched under the only tree... by the side of the road) eagerly surround us, offering to load a wheely and one of us on one motor bike. Jim looks doubtful, and I am astounded, and both of us look confused. Meanwhile two drivers confidently grabs one 20 Kg whe appear in a state of confusion. Yeah, right! It WAS funny watching them trying to figure out Where Will this Go and How Do I Get it There!!! First, they try to balance it on the back seat, but cannot for the life of them find even 2" to squeeze a passenger. Then one driver somehow struggles with my bag and balances it on the front of the bike, between him and the handlebars. Only problem is he can't SEE over it nor can he hang on to both handles and the beast at the same time!!! Nevertheless he beams confidently at me! We finally agree to hire FOUR motorbikes, one each for us and each Wheely has their own! And off we go in convoy style. Only issue: we have Vietnamese Motorbike Drivers. And we are cowardly North Americans. We find ourselves tettering down a busy,one-wayroad, going the wrong way and crowding the cement barriers in a very close and personal manner. Broke into a fearful sweat with this ride!
Then the hotel. Oh what a story. This got real old real fast! PS signs everywhere 'No Smoking'. But every room has an ashtray and when Room #1 reeked of cig smoke, we inquire 'smoking room?' and point to No Smoking sign. She warmly smiles at us and says reassuringly 'no problem' and shows us the ashtray! Room #2 carpet filthy and reeking of mold Room #3 Air Con doesn't work and finally The Winner!!! Behind Door #4 a barely acceptable room!!! We were so happy to leave this hotel it was one time we left someplace...on time!!!
Halong Bay-us kayaking through a tunnel
World Heritage Site: 3000 limestone 'karsts' scattered in turquoise water, mystical and magical and beautiful. And even in the 'off season' appallingly touristy and busy in Halong Bay. We took a full day trip and separated from the larger 30-person group for the afternoon. This was the best part ever - we cruised thru the karsts, eventually ending up on a dreamy white sand beach in crystal clear (and clean!) green water. Wow. Wow.
Captured jelly fish (on Jim's oar)... swim anyone?!
Snippet: as we cruise up to a Floating Fishing Village (as touted by tourist brochures) to kayak, we are asked if we what to explore the 'caves', and if so we need to pay a 'Park Fee' of 5,000 Dong each. When we declined, we were then advised we could only take the kayaks around the boats! We agreed and off we went...to the caves. Which we thoroughly explored, and laughed with the 2 other uncompliant kayakers who followed suit. We happily return to our boat, along side the 'guide' that told us we needed to pay extra (she was bringing back the 6 or 7 innocent victims who DID pay), and that was it.
Moral: do not believe everything you are told! Everyone here needs to, and so has learned, to develop as many diverse ways as possible to make a buck. People serving food can also take you out tomorrow for a motorcyle tour, or their best friend/brother/aunt is very good AND available to (fill in the blanks) ... take you on a boat tour, find a handicraft shop, sell you a t-shirt, feed you real VN food.... on and on.
This beautiful warm smile is for the teeny tiny Canadian flag pin on her sweater!!!
From Hue, we hire a Dragon Boat that starts the motor with an old hand crank. We originally asked for a tour the opposite way from all the sightseeing tour everyone goes on, but the tour people said 'no, because (various reasons, the river narrows, sandbars, nothing to see...) So we agree to a 5 hour trip, get on the boat in early morn and proceed to tell the driver we want to go the OTHER direction. He looks a litte confused but agrees and we had the best time ever. Through non-touristy areas including fishing villages, rice fields, by original narrow and tumbling buildings, waving at small surprised children screaming 'hi, helwo,!'..
Don't you love how she keeps dry?! Ingenious.
The Flag is EVERYWHERE as is VN Communist Party propaganda posters.
Over and out for now, onward to Saigon/Ho Chi Ming City now. We have a flight which is so amazing. 1 hour 10 minutes vs hard core travelling by bus or train or combination for minimum 24 hours. sigh bliss. To be continued soon.
NEWSFLASH! We are booked out of Bangkok on June 12 via Korea arriving about 30 hours later in Seattle... on June 12 go figure. We'll see you SOON! Love Jim and Sherry
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