Day 221, Saigon, Vietnam

Saigon Post Office 1886

Don't do this very often, but writing this blog after consuming 4 very fine Johnny Walker Red Labels with ice, so I think it will be a short one.

Received some very sad news a few days ago about a beautiful friend and mum who has been diagnosed with liver cancer after battling cancer about 18 months ago. And battled she has, plenty of it, only to be told this is it. It's been pretty tough news and hard being away from everyone. So tonight I had a whiskey for her.

We flew into Saigon this morning, renamed Ho Chi Minh in 1976, but still called Saigon by most Vietnamese. Phew, it's certainly a bit warmer here! We walked through the city on arrival, saw the replica Notre Dame, where every brick and stained glass window was brought over from France in the 19th century, and the beautiful Post Office.

Replica of Notre Dame

Lunch and some free time (used to buy some shoes for dressing up) and then time for a show, called the 'AO show', a local dance production. A very special show, contemporary dance, totally Vietnamese theme and beautifully performed in an absolutely stunning theatre.

Afterwards we went for a few drinks, hence the whiskeys. 

Day 220, Hoi An, Vietnam

On the island 

We had all decided to do the optional activity, which was a cycle tour around Hoi An and nearby villages on the islands. First a ride on the ferry across to the island. From there we had the most wonderful time. We didn't just do a cycle tour, we stopped numerous times with visits to local people's workshops and houses. Almost first stop was to show us how bamboo was dyed in a pot of boiling water (over an open fire of course), ready to be made into sleeping mats. Next, we were shown how the bamboo was then woven. A simple loom, husband and wife working together, him working the loom and her feeding the bamboo through on a long wooden stick. The sleeping mats are very colourful and last about a year, and with Tet coming up (Vietnamese New Year celebrations), new mats are in high demand as that's the time people get new mats. It takes the couple 3 hours to make a mat and it sells for the total sum of $3.00!

Weaving a sleeping mat

Next visit to the beautiful Mr Dao. Mr Dao lost his leg on a land mine in Cambodia and now makes rice wine for a living. 70 litres a day! We were shown the process, all very home made, and taste some too. Then a cup of tea and Mr Dao got his guitar out to sing for us. What a gorgeous smile and beautiful generous personality, just a lovely genuine person to meet.

Lunch was with a family in the village; the wife showed us how to make rice noodles, a fun and easy process and then we got to eat them.

Mr Dao

Like I said, it was lovely to meet all these locals and they really opened their doors to show us their trade as well as their way of life.

Back on the ferry, a crazy situation, trying to fit as many bikes and scooters on as possible, some precariously close to being pushed overboard! A lot of shouting and gesturing, but finally we were off. When we got to the 'mainland' we all had to scoot to one side of the ferry to prevent it tipping, oh the delights of no H&S regulations!

Having a go at rice noodles making

Later another walk into town, pick up my dresses from the lovely Mrs Tan Tan, very happy with them and then out for dinner with just Cheyenne as Samantha was meeting friends from Cambodia.

Rice everywhere 

I bumped into some Danish girls that Inger & I had met on the train to Sapa, and this is the third time I have seen them since! This is bizarre, it keeps happening to me! 

Day 219, Hoi An, Vietnam

Overlooking Lang Co

Bit of a drive today to HoiAn, but plenty of stops along the way; photo stops (amongst which there was a wedding couple posing on top a tower, quite precariously), China Beach, from the TV series, a stop on the roadside and someone showed us how palm tree oil was produced. 

Stop at China Beach

Finally we arrived in HoiAn, a beautiful small town just south of Da Nang, which is the third largest city in Vietnam. HoiAn is well known for the local tailors, so if you want something made, this is the place! First lunch, then an orientation tour around town.

With approximately 120,000 inhabitants, Hoi An is recognised as a World Heritage Site by Unesco. Hoi An Ancient Town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to make this uniquely pretty town.

Sam and I walked back to get some laundry organised first. At $1.30 a kilo I can't muck around myself. Then next on to a tailor that came highly recommended. I had thought about what I wanted made so I came prepared with pictures. The lady at Tan Tan Tailors was so nice and helpful, not pushy, and full of suggestions too. Samantha also ordered a dress, and they'll all be ready tomorrow.

Streets of Hoi An

We found somewhere that serves real lattes, so a good coffee later we got back to the hotel for a quick swim before meeting the others for dinner and drinks. 

Day 218, Hue, Vietnam

At the mausoleum 

An exciting day tour on the back of a motorcycle today! What a lot of fun. We were met at the hotel at 8.30 by a group of men with their motorbikes and the keys went into a helmet, for us to pick one out which bike we were going on. 

The motorcycle tour 

We stopped at numerous places, including a country village with a wonderful market full of the freshest meat and fish you can imagine. The chickens were there, ready to be plucked and the fish was still jumping about in the bucket. No preservatives to be found here! 

The women were cutting up the meat with huge, sharp cleavers, weighing the vegies on simple scales, guarding their chickens. They also sold nuts from the Areca Palm tree, known as Betel nuts, which are chewed, after being combined with slaked lime and a betel leaf. They give a high, and a buzz equivalent to 6 cups of coffee. They also stain the teeth black and the lips red, which was until recently regarded as highly attractive in women

A nice view over the Perfume River

Other stops included learning how incense is made, a tiger & elephant arena (where they were made to fight to death), the Thien Mu Pagoda and the King's mausoleum. The mausoleum was so interesting. This king ruled for 37 years, didn't manage to father an heir, which depressed him severely. He was very preoccupied with building his mausoleum and spent many afternoons walking around the building site and even had a small island there where he would go 'hunting for wildlife'. After all this preparation, he was never actually buried here, as he was so paranoid about successive kings raiding his tomb (as he had done) for treasure and to disrespect the dead, that he arranged to be buried elsewhere. The 200 men who knew where, as they were involved in preparing the site, where beheaded to ensure the secrecy was secured.

Lake at the mausoleum 

A very fun but also informative day, topped off with a super coffee (a 'proper' latte) and later dinner out with Samantha, Cheyenne and Brad to an excellent little restaurant. Here I bumped into a couple who I first met at the airport coming into Hanoi, then on my second night out for dinner they came into the same restaurant and again tonight they walked into the same restaurant. What are the chances!

Day 217, Hue, Vietnam

Entrance to the Imperial City 

Had a great night in the train, a few beers, a game of cards and some music, so we made a bit too much noise for our (German & grumpy) neighbours. An excellent sleep, didn't even notice I was on the train, but that might have been due to the beers consumed.

The details are beautiful 

We arrived in Hue and straight to the hotel by 10.30 this morning, then out for lunch to the coolest little restaurant. Started in 1965 by the current owner, it is still extremely successful.

The restaurateur's family tree

He is deaf and mute, his 93 year old mother still comes into the restaurant every day, and he has a very unusual bottle opener, which he demonstrated and then promptly made one for each one of us in the group. There are messages written all over the walls from diners and he has the most beautiful heart warming smile you have ever seen.

Lunch was so yummy and fresh, and came to $5.00! 

Hue is the historical and cultural centre of Vietnam. In the early morning hours of January 31, 1968, as part of the Tet Offensive a division sized force of North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong soldiers launched a coordinated attack on Huế seizing most of the city. During the initial phases of the Battle of Hue, due to Huế's religious and cultural status, Allied forces were ordered not to bomb or shell the city, for fear of destroying the historic structures; but as casualties mounted in house-to-house fighting these restrictions were progressively lifted and the fighting caused substantial damage to the Imperial City. Out of 160 buildings only 10 major sites remain because of the battle. The buildings that still remain are being restored and preserved. The latest and so far the largest restoration project is planned to conclude in 2015. [Source: Wikapedia]

Next a visit to the Imperial City, a huge 420 hectares site dating from the early 1800's, where the first king of the Nguyen dynasty resided. 

A very impressive citadel which unfortunately over the last few wars has been severely destroyed and was recognised as a Unesco World Heritage site in 1993, so now a lot of restoration is taking place. Very interesting to hear how the king lived, with his numerous wives and many more concubines. The last king abdicated on August the 30th, 1945. 

Certainly a very fascinating afternoon, learning some of the history of Vietnam. 

Day 216, Ha Long Bay to Hanoi, Vietnam

A small group this time!

First up, we went on a wee boat, all of us, through to a little hidden bay, which is only accessible through a very low gap in the rocks, so no big boats get through. It was very beautiful, very quiet, except for the sounds of the birds and capuchin monkeys! We got right up close to them, they were curious and keen on some food, which we didn't have, so they lost interest pretty soon. Typical, they must have been boy monkeys, haha.

Hello cheeky monkey

Back on the boat a scrumptious breakfast awaited us, full on with both English and Vietnamese dishes. We even had a demonstration on fruit flower making while we motored back to shore. We were so well looked after while on board, sad to leave.

Drive back to Hanoi, got back here at about 2.45, so then some 'free' time, which means nothing organised, do as you like. A late lunch with Samantha, we both had a serving of the fresh Vietnamese spring rolls (not deep fried) and they are soooo yummy! A quick shower, then we walked through town to the Water Puppets show, a Hanoi must do. It's just so entertaining. On the stage is a huge 'pond' with musicians on either side and bamboo screens in the back. Behind the screens there are numerous puppeteers who put on a wonderful display. Puppets as swans performing a mating ritual, puppets as fishermen catching their daily catch, dragons, it was all so well done and entertaining.

Water puppets show

Tonight we are heading out on the night train to Hue, a town about halfway down Vietnam. I feel like an old hand at night trains now! 

Day 215, Hanoi to Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Beautiful Ha Long Bay

We were up early again this morning, as we checked out and onto a private coach to Ha Long Bay. Samantha sat with me and we chatted the whole way, together and also with Phi, our guide, who told us lots of interesting things about Vietnam.

Roomy cabin

On the way we stopped at a workshop for disabled people, who made stone carvings as well as the most beautiful tapestries. They were so fast at the stitches and did some stunning work, one in particular which I loved; a black and white picture of a Hmong woman with a baby on her back. I was so tempted to buy one, but the one I really loved was over $2,000, and I didn't want a different one, so came away without, but enjoyed the stop anyway.

The workshop 

We arrived in Ha Long and our boat was waiting for us, we were all surprised to have such a big boat all to ourselves! I think we have almost as many staff as we do passengers! Samantha and I share a cabin, very nice room, hot shower, so much more than we expected. A yummy lunch with lots of seafood, and then a stop at the caves, which were definitely worth a visit. Back on the boat, relax for a while, then stopped at a wee beach so we all went swimming. It wasn't tropical, but not too cold either, and a cool experience.

Our huge boat

Ha Long bay is made up of over 1600 islands and a World Heritage Site. Unfortunately the local operators and fishermen don't always respect the nature reserve they have here, so there is a bit of pollution in the water, especially at the start of the bay, but further in it was clean enough to swim in. A nice hot shower when we got back and next thing we hear 'hello, you want to buy?'. So Sam and I peeked out of our cabin door and here is this girl in a junk selling wine and beer, chips and biscuits. 'Cheaper than on boat' she tells us. Funny! Out in nowhere and selling wine and beer.

The Caves

Another beautiful meal with prawns and oyster pancakes, and sleep on the boat, a gentle movement rocking me to sleep.