day 68 - Hang Tram to Yên Cát

Tuesday, 31 December 2013

Today we cycled 110km to Yên Cát. After a surprisingly good sleep on what might be the firmest bed in Vietnam, we had breakfast at the hotel and then set off. 

While the weather remains overcast, it was noticeably milder today than yesterday and by early afternoon we were able to shed our jackets. We're happy that we made the decision to take the Ho Chi Minh highway rather than the motorway as the traffic is noticeably lighter and there aren't many trucks or buses on the road. There is also no shortage of places to stop for food and we saw lots of accommodation options along the way. It's a big change from Laos where we often rode 50km or more between towns with a guesthouse. 

It's the time of year where rice farmers are starting to plough their fields to plant a new crop of rice and we've seen farmers using both buffalo and wooden ploughs, as well as more modern, mechanised ploughs to cut through the thick, stiff soil. 

(People selling sugarcane on the side of the road. It's popular to peel the dark outer layer and 

chew the stringy inside to suck out the sweet juice)

(A large brick making factory on the side of the road)

(A lovely river view)

After covering 50km, we stopped for lunch at a small town. Nicky attempted to order some food which was met with a long response in Vietnamese from the owner so we weren't sure what we would end up with but we were given a substantial lunch which set us up well for the final 60km. 

According to our map, Yên Cát has a population of 3,000 - 10,000 people and when we arrived, we found a large hotel and a few guesthouses. We chose the hotel and were warmly welcomed by the owner who gave us a hearty handshake. His son, who spoke some English, showed us to the room and helped us with our bags. There is also a restaurant, cafe and petrol station in the grounds of the hotel so we don't have to go far for the remainder of the day. 

(Dai Lam Hotel, our home for the night)

(The bar and cafe at the hotel)

(Our New Year's Eve bubbles chilling in the sink)

(Paul inspecting one of the bikes while the owner's son looks on)

We decided to bring in the new year on Australian time so we can set off bright and early tomorrow. So here's wishing everyone a very happy New Year and a 2014 full of joy, luck and love! 

(Watching a live stream of the Sydney fireworks)

(Happy New Year!)

day 67 - Hanoi to Hang Tram

Monday, 30 December 2013

We set off from Hanoi this morning after a fantastic 11 days. The staff at Calypso Suites made us feel so welcome and it was such a comfortable stay. Leaving the creature comforts of the room, not knowing what was ahead, was a little difficult but we felt the sense of adventure again propelling us forward.

Wanting to avoid travelling along roads we had already been, we made our way through the city to a road that would eventually lead us to the Ho Chi Minh highway. Like anywhere, Monday morning traffic in Hanoi was full-on and we really had to keep our wits about us as we made our way out of the city, weaving between cars, buses and motorbikes travelling in all directions. The temperature was about 12 degrees and we were very grateful for the warm fleeces that Jim had given us for Christmas.

(Leaving Hanoi in Monday morning traffic)

Once the traffic started to lighten up, we were able to appreciate the flat road and pick up a bit of speed. We were aiming for a town called Hang Tram, about 90km south of Hanoi. After only 20km, the surroundings began to take on a more rural feel as rice paddies and buffalo appeared either side. We passed through towns and villages, buzzing with people at the morning markets. We stopped for lunch after 60km and scanned the Vietnamese menu for some words that we recognised, eventually settling on good old noodle soup.

(Tall skinny buildings popping up and a large Church)

(A town in the shadow of a long mountain range)

(The lovely ragged limestone scenery continues in these parts)

Having had an extended rest from cycling in Hanoi, we felt our bodies starting to stiffen up at lunch. We arrived in Hang Tram early in the afternoon and found a hotel just outside of the town where we booked in for the night. The building seems to be no more than a few years old and is run by a family of five. They don’t speak any English but with our few words of Vietnamese and a bit of sign language on all our parts, we were able to get a simple, clean room and a good dinner of rice, greens, minced pork, omelette and a tasty fish soup.

(The Giang Son hotel where we will stay the night)

We will continue south tomorrow, with the intention of doing another 100km or so. We haven’t been able to find much information on the areas we are passing through over the coming days but our goal is to reach Hué in the next six days. We hope to be in a reasonable sized town tomorrow to bring in the New Year. 

days 65 and 66 - Good Bye Hanoi

Sunday, 29 December 2013

On Saturday morning, we set out to visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The body of Ho Chi Minh, often referred to as Uncle Ho by the Vietnamese people, is located there and he is a popular attraction for both local and foreign tourists. While Ho Chi Minh requested to be cremated, it was decided to preserve his body and put him on display for the people after his death. Every year, his body is sent to Russia for three months for care and maintenance. 

While the queue to get into the Mausoleum was very long, the heavy security presence ensured it moved quickly and in a very orderly fashion. The room in which Uncle Ho's body is kept is dark and a U shaped path winds around the glass case in which his body lies. His body is lit from above, making him look almost statuesque. 

We then set out to visit the West Lake which is... a lake in the west of Hanoi. We visited Tran Quoc pagoda along the way and wandered through an area of the city that we hadn't yet been to.  

(A Government building located next to the Mausoleum. All Government buildings appear to be painted yellow)

(The grounds of Tran Quoc Pagoda)

(The grounds of Tran Quoc Pagoda)

(We stopped at a colourful little café at the West Lake)

That evening, we went out for dinner, followed by a Ca Trù Concert. Ca Trù is a traditional type of singing that was first performed in Vietnam in the 11th century. It is used for entertainment, worshipping and ceremonial occasions. Unfortunately, it was not practised much during the 20th century due to war and a lack of awareness and UNESCO has deemed it to be in urgent need of safeguarding with only a couple of masters left in Vietnam. The performance was an hour long and was held in a traditional house in the Old Quarter for a small audience. The group performed eight songs and one dance. It was really unusual and very beautiful. The rhythm felt very different to what we're accustomed to but the performances were very moving. It was definitely a great way to spend our last night in Hanoi with Nicky's Dad, Jim. 

(The Ca Trù performers)

(Bo Bo Dancers)

This morning, we set out early to explore the area around Hoan Kiem Lake and to see what the locals do on a Sunday morning. There were lots of people out, mostly middle-aged and older, walking, stretching and doing lots of weird and wonderful movements. We saw people giving themselves vigorous face massages, people practising Tai Chi and men taking dancing lessons. It struck us that the only people jogging were the tourists, while the slender locals were more concerned with keeping themselves limber and flexible. We certainly haven't seen many, if any, overweight Vietnamese which we would attribute to their three savoury regular meals a day, lack of desserts and overly sweet food, and regular physical activity. 

(A group of elderly women, sitting together on the ground. We were unsure what they were there for but were simply impressed by their ability to sit so comfortably on the hard pavement)

(People stretching and flexing in the morning sunshine at the lake)

(Ngoc Son Pagoda and the Bridge of the Rising Sun at the lake)

(The gateway to Ngoc Son Pagoda)

(Looking out towards the Thap Rua, the stupa on the lake)

(The preserved giant tortoise that was found in the lake. It weighted 250kg when caught)

(Locals starting their Sunday morning with some dancing)

After a final stroll around the Old Quarter and a hearty lunch, we said goodbye to Jim as he set off on the long journey back to Dublin. We've had a wonderful couple of weeks here together in Hanoi and a very happy and memorable Christmas 2013!

The afternoon was spent in a café looking at maps and readying ourselves to get back on the road tomorrow. Our plan is to cycle south along the old Ho Chi Minh trail which is now a decent highway. Our next major destination is Hué but we have a good 700km to travel between now and then. It will be good to get back on the bikes and see more of Vietnam.

(A woman pushes a heavily loaded bicycle, with a cord attached from her wrist to the handlebars to steer)

(An unusually quiet intersection on a Sunday afternoon)

(A well stocked button store. One of many on the haberdashery street)

days 63 and 64 - Ha Long Bay

Friday, 27 December 2013

On Thursday we went on an overnight visit to Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and we were looking forward to being on the water and seeing some of Vietnam's coastline. 

Our tour guide, Duk, picked us up from the hotel at 8.30am and walked us to the tour office where we jumped on board a mini-van with the other 10 guests. We drove for nearly four hours to Ha Long city, from where we boarded the Junk boat that would be our home for the night. 

On the journey to Ha Long, Duk sat in the back with us and shared lots of information about the areas we passed through. He is quite a character, full of jokes and always teasing people, whether they liked it or not, so it was an entertaining drive. 

(Ha Long City Harbour)

(Pulling up to our boat for the night)

(One of the cabins on the boat)

Once we had boarded the boat and had eaten lunch, we set off for Bai Tu Long Bay, which is northeast of Ha Long Bay. The sinking limestone plateau that has resulted in the large number of islands that make up Ha Long Bay extends as far as China and Bai Tu Long was considerably quieter than the busier Ha Long Bay but still very beautiful. The limestone pillars are really magnificent. Looking out into the horizon, there is layer upon layer of jagged peaks, fading out into the distance.

(Entering Bai Tu Long Bay)

(The marina below the Surprising Cave)

In addition to our tour guide, Duk, the boat was crewed by six men and as far as we could tell, everyone took turns at different jobs - steering; cooking; cleaning; serving drinks; even entertaining the guests with magic tricks. 

Our first activity was a visit to the Surprising Cave, which contains three caverns. Initially discovered by the French in the 1800s, local fishermen sometimes use the cave to hide in during a typhoon. The last cavern was the largest of the three and it was absolutely huge - like a large concert venue or stadium. Duk pointed out pieces of rock that had naturally taken on the form of an animal or object. The name Surprising Cave seems to have come about due to a phallic shaped rock in the third cavern. We've been to a few caves so far on our travels, but the Surprising Cave was certainly the most impressive. 

(Nicky and Duk)

(Inside the first cavern. The archway-like hole used to be the access point to deeper caverns)

After the cave, we were taken to another bay where a few of us went kayaking. Having been kayaking in Melbourne, we were interested to see just how blasé the locals and tour guides were about allowing people with little to no experience out on the water unassisted. Thankfully, there were no accidents or issues and we enjoyed the hour out on the water, exploring inlets and other parts of the bay. As the sun began to set, we made our way back to the boat for a hot shower and dinner. 

(A small village on the water where fishermen live)

(A local woman selling goods to tourists from her boat)

(Nicky and Paul ready for kayaking)

(One of the crew on our boat - he asked for his photo to be taken. 

He was good fun and entertained us all with some magic tricks after dinner)

Before dinner, we were given a demonstration on how to make a Vietnamese spring roll. Duk labelled one spring roll "the happy Buddha spring roll" and another "the ugliest spring roll" he had ever seen. Doesn't the saying go, don't judge a spring roll by its cover?!

(Making Vietnamese spring rolls)

After we had made a big enough mess, we all sat down for dinner and drinks. We slept well that night thanks to the fresh sea air. The following morning, we were up early to climb Ti Top Island. The sun wasn't long up by the time we reached the peak and we were rewarded with great views of the bay. 

(The view from Ti Top)

(Nicky and Jim at the peak of Ti Top)

Once we were back down on the beach, we were given some time to enjoy the surroundings before heading back to the boat and on towards Ha Long Bay. 

(Ti Top beach)

(Ti Top Island - the viewing point is visible at the top)

We were served a huge lunch before pulling back into the harbour, making our way off the boat and back onto the mini-van. We were back in Hanoi by late afternoon where we said goodbye to Duk. We had a good Indian meal for dinner and spent the evening chatting about all that we'd seen and all that we'd been told on the trip. Tomorrow, we plan to visit Uncle Ho and have tickets to a performance of traditional Vietnamese music and dance.