We have spent the last few days travelling further south in the hope that we might catch up with the sunshine. Unfortunately not! So in between seeing lovely Hue then learning to play Shithead in a surf shack on China Beach and wandering the even more lovely Hoi An we have been getting soaked through to our undies.
We really like Hoi An. It's a world heritage site filled with beautiful old merchant houses that now sell every colour of silk you can possibly imagine. It's currently flooded due to the river bursting it's banks from the torrential rain but that hasn't stopped the locals from trying to make money from the inconvenience. The boat that usually takes you along the river can now be taken through the flooded streets......another perfect example of the Vietnamese strong spirit.
It doesn't look like the weather is going to let up so with waterproofs on we are going further south on Sunday to Nha Trang and then Da Lat.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Born to be Wild
We hired a motorbike today (a Honda 1.25cc for Adams interest) and took ourselves out of the dusty city that is Ninh Binh to Kim Soc 30km away. May I add we looked pretty foxy in our pink and blue helmets.
Our aim was to reach Kim Soc, to visit an old Phat Diem Cathedral, in one piece and take some nice photos. This we did, although we did have 2 near death experiences along the way - not our fault.
Phat Diem is a catholic cathedral and sits in the middle of a region that I can only describe as having (bizarrely) a very english feel. We passed through various villages, all with churches and respective church spires and also white, thatched cottages. Strange but beautiful.
A great day but we are both suffering from the non tarmaced roads - sore bottoms!
Our aim was to reach Kim Soc, to visit an old Phat Diem Cathedral, in one piece and take some nice photos. This we did, although we did have 2 near death experiences along the way - not our fault.
Phat Diem is a catholic cathedral and sits in the middle of a region that I can only describe as having (bizarrely) a very english feel. We passed through various villages, all with churches and respective church spires and also white, thatched cottages. Strange but beautiful.
A great day but we are both suffering from the non tarmaced roads - sore bottoms!
Western Giant Vs Diminutive Vietnamese
Since our arrival in South East Asia we have noticed a significant difference in our size to the locals. So much so that clothes shop owners have actually laughed at us when we have seen something we liked and asked if it came in our size. Consequently I am travelling around Vietnam feeling like a giantess.
Bearing this in mind, Andrews keenness to interact with the locals landed us in trouble yesterday. A group of local men and boys were playing their version of volleyball (using a football) when their ball went astray. Andrew desperately wanting to help went running after the football and chose kicking the ball as a means of getting the ball back to them. The first kick, with his giant like feet, went flying into one of the teams motorbikes making it shudder in fright. Not to be put off by his first miscalculation he used his giant, weighty feet to kick a second time. This time the ball went wooshing into one of the players heads, knocking his motorbike helment from his head and sending the poor guy a greater shade of red.
As the onlooker I saw all of this happen in slow motion and could all but put my hands to my mouth in horror as the events unfolded. I imagine a similar thing happened to Andrew because as soon as the football struck the mans head he went running over to him to console him and profusely apologise. Luckily the guy that Andrew attacked was a nice soul and let it go. I, in the meantime, had to leave the incident because I was wetting myself and feared I would lose my tasty icecream in the heat.
Bearing this in mind, Andrews keenness to interact with the locals landed us in trouble yesterday. A group of local men and boys were playing their version of volleyball (using a football) when their ball went astray. Andrew desperately wanting to help went running after the football and chose kicking the ball as a means of getting the ball back to them. The first kick, with his giant like feet, went flying into one of the teams motorbikes making it shudder in fright. Not to be put off by his first miscalculation he used his giant, weighty feet to kick a second time. This time the ball went wooshing into one of the players heads, knocking his motorbike helment from his head and sending the poor guy a greater shade of red.
As the onlooker I saw all of this happen in slow motion and could all but put my hands to my mouth in horror as the events unfolded. I imagine a similar thing happened to Andrew because as soon as the football struck the mans head he went running over to him to console him and profusely apologise. Luckily the guy that Andrew attacked was a nice soul and let it go. I, in the meantime, had to leave the incident because I was wetting myself and feared I would lose my tasty icecream in the heat.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Down South
We sadly left Hanoi, heading south, on the Reunification Express. The Reunification Express is a rattling old train that travels north to south and visa versa picking up what feels like the whole of Vietnam on the way. Despite it's age it has a very posh new tv that shows musical asian soap operas for the entire journey........very loudly!
We are now in a lovely, clean hotel in Ninh Binh after checking out what is locally known as the Inland Halong Bay. Essentially limestone outcrops set amongst waterways that you can sail upon in a sampon. We hired bicycles to check out other local sights such as temples and caves that exist on the waterways along the way. A great day apart from having to navigate Highway 1, which is the backbone motorway of Vietnam. Everything and everyone travels on it and at great speed, honking as they go along at anything that it happens to be passing. Let's say it was a stressful experience but very peaceful once we were off Highway 1.
One thing to mention is Ninh Binh Water, a local liquor, that can only be described as paint stripper. Apparently Vietnamese woman consume it by the bottle.
Tomorrow we get a sleeper coach to Hue, the Imperial City of Vietnam and hopefully after that we will laze on a beach for a few days. As we're pooped!
We are now in a lovely, clean hotel in Ninh Binh after checking out what is locally known as the Inland Halong Bay. Essentially limestone outcrops set amongst waterways that you can sail upon in a sampon. We hired bicycles to check out other local sights such as temples and caves that exist on the waterways along the way. A great day apart from having to navigate Highway 1, which is the backbone motorway of Vietnam. Everything and everyone travels on it and at great speed, honking as they go along at anything that it happens to be passing. Let's say it was a stressful experience but very peaceful once we were off Highway 1.
One thing to mention is Ninh Binh Water, a local liquor, that can only be described as paint stripper. Apparently Vietnamese woman consume it by the bottle.
Tomorrow we get a sleeper coach to Hue, the Imperial City of Vietnam and hopefully after that we will laze on a beach for a few days. As we're pooped!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Hanoi- 1st Impressions
It's amazing!!!!! Everyone needs to come and experience it. At this point I think it beats New Zealand after this 1st day.
We are staying in the old quarter of the city and its very chaotic with people selling and walking everywhere as well as scooters and cars driving all directions, at the same time. But the city is fantastic and people are really friendly. Emma says it reminds her of the Montmartre area of Paris. Yesterday we hungout in Old Quarter, visiting a temple on Hoan Kiem Lake and going to the Water Puppet Theatre. We found an excellent modern/traditional properganda poster shop called Dogma and I got a cool T-Shirt.
We went to a great restaurant for lunch, Highway 4, where Emma had soft shell crab. In the UK we get them imported and usually found in chinese supermarkets. Here they were freshwater crabs and looking like mini versions of our brown crabs. They had been boiled and stir fried in chilli and garlic. A very strange experience putting them into your mouth. You can feel their legs and crawls when you bite down. They also had dog, turtle, horse and sparrow on the menu but one step at a time. No adverse stomach problems yet!!!
Today we did Highway 4's traditional cookery course - soft shell crab soup, special fried rice and catfish spring rolls-mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!! It also involved a market visit to buy the ingredients to cook with which is located just outside of our hotel. We then took a cyclo to one of their restaurants where the head chief demostrated what we were going to do before we got on and cooked the dishes which we then ate. mmmmmmmmmmmmm
http://www.highway4.com/
It was great. Afterwards we had their Son Tinh liquor, straight its not great but in cocktails quite nice [so Emma says].
We are exploring the city for the rest of today and tomorrow and then we are off to Ha Long bay and Cat Ba island. I think tonight will be beers and street entertainment.
We are staying in the old quarter of the city and its very chaotic with people selling and walking everywhere as well as scooters and cars driving all directions, at the same time. But the city is fantastic and people are really friendly. Emma says it reminds her of the Montmartre area of Paris. Yesterday we hungout in Old Quarter, visiting a temple on Hoan Kiem Lake and going to the Water Puppet Theatre. We found an excellent modern/traditional properganda poster shop called Dogma and I got a cool T-Shirt.
We went to a great restaurant for lunch, Highway 4, where Emma had soft shell crab. In the UK we get them imported and usually found in chinese supermarkets. Here they were freshwater crabs and looking like mini versions of our brown crabs. They had been boiled and stir fried in chilli and garlic. A very strange experience putting them into your mouth. You can feel their legs and crawls when you bite down. They also had dog, turtle, horse and sparrow on the menu but one step at a time. No adverse stomach problems yet!!!
Today we did Highway 4's traditional cookery course - soft shell crab soup, special fried rice and catfish spring rolls-mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!! It also involved a market visit to buy the ingredients to cook with which is located just outside of our hotel. We then took a cyclo to one of their restaurants where the head chief demostrated what we were going to do before we got on and cooked the dishes which we then ate. mmmmmmmmmmmmm
http://www.highway4.com/
It was great. Afterwards we had their Son Tinh liquor, straight its not great but in cocktails quite nice [so Emma says].
We are exploring the city for the rest of today and tomorrow and then we are off to Ha Long bay and Cat Ba island. I think tonight will be beers and street entertainment.
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