(J) Swimming off Cat Ba island in Halong bay, tick that box! After a 10k bike ride that included a bit of jungle walking and cave exploring, this is just what was needed, had been very sweaty and grimy in the humidity. Thankfully the bikes were pretty good and the terrain not too steep, so it was an enjoyable afternoon. Before returning to the boat Chez and I also teamed up for 15 minutes in a 2 person kayak...one of those open short types, almost a ski.
Hanoi was walking and walking. That was good after Hoi An where we hadn't done much of anything. Our Scottish friends in Hoi An had warned us off the water puppets, but we went anyway. They were pretty funny. I think I can see why Jim didn't like them. The music was live and actually very good, traditional instruments and singing. One of the puppet dragons was a bit enthusiastic with the water spraying and wet one of the lady musicians....she was particularly unimpressed and disappeared for a while with what I imagine was a bit of a Vietnamese curse. I fancied that this might not have necessarily been a one off.
We did the war museum which had loads of hardware outside, including the tortured remains of a wrecked F-111, but the internals of the museum were a bit hap-hazard particularly compared with the Remnants museum in Saigon.
Our hotel was down a little alleyway a few blocks north of the lake. It was very quaint and as always with this country the staff were very friendly and helpful. Our room was on the 6th floor overlooking nothing at all. On our first day the lift stopped working and all of a sudden floor 6 became a bit of a challenge. Thankfully it was back in action for our last morning when the baggage had to be carted.
We picked up a bus for our Halong bay cruise. We were the first people on the bus. We then proceeded to do a tour of the city, picking up the odd passenger along the way. About 45 minutes later we were back in the street behind our hotel to pick up a couple of Aussies girls from Mudgee......and we still had a 3 and a half hour ride to our destination!
Our last few days were back in the city. It has felt a bit like marking time. Unfortunately the first consistent rain (drizzle) of the tour has set in, which meant we abandoned a planned bike ride around west lake. We are staying in a very nice hotel, so there are compensations. Taxi ride to the airport, we just nearly splattered a bike rider in the wet. Jump from Hanoi to Hong Kong and then the long trip home.
(C) Halong bay was the highlight of our last week in Vietnam away from the hustle and bustle of busy Hanoi. The only thing lacking was blue sky which has definitely been a common theme through most of our trip. It was beautiful anyway so I can only imagine how stunning it must look with clear blue skies. Maybe next time.
Our hotel in Hanoi was right in the Old Quarter not far from the Ho Kiem Lake. On our walking around town day we followed the lonely planet guides walking tour of the shopping streets. In the old days each street was named after the product made and sold in the street. Today these streets still exist today to a certain extent. There is shoes, blacksmiths, gravestones, etc etc.
All the walking in Hanoi was really hot work as it was so humid. By the afternoon the humidity would create a very fine damp mist, almost rain but not quite. We also had an interesting visit to Ho loa Prison which was later nicknamed the Hanoi Hilton in the early 70's after American pilots had been captured and imprisoned there. The treatment of Vietnamese political prisoners many years prior to this was depicted as much less civilised to the treatment the pilots received.
We had some great food in Hanoi as with most of Vietnam and thank our Scottish friends we met in Hoi An for recommending a little place that sold just one dish. A local specialty called Cha Ca. Very very yummy. We also had this dish again at another restaurant on our last night in Hanoi. It was a little different but was also very delicious. Might have to try and recreate that one at home.
Well after sleeping 2 nights in the best bed we have had all holidays out trip is at an end. It's been fantastic. Farewell, Vietnam!
NB: photos to come later.
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