Today was a confluence of sights, sounds and impressions.
The highlight of the day was a bicycle ride through a rural area in the settlement of Cam Thanh. It was a lovely, lush area and actually seemed pretty affluent. Preparations for the New Year were evident as we saw people cleaning their property, special signs and traditional chrysanthemum and kumquat plants everywhere.
Some of the paths were paved, some were dirt and many were quite bumpy, but the only part that was a bit scary was the constant appearance of fast-moving motor-scooters. When they had large, overlapping loads, or were leading something like a water buffalo, it was intimidating. I just wish I could’ve taken my hands off the handlebars with more confidence to take some photos. The scenery was just as I imagined – rice paddies, water buffalo, and small fishing boats along the river. 
At one juncture along our path, there was commentary being loudly broadcast over a loudspeaker followed by music. When asked later, our guide explained this is how the government still communicates in many rural communities. For us, it was an eerily, MASH-like moment. On a less bizarre note, we stopped along our ride to visit a beautiful Buddhist Temple, complete with chanting monks.
All-in-all, the bike ride was a very memorable experience.
Incense coils in the Chinese Temple, Hoi An.
We also did a walking tour of historic Hoi An, another UNESCO site. Untouched during the war, Hoi An is 45 minutes from Da Nang, where the US had a large military presence during the war (we saw the air base). A trading crossroads for centuries, this mostly pedestrian-only zone has wonderful surviving elements of Chinese and Japanese cultures. I say mostly, because around 11AM, they let motor-scooters back in. Today, Hoi An continues its role as a trading crossroads – but basically to “trade” with tourists; taking both credit cards and US $. The city has been preserved well, with dozens of inviting restaurants and attractive shops featuring local artisans and handmade items. I loved all the colorful lanterns strung across the narrow streets.
The area is also known for silk, and is a huge center for custom-tailored goods. Because of the New Year, we saw the occasional shop-owner burning symbolic money for good luck. And OMG, the cooking smells emanating from the restaurants were incredibly good. We eventually did enjoy a wonderful Vietnamese lunch.
From the road, we could see the Marble Mountains in the distance, each named for the five elements-water, metal, wood, fire and earth, and we had a photo-op at the 20-mile Non Nuoc Beach, famous in the US as China Beach (where US servicemen went for R&R). Locals don’t like to call it China Beach, and although they say it’s because they don’t want to credit China, you have to wonder about the US/war affiliation.
Overall, I have to comment this part of Vietnam is being rapidly developed and construction is hi-end with obvious foreign investment. Four Seasons, Raffles, and Hyatt are there and several major resorts are currently under construction. It appears the entire beach-front has been optioned. There is even a casino for the Chinese visitors (locals are not allowed to gamble).
Someone needs to tell the Vietnamese guides they do not need to talk 100% of the time . . . .
Remembering Sacrifices of the War
This beach area in Vietnam (Nom O Beach) is where 3,500 US Marines landed on March 8, 1965, becoming the first American ground troops in Vietnam. And the rest is history. It was also in this area that the Tet Offensive in 1968 was launched by North Vietnam and the Viet Cong, essentially marking the beginning of the end of US involvement in the war. It was called “Tet” because it was planned for the Lunar New Year celebration (which is this very week in Asia). The North Vietnamese correctly guessed the opposition soldiers would think the initial assault was just firecrackers from the celebration and be caught off-guard. My husband was luckier than others and did not have to serve here; but he has nevertheless been soberly reflective during this visit.
For my trivia buddies, one fact I never knew til preparing for this trip: It’s bad form to stick chop sticks into a rice bowl vertically – it’s the Buddhist sign of death.
#LoveTravel, @AzamaraVoyages
A picture is worth a thousand words – this is Halong Bay.
Halong translates to “Descending Dragon” and you can see how this UNESCO site got that name. Many of the limestone formations have also been given names, such as “Heavenly Gate” pictured here. The Bay is located in the Gulf of Tonkin within the South China Sea. Fog and haze surrounded our morning trip on a re-imagined “junk,” as we journeyed around a few of the areas’ thousands of Karst islets.
Our visit to the Thien Cung “Heavenly Palace” Cave on Dau Go Island was magical and far exceeded my expectations; even a claustrophobic would not feel oppressed here. It was so amazing, I didn’t even think about the hundred steps up to enter or the few hundred more once inside. Locals have added some colored lights and while not at all necessary, it was a very pretty effect that photos don’t do justice. Nor do photos capture the enormity and grander of this unique underground system.
Generally, visitors here also see floating camps of fisherman, but with the pending New Year celebrations, they headed inland for vacation.
Our ship was anchored in the Bay and by the sail-away later in the day, the haze lifted and it proved to be a fabulous photo-op. I didn’t want it to end.
#LoveTravel @AzamaraVoyages @Azamara Journey
Preface: This is the first of my posts about our wonderful cruise on the Azamara Journey to Vietnam & Thailand, sailing from Hong Kong and ending in Singapore. Sailing with Azamara is a favorite of ours. We love the ship size (<694 passengers) which is small enough to get to great destinations and large enough to have first-rate entertainment, wonderful spa, and other amenities. Service has always been exceptional and was on this cruise as well. Dining options are varied and excellent, especially the two specialty restaurants (Aqualina & Prime C), Chefs Tables, and interesting specialty dinners. Azamara also stays more nights in ports, a feature that allows passengers lots of options including taking advantage of interesting alternatives offered by the cruise line. One of the reasons I chose this trip was the option to fly from Bangkok to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat; it was amazing. I love Azamara’s focus on culture, flexibility to offer wonderful value-added (sometimes impromptu) experiences, and casual yet high-end vibe. To read more about my reflections of the trip, just click to the next entry.
This morning we arrived in Halong Bay – long on my travel bucket list. For years I wondered where this beautiful landscape existed . . . . a favorite with movie directors (think James Bond). Eventually, I figured out it was Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. But, more on that with my next post.
Today, we decided to make the long three-plus hour trek into the interior lowland city of Hanoi. I mean, we are in Vietnam, we have to make the effort. So we boarded a cramped bus (Americans are much bigger than the locals, who I’m sure are very comfortable), that sped along passing every vehicle in sight, honking each and every time. It’s apparently the law here – with all the motorcycles, etc., drivers honk to let others know they are being passed. Read More
One segment of the escalator. Sloped portions without steps are called Travelators.
Hong Kong. It’s bustling and surprisingly clean for a city this size. Well-dressed business people walk rapidly along the elevated sidewalks through the transit stations and ride the Central Pedestrian Escalator – right along with nannies pushing red-haired babies, students and tourists of all ages.
It’s about 7 minutes (and $2.50 HKD) to take the Star Ferry between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.
The ferry docks at Hong Kong Island.
In the past, we’d seen the iconic sites of Hong Kong, so today we ventured across the Harbour and spent the morning and early afternoon just walking around. Our one agenda item was to take the escalator – at 800 meters, one of the longest people movers in the world; and there’s no charge. In the morning, the corridor runs down and then, from 10-midnight, reverses to uphill for the 85,000 daily users. We went up a good portion of the 21 sections, until construction at the Mosque Street entrance blocked us from going farther. On the way back down, we were under our own steam, and this humid day was getting warmer by the minute. We took a circuitous route, but managed to go through the trendy SOHO district featuring restaurants sure to please any palate in the world. Gastropubs share narrow streets jammed with mid-eastern, Italian, Argentinian, American-style Burgers and Asian offerings (to name just a few) for every taste and pocket-book. The chains were there as well; you never went far without seeing a Burger King, Micky Ds, Pizza Hut or 7-11.
Walking along the famous Hollywood Road, we window-shop along some of the few remaining antique shops tucked in among the galleries and boutiques. After seriously considering some antique (?) hair pins I decided I am way too uneducated a consumer to spend that kind of money. So we moved on down the road to the Man Mo Temple, built in 1847, with a history that includes time as a courthouse and community center. Heading back to the ferry docks, we passed street markets, blocks shaded with tall green trees, and construction everywhere, always with traditional bamboo scaffolding.
Looking back across the harbour towards Kowloon.
Hot, tired, and getting hungry, we eventually made our way back to the hotel, which had given us a generous late check-out time. After changing and trying to cool off, we headed to the nearby Ocean Terminal and boarded the Azamara Journey for new adventures in the Far East.
