Northern Vietnam - Ha Long Bay & Ha Noi

My English speaking receptionist managed to find me a one day tour of Ha Long Bay.  I was hoping for a two day boat tour but then I wouldn't have time to go to Sapa which is at least a two day trip.  So, I booked the one day and as it turned out, I wasn't able to get a Sapa tour (Tet strikes again).  Zen.

Anyway, Ha Long Bay is beautiful.  Close to the mainland there are these towering limestone pillars (karsts), with little bays and caves scattered about.

Three hour bus to the dock.  Then we boarded our boat and immediately had lunch while we cruised to the good stuff.  Lunch was good.  Steamed Shrimp, Fried Salad rolls and fish cakes for appys, followed by octopus salad, chicken and rice and cabbage.  We all ate super fast so we could go out on deck and start taking pictures.

There are so many boats around the pillars that I don't think I have one photo that doesn't have at least one boat in it.  I decided it added to the scenery and shows scale.

Typical tourist boat

First view

Our first stop was at a huge cave.  History! According to our guide, it was discovered in 1993 by a guy chasing a monkey who ducked into a hole at the top.  In the history, this guy is a hero but I like to imagine the story from the other side, where that monkey was hated by everyone in his troop for wrecking the best monkey hidey-hole in the world.

Much like fireworks, caves don't work that well in pictures but here goes anyway.  The cave is named Ascending Dragon for a rock formation inside that looks like a dragon.  I took a picture but honestly, I can't figure out which one it is so just pretend you see a dragon in one of the following.

Monkey escape hatch

After the cave, we cruised around the karsts.  

These are a big draw apparently.  They are called the fighting cocks 

the one on the right does look a bit like a chicken, I suppose

This rock is on the 200K VND bill

Then we docked near a small bay and took small bamboo boats into the bay.  There were two caves that we entered.  Well, more like inner lakes inside karsts but with cavish openings.

Add caption

Bamboo Boats

Then back to the dock and the bus back to Ha Noi.

(Stop to online check in for my flight in less than 24 hours.  The neighbours were so loud all evening.  It sounded like they were having a family dinner/fight directly under the air vent in my room.  At midnight, they were just getting louder and more yelly and I couldn't take it anymore. I yelled at the vent as loud as I could to 'STOP YELLING AT EACH OTHER, IT'S MIDNIGHT'.  And miraculously, it worked.  Immediately, the tone shifted and then within a minute or two they all left.)

But I digress...

The last two days have just been exploring Ha Noi, eating, going to shops but not buying much.  Some more coffee and another little painting.  When I was on my flight from Hue to Ha Noi, the in flight magazine had a feature on some of the traditions of Vietnamese New Year (sadly, nothing about the fires) and they mentioned that every household buys folkart for their walls.  It is simple art that anybody could afford, with scenes of daily life.  They showed an example of a farm animal and I loved it but I hadn't seen anything similar previously.  Probably because I was in touristy areas.  But I found a little shop with all of the usual paintings.  But on a shelf stacked in the back, I found a pile of little paintings of farm animals.  I bought one, a pink bull on a purple background with a farmer wearing red pants.  Alas, no picture and it is already packed.  But here is the shop.

Here are a bunch of photos from around Ha Noi.

buying coffee beans

The red bridge on a normal day

venturing into a sketchy neighbourhood

I don't know what this was but that chili sauce was blazing!

Catholic Cathedral, I didn't go in

Last picture of the night, this is my street right outside of my hotel
it is packed, the restaurants extend into the street and the pedestrians take over.
I am genuinely worried that I won't be able to get a taxi down here
when I have to leave with all of my bags

And here is the next morning, same street, like no one was ever there

I almost lost my mind in this pottery shop
but I bought NOTHING!

In front of the Catholic church

Coffee store cat

Well, that's it for now.  I have today to kill and then I head home tonight at 11pm (local time).  But I have to pack up and have my bags out of my room so this will likely be the last post before I get home.   

See you at work on Monday.