Wednesday 14 May
Today was one of many days with a big program so we were up early and ready to leave Hanoi at seven o’clock. We are now on Cat Ba which is our last destination and together with us are the Thang family and Khoa and his wife and little daughter, so the bus was full.
Most of our trips have been on rather bad roads but today the roads were perfect. Nevertheless it took us all morning to get to Halong Bay. Partly because the road leads you through many towns, there was also a lot of traffic and besides we had a couple of errands on the way. They were both in the same town where we first visited a textile factory and afterwards Oanh who used to work there before she was sent to a school for deaf youngsters.
A visit to a textile factory does not sound dangerous – I mean economically – but in the end it was, because there were many things to buy – art, silk and jewels. So once again we were tempted as there were many nice things to be had. While we were there Oanh suddenly came to greet us and we were all happy to see her again. At her home her sister was there too and it was so nice to visit their home. We saw house and garden and had fruit and something to drink before we waved good bye and went on towards Halong Bay which is one of Vietnam’s main tourist attractions.
When we arrived there we noticed at once that we were not the only ones who wanted to go sailing. But we found our boat, got onboard and on our way out we enjoyed the beautiful view from the upper deck. Then it was time for lunch and afterwards we could once again drift upstairs and find a place in the sun or in the shade where we could admire beautiful Halong Bay. A life of luxury! There was only one complaint: We had to share two deck chairs. We enjoyed the sailing to Cat Ba where we arrived at 5.30 pm. and found it just as wonderful as you see it in pictures.
But before we got to Cat Ba we made a stop on one of the many islands in Halong Bay where we saw some beautiful caves. We walked trough the caves and got out somewhere else where the boat picked us up. A little later those who wanted could take a swim while the boat anchored. The water looked very tempting and they enjoyed their swim. WE sailed on and have now checked in at our very nice hotel which is perfectly situated at the seafront and we have watched the sun set behind the mountains. At 8 o’clock we meet to go out to dine and afterwards we can stroll along the sea promenade on this heavenly island.
More pictures from Halong Bay
Thursday 15 May
We had a good night’s sleep and did not have to get up before dawn, but 4 women, Henning, Khoa and Finn started out at eight o’clock on a trek. Kirsten J and the other men had different reasons for not coming along. We had a 20 minute taxi ride across this island that is situated far out in the South China Sea ( and full of roads and houses) before we started our trek. In the middle of the island there is a big national park with trekking facilities but Henning finds the routes too demanding so instead he and Khoa have found another route. We had the impression that it would be very easy but soon realized something else. It was hot –very hot – the terrain was not easy – only to begin with and at the end – there was hardly any shade – there was no wind – phew – but a fine walk for all of us.
Halfway through we had a stop at a house where we could buy something to drink. The owner of the house is a beekeeper and makes a nice whisky with bees and honey that we tasted and liked! Only the daughter-in-law was in when we arrived but before long other guests arrived. They came to see the young woman who had just had her first baby – a little boy who was only about a month old. We enjoyed our cold drinks and before we left the beekeeper’s wife came home and Henning could give her some pictures he had taken of the family last year. The rest of the walk was on ordinary roads and therefore easier walking but in the end we longed to see the sea because a boat with the rest of the group would be waiting for us there. At last when we could see the sea and also the boat we still had to walk to the other side of a bay to get across to where the boat was. Then they put a small rowing boat into the water which had only room for three or four so they had to sail twice. When we got on board a nice lunch was ready for us. After that Kirsten J wanted to get to the hotel and see a doctor as she was not well so the boat sailed to Cat Ba where Kirsten and Leif went ashore. I also went ashore while the rest of the group sailed to Monkey Island to go for a swim. When they were all ashore they were very surprised to see the boat sail away – had they now been left on a deserted island? No, it was not as bad as that. They had just taken the opportunity to sail another group somewhere while the Danes were swimming and they returned after an hour. It was late afternoon when they returned – the temperature had fallen to something more pleasant and we enjoyed a drink and a talk on our balcony before we went out to have dinner at a restaurant where they served food with a European touch to it.
Friday 16 May
We have enjoyed this extra day in Cat Ba. There was no big program, but we have just enjoyed being tourists in a seaside resort. There are three or four beaches here – all artificial, but very nice with sandy beaches and gentle waves – just like you imagine a tropical island would be! We hired deck chairs; we had drinks under palm sunshades – very relaxing! When we left the beach we went past a new luxury hotel with beautiful beach furniture and of course also a very nice sandy beach. We had a little longer to walk back from there, so what does one do, when the sun is baking hot and you have to walk two km? You hire a moped of course – or a back seat on a moped, I should say. After lunch we took a siesta. Unfortunately there was no electricity in the afternoon so there was no air-condition. In the late afternoon we were invited to visit James, who is in the reception at our hotel and is Henning’s contact on Cat Ba. He lives with his family in the outskirts of the town and we had drinks, pineapple and he showed us his very nice house which had three floors and a lovely view towards the mountains from the top floor.
Dorthe, Henning and I made one more visit. I talked to a young woman yesterday who had a stall with pearls and she told me that she had a little girl. I still had one of the cardigans from Fredericia left – a pink one and therefore just right for her little daughter. She arranged that her husband looked after the stall while she took us to her home where her sister-in-law looked after her daughter and her own children. They had very little room but it was clean and tidy and she was very pleased with the cardigan that fitted her little girl perfectly. More family members arrived to say hello, and a picture was taken of the little girl in her pink cardigan. Back at the hotel we enjoyed the lovely view from our balcony while we watched the sunset. Oh yes, we do understand how to enjoy life!
I am at an internet café now and in a while the others will pass by and we shall once again dine at ‘our’ restaurant with the European touch to the food. We have enjoyed the Vietnamese kitchen but we love Danish food, too – especially when you have not had it for so long.
