Monday, April 9
The train journey began Sunday. 23.00 from Saigon, and we have 4-bed compartment. It is luxury when you look at the comfort of those traveling on the cheap tickets. We got a good night's sleep and awoke as the train braked sharply in Na Trang pm. 6.00 in the morning. Breakfast consisted of packed yoghurt and oat biscuits and instant coffee. All morning we followed the varied landscape, very lush green fields, sea and sometimes mountains. The train was delayed, so we were first in Da Nang Monday. 15.00. Here we met and Ming Hang from Hanoi. The two young people have come to be with us for a few days in Hoi An, where we now expect to be able to relax.
Child in the train with a Danish flag
Minh and Hang
Sophal and Hang
Tuesday, April 10
There are a number of small islands near the coast. We sailed out to one of the islands, where we first visited a wood cutter factory, established with support from UNICEF. It served to train cutters. There was of course a wide range of own and other products for sale. The ride went around 3-4 of islands linked by bridges, and the way we visited a brick factory, where all the work was performed at. hand. As an indispensable guide on the trip we had Ahn, a young music student from Hoi An. Back home, we eat lunch and then biked to the beach to swim in the lovely warm water.
Inge and Georg
Hoi An
Fisherman in Hoi An river
Picture from the brickyard
Brick Oven workers
Minh Hang and Sophal
Sophal of the stand
Wednesday, April 11
A day of total relaxation. First pick in the minibus and drove to the harbor where we had our own boat to Cham Island. Participants: Sophal from Cambodia, Hang, Ming, Khoa, Man and Minh Chau from Vietnam, Henning, George and Inge from Denmark. With the boat followed a guide who showed us around and told about the island, which from having been a pristine spot, is now starting to do something for tourism. After enlightenment we sailed to a bounty beach with palm trees and white sand. So was it bathing, lunch and swimming again. We came out in little waves on the way home with water splashing over us, but everything went well and we came home to a much needed nap. In the evening we ate at Luu, mother of the deaf and dumb Chao, whose schooling is sponsored by Denmark.
Man, Khoa and Minh Chau and the back Inge and Minh
Luu, Hung and Huy
Thursday, April 12
Vietnam has many disabled people, both children and adults. Social services are not available, but there are established schools for the handicapped. These institutions are driven by sponsorships from abroad. Village of Hope is a school for hearing impaired and home for orphaned children until the age of 18. The children all come from Da Nang and surrounding areas. The school holds approx. 145 pupils, of whom 40 are hearing impaired. The children from problem families live at the school and attending regular schools nearby. We were received by the school principal, who told a little about the school and answered our questions. Then followed a tour of the classes and the children's rooms. There was room for 10 people each. room, two in each bed. Lovely large rooms with high ceilings, as we see it everywhere, where we come into the home. We had ample opportunity to talk to the kids who wanted to practice their English skills. Lunch was served to us in the staff room next to the children's dining halls, boys and girls separately. Just today was the children's lunch special sponsored by wealthy retirees from Saigon, which would give them a better meal. With us on the trip we had Luu and her daughter Chau. Chau is hearing impaired and have attended school until she turned 18 and was helped in the process of training as a baker. Back in Hoi An we ate dinner at the contractor Sy in his new big three-storey building.
Village of Hope
Student at Village of Hope
Phuc are taught at the Village of Hope
Chau and another student at Village of Hope
Village of Hope
Mao and Sew
Friday, April 13
Farewell to Sophal, who travel back to Cambodia to celebrate the turn of the Rabbit Year of the Dragon Year, 13, 14 and 15 april. We three Danes kept free. Henning went to Da Nang and George and Inge went on the prowl in Hoi An. There are still 35 degrees hot, so we are moving in slow motion. It gives almost more air to cycle, and we are getting used to the special traffic rules that apply here.
Hoi An at 6.00
Hoi port
Hoi An's landmark: The Japanese Bridge
Hoi An beach
Vietnamese girl has got a red jersey from Denmark
Saturday, April 14
The morning offered beach to a very nice seaside hotel with private beach and swimming pool. We had tried to be luxury tourists, but we were nevertheless pleased that we were going back to our hotel in town. Here is a lively place. The hotel is nearly filled up with students from a Norwegian university, which follow a course in economic development in Southeast Asia. There are fortunately quiet at night. We gotta be fresh to see something all the time. From the beach we cycled to a very special restaurant that had only one dish on the menu. Thao, owner of a pair of silver-smith shops, invitation to lunch, even though she was so busy that she barely reached even to eat. On the way home we cycled to Mao's bakery. Mao bakes delicious paper-thin rice cakes which dry in the sun and roasted over the embers. Grate the ladies sitting on the floor and turn the cakes individually. Here is terribly hot. There is probably no labor here! After a little rest, shopping and evening dinner at the restaurant.
Thao and her daughter Mimi
An Bang beach
Hoi An
Mao's bakery. Production of rice cakes
Trang, son, Henning, Moi, George and Inge