Monday, April 29
Khoa came as agreed 7.00 with Ding as driver. Hung as Hangs sister is taken. It's holidays in Vietnam 27/4, 28/4, 29/4, 30/4 and 1 / 5th First is May 1 the International Workers' Day and 30 April, marking the unification of North and South Vietnam. Therefore, she can go. Khoas wife It also helps with their 2 children. Minh Chau and the smallest of 7 months. First stop is a silk factory, which had many fine finished. We were in Mai Chau at 11:50 and had lunch at 12.30. A good lunch. Then we took a hike with a visit to a school teacher. The second visit was with one, which unfortunately was not home. At 15.30 ride on bad bikes. We try to get them changed tomorrow. Here is an absolutely beautiful countryside that you must admire. It is one of the most beautiful places in Vietnam. At 20:00 we got dinner. There have been no major shopping yet. Again a fantastic dinner. After dinner we went for a walk around the village. We got a rum and coke before we went to bed early. I had told group to Mai Chau was a peaceful place with rural idyll, peace and quiet. But I had not taken into account that while we were here, it was public holiday. It felt like everyone from Hanoi was in Mai Chau. So many people I had never seen before here in Mai Chau. Hoa and Thu runs strong to serve all. The weather is still good. There rests a peace of Mai Chau, despite the many menneskr.
Silk Track snaps
From silk factory
On the way to Mai Chau
Here we lived in Mai Chau
Fun Green File Mark
Mai Chau
Bike ride in Mai Chau
Tuesday, April 30
Today we should have visited a school, but because of the Vietnam holiday for 5 days, the school is closed. So we low an exciting ride. We should føærst have changed bikes. The clay was not, but in the end succeeded. My group are great people. It does not fit with the Vietnamese bicycles. But we got off on an exciting journey through rice fields and white Thai houses. We also came to vøre to the wedding. It was festive. We were there only a short time when the ride should continue. We were back at 11:30 am and got lunch at 12:00. We now had a break at 16:00, where we took the trip. We had a little break, when a heavy rainstorm broke out. The extended break anything. We had thai dance at 19.00 and ate tonight at 20:00 and then we went for a little walk. All was again very tired. So all went to bed at 21:30. The heat + activity causes fatigue. It was a violent thunder and renvejr at night. The lights went several times: This morning there is still little rain.
White Wedding in Mai Chau
Henning, Knud and Lene
Visits by school teacher
School Teacher with child
Canute, Lene, Mona and Henning
Dancers
Dancers
Dancer
Dance
After the dance
Wednesday, May 1
We went from Mai Chau pm. 8.00. Our driver was a little late. At night it had rained a lot. We said goodbye to Hoa and her husband Thu and drove away in dry weather. First stop was the power plant in Hoa Binh. When it was built, supplying the whole of North Vietnam with power - now there are many kraftvæerker to. It is the Black River, which is dammed up. Afterwards we drove to Khoas apartment in Hanoi and ended up eating at the restaurant near his home. We got hot-pot, probably the most polulære eat in Vietnam. After arrival at Camellia 4 we said goodbye to Houng, who had been happy to be along for the ride to Mai Chau. We should have eaten at Thuy, but the group was too tired, so it was just me. It has also been two grueling days, first Tam Coc and Phu Cu and then instantly Mai Chau.
power plant in Hoa Binh
served tea in Thuys parents
At Thuys parents
Thuy and Henning
Haen front of Ho Chi Minh mausulæum
Thursday, May 2
There was a very violent thunder and rain in the night. Now dry weather. We make a little walk here at our hotel. It was for a little shopping! There was bought snake whiskey. Eigil bought 2 bottles påa approximately 1 liter apiece. It infected Knud so he also bought 2 bottles. In "Silk Street" was bought boxers of silk. It was Mona who bought for her grandson. A little further along the street we came into a store with shirts and polo shirts made of fine silk. Canute was first on the field and bought 2 polo shirts. It did Eigil also - so I bought one too. Eigil regretted that he had not bought one bottle of snake whiskey anymore, so we went back and bought one more. We got beer and cake and mango juice at a restaurant on the corner on the 5th floor facing Hoa Kiem Lake. Thuy rang, she would like to eat lunch with us. It was on a rooftop restaurant on the way to our hotel. Kl. 14:00 we check out from the hotel. We must train to Sapa. Khoa will pick us up at 19:00. We bought tickets for the water theater in the afternoon. There are various performances every day. 4 Performances of the day. There is almost always sold out for all performances. We got on well with the train. Canute, Lene, Mona and Eigil in one compartment, Khoa and I in another compartment. We had read on DMI, it would be rain in Sapa. So we feared the worst!
Water Puppet Theatre
Water Puppet