Halong Bay

Am on Cat Ba, close to the Halong Bay, and just wanted to share the following pic's from yesterday and today with you...

Cave we visited during the first day:


Sunset over Halong Bay:

Views from day two:

Countryside we cycled through this morning:


Beach where we had lunch and time for some kayaking and a swim:

One of the friends we met on monkey island:

Can't even say how lucky I feel - and with such a weather!!!

Sapa and Bac Ha (North West Vietnam)

Over the week-end I went up to the mountains in Northwest Vietnam, taking the night train from Ha Noi to Lao Cai. From Lao Cai then a bus transfer to Sapa. Sapa is a lovely mountain resort, which the French already enjoyed in the 1920's.

The views up there are stunning - hills and lots of terraces in which the locals grow rice and corn. On Saturday I walked (for those who know me, yes be surprised!) walked to the nearby village of CatCat and then on to waterfalls. 3km down hills and the same 3km up again. And yes I resisted taking a motorbike up - although one was offered every 3 minutes on average! And all this in the sun, with very little shade on the way...

In Sapa there was the weekly market, where also local minority groups come and sell their hand made products. They make very nice cushions and bed covers - well done with a lot of details. Most of the tissues are made out of hemp and dyed in indigo. In Sapa there are mainly Black Hmong, in beautiful indigo cloths.

The next day, I went to Bac Ha, a famous mountain market, which only takes place on Sundays.

Locals here have much more colorful closes than in Sapa and are colled Flower Hmong. Here we got to see the full weekly market: vegetables, fresh fish (still alive in water basins), freshly slaughtered buffaloes and pigs, but also lots of handy craft, mainly sold to all the tourists who come there.

As said the countryside is stuning and at times reminded me of the "prealps fribourgeoises". The vegetation is different but the scenery is similar I found... but maybe its a hidden access of homesickness?!

Speaking to the local girls while bargaining with them was much fun, although exhausting. The standard sentence was "You buy from me".

All in all a nice trip to the country side. I arrived back in Ha Noi this morning and am off to Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island tomorrow.

(am in Halong Bay, only got to publish the pictures and post from here)

Exploring Ha Noi

I can now report that the bottle of water is getting cheaper and cheaper by the day! From more than 50'000 at the airport (no we are not calculating how much too much that was!) over 20 and 10'000 yesterday to 8'000 for a big bottle today. Am curious what it costs once I hit the countryside outside Ha Noi.

I have spent the last few days walking through Ha Noi. It is a very pleasant city to discover as all is in walking distance. Crossing the roads is at times challenging with all the motorbikes going in all directions; but if you take your time, you always manage to get to the other side of the road.

The old quarters are fascinating, with their tiny but high houses. Each road is dedicated to a specific handicraft. My hotel is next to the "Plåtmakargatan" (metal craft works) and it is impressive to see all the things they do and sell.

I am not going to list all museums, temples and other sights I have seen. Have a look at the pictures... there are some comments on some of them, explaining what they show.

There are some amazing trees I have come a cross:

more of them under the following link.

Tomorrow night I am off to Sapa in the north west of Vietnam.

Exchange rates, fear of flue and other thoughts

Having spent the last 24 hours travelling from Dubai to Hanoi via Hong Kong, it is interesting to note how people react differently to the current threat of "global flue". Most surprising to me are the people who on one side wear a protection mask (or whatever they are called) and on the other hand stand so close to you in queue that they constantly push you forward. But I guess, my way of looking at it (don't panik, but don't get too close to any stranger either) must be as surprising to them as their behaviour is to me....

Speaking of boring travelling, I can report that Hong Kong airport has a very nice lounge, cum shower, cum internet access, cum 15 minutes head and shoulder massage, cum breakfast bar which I really can recomend. It's expensif, but oh what a bliss to just sit down and relax. The perfect way to spend 6 hours of waiting for the next flight!

Taking the taxi in Hanoi was also a new experience for me. Constant tut, tut, slaloming, taking over on the right, the left, in the middle, with about 50cm, no 25cm margines on all sides... whow! And arriving at the hotel I was told that my room was not available, but that I was going to stay my first night in a different hotel. So hop, on a motorbike, luggage in front, Erika behind and off we go throught the busy roads... no time to reflect on traffic safety, helmet or anything!

Ah yes, the topic was exchange rates... just to say that I am heavilly training my "Kopfrechnen"... moving from an exchange rate of 3:1, to 6.5:1 and then to 18.000:1 needs some mental gymnastic. And I had better train quickly on the the xxx amount divided by 18'000 otherwise I will stay an easy target to cheat on. Yes I have to confess, buying my first bottle of water in Hanoi was a complete failure... it can only get better - it will have to and quickly...

My days in Dubai

My first days on tour come to an end.... I have spent some wonderful moments with Patrick and his family in Dubai. Except that Dubai is one big construction site (new roads, new buildings and whole new areas everywhere) it has some very nice spots. And having "locals" showing them to you helps a lot. Thanks Patrick, thanks Chunhui!

Over the week-end we went camping with sleeping on the beach, BBQ and camp fire. We went snorkling and got to see many turtles. And on the 2nd day we went to Oman to drive up a Wadi (dry river bed). The scenery was just unbelievable! Rocks, mountains, a few trees and many goats climbing the rocks everywhere.

There are more pictures of my stay in Dubai under the following link.

Today I am off to Vietnam via Hong Kong and will start with exploring Hanoi for a few days.