Month: October 2013

Gosh it’s Halloween back home.

The way to see Yangshuo and the surrounding villages is by bike and rafting on the Li River and the Yu Long river, which is the nearest to our hotel.
Today we took bikes from the hotel and cycled into Yangshuo town which is about 3 km. The town has its tourist district so we headed for that. Lots of restaurants and shops and cobbled streets and little lakes. The main road “West Street” leads down to the Li River.
Yangshuo is a tourist destination, mainly for the Chinese, although there are quite a few Europeans around. As we have found for ourselves it is not the easiest place to get to, so is not really on the map for most European tour operators, which is ok by us.

The attraction to this part of China are the limestone “Karsts” which were formed in the same way as Halong Bay in Vietnam but these are on land not out at sea.

Headed out of town to find the scenic route back to the hotel along the Yu Long river. Bums really sore now but made it back ok.

Up early as we are not too sure to where we should catch a bus. Two options, Guilin, a big town about an hour from where our hotel for next few nights is situated or Yangshuo where we are actually staying. Info and travel forums on the internet varies a lot. Buses to Guilin are every half hour ( amazing considering it is a 430 km journey) and start at Langdong bus station we think, which is five minute from our hotel, which is why we chose it. Some info states that these buses start at another station. We also think it might be possible to get a direct bus from Nanning to Yangshuo which would be great but these are less frequent. Some forums and info dispute that there is a direct bus. Before breakfast we head for the concierge who has good English and is really helpful. After a few phone calls she confirms that there are four buses direct to Yangshuo, 10.00 and 11.00 plus two in the afternoon.
Downed a quick breakfast and headed for the bus station to find the normal manic situation. Millions of people going somewhere. Queued for ticket( had most info we needed written in Chinese, no hope in English at the bus station) but could only get on the 11.00, so had to hang around for hour and half. For the last two days on our travels we have not come across a single Western person. We are not on the normal “backpacking” trail, even they don’t come this way. Are we mad?
Five and a half hour journey and arrived in Yangshuo. A few taxi touts around so phoned hotel and they spoke to a taxi driver on our behalf.
Had a nice dinner at our rustic “Tea Cosy Hotel”and as usual ordered too much.
The last two days of bus journeys have been great fun but have caused quite a few moments of anxiety and we are both pleased that we only have one more bus and train trip left which will be to Hong Kong.

We left Hanoi on the 9.30am bus to Nanning in China. We understood from the travel agent who sold us the tickets that this would be the same bus all the way to Nanning. The scenery started a bit dull, but by the time we reached the border we decided we’d seen some of the prettiest scenery in Vietnam. Tiers of rice paddies through the hills, really lovely.

We arrived at the border 3 hours later, took our luggage off and took an electric car to Vietnamese passport control. Passed through there without mishap and then dragged our luggage up and down hills and slip ways to the Chinese passport control. Again no problems, THEN we look for our bus. A little Vietnamese man, who was on our bus, kept beckoning us to follow him. We hovered around for several minutes before we decided to follow other travellers down hill and dale. There was absolutely nothing in English, very few people had any English and we were the only non Asians we’d seen so far today. Eventually, Paul was wandering around a car/ bus park looking for our bus, I was guarding the luggage, when someone said ‘Nanning’to us and pointed at a building. We looked inside and found a waiting room. Two people here were able to help us with a little English, apparently we didn’t take the same bus, now we would be on a Chinese bus, pink, not green they said laughing at us! Now I had lost my reading glasses and neck rest, both left on the old bus, which I was going to collect when I got back on it! Also left the food that we’d bought for the trip! Live and learn! Now we had another 3 hours on a new bus to Nanning.

We arrived in Nanning at 6pm, tried to get a taxi to our hotel! That was a bit hectic. In the end I asked some girls who were doing a promotion outside a shop if any of them spoke English. One girl was very helpful and after about 20 mins we found a taxi. We didn’t have a clue where we were going. Nanning is a huge city, and still we were the only non Asians. After 15 mins in the taxi and a fare of £3, we arrived at our hotel. The Grand Soluxe Nanning. Our room was enormous and the bed must have been 8” wide.

We ate in the hotel, as we were too tired to venture out

Our last day in Hanoi, and therefore Vietnam. We were at a bit of a loss what to do as we understood that the National Museums/galleries were closed today. Anyway we opt for a walk around the lake. I saw that there was a Catholic Cathedral nearby and Hoa Lo Prison. We wander off in search of these. We find the Cathedral first which is open everyday between 9-12am and 2-5pm, good news, BUT at 11.00am it’s closed! A few photos of the outside, looks a bit worse for wear, but that’s common in Vietnam, where buildings grow black mould in the humid atmosphere.

From here we went to Hoa Lo prison, built by ‘The French Colonialists’ in 1886, to house communist sympathisers of Ho Chi Minh. The Vietnamese propanda machine is in full flow, and the anti French rhetoric goes on and on. It does flow into anti Japanese and then of course the US. Actually it was very interesting and quite well laid out, if a bit heavy on the antis. The North Vietnamese did, according to the info, treat the American Pilots they shot down very well!!

After this we managed a little lunch near the Cathedral. We then set off to find Coffee Street. It seems to us that each street in The Old Quarter, specialises in a product. We’ve seen silk street, cotton street, stainless steel street, Bamboo street, sun glasses street and coffee street. The trouble is we couldn’t find coffee street again! Don’t know where they’ve put it! We’ll have another look tonight when we go out to eat. Quite fancy The Orchid, which is also a cookery school. They can usually be relied on to provide tasty food and use hygiene!

We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Vietnam especially this manic City of Hanoi, one has to see it to believe it.

Irene was up at 6 am for a spot of Tai Chi on the top deck as the sun came up. Boat also set sail again.
Cup of coffee and a croissant at 7am for a 7.30 excursion to a “Floating Village”. There are about 60 family’s in all and even a small school. They fish, oyster farm and produce cultured pearls. Some existence as they are about 2 hours from the mainland. We were paddled around the whole village for about 45 minutes.
Back to the boat for the trip back and were provided with another 5 course “brunch” they called it. Noodle soup, curry, full English, toast etc and fruit, and it was only 9.30 then.
Quite a trip.

We were picked at 8.00 am for what turned out to be a four hour drive by minibus to Ha Long Bay, the last third being on roads in the course of reconstruction.
Boarded our boat the “Syrena” at about 1.00 and were told that the four of us that had travelled from Hanoi were the only passengers for this overnight cruise. The boat has 17 cabins all doubles. There were about 8 crew we think.
As we headed out to the Karsts we were given lunch, about 6 courses.
Totally stuffed we got into our tender that is towed behind the boat and visited some caves. Massive chamber in part of it.
Next, to one of the Karsts that had a little beach and steps to the top to a great viewing point.
Sun now beginning to set so back to the boat for a shower and sundowners. The boat stayed put overnight.
Dinner was as much food as lunch but somehow managed most of it, washed down with a bottle of Vietnamese Red “Dalat” wine. Not great but have to try the local stuff.
After dinner watched a movie called the Quiet American with an elderly Michael Caine, based in Vietnam at the beginning of the end for the French.

Set off to visit the Ho Chi Minh Museum and his Mausoleum and a few other museums. Research was crap as most museums are closed on Fridays and Mondays, neither of which are we going to be here. Therefore the Military Museum and the Old Citadel were a no no. At least the HCM Museum was open and worth a visit. The Mausoleum is closed for renovation .
The whole area was interesting as it is in complete contrast to the Old Quarter. Wide tree lined streets, embassies, government buildings etc.
We were not allowed to stop and look at some of the buildings in one particular street, police blew their whistles and waved their batons for us to move on. These buildings stretched for a kilometre and were all behind walls with police everywhere. Photos totally taboo.
Ended up at another lake for a beer stop before walking back.

Off early in the morning to Ha Long Bay. Will be out of wifi contact for a couple of days.

Our hotel is in the Old Quarter and near Hoan Kiem Lake. It is a noisy and hectic part of the City and the place to be to see Hanoi.
Spent the morning wandering around the Old Quarter taking in all the sites and sounds. Walked around the lake, went to the Ngoc Son Temple on an island in the lake which serves three religions. Bordering the Old Quarter is the Opera, Stock Exchange and the Museum of History. French architecture in this part of the city. Lots of little cafes and restaurants everywhere, some more desireable than others and of course street food and street markets.
Bought tickets for the Hanoi Water Puppet Theatre for the 2.15 performance. Found the ticket office for our bus trip to Nanning, China, on the 29th and reserved our seats plus taxi pick-up to the bus station.
Water Puppet performance lasted an hour and was worth the effort,very clever.
Water Puppet video

We took to our bicycles again to pop down the road to the UXO visitor centre. (Unexploaded Ordinance). This is a centre that should be in the centre of town not on the edge. The place is a little scruffy. Exhibits explain the reasons why there are so many UXO’s in Laos and where, funnily enough not just along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Also watched a short film. The economic life of rural Laos depends on the ordinance being cleared otherwise farming and agriculture, the life blood of the villagers, cannot develop. It is very dangerous to work the land, someone is killed every day of the year and many maimed especially children.

A monument to a former President Was also nearby so paid our respects

Back to hotel for final swim and to pack. Our flight to Hanoi not until 5pm so hotel let us keep the room until late. Not looking forward to our Laos Air flight. Everybody talking about the Laos Air crash a few days earlier of a similar turbo prop plane as ours that ended up in Mekong whilst trying to land in bad weather.

Arrived Hanoi safely and transferred to hotel by taxi ( no problems with driver). Had a spot of dinner at the roof top restaurant.

Will explore tomorrow

We decided to do the town today by bicycle, the hotel has complimentary ones. We went first of all to Ock Pop Tok an ethical weaving centre 2 k’s out of town. Delightful spot beside the river. They weave from silk and cotton at the centre and also supply the villages with the raw materials for them to it themselves. All proceeds pay the weavers and spread the work to even more villages.

More info on Ock Pop Tok

Cycled back into town and had liquid plus stir fried lunch. On to the royal Palace which used to be the residence of the Royal Family but is now a museum. Also in the grounds there is a beautiful temple like building that houses the LP Buddha’s carriage. Hot day cycling so back for the daily dunk. Went to a restaurant called the 3 Nagas in the evening.

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Walked the high street and down to the Khan River which flows into the Mekong and stopped for a beer. Visited the most important Wat the Wat Xiengthong, very old of brick and wood with lots of murals and mosaics.
Walked back along the banks of the Khan and found the steps up to the Pou Si hill with it’s Stupa at the top and a great view over the town.
Back to hotel for a swim and cuppa.
Found a great restaurant called the Tamarind, had a set menu for two which included first course, tasting dish with dips, mains, puddings and beer all for 120,000 Kip each which is about £9.00 per head. The best cooking we have had so far (apart from that we cooked at school of course).

The Tamarind Restaurant

Wat Xeingkhong information

Stupa information

Spent the day exploring the town to orientate ourselves. We have nearly four days here and Luang Prabang is not that big, all accessible on foot.
Soon realised than we were lucky to have hit the day/night of a special festival where boats are made of bamboo frame, covered with paper and decorated with dragons on top with lots of candles. These are then paraded throug the town after it gets dark, lots of banging of drums and general celebration.the whole town is alight with candles, oil lights and Chinese lanterns set into the night sky. A fantastic spectacle

Festival information

Booked a restaurant with a nice first floor balcony and watched the spectacle from there.

Up ar 6.30 for 7.0 breakfast and on board for 7.30 for the nine hour second day of the trip on the Mekong to Luang Prebang in Laos.
We had two stops today, another Hill Village and some caves that are Temples to the Laos people.
The slight difference between the two villages is that the second makes a little income by making and selling cotton weaved products and are a little more advanced with respect to their cultivation of food, they have small gardens to grow vegetables etc.

The two day trip was really enjoyable, a nice little bunch of fellow travellers, great scenery and the only way to see Laos countryside and river life and the days passed really quickly.

Off we go on our 2 day trip down the Mekong to Luang Prebang in Laos.
We were collected from our hotel at 8.00am and taken to the Thai immigration and passport control area on the Thai side of the river. Mainly backpackers but a few oldies. Our boat trip owner checked that all our documentation was OK, so although it was a bit manic on the Thai side and even more so across the river on the Laos side all was sorted without too much fuss. Paid up our $35 for our entry visa, loaded into a Tuk Tuk and ten minutes later we arrived at our boat for the journey. It turned out that there would only be nine of us on board so we had plenty of room. At about 10 am we set off.

Laos immigration

We had a short stop at a Hill Village on the way. They are generally self sustaining, fishing, farming( bananas, rice, teak,)

Back on board and a few hours later we arrived at our overnight stay in Pak Beng. All boats must stop overnight so this place can get quite crowded. Lots of hostels and guest houses and quite a lot of “restaurants”

We had two English, two German and three Italians on board plus our Laos host, Car.