Episode 8: Hanoi and Halong Bay
Halong Bay
People’s monument at Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
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January 6, 2000 HanoiThe last you
heard from me we were still in Hanoi, about to take
another excursion out of town. We took a tour bus,
arranged by one of the many traveller’s cafes, to the
Perfume Pagoda, so named because it is an area of trees
& flowers, hence perfumed. We drove for 3 hrs to the
small town of My Duc where a flotilla of small iron
dugout canoes, newer versions of the wooden boats we saw
elsewhere, were waiting with women to row us down a
shallow stream filled with water plants and flanked with
karst hills, similar to those we saw in Vang Vieng. Karst
hills are the after effect of the collision of continents
that formed the Himilayas. What is left are the tips of
limestone mountains on a sinking plateau, and so they are
full of hidden caves. The area is full of temples, built
to commemorate a hero and pagodas, places of worship.
The trip was very peaceful, sitting admiring the
scenery and watching the people harvesting
water plants for animal feed, scooping snails in baskets
and preparing watery fields for planting. We stopped
after a short distance to see a temple and who should
join us there but a covey of young girls carrying plastic
containers of cold drinks to sell to us at inflated
prices. Unfortunately, one of my nicknames for Vietnam is
the country of hard sell. One ‘no thank you’ is not
enough. They keep hoping to make the sale of a lifetime.
Sigh.
Anyway, we escaped back to the boats and travelled
another 1 1/2 hrs to the foot of a mountain. We
disembarked and climbed for 1 hr up steep stairs
conveniently built all the way to the main pagoda located
inside a huge cave. I was amazed that everyone made it,
even the Japanese man who consumed several cans of beer
on his boat journey and chain smoked. The drink girls
made it up, and down too. Back we went down the river and
5 minutes before the end our rower starting reminding Ray
he was supposed to give a tip. We landed and gave her
what we thought was appropriate, but she was not
impressed. She was still berating us as we escaped to the
bus. Slightly soured the peaceful mood of the day.
The next morning, Wednesday 30 Dec, found us on
another early morning tour bus, this time bound for a 3
day trip to Halong Bay & Cat Ba island. It was a 4 1/2
hr journey in the bus with a brief stop at a restaurant
& disabled person’s workshop. They sew silk garments
and do beautiful emboidery on tablecloths. They also do
intricate embroidered pictures on silk, if you like that
kind of art work.
At Halong Bay we had lunch then boarded a tour boat
for the 4 hr trip to Cat Ba Island. Halong Bay is on the
South China sea and is filled with about 3000 karst
islands of all sizes, Cat Ba, being the largest. The day
was hazy so the visibility was limited, but it was still
an impressive sight. About 1 hr out we stopped to visit
the Cave of Marvels, Hang Dau Go. This is 3 huges caverns
that have been recently decked out with coloured lights
and safe stairs for tourists. The Vietnamese Army used
these caves in the 1970s as part of the defense of Hanoi.
We reached Cat Ba harbour just as an armada of fishing
boats were leaving for the evening. The harbour was full
of boats of all kinds, many of which are permanent homes
for their owners. Our hotel was one of many that line the
harbour front. Cat Ba seems to be trying somewhat
successfully, to affect a mediteranian air with a long
boardwalk a new entrance gate and fountains. We rather
liked it.
That evening everyone was in a holiday mood in
anticipation of New Year’s Eve. We joined a goup in an
open air bar on the harbourfront & toasted ourselves
as it was Ray & my 34th wedding anniversary. All
these young kids were impressed that: 1) we were still
together, and 2) we were travelling the same way they
were.
The next day we were promised a long hike in the
National Park to have lunch in the small village of Viet
Hai. Over 30 people piled into a bus to the park
entrance, first stopping at the Trung Trang cave along
the way. The Italian family we had met in Sapa were also
with us on Cat Ba and asked us if we would take their
son, Aluna (almost 6), with us while they waited outside
with Tessa (almost 3). This turned out to be quite an
adventure. The huge cave has a bunker built inside it
that served as a secret hospital during the Vietnamese
war. The group was quite large and the way was lit only
by one man at the front of the group and another man at
the tail end of the group, each holding a small light on
the end of a pole. A few people had small flashlights,
but it was dark. Aluna even let me hold his hand as we
climbed stairs and ramps up several different levels to
the top of the bunker. There we saw a secret tunnel
leading to the top of the hill where there were cannons
to defend the structure. When we made it back to starting
point Aluna was full of excitement & Tessa’s nose was
definitely out of joint since she missed out.
We continued to the park entrance where some people
opted for a short hike, while the
majority, about 29 of us, followed our guides into the
jungle and up the hills. It was a challenging hike as we
climbed up steep rocky paths that led over 4 hills. Part
way along our guide realized that part of the group had
gotten ahead of him. He was rightfully worried as there
were several spots where trails intersected and it would
be easy to take the wrong turn. The guide left us in the
care of his assistants while he tried to locate the
splinter group. It wasn’ t until we were out of the
jungle and at the edge of the village that we got word
that the group had passed that way and were not lost. So
we all made it, after 4 1/2 hours, we reached the village
and our lunch. Aluna walked the whole way himself, but
much to Tessa’s displeasure, she rode on her father
Piero’s back most of the way. He must have been tired.
From the village it was an easy 1 hour walk to a small
harbour where we met our boat ride back to Cat Ba harbour. The
bay was too shallow for the boat to come in so we were
ferried out 8 at a time in the small local fishing boats
used in that area. The are made of woven bamboo coated
with tar to make them watertight and are rowed by a
person, usually a woman, standing up. They seemed a
little tippy & rickety, but we made it to the waiting
boat. We started out only to go aground twice. There was
much loud shouting by the crew and running around pushing
off with a long bamboo pole before we made it to the
deeper waters. It was a pretty ride back through the
small islands surrounding Cat Ba and we arrived after
dark to see all the boats in the harbour lit up and the
crew cooking their dinner on little stoves on board. I
must say it was a little disconcerting to watch a crewman
guide the boat in using a small flashlight, but we didn’t
run into one other boat and didn’t crash into the harbour
wall.
After our supper at the hotel, we went looking for the
best New Year’s celebration. The locals were all at a
local bar listening to a band play to recorded music.
What strikes me as different between this crowd and one
at home is that nobody dances & they all just listen
politely. I guess dancing is not politically correct. We
ended up joining a group from several tour groups, some
Aussies, our Italian friends, some Americans, some from
France and an English girl. Everyone was in high spirits
and some prepared for the occasion by buying bottles of
local ‘champagne’ . We opened one bottle for a taste. It
was horrible. Shortly before midnight 2 girls, Tamara
& Kate, shook their bottles to ensure a large cork
explosion. Then, while still holding the champagne
bottle, Tamara offered me a drink of some decent red wine.
All of a sudden the bottle exploded, right into my hand
& belly, showering me with champagne. A second later
Kate’s bottle exploded & we all burst into laughter.
The countdown to midnight was made using the town
clock. We went to bed shortly after but some of the
others partied on. I am told several went swimming in one
of the fountains in town and one person climber to the
top. Seems to me I saw pictures like that from a Vermont
bicycle trip.
The next day was the return trip to Hanoi. We were
just pulling out from Cat Ba, when one of the French
fellows realised 2 of his friends were not on board. Oops.
Back we went & retrieved the lost soles. Seems they
were relaxing & waiting to be called. At our lunch
stop that day, Ray & I made another count down &
Happy New Year toast in honour of all you back home
celebrating at that time.
Back in Hanoi that evening we walked over to Hoan Kiem
lake, right near our hotel, where an open air concert was
taking place. More of New Year’s celebrations. They had a
band & a girl singer performing more of the ballads
the Vietnamese are fond of. They were very good and very
clean cut. The band had a type of uniform on, so I don’t
know if they were connected to the military. Once again I
expected loud clapping, cheers and lots of people
dancing, but they were a very well behaved crowd.
Temple of Literature
Lotus ponds
Sunday we visited
the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, started in 1070 to
honour Confucius and those people who passed doctorates
in examinations held every 3 years. It was
a nice peaceful park setting with lotus ponds, sculptures
and clipped bushes. In the afternoon we sat beside lake
Hoan Kiem, killing time until our overnight train ride to
Hue. Once again the Hanoi postcard boys threatened to get
the better of us by not leaving us alone. We left but one
of these days the tourists are going to rise up, shouting
‘enough’.
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