Our tour guide, Zoom (probably not how it's spelled in Vietnamese, but he did say "like your camera"), kindly showed us to our private car and driver...clue #1 that this would be a ballerific day. During the 3 hour drive, Zoom told us lots about the local area and Vietnamese culture:
1. Major exports (coffee beans, cashews, textiles)
2. Motorbike-related accidents per day (in Vietnam): 100. Motorbike-related deaths per day: 36!
3. Major annual rice harvests (1 in the north, 2 in Hanoi and central Vietnam, 3 in the South)
4. Vietnamese funeral rituals (in the countryside the dead are not cremated but buried - with a spoonful of rice and three coins in the mouth - in a temporary plot. After 3 years, the family visits a shaman and asks if it is a good time to gather the dead's bones. If yes, the family digs up the temporary plot, at night, and if the body is sufficiently decayed, this means that the deceased is happy in their next life/new home. If not, then that is very bad luck, and the family must return to collect the bones later. The remaining bones are cleaned, gathered into a clay coffin, and reburied in the permanent family plot. The anniversary of the deceased is celebrated each year by the family with a large party with lots of food).
Upon arrival at Halong Bay Harbor, Zoom escorted us to our private junk, where the chef, captain, and crew waited to take us on a "3 hour tour," very Gilligan's Island. We first docked at a nearby beach to visit two caves: The cave of "Heavenly Palace" and the cave of "Wooden Stakes," where a famous Viet general hid the weapons that defended the country against Mongol invasion centuries ago. The Heavenly Palace cave was filled with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites (yup, we remembered the difference!), illuminated by colored lights and fountains.
After the cave visit, our chef served a much-too-large lunch of seafood spring rolls, squid, fresh fish, stir-fried beef, ginger chicken, water spinach, french fries, and rice. Of course we couldn't possibly finish it all, despite our best efforts. Following lunch, we headed up to the deck to sunbathe and to observe the many islets and even a functioning floating fishing village. It was all very beautiful. Bottom line: Halong Bay is HIGHLY recommended.
In the evening, we were driven back to Hanoi and delivered to our hotel. It's been a long day, and Wisam already fell asleep, so I guess I probably will go to bed, too.
Click here for complete Halong Bay Pics
No comments:
Post a Comment