Dear family and friends,
The overnight train trip from Hue to Hanoi went well. I chatted with the other travellers, watched a movie and slept. I was picked up at the station by the guesthouse rep as planned, got checked in at 5:00 a.m. then back to sleep for a couple more hours. All very comfortable and all went smoothly.
North Vietnam does not appear to be as prosperous as South Vietnam, though I have no idea if that is true. Lonely Planet told me I would be enthralled, that Hanoi has "a unique blend of Parisian grace and Asian pace," but I was not enthralled. The streets are crowded with men sitting on little plastic stools drinking tea and smoking stuff, cigarettes and I think hash. They haul on foot long bamboo pipes right there on the streets. It is an obstacle course trying to navigate the sidewalks. There is not much greenery or anything I would call pretty though Hoan Kiem Lake in the city's historical district is stunning at night. It is lit by hundreds of lanterns and strings of lights hung on the trees surrounding it. During the day it is not much to look at.
After a first day walk around I booked an overnight Chinese Junk cruise around Halong Bay and a 4 day visit to Sapa located in the mountainous region north of Hanoi. For lunch noodles. I was seated at a table with Vietnamese office workers on lunch break. First came a big heap of rice noodles on a plate, then two bowls of broth, one contained several types of cooked meat and tofu, a big pile of green lettuce and herbs and an empty bowl. You use the empty bowl to put broth from either bowl, pull out a wad of noodles with chop sticks and dunk them into the broth, then eat. You alternate this with dipping the lettuce or herbs and chunks of meat. It was good. Nobody at the table spoke English, watching them they taught me the art of eating noodles,Vietnanese style.
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Gulf of Tonkin. It has some 1600 limestone islands that look like jagged pillars jutting up from the water. For the most part uninhabited they make for a spectacular seascape. The day of the cruise started with a 3 hour trip by van from Hanoi. Once there we boarded a small craft that took us to the junk. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate, it rained both days I was there. The wood junk was delightful, well maintained, my bedroom was a good size as was the ensuite. There is a lounge/bar and dining room area and several outside decks. We cruised the bay for about an hour then had a fantastic 6 course lunch, some of the best food I have had in Vietnam. We then went onto one of the islands to explore a cave. The cave, called Suprise Cave, was stunning, I have never seen anything like it. There were three main caverns each one more remarkable then then the last.
After the cave tour it was back to the boat for happy hour and then dinner. Dinner was every bit as good as lunch. When I booked the cruise a couple of girls and a guy from England staying in the same hotel decided to join me. We ordered a couple bottles of wine with dinner. After dinner it was scotch, a few scotch. This all put us in the mood for some karaoke which was available at the bar. You know you have too much scotch when you think the rendition of 'Me and You and a Dog Named Boo' you just sang was particularly soulful.
The next morning we all felt pretty rough. The cruise back to shore quiet. The 3 hour ride back to Hanoi seemed to take forever. I will never forget that night on the junk on Halong Bay singing old songs with new friends. I went back to the hotel the others had a flight booked to Singapore and headed for the airport. I was a little sad saying good bye because I know it likely I will never see them again.
I had one day back in Hanoi before leaving for Sapa. I took the overnight sleeper train and booked it for the return trip as well. I sleep well to the rocking of the train and it saves the cost of a hotel for the night. Getting to Sapa also meant taking a 1 hour bus trip after getting off the train at 4:30 a.m. in Cai La. I had pre booked the bus service and got to the hotel without a hitch. Early check in was available which meant I could sleep for a couple hours.
Sapa a small scenic highland town is located 9 hours by train and bus north west of Hanoi, about 15km from Chinese border. Sitting on a steep slope Sapa overlooks a valley of cascading rice terraces, with the Hoang Lien Mountains towering over on all sides. The view is spectacular. The area is home to five different ethnic hill tribes people. They can be seen all over town wearing their colourful traditional clothing, selling handcrafts and trinkets.
I spent the first day walking around town then joined a group doing 5 km trek up through the hills. We passed through a small village, the villagers were well set up for passing tourists with lots of souvenir stands.
Next day I joined a full day trekking group. We were transported by van to starting point about 10 km outside Sapa then made a 15km loop up through the hills passing through a bamboo forest and villages along the way. The weather was perfect for hiking and the views were incredible. I did another trek the following day the views just as spectacular. The same night I was back on the train for the overnight trip back to Hanoi.
Last night was my last night in Hanoi like a lot of places it looks better at night. I did not see Paris but I saw something. It could be if I had a little more time here I might start to like it.
Today I flew to Bangkok and tomorrow I am heading back to Canada. This will be my last report marking the end of a wonderful trip. I am often asked if I have a favorite place, I do not. I have some really good memories, I seen places I have dreamed of seeing and I hope I can carry a bit of the spirit of the wonderful people I met along the way.
The flight home came up really quick and I had to some shifting around to make to Bangkok in time to get on the plane. It was go tomorrow or wait to go on my planned return date but pay an extra $400. to do so. I miss my family and I am happy to see them 4 days sooner.
Sandy xo
