Saturday, November 20, 2010
Day Twenty-three - Tuesday,November 23rd, 2010 - Return to Ha Noi
We are up for a sumptous breakfast on our luxury Junk at 07:00 am, followed by a trip on the junk's hand-rowed tender to a nearby lagoon, accessed via a low cave that permits entry inside, where the main attraction is a group of monkeys (baboob-like) that scamper up and down the cliff side or just getting into a tree and "shaking the bejeessus" out of it.
Back to the junk for some last minute downloading of photos from all of the group's photographers and saving to an external hard-drive, an early lunch, then we are tendered back to shore and begin the 4 hour trip back to Ha Noi, stopping off at a pearl factory in Ha Long - no takers it seems!
We arrive in Ha Noi around 4:30 pm at the Thang Long Opera Hotel, where we shower and change prior to the last supper at which Binh had thought to provide two birthday cakes, one each for Janet and Dan who turned 39 and 49 respectively today.
For Jean and Fay, Janet and George it was time to set out for the airport and the trip home - the former via Narita (Tokyo) but for the latter via Incheon (Seoul), and wouldn't you know that was the day the bl---y North Koreans chose to attack the South, so no quick trip into the city, instead a 12 hour lay-over in the lounge, but luckily our plane took off without incident. Now we are back home to a winterland of snow and sub-zero temperatures - a world apart.
Back to the junk for some last minute downloading of photos from all of the group's photographers and saving to an external hard-drive, an early lunch, then we are tendered back to shore and begin the 4 hour trip back to Ha Noi, stopping off at a pearl factory in Ha Long - no takers it seems!
We arrive in Ha Noi around 4:30 pm at the Thang Long Opera Hotel, where we shower and change prior to the last supper at which Binh had thought to provide two birthday cakes, one each for Janet and Dan who turned 39 and 49 respectively today.
For Jean and Fay, Janet and George it was time to set out for the airport and the trip home - the former via Narita (Tokyo) but for the latter via Incheon (Seoul), and wouldn't you know that was the day the bl---y North Koreans chose to attack the South, so no quick trip into the city, instead a 12 hour lay-over in the lounge, but luckily our plane took off without incident. Now we are back home to a winterland of snow and sub-zero temperatures - a world apart.
Day 22 - Monday, November 22nd, 2010 - Overnight trip to Halong Bay
It's 3:40 am and someone is rapping on our sleeper doors telling us that we are in Hanoi and to get the heck out of our sleepers - so we do that, ending up on a barren looking platform all bleary-eyed. After some 40 minutes a bus arrives at the station square, which even at that time is "a zoo"!. The bus trip lasts about three hours - so make your washroom plans accordingly (unfortunately there aren't many good options!). We stop off 15 kms from Ha Long Bay for "breakfast" Pho or else. Then we head down to Ha Long Bay where we have a 3 hour wait till we board - someone discovers the BMC Hotel, where they seem glad to see us and we have a second breakfast and blog or play bridge
Day Twenty-One - Sunday, November 21st, 2010 - Bac Ha to Lai Cao and overnight sleeper to Ha Noi
"On Sundays there is a fascinating market attended by all the tribes: Tay, Nung, Dao, Flower H'mong, Giay, Ohu La etc - it's a great opportunity to see the local life style as thousands of people gather to sell produce and socialise. It is a riot of colour as everything from pigs, ducklings and wooden ploughs to scarves, gaily embroidered bags and jewelry are exchanged. The main that you will see is Flower H'mong, the mostclourful one in Vietnam.
After an early lunch we retrace our path back over Bac Ha pass and descend to Coc Ly where we walk ~ two km to board a long boat for a relaxing two hours on the Song Chay (Blue River), passing limestone cliffs and water buffalo on the waters edge. We return to Lai Cai town - literally the end of the line in Vietnam. The town was destroyed in the Chinese Invasion of 1979 (and subsequently rebuilt) andteborder crosing was closed until 1993. Thewe can look across the river to China. After a shower we change prior to dinner, then board the overnight sleeper train to Ha Noi."
Janet buys a silk sleeping sheet at the market for two bucks (that came in very handy later that evenng on the train), while Richard gets his ears lowered for a buck-fifty (three times the going rate for the locals).
Afterward, back over yesterday's pass, we get dropped off at the mouth of a paved country road that quickly becomes rugged red dirt (which later caused a frenzy amongst the shoe-boys at our afternoon hotel) en route to the Song Chay river passing through an ethnic village just before the "dock". We spend a pleasant hour going up then down river before disembarking at the village where we lunched yesterday, only to have another multi-course lunch. Around 3:00pm we arrive at the Thein Hai hotel on the station square in Lai Cao. No sooner have we alighted from the vans than shoe-cleaning boys seeing the red dirt on our Keens - one grabs a shoe, then a second grabs the other and it's not clear who is going to give them back and who should be paid - almost to the point of causing an internatonal incidnet. Anyway we spend a pleasant few hours there, shower and rest, the after a small meal we board the Hanoi sleeper at 6:45 pm. Several bridge players rediscover the pleasure and play until 9:30 pm after we all fall into somewhat tortured sleep.
We hear that there are 5 inches of snow in Vancouver, so we are grateful to be spared that! TTFN.
After an early lunch we retrace our path back over Bac Ha pass and descend to Coc Ly where we walk ~ two km to board a long boat for a relaxing two hours on the Song Chay (Blue River), passing limestone cliffs and water buffalo on the waters edge. We return to Lai Cai town - literally the end of the line in Vietnam. The town was destroyed in the Chinese Invasion of 1979 (and subsequently rebuilt) andteborder crosing was closed until 1993. Thewe can look across the river to China. After a shower we change prior to dinner, then board the overnight sleeper train to Ha Noi."
Janet buys a silk sleeping sheet at the market for two bucks (that came in very handy later that evenng on the train), while Richard gets his ears lowered for a buck-fifty (three times the going rate for the locals).
Afterward, back over yesterday's pass, we get dropped off at the mouth of a paved country road that quickly becomes rugged red dirt (which later caused a frenzy amongst the shoe-boys at our afternoon hotel) en route to the Song Chay river passing through an ethnic village just before the "dock". We spend a pleasant hour going up then down river before disembarking at the village where we lunched yesterday, only to have another multi-course lunch. Around 3:00pm we arrive at the Thein Hai hotel on the station square in Lai Cao. No sooner have we alighted from the vans than shoe-cleaning boys seeing the red dirt on our Keens - one grabs a shoe, then a second grabs the other and it's not clear who is going to give them back and who should be paid - almost to the point of causing an internatonal incidnet. Anyway we spend a pleasant few hours there, shower and rest, the after a small meal we board the Hanoi sleeper at 6:45 pm. Several bridge players rediscover the pleasure and play until 9:30 pm after we all fall into somewhat tortured sleep.
We hear that there are 5 inches of snow in Vancouver, so we are grateful to be spared that! TTFN.
Day Twenty - Saturday, November 21st, 2010 - Sapa to Bac Ha
"We start the day with a fabulous 1,000 m descent (over 30kms) to the Red River valley on the China border. The scenery is spectacular and te biking wonderful - truly a day to remember. we will pass through ethnic villages where the local people wear their traditional colourful clothing. On reaching the river valley we all cycle together through the major town of Lao Cai to access the road to Bac Ha to avoid getting lost. The net 40km is flat until lunch at around the 80km mark. The last 20 km encompasses a 12 km steep (at tims 14%) climb to Bac Ha our final cycling destination".
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Day Nineteen - Friday, November 19th, 2010 - Day off in Sapa
"Much of the attraction of Sapa is the H'mong and the Dzao people who sell their crafts at the market. There is a good selection of cafes, bakeries and restaurants in town, catering to all tastes. You may wish to simply wander around the town and the market, or to hike a short distance (4km) to Cat Cat village, where you will have the chance to see more local craft shops, the lovely waterfall and a short cultural show before returning to Sapa via a steep climb back up to the town."
A FEW STEPS BACK IN TIME TO CAT CAT VILLAGE
A FEW STEPS BACK IN TIME TO CAT CAT VILLAGE
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Day Eighteen - Thursday, November 18th, 2010 - Lai Chau to Sapa
At the start of the day we visit the local market and Marg makes a new friend in this "Silver Dzao" woman, so-called because of the elegant headgear.
Garry and Marg during the long and arduous ascent. Both are very strong riders, but Mike was way ahead - He's the "King of the mountain" while Marg is "Queen of the mountain".
"We continue on our way through scenic hills and valleys with one climb over Giangma Pass, before tackling the Hoang Lien Son Pass (aka Tram Ton Pass), Vietnam's highest at 1900m. [Note to Group 2 - if you haven't been using masks, bandanas, etc., today is a MUST on account of extensive road construction causing red dust plus smoke from outdoor fire pits as well as a cold enveloping mist - We suggest masks are a necessity from Dien Bien Phu onward!] Finish the day with another great descent to Sapa (popn 36,600 plus lots of European tourists, elevation 1650 km). Sapa is in a magnificent setting (so we are told - we arrive in a pea-soup fog) in the mountains and an attractive little town (crammed full of restaurants, including Italian and Indian as well as Pizza parlours). NB Keep a warm jacket and gloves handy for the descent, as it can be very cold at the summit (agreed!)".
We board the bus at the hotel to avoid cycling the Giangma Pass which is reportedly an 11 - 13% grade! En-route to the the top of the pass we visit a local market and have fun trying on
Silver Dzao ethnic costumes, bartering for hats and fancy belts, and taking photographs. The market is very colourful with several ethnic minorities in traditional dress selling ducks, chickens, live pigs, fruit, vegetables, meat and household items. Bingh literally drags Chris back to the vans and we head off into the fog. Gary, Chris and Marg hop on their steeds at 12.6 km, for a short lived downhill just before commencing the climb to Tran Tom Pass. The route is very steep, unsealed and extremely dusty. The whole road is under construction and at times it is almost impossible to see or breathe. Undaunted, we carry on and meet June, Janet, Jean, Faye, Mike and Jim who join us for the rest of the ride to the summit. The dusty, rocky road and chest pain took their toll on Janet, Chris and Faye who elected to rejoin the rest of Group 1 in sick bay and motor to the summit. The fog refused to lift and we can only imagine the magnificent scenery that we are missing. As we approach the summit, the going gets tougher and tougher and the last two km seem to go on forever. Gary is pushing on with about half of his lung capacity. Road construction continues almost to the summit. On arrival we are served a local cup of hot, naturally sweet tea by a local lady in her tarp lean-to. The tea is very much appreciated. Several packets of the dried leaves will be making their way back to Canada. In addition we taste some rice cooked in bamboo tubes and some very tasty BBQ pork. The temperature at the top of the pass is considerably lower than in the valley so we wipe the grime off our arms and legs and put on all our warm clothing for the exhilarating ride to the bottom. As we drop elevation, the fog intensifies and we brake as it is almost impossible to see. The fog is actually like a Scotch mist. Bingh leads us through intersections that we can barely see and finds our restaurant for a wonderful hot lunch. Most of us opt for tea to warm up, but Chris gets the bargain of a lifetime, an amazing large bottle of beer for 1500 dong ($o.75).
Once again we hop onto our bikes and cycle the last km to the Bamboo Sapa Hotel which has wonderful heated rooms and absolutely the best showers we have encountered on our tour. Dinner is a more formal affair than we have experienced to date and we are given time to savour each dish - of which there were many. The local Vietnamese Dalat wine is surprisingly
good.
Day Seventeen - November 17th, 2010 - Sin Ho - Lai Chau
"A very short climb brings us on to the remote Ta Phinh Plateau, where we cycle an undulating road through more superb mountainous countryside. Along the way we pass through several small Dzao ethnic minority villages and are able to see at close quarters how people go about their daily lives. There are several climbs, but some rewarding descents and almost no motor traffic.
WE ARE AMONG THE H'MONG (63 kms and 1,200m total gain).
OK, so they're mainly Dzau minority people up here, but frankly we're having difficulty at times telling them apart, and your scribe dislikes wasting a good headline. The day starts at 6 am with the squealing of a pig being slaughtered next door to our plain but comfortable digs. After a very different breakfast of crepes topped with sliced banana and slathered with honey, and local, somewhat harsh robusta coffee diluted with evaporated milk, we cycle the short distance back to town to visit the market, always bustling at this early hour. We find Red Dzau women, distinguished by their red hair covers, and H'mong women with their black gaiters. The men are indistinguishable, at least to us.
The it's off up the road and into the fog. Eight of us are riding, the rest in various stages of recuperation in the van. The fog places a shroud of silence over everything as we pedal uphill for the first few kms. Thatched houses loom briefly before being swallowed up again in the gloom. 150-200 cc motorbikes, the chief mode of transport up here in the highlands, are barely audible at times, especially in descent. We see no bicycles; without gearing, they're not much good up here. Vietnam manufactures bicycles (without gearing), so to import a decent bicycle with gears results in a very high import duty. School children walk.
The road goes progressively downhill for the next 20 kms to a small roadside market, then starts to climb again. Women are digging out a level foundation for a house while the men folk
chisel mortises in the structure's huge beams. Everyone works. A mother and daughter barter with a vendor for some finely patterned white silk cloth. A future wedding dress?
The road now is certainly undulating, but maily in one direction: uphill. A young lad leads a weasel on a string, a tiny thing with a raccoon-like face, perhaps 4-5 pounds. How much would he sell it for, I ask Bingh later. He says about $5. Clearly protein sells at a premium up here. A man with his young son is sharpening his brush axe on a quartzite boulder in the ditch, the son pouring water to cool the blade.
The people are much much more reserved here, especially women and children. No more "hello, what your name?" Vietnamese is taught in school but is obviously not their first language. Boys carry sling shots, stones, knives and I feel a litttle vulnerable. However, never do they show evil intent, and let's face it, the boys here hunt all nature of wildlife.
The road now passes well above a few villages, visible in clearings below, as it winds its way to the pass. In spite of their isolation, they appear to be served by schools, distinguished by their concrete construction, red roofs and pale yellow walls.
At about 44 kms we reach the pass, now in sunshine, then it's mainly downhill to Lai Chau on the river. There are two towns, the old and new. Our very nice hotel is between the two. It is, as our notes say, a traditional communist-style hotel, but very comfortable and a huge cut above the state hotel in Son La a few days back. The food is copious and delicious. Bia Ha Noi is served in large bottles and we are content.
Notes to Gp 2: There appear to be a few errors and omissions on the tour notes and map. The village of Sin Ho is at about 1200m elevation, and there is a serious 15 km climb over a pass at about 1700m. Lai Chau is at about 900m elev. Dress warmly. No profile was available on the daily map. Guide Bingh says afterwards that this ride is for "professional cyclists". The road is badly potholed in places, and labelled the "road from Hell" by George riding in the van.
WE ARE AMONG THE H'MONG (63 kms and 1,200m total gain).
OK, so they're mainly Dzau minority people up here, but frankly we're having difficulty at times telling them apart, and your scribe dislikes wasting a good headline. The day starts at 6 am with the squealing of a pig being slaughtered next door to our plain but comfortable digs. After a very different breakfast of crepes topped with sliced banana and slathered with honey, and local, somewhat harsh robusta coffee diluted with evaporated milk, we cycle the short distance back to town to visit the market, always bustling at this early hour. We find Red Dzau women, distinguished by their red hair covers, and H'mong women with their black gaiters. The men are indistinguishable, at least to us.
The it's off up the road and into the fog. Eight of us are riding, the rest in various stages of recuperation in the van. The fog places a shroud of silence over everything as we pedal uphill for the first few kms. Thatched houses loom briefly before being swallowed up again in the gloom. 150-200 cc motorbikes, the chief mode of transport up here in the highlands, are barely audible at times, especially in descent. We see no bicycles; without gearing, they're not much good up here. Vietnam manufactures bicycles (without gearing), so to import a decent bicycle with gears results in a very high import duty. School children walk.
The road goes progressively downhill for the next 20 kms to a small roadside market, then starts to climb again. Women are digging out a level foundation for a house while the men folk
chisel mortises in the structure's huge beams. Everyone works. A mother and daughter barter with a vendor for some finely patterned white silk cloth. A future wedding dress?
The road now is certainly undulating, but maily in one direction: uphill. A young lad leads a weasel on a string, a tiny thing with a raccoon-like face, perhaps 4-5 pounds. How much would he sell it for, I ask Bingh later. He says about $5. Clearly protein sells at a premium up here. A man with his young son is sharpening his brush axe on a quartzite boulder in the ditch, the son pouring water to cool the blade.
The people are much much more reserved here, especially women and children. No more "hello, what your name?" Vietnamese is taught in school but is obviously not their first language. Boys carry sling shots, stones, knives and I feel a litttle vulnerable. However, never do they show evil intent, and let's face it, the boys here hunt all nature of wildlife.
The road now passes well above a few villages, visible in clearings below, as it winds its way to the pass. In spite of their isolation, they appear to be served by schools, distinguished by their concrete construction, red roofs and pale yellow walls.
At about 44 kms we reach the pass, now in sunshine, then it's mainly downhill to Lai Chau on the river. There are two towns, the old and new. Our very nice hotel is between the two. It is, as our notes say, a traditional communist-style hotel, but very comfortable and a huge cut above the state hotel in Son La a few days back. The food is copious and delicious. Bia Ha Noi is served in large bottles and we are content.
Notes to Gp 2: There appear to be a few errors and omissions on the tour notes and map. The village of Sin Ho is at about 1200m elevation, and there is a serious 15 km climb over a pass at about 1700m. Lai Chau is at about 900m elev. Dress warmly. No profile was available on the daily map. Guide Bingh says afterwards that this ride is for "professional cyclists". The road is badly potholed in places, and labelled the "road from Hell" by George riding in the van.
by Chris Hodgson
Day Sixteen - Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 - Dien Bien Phu to Sin Ho
"This morning we cycle along quiet, winding roads that snake through the beautiful countryside which characterizes this part of the country - undulating, but not too hilly with stunning panoramas. After lunch keen riders can tackle the climb to Ma Thi Ho pass (in fact no one did, on account of time constraints - some did however ride for 30 km from the top of the pass) passing H'mong settlements en route. You will encounter women in traditional H'mong dress of vibrant embroidered skirts and head-dresses with black leggings and aprons. There is a fabulous descent to Muong Lay. A huge new Hydro-Electric dam is being constructed at Muong Lay and the original town will be submerged by 2012. We drive from Muong Lay (possible road works over the first 20 kms - there were, and how!), climbing very steeply up to the small town of Sin Ho".
Monday, November 15, 2010
Day Fifteen - Monday, November 15th, 2010 - Day off in Dien Bien Phu
Dien Bien Phu: Rest Day
This morning we will take a city tour, visiting the war museum and one or two battle sites (from the French/Vietnamese War of 1954) before exploring the interesting local produce market. You may like to spent the afternoon relaxing or swimming in the pool.
WE ARE FALLING LIKE FLIES
Today is a free day and over half the group breathe a collective sigh of relief. Only 5 out of 14 felt well enough to participate in the Dien Bien Phu City Tour. Actually Rick is well enough in the morning but decides to stand guard over poor Barb who is confined to bed. June starts out the day OK but her sheets are soon to call her. Jim, Peter, Jean and Mike are recovering, while George and Rick are wavering. Fortunately the intestinal bug doesn't seem to last longer than about 36 hours; however, the cold that is spreading seems to drag it's feet.
This morning is an excellent history lesson on the battles fought in 1954 by the Viet Minh to soundly defeat the French stronghold at Dien Bien Phu and end the French presence in Indo China. The English narration in the museum video is difficult to follow but is supplemented by a model of Dien Bien Phu and the surrounding area showing the French fortifications and the step by step advance of the Viet Minh through an elaborate system of tunnels. It gives a very clear picture of the tenacity and determination of the Viet Minh army. The French army was taken completely by surprise, not expecting that the Viet Minh would be able to drag all of their artillary over the very high and steep mountain passes. The Viet Minh used all the ingenuity they had, right down to designing bicycles that could carry up to 375 kg (photo).
Our next stop was at the bunkers which served as French Headquarters. While there, some H'mong tourists are delighted to stand and have their pictures taken with us gringos. Janet and I for once are taller than all of the H'mong people. The women look so elegant in their long black velvet skirts and behive hairdoos and embroidered head-dresses.
The third historical site we visit is the French A1 which was tunneled and dynamited by the Viet Minh with close to a ton of explosives carried over the pass. The explosion created a deep crater almost dead center in the A1 Fortification. The French trenches have been replicated in concrete as well as their bunker war offices.
The local market was just that "local" - not a tourist market at all. Everything and anything could be purchased, including silk-worm wine, snake wine and other "aphrodesiacs". The fruit was of high quality but more expensive that we expected. Durian, dragon fruit, pomelos, mangoes, persimmons, grapes, citrus fruits, star fruit, white pineapple, taro, ginger were a few of the things that we could identify.
We returned to the Him Lam Resort for lunch and a lazy afternoon of clothes washing, sleeping reading and exploring. Group 1 is on the mend as 10 out of 14 showed up for supper.
We're really looking forward to another 100 kms and another serious pass climb tomorrow!
This morning we will take a city tour, visiting the war museum and one or two battle sites (from the French/Vietnamese War of 1954) before exploring the interesting local produce market. You may like to spent the afternoon relaxing or swimming in the pool.
WE ARE FALLING LIKE FLIES
Today is a free day and over half the group breathe a collective sigh of relief. Only 5 out of 14 felt well enough to participate in the Dien Bien Phu City Tour. Actually Rick is well enough in the morning but decides to stand guard over poor Barb who is confined to bed. June starts out the day OK but her sheets are soon to call her. Jim, Peter, Jean and Mike are recovering, while George and Rick are wavering. Fortunately the intestinal bug doesn't seem to last longer than about 36 hours; however, the cold that is spreading seems to drag it's feet.
This morning is an excellent history lesson on the battles fought in 1954 by the Viet Minh to soundly defeat the French stronghold at Dien Bien Phu and end the French presence in Indo China. The English narration in the museum video is difficult to follow but is supplemented by a model of Dien Bien Phu and the surrounding area showing the French fortifications and the step by step advance of the Viet Minh through an elaborate system of tunnels. It gives a very clear picture of the tenacity and determination of the Viet Minh army. The French army was taken completely by surprise, not expecting that the Viet Minh would be able to drag all of their artillary over the very high and steep mountain passes. The Viet Minh used all the ingenuity they had, right down to designing bicycles that could carry up to 375 kg (photo).
Our next stop was at the bunkers which served as French Headquarters. While there, some H'mong tourists are delighted to stand and have their pictures taken with us gringos. Janet and I for once are taller than all of the H'mong people. The women look so elegant in their long black velvet skirts and behive hairdoos and embroidered head-dresses.
The third historical site we visit is the French A1 which was tunneled and dynamited by the Viet Minh with close to a ton of explosives carried over the pass. The explosion created a deep crater almost dead center in the A1 Fortification. The French trenches have been replicated in concrete as well as their bunker war offices.
The local market was just that "local" - not a tourist market at all. Everything and anything could be purchased, including silk-worm wine, snake wine and other "aphrodesiacs". The fruit was of high quality but more expensive that we expected. Durian, dragon fruit, pomelos, mangoes, persimmons, grapes, citrus fruits, star fruit, white pineapple, taro, ginger were a few of the things that we could identify.
We returned to the Him Lam Resort for lunch and a lazy afternoon of clothes washing, sleeping reading and exploring. Group 1 is on the mend as 10 out of 14 showed up for supper.
We're really looking forward to another 100 kms and another serious pass climb tomorrow!
Marg Hurley
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Day fourteen - Sunday, November 14th, 2010 - Son La to Dien Bien Phu
"The scenery from Son La and Dien Bien Phu is breathtaking. An early start gives the opportunity to visit one or two colourful markets. We drive a short distance out of town before starting to ride, with a beautiful 47 km ride through a spectacular valley with towering limestone cliffs, passing many colourfully attired BlackThai minority people, to the foot of Pha Din Pass. We drive over this scenic pass (1,400m) tothe lunch cafe. After lunch we drive for one hour through an agricultural region - sighting many water wheels, a hallmark of the Black Thai minority. The dayfinishes with a 30km descent by bike to Dien Bien Phu, which is famous as the battle site where the French colonial forces were emphatically defeated by the Viet Minh in 1954 after a prolonged siege, signaling the begining of the end of the French
Indochina empire".
Indochina empire".
BLACK THAI PEOPLE AND INVITATION TO A WEDDING RECEPTION
Breakfast at communist Hanoi Hotel is cold french fries (leftovers from last night), white bread, cold sliced hot dogs plus a greasy omelette for the adventurous. We cycle out as soon as humanly possible and within five kms are back into beautiful rolling countryside. Bingh promises today will be even better than the last two and we are not to be disappointed. It is eye candy all the way. Five meter high poinsettias line the road; we encounter a local market selling everything from a water buffalo to beautiful caged birds: parakeets, parrots, some quite rare. For a dollar a bird, Gary is inclined to buy the lot and set them free. The people here are of the Black Thai minority, so named for the black head-bun sported by all married women. Like the White Thai back at Mai Chau, their one-story houses are built on stilts and are of entirely wood construction except for the thatched or galvanized roofs. It seems the entire community, if not at the market, is working the fields on this beautiful Sunday morning. All the family is put to work harvesting, thrashing and winnowing rice and hauling the rice straw off home as animal feed and bedding.
Sunday is the official "day off" in Vietnam and the traditional day for weddings. We pass two in progress and Chris takes a photo of one happy wedding party. They invite him in to share the wedding meal but he explains, thanks to a pretty Vietnamese lady who speaks fair English, that he is supposed to be leading a group and finds himself, as usual, bringing up the rear. He wishes the bride and groom a long and happy life together and that they have many children (not sure the last is really good advice these days in such a crowded country), and is off again. And all this before 10 am! We meet the van at 57 kms and drive to a roadside restaurant in the small town of Tuao Gao. Like all meals, it is at least seven courses, all delicious and ample and many new to us. Hamburger on a stick was the first course.
The we're off again in the van, driving over the 2,000m high Pha Din Pass where the Vietminh in 1954 hauled their cannons to attack and ultimately defeat the French at the famous battle of Dien Bien Phu. We cycle the last 30 kms to the Him Lam resort hotel on the town's outskirts. Many war memorials, Viet Minh gun emplacements and war cemetaries festoon the highway. The Viet Minh lost four million soldiers in the war with the French and, as in the south, war cemetaries are everywhere. Him Lam resort is an older resort, spacious and very tranquil. It's our kind of place, with an (unused) swimming pool, (unused) ping pong tables and spacious grounds. Bonsai everywhere. It is filled this weekend with holidaying Vietnamese, a few touring Aussies, and us.
Another exceptional dinner this evening, but missed by five of our band who have fallen victim to a combination of intestinal and bronchial problems: Dan, Peter, Mike, Jean and Jim. We're looking forward to our day off tomorrow. We're apparently getting a little worn down after the last three long days with serious hill climbs, and in need of a little rest and recuperation. Total cycling distance 89 km with about 500 meters climb.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Day Thirteen Saturday, November 13th, 2010 - Mai Chau to Son La
We climb steadily in the morning through forest, populated by H'mong people, with views to the distant mountains, before descending into a mountainous tea-growing region. Soon after we follow a long valley floor filled with rice paddies and dotted with Black Thai villages all the way to Son La. Allow time to visit the bargain-filled market.
CAVES, CLIMBS AND CANYONS
Despite early morning fog, and a delay to repair Jean's third flat of the trip, six of us bid a fond farewell to the Mai Chau Lodge Hotel and pedal up the street through the local market and out of town. We have a long steady uphill grind for 30 km, passing a elementary school yard where children were shovelling dirt into carts (photo), a bamboo logging operation (photo), a relocated village in the middle of nowhere. Towards the summit we encounter tea and coffee plantations, vineyards and H'mong girls with distinctive matching skirts and black gaitors (photo).
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew enjoy a trip to the magnificent cave (photo) across the road from the hotel. Note: Group 2, if you are reading this, be sure not to miss the cave. It is 500 meters in length and has four large galleries on two separate levels. But beware, a thirty meter python is said to be lurking somewhere inside. They also enjoy a leisurely visit to the town market before meeting the rest of Group 1 at the summit.
After pedaling 54 km we find our lunch spot at Quan 64 Restaurant - a huge sprawlling affair with a market place in the centre selling more "aphrodesiac" wines: silkworm, bee, lizard and cobra sake (photo). Lunch is a variety of spring rolls and the usual soup and greens. Gary brings our attention to an American unexploded bomb standing outside the market. We hope that it is not armed!!!!
The afternoon is a pure romp, almost entirely downhill to our pickup spot at Yen Chau village. We follow the canyon of a major river for much of the distance spanned by bamboo suspension foot bridges at regular intervals.
We drive the last 43 km to Son La on rough roads summiting the Tang Quai pass. Our hotel in Son La is the government-run, three star rated Ha Noi Hotel. It has the potential to be a three star hotel but unfortunately the staff work hard to reduce it to a half star. Some rooms lack toilet paper, other towels and soap, some receive a thermos of hot water, other didn't. The biggest challenge was turning on the hot water heater - this required 3 important steps: stick your key in the slot, flip up the breaker and turn on the heater under the sink. This is discovered through trial and error by the more intelligent in Group 1 (Jim and scribe Chris are not in the latter category).
During an indifferent cold plate dinner, we engage some American army lads in conversation. Their mission is to locate and exhume the remains of US airmen lost during the Vietnam War. The team dig was not far from Son La. They work with an anthropologist sifting the soil for bones, bagging them and taking them home for DNA analysis. A parallel team of Vietnamese out of Saigon focusing on identifying crash sites for investigation by the American team. They estimate there are about 1,000 unaccounted for crash sites still to be explored. One of the crew is dedicated to the destruction of unexploded ordance around the country side. This was the highlight of our evening at the Ha Noi Hotel.
We can only speculate on the qualify of the "free" hotel breakfast tomorrow AM. Stay tuned.
All in all, a really interesting day and a fabulous cycle - total distance, 120 km, and 1500 meter climb!! Not bad for seniors. Pedaltours have really done their homework and we are getting great value, exceptional cycling and cultural experiences in spectacular countryside, especially in the north. Not only that, the cycling weather is now ideal - warm sunny days and cool nights!
CAVES, CLIMBS AND CANYONS
Despite early morning fog, and a delay to repair Jean's third flat of the trip, six of us bid a fond farewell to the Mai Chau Lodge Hotel and pedal up the street through the local market and out of town. We have a long steady uphill grind for 30 km, passing a elementary school yard where children were shovelling dirt into carts (photo), a bamboo logging operation (photo), a relocated village in the middle of nowhere. Towards the summit we encounter tea and coffee plantations, vineyards and H'mong girls with distinctive matching skirts and black gaitors (photo).
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew enjoy a trip to the magnificent cave (photo) across the road from the hotel. Note: Group 2, if you are reading this, be sure not to miss the cave. It is 500 meters in length and has four large galleries on two separate levels. But beware, a thirty meter python is said to be lurking somewhere inside. They also enjoy a leisurely visit to the town market before meeting the rest of Group 1 at the summit.
After pedaling 54 km we find our lunch spot at Quan 64 Restaurant - a huge sprawlling affair with a market place in the centre selling more "aphrodesiac" wines: silkworm, bee, lizard and cobra sake (photo). Lunch is a variety of spring rolls and the usual soup and greens. Gary brings our attention to an American unexploded bomb standing outside the market. We hope that it is not armed!!!!
The afternoon is a pure romp, almost entirely downhill to our pickup spot at Yen Chau village. We follow the canyon of a major river for much of the distance spanned by bamboo suspension foot bridges at regular intervals.
We drive the last 43 km to Son La on rough roads summiting the Tang Quai pass. Our hotel in Son La is the government-run, three star rated Ha Noi Hotel. It has the potential to be a three star hotel but unfortunately the staff work hard to reduce it to a half star. Some rooms lack toilet paper, other towels and soap, some receive a thermos of hot water, other didn't. The biggest challenge was turning on the hot water heater - this required 3 important steps: stick your key in the slot, flip up the breaker and turn on the heater under the sink. This is discovered through trial and error by the more intelligent in Group 1 (Jim and scribe Chris are not in the latter category).
During an indifferent cold plate dinner, we engage some American army lads in conversation. Their mission is to locate and exhume the remains of US airmen lost during the Vietnam War. The team dig was not far from Son La. They work with an anthropologist sifting the soil for bones, bagging them and taking them home for DNA analysis. A parallel team of Vietnamese out of Saigon focusing on identifying crash sites for investigation by the American team. They estimate there are about 1,000 unaccounted for crash sites still to be explored. One of the crew is dedicated to the destruction of unexploded ordance around the country side. This was the highlight of our evening at the Ha Noi Hotel.
We can only speculate on the qualify of the "free" hotel breakfast tomorrow AM. Stay tuned.
All in all, a really interesting day and a fabulous cycle - total distance, 120 km, and 1500 meter climb!! Not bad for seniors. Pedaltours have really done their homework and we are getting great value, exceptional cycling and cultural experiences in spectacular countryside, especially in the north. Not only that, the cycling weather is now ideal - warm sunny days and cool nights!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Day Twelve - Friday, November 12th, 2010 - Ha Noi to Mai Chau
"A 64 km (90 min) drive to commence cycling at Lung Son. A progressively scenic day finishing with a glorious descent"
We arrived at our hotel in Ha Noi last night (The Thien Thai) around 7:00 pm and after checking in went straight down to dinner in the hotel, during which we were entertained by local artistes, including an 18 year old flotist wo played both vietnamese as well as western pieces to enormous applaus - there were 6 other tour groups staying there too. That proved to be a logistical problem this morning when all 7 tours descended upon the breakfast buffet in a feeding frenzy like fish in a pond.
After a 2-hour ride out of the city we got on our bikes, expecting a quiet rural cycle - no such luck - there are very few quiet roads in the parts except for unpaved (unsealed) roads - thus we were sharing the highway with buses, trucks, cars and all forms of two-wheeled transportation. Occasionally we were confronted with a truck coming towards us overtaking a truck that was overtaking something else, necessitating a quick "exit stage right" onto the grassy verge.
Eventually we reached the first of the two long climbs, posted as "gradual" (not), again accompanied by heavy traffic. The second in the afternoon was two or three times longer, up to the top of a pass down which the ride was rudely interrupted by a crash and roadworks. Whilst waiting to get around these obstacles we got a good glimpse of our destination in the floor of the valley below - the village of Mai Chau - through smoke from crop burning. We cycled through to the far end of the village arriving at the magnificent Mai Chau resort whose byline is "See the culture - Stay in comfort!" - Amen to that! Dinner in the bamboo restaurant followed by tradional music and dancing for those who hadn't retreated to bed in preparation for a 120 km tomorrow with a 900m climb right from the start. A couple of the group visit the local caves
We arrived at our hotel in Ha Noi last night (The Thien Thai) around 7:00 pm and after checking in went straight down to dinner in the hotel, during which we were entertained by local artistes, including an 18 year old flotist wo played both vietnamese as well as western pieces to enormous applaus - there were 6 other tour groups staying there too. That proved to be a logistical problem this morning when all 7 tours descended upon the breakfast buffet in a feeding frenzy like fish in a pond.
After a 2-hour ride out of the city we got on our bikes, expecting a quiet rural cycle - no such luck - there are very few quiet roads in the parts except for unpaved (unsealed) roads - thus we were sharing the highway with buses, trucks, cars and all forms of two-wheeled transportation. Occasionally we were confronted with a truck coming towards us overtaking a truck that was overtaking something else, necessitating a quick "exit stage right" onto the grassy verge.
Eventually we reached the first of the two long climbs, posted as "gradual" (not), again accompanied by heavy traffic. The second in the afternoon was two or three times longer, up to the top of a pass down which the ride was rudely interrupted by a crash and roadworks. Whilst waiting to get around these obstacles we got a good glimpse of our destination in the floor of the valley below - the village of Mai Chau - through smoke from crop burning. We cycled through to the far end of the village arriving at the magnificent Mai Chau resort whose byline is "See the culture - Stay in comfort!" - Amen to that! Dinner in the bamboo restaurant followed by tradional music and dancing for those who hadn't retreated to bed in preparation for a 120 km tomorrow with a 900m climb right from the start. A couple of the group visit the local caves
Day Eleven - Thursday, November 11th, 2010 - Touring Hue / Flight to Hanoi / End of Part One of Tour
"Hue (hway) is steeped in 3,000 years of history and is built on the banks of the Perfume River. We have time for a visit to the Citadel (and a few other goodies) before the 4:25 pm flight to Ha Noi, Vietnam's capital".
Today saw a change in the original plans to allow for a half-day tour of Hanoi due to a change in the original flight schedule which disappointed some who otherwise will have no time left at the end to explore Ha Noi. Nevertheless, we got to a lot more of Hue. No rest for the wicked on our rest day, once again we are up for a 6:30 am breakfast prior to getting into the tour bus that takes us to the Citadel, a walled city encompassing the Forbidden Purple Palace, home to a series of Emperors, their wives, parents and in-laws, a hundred plus concubines, eunuchs and mandarins. Our group was the first there on a very drab, dreich day (of which there have been several) but we did add some colour (photo). From there we went to a large Pagoda, from which one of the Buddhist
monks died by self-immolation on June 11th, 1963 in protest against the (South Vietnamese) government's policy of persecution of Buddhists and lack of religious freedom - this event is regarded as one of the major factors resulting in dissatisfaction with the regime, leading to the civil war of re-unification with the North in which America tried to prop up the extant regime in the South.
Next up was a cruise back into town on a tour boat on the Perfume River (characterized by mist, mud and not the kind of perfume you mght like!) The main amusement during this 30 minute interlude came from watching the ladies negotiating the purchase of silk pyjamas, pants etc Jean came out the best with a pair of silk pyjamas for which she paid the grand sum of 7,000 VDG (less than 50 cents) see photo later.
Then off to a back-alley hole-in-the-wall cafe (with only three tables) in none to hygienic conditions for several rice cake delicacies. We then returned to our hotel to check out and headed to the airport, but since we had plenty of time Binh toook us out to see Thai Dinh's mauseoleum, a grand multi-tiered affair, characterized on one level by Terracotta statues, and in the tomb itself by en bas ceramic artwork. It was paid for by taxing the populace 30% pa for 20 years! Carrying onto the airport for the next 5 kms we drove through a region of thousands upon thousands of buddhist tombs of varing styles and complexity. The English translation of the area is aptly "Sad City" - it is said that "everyone is dying to get in there"! (I know, groan!!)
We caught our 4:25 pm Vietnam Airlines A321 Airbus and were pleasantly surprised to find it warm and not humid in Ha Noi.
Today saw a change in the original plans to allow for a half-day tour of Hanoi due to a change in the original flight schedule which disappointed some who otherwise will have no time left at the end to explore Ha Noi. Nevertheless, we got to a lot more of Hue. No rest for the wicked on our rest day, once again we are up for a 6:30 am breakfast prior to getting into the tour bus that takes us to the Citadel, a walled city encompassing the Forbidden Purple Palace, home to a series of Emperors, their wives, parents and in-laws, a hundred plus concubines, eunuchs and mandarins. Our group was the first there on a very drab, dreich day (of which there have been several) but we did add some colour (photo). From there we went to a large Pagoda, from which one of the Buddhist
monks died by self-immolation on June 11th, 1963 in protest against the (South Vietnamese) government's policy of persecution of Buddhists and lack of religious freedom - this event is regarded as one of the major factors resulting in dissatisfaction with the regime, leading to the civil war of re-unification with the North in which America tried to prop up the extant regime in the South.
Next up was a cruise back into town on a tour boat on the Perfume River (characterized by mist, mud and not the kind of perfume you mght like!) The main amusement during this 30 minute interlude came from watching the ladies negotiating the purchase of silk pyjamas, pants etc Jean came out the best with a pair of silk pyjamas for which she paid the grand sum of 7,000 VDG (less than 50 cents) see photo later.
Then off to a back-alley hole-in-the-wall cafe (with only three tables) in none to hygienic conditions for several rice cake delicacies. We then returned to our hotel to check out and headed to the airport, but since we had plenty of time Binh toook us out to see Thai Dinh's mauseoleum, a grand multi-tiered affair, characterized on one level by Terracotta statues, and in the tomb itself by en bas ceramic artwork. It was paid for by taxing the populace 30% pa for 20 years! Carrying onto the airport for the next 5 kms we drove through a region of thousands upon thousands of buddhist tombs of varing styles and complexity. The English translation of the area is aptly "Sad City" - it is said that "everyone is dying to get in there"! (I know, groan!!)
We caught our 4:25 pm Vietnam Airlines A321 Airbus and were pleasantly surprised to find it warm and not humid in Ha Noi.
Day Ten - Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 - Hoi An to Hue
Still raining, but despite we cycle out of Hoi An 18kms to one of the World's largest Marble factories, located naturally enough close to Marble Mountain, whee there are five quarries, each incredibly producing different coloured marble. Onward thereafter into Danang, past Colin Montgomerie and Greg Norman designed golf courses and high-end resort after resort (where will all the clients come from we wonder) ... to be c ntinued
Monday, November 8, 2010
Day Nine - Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 - Day off in Hoi An
Last night the rains returned and continued throughout the night. We had an excellent multi-course meal in a restaurant overlooking the river, which had large illuminated Vietnamese icons floating in it, all lit up. We had to move inside on account of the rain. Hoi An is famous for its regional specialties and we were fortunate to experience many of them.
The following morning (ie today, Tuesday) Binh took us on a walking tour of the city, during which we visited the oldest house which had marks on the wall indicating previoushigh-water marks - seems it is not unusual for the entire ground floor to flood on a regular basis. Afterward many of us repaired to the Cargo Club for coffee and "Patiseries" mmm! Hoi An is renowned for its shopping, so it would come as no surprise that the group made a serious contribution to the local economy - including silk pants, gents dressing gowns, prescription sunglasses and a haircut!
Back to the Cargo Club for dinner by which time the river was overflowing its banks, and it continued to rain thoughout the night.
The following morning (ie today, Tuesday) Binh took us on a walking tour of the city, during which we visited the oldest house which had marks on the wall indicating previoushigh-water marks - seems it is not unusual for the entire ground floor to flood on a regular basis. Afterward many of us repaired to the Cargo Club for coffee and "Patiseries" mmm! Hoi An is renowned for its shopping, so it would come as no surprise that the group made a serious contribution to the local economy - including silk pants, gents dressing gowns, prescription sunglasses and a haircut!
Back to the Cargo Club for dinner by which time the river was overflowing its banks, and it continued to rain thoughout the night.
Day Eight - Monday, November 8th, 2010 - Quang Ngai to Hoi An
"We will sample a slice of rural Vietnamese life as we take a lovely side road out of Quang Ngai. On the way we will pass through My Lai, where you will have the opportunity to visit the memorial site. We will also cycle through a fishing village and a lively local market. The day finishes on a delightful little road into thevery attractive and historic town of Hoi An (on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1999)."
VIETNAM IS DROWNING
As we left the Central Hotel in Quang Ngai it was raining heavily. The rain persisted throughout our visit to My Lai making a depressing site even more depressing. This is the site of an event in US history that FDR might have called "another day that will live in infamy".
The My Lai Massacre:
From the guest service directory of our hotel in Hoi An comes the following;-
"My Lai (or Son My) are various names of Tinh Khe, a village that lies along the seaside of Son Tinh district in Quang Gnai province and the villagers are hard-working, simple-minded peasants who love peace. Nevertheless, early in the morning of March 16th, 1968, a unit of the US Army suddenly entered into the village and (over the course of the next 4 hours) murdered 504 innocent civilians who were mostly women, children and babies. After that they destroyed the entire village and when that horrible morning was over My Lai (Son My) was engraved in human hearts as a very painful feeling that we will never forget!".
News of the massacre was slow to leak out to the rest of the world, but when it did it so negatively impacted world opinion that the event is considered to have begun the end of domestic support of the war in the US. Only Lieutenant William Calley was found guilty of infamous conduct - Those who ordered the massacre were never brought to justice!
VIETNAM IS DROWNING
As we left the Central Hotel in Quang Ngai it was raining heavily. The rain persisted throughout our visit to My Lai making a depressing site even more depressing. This is the site of an event in US history that FDR might have called "another day that will live in infamy".
The My Lai Massacre:
From the guest service directory of our hotel in Hoi An comes the following;-
"My Lai (or Son My) are various names of Tinh Khe, a village that lies along the seaside of Son Tinh district in Quang Gnai province and the villagers are hard-working, simple-minded peasants who love peace. Nevertheless, early in the morning of March 16th, 1968, a unit of the US Army suddenly entered into the village and (over the course of the next 4 hours) murdered 504 innocent civilians who were mostly women, children and babies. After that they destroyed the entire village and when that horrible morning was over My Lai (Son My) was engraved in human hearts as a very painful feeling that we will never forget!".
News of the massacre was slow to leak out to the rest of the world, but when it did it so negatively impacted world opinion that the event is considered to have begun the end of domestic support of the war in the US. Only Lieutenant William Calley was found guilty of infamous conduct - Those who ordered the massacre were never brought to justice!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Monday, November 8th, 2010 - Photos from Chris
Binh greeted all of us at HCMC airport
At the start of cycling - a group photo
A very pretty Vietnamese girl at the beach
An example of the welcome awaiting us in our rooms.
George and Janet being taken for a ride out to the snorkeling boat on the Nha Tran dayoff
Richard Oddy, Mr Phuoc, Tri, Binh and Son - our team of "fearless leaders"
Aphrodisiacs anyone?
Son, one of the van drivers, is out of the van checking the depth of a puddle prior to driving through it!
Binh, our versatile leader serenading us.Day Seven - Sunday, November 7th, 2010 - Qui Nhon to Quang Ngai
"Today's ride is on a fabulous backroad through several little villages and a range of scenery. The road is mostly flat with two small climbs. On reaching the highway we will drive to Quang Gnai, on the way passing through thesmall town of Sa Huynh, a pleasant fishing backwater perched on a broad curve of palm-fringed, golden sand. Speckled with blue fishing boats, sleepy Sa Huynh is a convenient and relaxing place to rest en route to points north".
WE LEAVE THE MONSOONS AND ENTER THE RAINY SEASON
Well, things didn't quite work out that way - for two reasons. Firstly it p ----- ed down rain all day till we reached Quang Gnai, but also we received a message via the blog for John and Kumiko to call home urgently, with the unhappy need for them to abort their trip on account of not one, but two, family emergencies - made even tougher since Kumiko having just recovered from "the trots" (thank you, Cipro) John, too, had just spent a busy night on "the throne". With the excellent assistance of "the Crew" it was arranged that they would "cab it" to Nha Trang, fly to HCMC, overnight there then fly back to BC the following evening. So sorry John and Kumiko - we miss you already and our prayers are with you. This, of course, necessitated retrieving their bikes from "the truck" that was already headed up the highway in advance - so, all in all, not a good day.
The day was not without its interesting moments, however. After leaving Quy Nhon, we enter an area of sand dunes where the government in its wisdom has constructed a four-lane divided highway with a very wide boulevard. With the natural vegetation removed, sand has drifted onto the highway such that a front end loader is busy trying to clear a path. We pass a solitary and deserted factory with a "For Lease" sign out front. For 20 kms we are the only vehicles. The wonders of central planning!
Finally the new highway comes to an end at a village specializing in bonsai production. We have observed some amazing bonsai at the Cham Tower, the Seagull hotel and elsewhere. It is an everyday item in the is part of Vietnam. At lunch we chat with a group of 10 Aussie (motor)bikers who are coming down from Hanoi. They advise it's been nothing but rain for the past three days. Not good!
We continue busing to the Central Hotel in the town of Quang Ngai, definitely off the gringo tourist route.
The highlight of the day is when Binh, our senior guide, serenades us with his guitar and western and Vietnam songs (including one he composed himself) after dinner in the hotel.
WE LEAVE THE MONSOONS AND ENTER THE RAINY SEASON
Well, things didn't quite work out that way - for two reasons. Firstly it p ----- ed down rain all day till we reached Quang Gnai, but also we received a message via the blog for John and Kumiko to call home urgently, with the unhappy need for them to abort their trip on account of not one, but two, family emergencies - made even tougher since Kumiko having just recovered from "the trots" (thank you, Cipro) John, too, had just spent a busy night on "the throne". With the excellent assistance of "the Crew" it was arranged that they would "cab it" to Nha Trang, fly to HCMC, overnight there then fly back to BC the following evening. So sorry John and Kumiko - we miss you already and our prayers are with you. This, of course, necessitated retrieving their bikes from "the truck" that was already headed up the highway in advance - so, all in all, not a good day.
The day was not without its interesting moments, however. After leaving Quy Nhon, we enter an area of sand dunes where the government in its wisdom has constructed a four-lane divided highway with a very wide boulevard. With the natural vegetation removed, sand has drifted onto the highway such that a front end loader is busy trying to clear a path. We pass a solitary and deserted factory with a "For Lease" sign out front. For 20 kms we are the only vehicles. The wonders of central planning!
Finally the new highway comes to an end at a village specializing in bonsai production. We have observed some amazing bonsai at the Cham Tower, the Seagull hotel and elsewhere. It is an everyday item in the is part of Vietnam. At lunch we chat with a group of 10 Aussie (motor)bikers who are coming down from Hanoi. They advise it's been nothing but rain for the past three days. Not good!
We continue busing to the Central Hotel in the town of Quang Ngai, definitely off the gringo tourist route.
The highlight of the day is when Binh, our senior guide, serenades us with his guitar and western and Vietnam songs (including one he composed himself) after dinner in the hotel.
Day Six - Saturday, November 6th, 2010 - Nha Trang to Qui Nhon
"Today's ride is in two sections - In the first part we drive out of town to visit an ancient Cham Tower before turning off the highway to cycle along 40 kmof coastal road to the town of Tuy Hoa for lunch - the area around Tuy Hoa is the rice bowl of the province and you will pass many rice fields, shrimp farms and coconut palms. In the second part we then take a delightful minor inland road up a long green valley on which you will be the only westerners!"
A CHAM TOWER AND SEA HORSE SAKI.
We leave Nha Trang by bus, stopping to visit an historic Cham Tower outside of town. Since the Cham haven't been around since the 17th Century, I guess all Cham stuff is historical. We drive about 60 kms north, passing rice paddies, Buddhist and Christian cemetaries, army bases and Viet Cong war cemetaries. AH1 is considered way to dangerous to cycle, so we start our ride on a parallel road at the fishing village of Ca. We go through a landslide zone just outside Ca and plough our way through red mud that cakes our newly cleaned bikes and makes braking somewhat dicey. (Not to worry; our wonderful crew would spend the evening cleaning them off again). Our ride from Ca to Tuy Hoa was pure delight. Passing through village after village, we meet up with a zillion school kids, all riding their bikes, Some ride what we've started calling the Vietnamese tandem: two kids on a bike and the back rider with his toes inserted in the flip flops of the up front rider, so both are pedalling. We see our first freight train on the narrow-gauge HCMC-Hanoi line. Apprently the tracks have been cleared and the bridges repair north of Hue where extensive flooding occurred in October.
After lunch we bus to a small fishing village where the main product is sea horse saki, said to be an aphrodisiac. Bingh buys us a bottle to sample later that evening. It is now 4 pm and we still have 28 kms of cycling to Seagull Hotel in the town of Quy Nhon. We meet lots of hills, a head wind and increasingly heavy rain. It's a race now to get to the hotel before dusk, which comes abruptly at 5: 15 pm. Several of us encountered "bad actors" on the road - little kids like to shout "Hello!" at us; bigger kids try to "high-five" us, but a bunch of teenagers are intent on messing more seriously with us. The two fellows on a moped harrass June, and later on the same two decide to assist Gary up one of the hills! Eventually we run out of light and the vans begin mopping up riders one by one. Mike, Jean and Faye made it all the way to our hotel, arriving after dark. The Seagull Hotel is a four star located on a beautiful 10 km crescent beach that would not look out of place in South Beach or some other such-like resort. Magnificent rooms with service to match. Unfortunately some of our number did not get to enjoy it due the suffering the dreaded "trots". Drinks and dinner downstairs in thebar/restaurant, followed by an invitation to Jim and Chris' room to experience "Seahorse Saki" that is purported to possess Aphrodisiacal qualities, but the general feelimg was that it had the reverse effect (what is it with these Geologists who are seemingly embarked on the quest for the elixir of libido?!). Marg says next day that in her opinion it tasted vile. Such lack of taste, says Chris.
A CHAM TOWER AND SEA HORSE SAKI.
We leave Nha Trang by bus, stopping to visit an historic Cham Tower outside of town. Since the Cham haven't been around since the 17th Century, I guess all Cham stuff is historical. We drive about 60 kms north, passing rice paddies, Buddhist and Christian cemetaries, army bases and Viet Cong war cemetaries. AH1 is considered way to dangerous to cycle, so we start our ride on a parallel road at the fishing village of Ca. We go through a landslide zone just outside Ca and plough our way through red mud that cakes our newly cleaned bikes and makes braking somewhat dicey. (Not to worry; our wonderful crew would spend the evening cleaning them off again). Our ride from Ca to Tuy Hoa was pure delight. Passing through village after village, we meet up with a zillion school kids, all riding their bikes, Some ride what we've started calling the Vietnamese tandem: two kids on a bike and the back rider with his toes inserted in the flip flops of the up front rider, so both are pedalling. We see our first freight train on the narrow-gauge HCMC-Hanoi line. Apprently the tracks have been cleared and the bridges repair north of Hue where extensive flooding occurred in October.
After lunch we bus to a small fishing village where the main product is sea horse saki, said to be an aphrodisiac. Bingh buys us a bottle to sample later that evening. It is now 4 pm and we still have 28 kms of cycling to Seagull Hotel in the town of Quy Nhon. We meet lots of hills, a head wind and increasingly heavy rain. It's a race now to get to the hotel before dusk, which comes abruptly at 5: 15 pm. Several of us encountered "bad actors" on the road - little kids like to shout "Hello!" at us; bigger kids try to "high-five" us, but a bunch of teenagers are intent on messing more seriously with us. The two fellows on a moped harrass June, and later on the same two decide to assist Gary up one of the hills! Eventually we run out of light and the vans begin mopping up riders one by one. Mike, Jean and Faye made it all the way to our hotel, arriving after dark. The Seagull Hotel is a four star located on a beautiful 10 km crescent beach that would not look out of place in South Beach or some other such-like resort. Magnificent rooms with service to match. Unfortunately some of our number did not get to enjoy it due the suffering the dreaded "trots". Drinks and dinner downstairs in thebar/restaurant, followed by an invitation to Jim and Chris' room to experience "Seahorse Saki" that is purported to possess Aphrodisiacal qualities, but the general feelimg was that it had the reverse effect (what is it with these Geologists who are seemingly embarked on the quest for the elixir of libido?!). Marg says next day that in her opinion it tasted vile. Such lack of taste, says Chris.
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