Vietnam- Land of........

Children's furniture out the front of cafes 

So you can make a quick pack them up and avoid a hefty fine in case the police come along.

bridal shots occurring after dark, even in the middle of a chaotic intersection

 

Unusual fashion. High heeled sneakers, long pants, hoody and a mask. Gotta keep that skin the right shade so you can expect a higher dowry.

Exclusive designer stores .....this is a communist country???? 

Hey, am I in Dubai cos there's nobody in these places.

 sports bars that shows all AFL games live. (Hoi An AND Hanoi)

 

                                               a sparky's nightmare' on every corner 

proud hotel names!!

Street food

                                                                                   and coffee

whatever you think you carry on your bike, then go for it!

Land of old and new

and great people!

Hot and humid in Hanoi

Think hot, very hot and then double it. That was Hanoi for 95% of the time. Think sweat dripping off you and that was Hanoi. Enough about the weather cos I think you've got the picture now.

Hanoi has many reminders of its past as can be seen during a visit to the former prison that housed political prisoners during the French and 'American' wars.

It's a city that is proud of itself as can be seen by its lakes and parks

 A city that tricks you sometimes into feeling like you are in France as you wander through its French Quarter,

however brings you back to reality when you wander through its Old Quarter

A city of c-r-a-z-y traffic

 Where street vendors sell in the middle of all that traffic!

A city that reveres its Uncle Ho Chi Minh and tries to convince everyone constantly that he was a great man, worthy of queueing for a while in the heat in order to see his preserved body.

A place where its 'cousins' have statues erected, giving everyone a gentle reminder that this town has friends in high places!

G'day Mr Lenin! 

A city that is communist yet has a Catholic Cathedral in its centre.

Hmmmm?

A place where food from many places on the globe can be found

yet remembers it's their food, many of its visitors indeed came for.

Oh, did I mention that it was hot? Not quite sure Mr and Ms X have enough water to manage a visit with Uncle Ho!

"Meet the Parents" in Halong Bay!

Mr and Ms X did not need to refer to TripAdvisor to help them choose a Tour Company for the must-see Halong Bay. They had their own trip-advisors in the form of Ms C and Ms A. " you gotta go with Vega Tours" was the message, so the booking was made with Vega.

Advice no. 1. 

Always read the itinerary carefully

Kayaking? I don't think so Ms X was heard to mutter as soon as she set foot on the boat. 

Activities? I don't think so, I don't do activities that require perspiring willingly whilst on holiday, she tried to tell the Tour Leader as he pointed to the luxury boat nearby that sails around and just has its passengers looking at the sights. Ms X soon realised that she was really on the wrong boat. She was born to go cruising in Halong Bay on the very big luxury boat. Too late!

Advice no. 2.

If you want to feel your age, then go with Vega

During the 4 hr bus trip to get to the Halong harbour from Hanoi, it was soon established who was on the bus and what personality traits they brought to the group. The tour leader "Duckie" asked who knew what sign they were according to their birth year. Ms X, always the student who was attentively listening and willing to answer announced that she knew she was born in the year of the monkey. Duckie of course wanted to verify that so asked for her birth year and calculated 1956. Mr X said he was an Aquarian..... Ms X had to explain that he was in the wrong system, and that if she was a monkey then of course he was one too. Monkeys are smart the bus was told as Mr and Ms X nodded with their smug faces. Their smugness soon left as the other 9 members of the group yelled out their birth years. Ok, ok.  Chickens, snakes, Tigers and dogs were identified and all BABY ones as our intrepid tourists soon discovered they were on board with many having a gap year. They were BY FAR THE OLDEST AND OLD ENOUGH TO BE EVERYONE 'S PARENTS!!!!!    

Advice no. 3.

If you want to enjoy yourself, then go with Vega!

So, with 2 Brits, 2 Spaniards, 1 Canadian, 1 Austrian, 1 German and 2 Dutchies, Mr and Ms X had a great time. As the seniors on board, the younger set looked after them, especially when the 2 elderly citizens did not bring any water along on the hike through the 'surprising Caves'. Mr and Ms X have a bad habit of doing this.... Remember Cinque Tera in Italy?? Thank goodness for the Dutchies and the Brit who both looked after the absent minded pair.

Thank goodness for Canadian Trish who partnered up with Mr X who wanted to do the water sports.

Whilst Ms X 'minded the big boat' which was really hard work!

Cooking classes making "Halong Summer Rolls", relaxing on the sundeck whilst the youngen's hiked to the top of a big rock

and watching the picturesque scenery

 were highlights.

 

Having THE BEST tour guide in Asia, Duckie, also assisted in the Adventure- Cruise being such a great experience. His personal anecdotes, dry sense of humour and local knowledge were excellent.

And of course Mr and Ms X had their traditional-kissing-holiday-snap whilst all the backpacking babies looked on and were heard to say " Awwww, aren't they cute" 

Cute? Those seniors could think of worse words to be called.

Buddha and 40 fingers in Hoi An

The bleary eyed travellers caught a 6am flight from Nha Trang only to arrive in Hoi An at 8.30am after having been up since 3.30 that morning. It was music to their ears when they were told their room was ready! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. A quick cat nap and it was off exploring. 

So first order of business was which pool. The free for all or

the adults only one?

I know, a first world problem!

The Old Town quarter in Hoi An has to be visited....

 (Remember to buy your ticket to enter)

by day

and by night! 

Memorable moments in our time here:

 Watching AFL in the bar during HAPPY HOUR over 2 nights. Could you hear a certain Cats supporter all the way from Vietnam?? In contrast, the Pies supporter was very well behaved. 

Always time for a cocktail. You gotta try a Passionfruit and watermelon sangria! 

Pick up time at the local primary school. No flags, no 40kph zone and no lollipop person to be seen! 

Really good boffee at our ' local' 

A 4 hands massage (40 fingers) for Mr and Ms X . INCREDIBLE. MAGNIFICENT. THE ULTIMATE. " I can't go back to coach, I can't, I won't!" ( there's always a Seinfeld quote to capture a moment) Mr X unfortunately had half of his finger quota with a cold. Achoo. Oh dear. 

 Site of the famous massage!

John and Glenda, the farmers from Penola who out shopped Ms X. Not possible? Spectacles, sandals, wallets, earrings, bags all custom made etc.....Not possible you say? It happened! 

The Movie-20- questions game in the pool played by a bunch of Americans. Oh how Ms X wanted them to invite her to play. No balls, no splashing. Her perfect sort of pool game. Alas she could only watch on ' was it a war one?' 'was Brad Pitt in  it" oh how she tired of their low level questions. She knew it was 'Seven Years in Tibet' straight away!!

Unfortunately seeing a seniors-card holding tourist falling off her push bike and the wonderful Vietnamese locals who came to her aid. Heartwarming. Ms X was heard to say that that confirms why she 'goes by walk' and not by bike. 

Being woken one morning with music and PA announcements at 6am. It was nothing to do with the hotel. It was a government led fun run, walk and festival at sunrise.  Guess what? Yep, they were all back that evening. Was it nice music? It was loud and Simon Cowell would not have given them a YES! Who do you complain to when it's the government. You don't complain!

Now Ms X had taken the reference to Angela Merkel in Ho Chi Minh City and her good self as politely as is possible but Mr X was taken aback by a name he was playfully given. He was trying on t-shirts and the shopkeeper told him his name was Buddah! Well that went down like a lead balloon. Be careful of that weinerbroad Mr X!