Sunday, December 30, 2007

Ha Long and short of it...

We arrived in Hanoi to a ground temp of 17 degrees, much colder than it was in HCM, and I was definitely glad of my pashmina scarf and my warm jacket, especially when we decided to take a trek around Hoan Kiem lake, just a 10 min walk from Sunshine 3 Hotel on Ma May in the Old Quarter in Hanoi.



Next day we were off to Ha Long bay for the eagerly anticipated overnight Junk Cruise. Ha Long is 5 hours from Hanoi by car, and we joined a group of tourists headed there at 8:30 in the morning, having downed a somewhat oily breakfast. Unfortunately for us, we were the 2nd to the last couple who was picked up so hubby and myself were not seated next to each other, and I had no one to drool...um...lean my head on while I tried to nap. Hence the strange expressions we had on our face sometimes.



Of course it could be the spectacle of the passing traffic.



Anyway, like many many tourist destinations, Ha Long is not as desolately beautiful in photos as it is in reality, and the Junk of course, used a powerful onboard motor rather than its sails to get around. However Ha Long bay has it's own charm, and mystique and the many junks crowded at the pier make a colorful picture, packed so closely you could probably jump from one to another without too much effort.





A welcome drink and an hour later, we were served lunch...



settled into our small but reasonably comfortable cabin...



...and wandering around looking for photo ops, which all presented itself in due time.









More tomorrow, on Hang Sung Sot cave, seascapes, and good food, after a night of well-earned rest!

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