In Dien Bien Phu

Halong Bay pictures







Ron here,

So we are now in Dien Bien Phu, hanging out before we make our run across the Lao border tomorrow morning on the 5:30 AM bus. We came here on a night bus from Hanoi that left at 6PM and got here at 6AM. We had hoped to get a good night's sleep on the bus, but unfortunately the mountain roads prevented us from sleeping very well. That, and the way that driving goes here-our bus was passing other buses, semis, and even cars as it wound up and down 8% grades over the mountains. It was a little bit intimidating, to say the least, but our Vietnamese busmates seemed unconcerned so we settled in.

We are still very glad that we took the bus rather than flying though, as we were treated to a very special experience. We pulled into a roadside stop that seemed popular with the night buses, where we were treated to a multi course authentic Vietnamese meal with our busmates. At one point, one of the bus workers (there was a total crew of 4 on our single bus; its very common for things here to be overstaffed) brought over a shot of a Mountain Dew covered liquor and indicated I should drink.

I was suddenly aware that everyone was watching me, and I knew this was a test of sorts, so I threw it back, smiled big, and gave a 'yummy' grunt. Everyone was greatly pleased by this, and I was invited to the bus workers table, where we commenced drinking the rest of the half fifth of what was generously labeled 'Hanoi Vodka.' I should note that our bus driver reassuredly declined to drink, explaining that he was, of course, driving. At any rate, the game seemed to be 'see how much the American can drink!,' as the workers would alternate between themselves pouring me some and taking a shot themselves, a kind of three on one situation. I'm happy to report that I acquitted myself well, and if I could speak Vietnamese I would have explained to the poor guys that after the intense training for such events I underwent at the Cary Christmas in Yosemite, there was never really a chance for them. At any rate, they were all very pleased and laughing about the whole affair; we definitely made friends.

About the meal, it was really delicious-chicken, fish, some kale-like greens, rice, and a very good meat that someone at Eve's table who was an English student at university explained was dog. I wasn't at her table (having been pulled over with the men) so I was not aware of this. I'm not sure if they were putting Eve on, as our guidebook indicates that eating dog in the second half of the month is not done as it is 'inauspicious.' However, they might be referring to the lunar month, so who knows. All I know it that it was definitely the best thing on the table, very savory. Sorry, Lucy!

At any rate, we were definitely the star of the bus and the restaurant and it was a very special experience to get that level of interaction with the locals. It instantly justified the long hours on the bus and foregoing the comfort of simply flying to Dien Bien Phu, or Luang Prabang (although flying on Asian turboprops is not my idea of comfort anyway).

I just realized that we have not posted anything yet about Halong Bay, which is where we were on the cruise just prior to coming here. First of all, our junk was very, very luxurious and romantic, with the softest bed that we had slept in as of yet and great 7+ course meals. The bay itself is incredible, absolutely deserving of being a UNESCO World Heritage site and the equal, in terms of natural beauty, of anything I've ever seen, including Yosemite and Yellowstone. The pictures really don't adequately describe how amazing it is-there are so many karsts (the name for the limestone mountains that rise from the water) that if you look around 360 degrees, it can appear that you are actually in a lake, as you are totally surrounded by land, some close, some fading in the mist in the distance.

Our kayaking trip off the boat was a highlight. We paddled for about an hour to a point where a cave allowed you kayak right through a karst. Once you reach the other side, you realize that you've paddled into a totally contained bay, the only exit from which is the 20 foot wide cave that you've just come through. The karst rise almost straight up from the water, and I'd estimate that some of the larger ones are at least 1000 feet tall. During our paddle, we also saw a family of monkeys feasting on bananas on the beach. Mom, if we ever come to Asia, we will return here and do a kayaking focused tour, as it is the most beautiful place I've ever paddled, and the thousands of islands ensure the water is like glass. I think we took about 250 pictures during our time there and several videos, so you will all have a chance to see what we saw, probably in excruciating detail.

Well, I'll sign off for now, Eve is at another terminal in the cafe calling some of you so she is currently occupied. Next time we post it will be from Lao, although it may be some time depending on internet access-we may not be able to post until Luang Prabang, which I believe is two days away on our tentative itinerary.

Sorry for the long post, but we had a lot to cover since our last post! Til next time, lots of love.