A Farewell drink in Hong Kong

We are on our way home - it will be wonderful to catch up with friends and family!

Hong Kong

Guangzhou (Canton)

China!!
This amazing city of 9 million, a show place mostly developed post-cultural revolution, is clean and orderly. Even though people pretend to be open-minded, superstition abounds. There is a Buddha for every taste, legends explaining events and attitudes and museums galore, the later slightly hampered by the destruction of all that was beautiful or intellectual during that despicable ten years of chaos.
The food was exotic and the people were friendly and optimistic.
Tonight we are on our way to Hong Kong.

More of road to Hanoi

You wouldn't believe what people haul on the back of their motorbikes! We have a collection of pictures. This man is taking home a mandarin orange tree to decorate their home for the start of their big holiday - the Lunar New Year. The streets were lined with these tree vendors - very similar to the Christmas tree vendors at home.

Again some of those pics are taken through the bus window so they are not all that clear.

Hanoi

The second day in Ha Long, Vietnam allowed us to do a private van tour to the capital, Hanoi. It as a very long day as it is a 3.5 hours each way from Ha Long to Hanoi. Who said vacations were relaxing.

This crowded and busy city of 4 million people sports the prison called the "Hanoi Hilton" by downed American pilots such as Senator John McCain

Hanoi is also the home of the Vietnamese hero Ho Chi Minh whose Tet Offensive led to the "liberation" of Vietnam from the Americans. He has become an object of veneration.

While most North Vietnamese endorse "free thinking" in religious matters, they also pray to their ancestors and heroes. These include nominal Catholics and Buddhists who hedge their bets in this way!!

The temple of Literature, built for Confucius was a nice change from Buddha. We are getting Buddhaed-out (new word). Confucius is treated as a dirty as well. He may deserve it more than the others as he at least had some wise observations!

We are currently heading towards Canton so technically we are in China - the northern end of the South China Sea in the Hainan Strait. We have a full day tomorrow in Canton (now called Huangpu).

Most of the ports have accepted US$$ but when we first arrive at a new country our ship arranges for money-changers to board. It is really wonderful to be on a smaller ship as we are able to get into smaller ports, consequently we don't see a lot of other cruise ships. When we arrived at Ha Long City we were able to go under the bridge into the main port but there was only about 10 meters to spare. There is a port pilot that come on board in almost all the ports.

Ha Long Bay, North Vietnam

This is a vast expanse of islands dotting the north end of the South China Sea. Poor weather and cool brought out our warm jackets for the first time!

Many of he limestone formations have names such as "rooster and hen". Floating fishing villages with their own one-room schoolhouses exist in relative isolation. Beggars in woven (porous) boats accost tourists mercilessly.

An amazing limestone cave in a mountain provided spectacular, multi-colored views (many steps up and down!!). Here in the north English is less well spoken or understood but everybody loves US$$!

Danang, Vietnam

Vietnam is an S-shaped country and Danang is about in the middle. Attitudes change between the south and the north. It was raining and overcast so most of our pictures were not great. We took a shuttle and then a taxi into the city, which is a study in contrasts. Poverty, begging and man-propelled carts contrast with gorgeous wide, landscaped, bonsaied (if that is a word) boulevards and new bridges. Danang is planning and building to be a tourist centre. It was difficult for us to get a concept of this because of the weather.