Ha Long Bay
Trip Start
Mar 16, 2006
1
4
24
Trip End
Apr 19, 2006
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
After two days exploring here, yesterday, we loaded up in a car and drove 3 hours east to Ha Long Bay. It was fantastic and beautiful!!! We took a boat for a day into the bay where we visited caves, a lagoon with a "bat cave" that had no bats, and fished for squid. We spent the night, did a hike this morning, and headed back. There were several other travelers on our boat...a couple from Quebec City, a couple from San Jose, CA, a family from Switzerland and two couples from holland. We were easily 10 years younger than the closest couple, but it was still a blast! They kept feeding us over and over!!! Tons of food.
This place is both beautiful and sad. The landforms are amazing, around 3,000 islands in the bay just shooting up from the sea. They are rock formations mostly of limestone, and super tall. (see photos). The sad part about it, though, was that they seem to not understand the environmental repercussions of the diesel fuel adn trash in the bay...we didnt notice on the way out (yesterday), but this morning in the more inhabited and trafficked areas, it was REALLY dirty...and boats were just dumping their trash in the waters...really no good.
Most of the people who live in Ha Long Bay are fisherman, and were born there. They live on the water in floating villages, and seem to be very happy and well fed. We met some of the children at the stops we made along the way...
Okay, so this doesn't really do it justice, but will give you a little bit of an idea where we have been.
Comments
Halong Bay and Hogs
Glad you made it to Halong, quite a beautiful yet hard place like you said with all the garbage. Matt and I tried to get that hog transport shot when we were in South East Asia and never got the camera out quick enough---good job! They get them drunk on cheap liquor and they start coming to after a few hours sheaking on the back of the motos. Crazy Vietnam!
Thursday in Fl
Hi, Finally figured out how to get to your messages and pics. The sights are amazing! Hog transport- nothin fancy but it works! Dark mare is one Chester brought over and she's beautiful. Don't know if she's been ridden but Dad thinks he'll try next week...Big Daddy is here for the tournament- had dinner with Lulu and Jerry, BD last night at 'Famu Amu'. Dad and I and Sandifers are going outto TPC tomorrow with Ash and Alex. Then we'll go back on Sunday. Having Lane Gardner and Heather over for dinner tonight- got to head to the store. We love you! Mama Smeeve