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Published: November 11th 2014
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Today will primarily be a travelling day. We are up early at 6 in order to catch a taste of the Cai Be floating market, which opens at 3 am. This occurs daily in the same location that we visited briefly the day before. The same boat and driver transports us there, about a 10-minute trip.
This is a wholesale market, where transactions are in bulk. Each vendor ship places examples of what they are selling on a high pole, so that the buyers in smaller boats can move about and negotiate prices. We see sacks of sweet potatoes and bananas changing hands. On one boat, we spy a cock fight in progress, although A.J. says that that activity is officially banned.
We approach a small boat crammed with a variety of fresh fruit. Some of the Chinese members of our group are thrilled to see durian for sale, and A.J. helps negotiate a price for one. Once the husk is broken open, we all have the chance to experience the infamous smell of this fruit, which is reminiscent of something that died about a week ago. Then the purchasers are banished to the back of the boat to
enjoy their stinky, but reportedly delicious purchase.
We return to the resort for a buffet breakfast, then pack up and check out. Our faithful driver ferries us back to Vinh Long once again, where we reboard our bus and head back to Saigon. I spend most of the time working on the blog.
On arrival in Saigon, we stop by a traditional Pho restaurant for lunch. A.J. swears that this is the best one in the city. As we enter, we are almost knocked over by the wall of hot, humid, but wonderfully fragrant air. The ground floor is stifling hot, but filled to capacity by locals. Happily, a room with an overworked AC has been reserved for us on the 2nd floor. We have the choice between beef or chicken pho, and there is a wide variety of extras on the table that we can add: bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, hot peppers, lime, and an array of sauces. A meal in a bowl, to be sure, and it's delicious. We finish off with fresh coconut juice directly from the coconut.
Back on the bus and on to the airport. The usual hurry-up-and-wait routine to catch our
plane for Danang, in central Vietnam. It is great to have Kien to shepherd us through the maze. Saigon airport, by the way, is thoroughly modern, clean and efficient.
Uneventful 1 1/2-hour flight to Danang. The airport here is also very modern, in fact obviously brand new. We are met by our local guide, Ty. On the bus, we drive through this city of about 900,000. It has a long and picturesque ocean beach which Ty calls Red Beach. This area was one of the first and most important U.S. military bases during the war. The famous China Beach is apparently nearby. Heading north towards Hue, we climb into the Truong Son Mountains that surround Danang on all sides. Suddenly we are in a tunnel that bores almost seven kilometres straight through the mountain. Emerging into dusk on the other side, we can only barely discern that the area is rugged and beautiful. The bus careens along on a narrow road in the quickly falling night, and most of us nod off despite the rocking and rolling of the bus. (Those that stay awake tell us later that they were sure that the bus was either going off a
cliff or about to kill a motorcyclist about a dozen times.)
We reach Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam, some three hours later. Our hotel is the Eldora, and it is magnificent, boasting a huge sprawling reception area with granite surfaces, high ceilings and sparkling chandeliers. I notice a grand piano in one corner. Our room keeps to the same theme and is palatial in dimensions, with a super-king-size bed to match.
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