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Published: June 26th 2008
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After a short drive standing first on the bus , we managed to get front row seats, which was not a good place to be due to the way the drive here in Vietnam. So all the way we were like holding to our seats. It was a very scary experience (that was going to be repeted all the way down to Saigon).
When we got there Mr Luong from the Queen Mini Hotel was waiting for us to take us to the hotel. He was very helpful and the hotel was lovely, with basic rooms with fan (and TV). He gave us some advice on some places to do, so we booked 2 tours for the 2 days we were going to spend there.
The following day we had a motorcycle and guide that took us to Kenh Ga Floating Village (chicken village). It gets its name apparently from the number of wild chickens that used to live in the area. We took a boat tour that took us around so that we could see how these people lives evolved around the river so much. They have floating fish-breeding pens, collecting shellfish or selling veggies from their boats.
We then visited Hoa Lu. This was the capital of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty. The ancient citadel of Hoa Lu, most of which, sadly, has been destroyed once covered an area of about 3sq km. Then to Dinh Tien Hoang. This was restored in the 17th century and is dedicated to the Dinh Dinasty. Out the front is the stone pedestal of a royal throne; inside are bronze bells and a statue of Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang with his 3 sons.
Then onto Le Dai Hanh (or Duong Van Nga), that commemorates the rulers of the early Le Dinasty. Inside the main hall are an assortment of drums, gongs, incense burners, candle holders and weapons.
And then Tam Coc which is known as Halong Bay on the Rice Paddies, for its huge rock formations jutting out of the rice paddies. And to finish our guide took us to Bich Dong Pagoda , which is built in a cave.
The following day we hired a car with a driver that take us to Cuc Phuong National Park, as it is about 60km from Ninh Binh. The first stop was the Primate Rescue Center, which is the home
to around 120 rare monkeys bred in captivity or confiscated from illegal traderls. They are rehabilitated, studied and, whenever possible, released back into their native environments or into semiwild protected areas in the park.
And then we went to the Cave of the Prehistoric Man. Didn’t see any paintings on the walls but I was told that many bats live there and after seeing very strange spots on the cave and hearing squeaky noises I found a hole with a little cute bat sleeping in it.
The food at Nin Binh was pretty basic with noodles and rice only, so we are all craving some western food like pizza, steak, something!
Before our bus was due we had some time to kill so we had some drinks at the hotel, where I meet a really nice American girl, Tracy, who was also traveling south, so she joined us.
Despues de un corto trajecto en el autobus, donde conseguimos asientos en primera file, lo cual no es bueno, porque vas viendo como conducen aqui, asi que fuimos agarrados a nuestros asientos todo el rato y cerrando los ojos cada vez que el autobus adelantaba. Fue una experiencia
que nos asusto (y se iba a repetir a lo largo de nuestra ruta hasta Saigon!)
Cuando llegamos a Ninh Binh, Mr Luong del Queen Mini Hotel nos estaba esperando para llevarnos a su hotel. El hombre fue super amable y las habitaciones bien, basicas con ventilador (y TV). Nos dio informacion acerca de sitios donde ir y cosas que hacer alli, asi que reservamos 2 tours para los siguientes dias.
Al dia siguiente alquilamos unas motos con guia (y menos mal porque sino no hubieramos encontrado nada) que nos llevo primero al pueblo flotante de Kenh Ga. Alli tomamos un barco que nos llevaria por toda la zona a ver como la vida de esta gente se desarrolla en el rio. Despues visitamos Hoa Lu, que fue la capital de Vietnam bajo la dinastia Dinh. La antigua ciudad, la mayoria de la cual ha sido desgraciadamente destruida, una vez cubrio una area de 3km2. Despues fuimos a Dinh Tien Hoang, el cual fue restaurado en el siglo 17 y esta dedicado a la dinastia Dinh. En la entrada hay un pedestal de piedra del trono real; dentro hay campanas de bronze y una estatua del Emperador Dinh
Women working on the rice collection
Mujeres trabajando en la recoleccion de arroz. Tien Hoang con sus 3 hijos.
De ahi nos llevo a Le Dai Hanh (o Duong Van Nga), que commemora los reyes de la temprana dinastia Le. Dentro del hall principal hay varios tambores, gongs, quemadores de incienso, porta velas y armas.
De ahi fuimos a Tam Coc, que es conocido como el Halong Bay en los campos de arroz, por sus gran formaciones rocosas, que sobresalen sobre los arrozales. Y para terminar nuestro guia nos llevo a Bich Dong Pagoda, que esta construida en una cueva.
Al dia siguiente alquilamos un coche con guia para que nos llevara al parquet nacional de Cuc Phuong, que esta a unos 60km de Ninh Binh. Nuestra primera parade fue el Centro de Rescate de Primates, que es el hogar de unos 120 monos que han nacido alli o confiscados de los vendedores ilegales. Alli los rehabilitan, los estudian y cuando es possible, los devuelven a sus areas naturales, o a areas semi salvajes protejidas en el parquet. De ahi fuimos a la cueva del hombre prehistorico. No vimos ningunas pinturas en las paredes, pero nos habian dicho que en la cueva vivian muchos murcielagos, y despues de ver extranos puntos de
color marron en el techo y oir unos ruidos extranos, por fin encontre un agujero con un pequeno murcielago durmiento en su interior.
La comida en Ninh Binh ha sido bastante basica con tallarines y arroz solo, asi que todos estamos deseando llegar a Hue para comer comida europea como pizza, carne, algo!!
The food at Nin Binh was pretty basic with noodles and rice only, so we are all craving
Antes de que partiera nuestro autobus tuvimos un par de horas asi que nos tomamos unas copitas en el lobby del hotel, donde conoci a una chica muy maja Americana, Tracy, que tambien estaba viajando hacia el sud asi que se unio a nosotros.
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