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Published: June 11th 2007
Motobikes
My bike can hold more than your bike... We have had quite the adventures over the last few days....after Sa Pa we returned back to Hanoi for one night before leaving for our organized boat tour of Halong Bay. This UNESCO heritage site is a protected island area (over 3000 mushroom islands) where people live in house boat villages (called floating villages). Typically 5 people live in one of these "houses" which are little more than a floating room. Parents put cord around their babies waists to stop them from drowning...it's quite a sight to see! We really enjoyed our two nights swimming, kayaking and lazing around, although the 37 C (~100 F)degree heat was a bit of a killer! Back to Hanoi for the night and a DVD buying extravaganza (all legal copies of course) before taking a flight down to Hoi An, a small beach village mid-way down the coast. We have been enjoying riding our bikes everywhere - last night through the rice paddies at sunset and saw a vietnamese wedding and kids nearby playing soccer with water buffalo grazing next to the field - a truly magical sight! We are concluding our Vietnamese adventures today and are off to Singapore tonight.
To continue
our "5 truths & a lie" game, test your knowledge below....
In Hanoi's old quarter, each street traditionally was filled with shops selling only one item (e.g. a street where all shops sold only shoes etc.)...this makes for an interesting wandering experience - what's around the next corner? Below are five streets we stumbled across in Hanoi with one lie thrown in to throw you off....any guesses as to which is the lie?
1) Personalized Tombstone Street
2) 3D Baby Ultrasound Street
3) Car Floor Mat Street
4) Arc Welding Street
5) Embalmed Cobra In Rice Whiskey Street
6) Rubber Balloon Street
Tips for other travelers:
** Elegance Hotel (one and two) are great places to stay in Hanoi. Relatively cheap (approx $30/night with breakfast) with a location that can't be beat. Staff are very friendly. Book well in advance as they fill up quickly (especially two which is newer).
** Handspan Tours has been a great company to use both in Sa Pa and for Halong. In Sa Pa we made our own way up there, but went into their office and got a great guide for the day who spoke all the local languages and really
showed us an insiders view of village life. The Dragon's Pearl is great for touring Halong Bay but well worth the money for air con, good food and a clean ship. We plan on using them in Siem Reap.
** Hoi An is a really quaint little town and the flight is very cheap on Vietnam Airlines (about $60US each one-way). The Ha An hotel is HIGHLY recommended - great staff, beautiful rooms and a delicious buffet breakfast.
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Juliet
non-member comment
My guess
I'm guessing the 3D ultrasound because that's just crazy!