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Published: January 24th 2007
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**** DISCLAIMER - THE FOLLOWING BLOG HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR PUBLICATION BY MRS DEANE. ANY SIMILARITY TO HUMOUR, INTENTIONAL OR OTHERWISE, IS MERELY COINCIDENTAL. **** Hello folks, Mrs Deane here.
Being new to this travel blog lark, Dave decided to give me a few hints and tips. Tell a few jokes, break the ice and generally try and keep you all amused, oh and fill you in on all our travels. I racked my brains to come up with a new joke involving a Vietnamese and a cyclo, no inspiration so sticking to an old classic....
....What do you call a Frenchman in sandals?
Phillipe Phillop!! Ha Ha Ha!!! (of course, this only works when you're telling the joke and not writing it as I can't spell).
When we spoke (or blogged) to you last we were in Hue and were about to travel down to Hoi An in the hope of some sun. I had learnt all about the history of Vietnam and the divide between North and South and was feeling quite proud of myself for remembering it all. Then on the early bus down to Hoi An I encountered a much more impressive
north/south divide. Travelling along we reached Hai Van Pass which is the road over the mountain dividing the north and the south. Instead of our very full and heavy coach navigating narrow roads with steep drops either side, we drove the 7km through the middle!! The best bit... we went into the tunnel in rain and gray skies and emerged into brilliant sunshine!!! At last, our efforts to chase the sun were't in vain after all and the whole coach seemed to perk up a bit for the end of our bus journey. So much so that we all saw the motorbike carrying 3 children brandishing a snake go past us, and nearly got run off the road by a herd of cows. This could only happen in Vietnam, the most crazy country ever!!! But also meant that Hoi An is our favourite place so far. (Oh sooo easily pleased!!!)
Hoi An is much more relaxed than Ha Noi (note the slight change of name - I keep getting the two mixed up) and Hue, tho still occaisionally being run off the road by motorbikes and having to say "no thankyou" hundreds of times a day to the little
kids trying to sell us stuff. Have haggled a bit, but really feel that we are robbing them blind when we knock them down and they look all distressed. I know really they have perfected these looks specially for the tourists, just like they up all the entry prices as soon as we come near. I'm sure London would never be allowed to pull stunts like this!!
Anyway Hoi An, a lovely little fishing town that avoided all the bombing, with lots of shops, some 300 year old houses and lots of cafes/restaurants. Have felt quite cosmopolitan at night strolling along by the river with chinese lanterns and candles lighting up the pavements. It even has a beach although when we went down for the afternoon planning to sit in the sunshine and chill, it got very windy and then started raining. Prob why we had the whole beach to ourselves! It was a gorgeous sandy beach with amazing views out to the ocean tho, so despite the weather i hope you are all jealous (except those reading in Oz who are prob laughing at our desperation to find the sun!)
Our first day in Hoi An entailed
a wander through the old town and then lunch. Then we were hauled off to the middle of the market to a local girls' Aunts' material stall to choose some designs and have clothes made. This is shopping heaven!!! Thousands of shops and stalls with the Next Directory and various other fashion magazines for you to browse through and choose what they will make. I settled on 2 dresses, tho could have had a whole wardrobe, chose some material, they took the measurements and then they knocked it up. Magic!! Of course Dave had hold of all of the money, so that really is all i was allowed to buy (for now - will wait to see what they have in Ho Chi Minh!!)
The evening was much the same as many of the ones reviewed on Daves blogs- drinking beer, and not just any local beer that is part of his challenge, but the cheapest "fresh beer" that we could find. 3000D/glass (sorry, 9 pence/glass). If it didn't advertise it outside, then we weren't going in!! One place even said she'd get some for us as we passed over their menu in favour of the next which did
have cheap beer. Even I was drinking it, having resigned myself to not having any decent wine till we hit Oz. I have been drinking the local Da Lat wine which isn't too bad but as the crazy Swiss fellas on the boat said "Da Lat, its like Toi Let, so judge for yourself". Saying that, when there's not a lot else and its cheap I have managed to help polish off a few bottles.
Yesterday we had a trip to My Son, home to the ancient Chav (sorry, Cham) temples up in the mountains. Again beautiful scenery and very tranquil, just a shame the pesky Americans bombed it during the war and reduced it to ruins and craters peppering the hillsides. Still I got the chance to read up on some more history so feeling even more cultural now. Think it is definately time we found some sun, a beach and chilled, drank and generally forgot this long history lesson.
Next stop is Nha Trang which is further down the coast, nearer the equator so therefore must have better weather!! A couple of days sunbathing (me), burning (Dave, in next to no cloud!) and generally relaxing is
what we have planned. Keep fingers crossed the weather is good otherwise it will be straight on to Ho Chi Minh.
Oh, Dave has reminded me of my duty to report on the next beer, so ...
Beer 24: Biere Larue, Vietnam, Bottle, 3.6%, 7.0. This was one quite nice tho had a sandy sediment in the bottle. (Must remember to be more careful when drinking down on the beach particularly when it is windy and rainy).
Thats all from me now folks. Hope you have enjoyed my first installment of the blog. Have quite enjoyed doing it, apart from the occaisional powercuts which have hindered my artistic juices and restricted the humour. Also still having probs uploading the photos so you will have to wait for the ones of the beach.
Hope you are all well. Speak to you soon
Mrs Deane xxx
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andy
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very impressive cathy, much more of a broadsheet feel to it, rather than daves daily sport. glad to see your both enjoying yourselves.