Hoi An, Hue and Ninh Binh

Hoi An felt a little more 'old world' Vietnam than most of the other places I've been to - though it is now rather 'tourist focused' it was still quaint and a nice place to chill out for a couple of days.

One of the more popular attractions in Hoi An is the shopping - lots of local colourful trades - lanterns, art, ceramics and tailors - but so I wasn't tempted I just took the photo's from the outside as I did too much shopping in Saigon!!

You can always tell the local kids that are not used to tourists as they just stare at you with a look of bewildrement - that is if they don't burst into tears!!

I love buying pineapples from the ladies in the markets - not only are the usually really tasty but watching them cut them up for you is an art form in itself.

Marble Mountain near Hoi An - 5 marble outcrops that used to be Islands, the caves are now full of shrines and temples.

My Son temples were built by the Cham people and pre-date the Angkor era - unfortunately they were badly damaged during the Vietnam war - they would have been a nice setting for the sunrise had the bus turned up on time!!

The locals playing football at sunset on Cua Dai beach at Hoi An - another nice beach though a little spoilt with the constant pestering from hawkers!

Like most places in Vietnam activity in Hoi An is centred around the river.

Local kids on their way home from school.

The craftsman making the sculptures to sell to the tourists.

A local dance show.

Is this face not exactly what you think of when you think of Vietnam???

Eating food at the street stalls is a common site in most towns - usually the food is tasty and very cheap - though sometimes I have no idea what I am eating!!

Hue another city with contrasting sides - the new......

and a couple of streets away the old.....

So I eventually found out why all the kids are running about with dragons - this month is the kids full moon celebrations so they are all practising for next week - decided I should join in given I am just a big kid!!

The novice monks at Thien Mu Pagado doing their homework.

Just because I haven't given you any photo's of bugs recently - but this has to be one of the biggest grasshopper type insects I've ever seen - it was about the legnth of my hand!!













The Tomb of Tu Duc - Ryan the Tiger enjoyed taking the elephant ride to nowhere....

Kids playing in the Perfume River at Hue - as my nose doesn't work I can't say if the river actually deserved this name but compared to others it looked reasonably clean!

The ladies making the conical hats that are popular hear to keep the sun and rain off your face whilst keeping your hands free to work/ride a bike!

Hard to believe these photo's taken in the middle of the city - the girls were collecting bottles/cans - not uncommon in Asia to see people (especially kids in Cambodia) go through piles of rubbish as they get money for the plastic etc that can be recycled.
Just one of the many unusual and unexplained things I come accross!!

The Imperial Enclosure at Hue Royal Citadel - the emperor used to house his 142 concubines (wifes of sorts!) here - not sure if any guy I know would want that sort of pressure ;-)

There were loads of art students around the citadel - art seems quite a big business in Vietnam.

Having a nap on the job!!

Arrived in Ninh Binh today after 14 hour overnight bus - not much to the city itself but the surrounding area is breathtaking. Cycled down to Tam Coc and took a boat ride for an hour or so through the caves and peaks - it was like something out of a prehistoric film (other than all the tourists) you could imagine the dinosaurs here.

The ladies rowing the boats have to work hard - when they get tired they use their legs to row!! Though I have to say they did try and play on the sympathy element to sell overpriced embriodery (and it wasn't that nice!!).

After my boat trip I cycled out in the opposite direction to Hoa Lu which at one point was the capital of this area of Vietnam - beautiful scenery and small villages to go through.

The locals at Hoa Lu were friendly (which was just as well as I kept having to ask for directions - no such thing as maps/street signs here!!). The kids are all immaculate in their uniforms and unlike home they all walk/cycle to school.

In the end by time I got where I wanted to go, stopped for lots of photo's and then took shelter with a lovely family who invited me in out of the rain storm it started to get dark. Cycling back through the hills through dusk was pretty magical with the sounds of the birds & insects - was glad there were not too many pot holes that I couldn't see right enough!!

Name That Tune??

Sorry for the lack of update recently but I have been having some technical issues - have I told you that I hate computers!!!! Anyway, the last update was in fact typed over a week ago and only just managed to publish it - so you now have 2 for the price of 1. Will give you more chat in next update as enough here to keep you going for a while ;-)

Hope your all well - keep scrolling........

Jack xxx