Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72816
Tell me re the heights bit. I must be mad!!
Interesting drive today, esp on the very bumpy road from one N/S road to the next one east.
Highlight #1 was at a ethnic minority chaps house. Kind of the standard tourist thing, see the house, family & farm but pretty interesting nonetheless. It ended with an old chipped china tea pot coming out and shot glasses, rice wine time. Now the other 5 peeps on this tour are Aussies so needless to say none of them stood up to the plate so I did.
This
Click image to enlarge
Lead to ritual cheers in Vietnamese
Click image to enlarge
Then this
Click image to enlarge
Lead to arm in arm shots that look like I’m snogging a 62 year old Vietnamese grandfather, so no pics.
Highlight #2 was group pics with a bunch of local ladies who thoroughly enjoyed having pics taken with SWMBO & me. I somehow don’t think that was SWMBO’s hand on my posterior!!
Click image to enlarge
28th Mar 2019 12:32 pm
ianm27
Member Since: 02 Jun 2016
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 2154
Get your coat Del........ you've pulled Uncle Ray's spare wheel protector
Limo Tint
Blackvue front & rear dashcam
Cruise control switch pack
Bodsy's remote for FBH
28th Mar 2019 4:41 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72816
I was afraid, very afraid!!
A long day in the bus troggng north to the very top of VN, fantastic scenery and a few stops.
Lots of pics taken so here’s a few.
Mountains and blossom, though the blossom is “silk” and the trees concrete.
Click image to enlarge
Lots and lots and lots of great scenery. This is a one of many traditional houses that are in museums further south, here there are many traditional homes. If it wasn’t for the rusty satellite dish or, as in this case, modern water tanks these scenes would have been unchanged for a long, long time.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
This cat was giving me the evil eye coz I’d nicked his seat. As soon as I got up and off to the coach he was straight on the seat I was occupying.
Click image to enlarge
More great scenery.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
This is where we were closest to China, not very far at all. And also how far we are up in Vietnam.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Naff all tourists up here. If anyone is going to Vietnam and has the time, this should be a must.
This is part of the palace for the last Muong king, who was the big opium king pin, excuse the pin-pun.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Flopping in the hotel, then off to seek out a bottle of VC. It’s a tough life at the top of Vietnam.
29th Mar 2019 11:57 am
ianm27
Member Since: 02 Jun 2016
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 2154
Great pics Del and looks like you having a lovely time.
Watch out if the cats get any bigger....... you are getting close to jungle Uncle Ray's spare wheel protector
Limo Tint
Blackvue front & rear dashcam
Cruise control switch pack
Bodsy's remote for FBH
29th Mar 2019 2:04 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72816
No jungle here, well not to the same degree as further south in Phong Nha area, that was proper Tarzan country.
An intereting start to the day, no power from about 7:45 onwards as the whole area is out of power until ~3pm. This is brought to you courtesy of a gennie chugging away outside our room. Well so it seems but not complaining. Luckily we were not in the lift!!
We were meant to have the morning a our leisure but a change of plan meant our 4hr/13km trek was brought forward to this morning. No problem, so off we went.
Passing the local footie match. There was a drum band (really bunch of kids with drums) urging them on and we saw a gaol as we went past. Waaaaaaay past my footie skills level so didn’t offer to help.
Click image to enlarge
Then it was round the mountain, lots of discussion as to whether this bit or that bit was China but we eventually decided China was over there, somewhere.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
At least the bit we were walking on was now Vietnamese, the whole area was taken over by China in 1978 when they decided to hold a little invasion. They obviously thought invading a country they had been at war for the last 30 odd years was a good idea, it wasn’t. But that all happened around here.
And you need a Border Belt in this area to keep your Border Trousers up.
Click image to enlarge
Took a pic of a banyan tree, as you do.
Click image to enlarge
Panorama, well the view cried out for one. This is all Vietnam as we decided the border had gone up a different valley.
Click image to enlarge
Now it was getting hot but we were on the way down, it was high 20s and full sun. Pretty views on the way down.
Click image to enlarge
This looks not too bad but it was really steep and all being farmed. The pic flattens it but I was walking on the left side of the path as it was a bit of a drop.
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Panorama of the other side of the mountain, well it would be unbalanced not to.
Click image to enlarge
Farmer lady and water buffalo ploughing the rice paddy. Farming here is virtually all women, we saw one man and our guide nearly fainted in sympathy! The ladies and girls do incredible physical work up the slopes and in the fields, for virtually nothing. Hats off to them.
Click image to enlarge
Purple orchids. There were more rare yellow ones earlier but couldn’t get a decent pic.
Click image to enlarge
And one of the oldest houses in the town, now a homestay. Bit like the last king’s place but no towers to store opium in and watch for the plod from.
Click image to enlarge
And back to town 13km/4hrs later, it was getting hot towards the end and feet were hurting. Lunch was stuffing face with 3 big wedges of super fresh pineapple each and find a cool place for a beer, which was still nice and cold in spite of no power. Now back in hotel, contemplating dinner which could well be pizza.
30th Mar 2019 8:49 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72816
And it’s been a really weird but great night. Ate at a new Italian restaurant in Dong Van, right at the top of Vietnam, eating pizza, drinking a bottle of Chilean VC and watching the world go by getting ready for tomorrow’s market day.
Click image to enlarge
Wonder what this is in the planter outside.
Click image to enlarge
Hopefully not in the pizza, which was really scrummy.
Click image to enlarge
Then retire to hotel and watch The Hitman’s Bodyguard (with Vietnamese subtitles) whilst drinking a sub £3 bottle of Da Lat vino. Great end to a great day.
Last edited by DSL on 31st Mar 2019 3:42 am. Edited 1 time in total
30th Mar 2019 1:52 pm
ianm27
Member Since: 02 Jun 2016
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 2154
Penultimate pic looks like special ingredient to make the pizzas scrummy Uncle Ray's spare wheel protector
Limo Tint
Blackvue front & rear dashcam
Cruise control switch pack
Bodsy's remote for FBH
30th Mar 2019 2:50 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72816
Morning folks, view from breakie, market day.
Click image to enlarge
Enjoy yer time change.
31st Mar 2019 1:07 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72816
A good but tight fitting tromp around the market. Lots of the usual, vegetables, meat, cloths & general farming & living stuff.
Some pics, of course.
It was a tad packed in there, etiquette for moving around was generally shove your way through.
Click image to enlarge
Veggie market bit.
Click image to enlarge
Kitchen for cooking tons/tonnes of pho. Looked very nice but had pigged out on banana pancakes for breakie.
Click image to enlarge
Water buffalo and sugar cane being sold side by side. We tend to avoid the animals for sale bits, esp just after eating.
Click image to enlarge
Wooden ploughs to use behind the water buffs.
Click image to enlarge
Big pots
And even bigger woks!!
Anyone want a wafer thin sparrow?
Old motorcycle mirrors and keys. A true reflection on Vietnam.
Click image to enlarge
Tiddly feeling a bit peckish.
Click image to enlarge
And how peeps get to market. More motorbikes than you can shake a stick at. Peeps come from the whole region to this market, some on bike, many on foot carrying their wares.
Click image to enlarge
On way back to hotel from market passed normal shops but I’m not a fan of this one.
Click image to enlarge
Finally walking back to the hotel passed this film crew filming beans, as you do.
Click image to enlarge
We’re off to Bao Lac at 10:30, going to be interesting getting the bus out the road where the film crew were, just behind & right of Lam Tung sign.
Last edited by DSL on 31st Mar 2019 3:03 am. Edited 1 time in total
31st Mar 2019 2:52 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72816
ianm27 wrote:
Penultimate pic looks like special ingredient to make the pizzas scrummy
Note no “basil” in my pizza.
31st Mar 2019 3:00 am
Someone-Gone
Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
Location: Gone
Posts: 5117
As always, great photos.
Thanks for the heartfelt clocks changing comment. SWMBO got called out, so I am up even earlier!
31st Mar 2019 6:20 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72816
Luckily no change of time here. Long day in the bus, glad to be in hotel. Well until we sat on the bed, it’s rock hard. Have a few pics but got to sort out getting from Hanoi to Cat Ba (Ha Long boat trips) and back next week. Looking forward to just doing our our own thing at the the end of this tour.
31st Mar 2019 11:01 am
ruben D3 Decade
Member Since: 26 Sep 2006
Location: ASTURIAS
Posts: 2397
I believe that when you finish your tour you will need a vacation! lost in translation!
DISCOVERY 3 SE man. TDV6 2006, my true love!
DEFENDER 2 SE D I6 MHEV 2024, other live.
31st Mar 2019 11:30 am
Someone-Gone
Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
Location: Gone
Posts: 5117
What travel company did you go with?
31st Mar 2019 11:37 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72816
Intrepid Travel.
Re vacation, got 4 nights in Cat Ba next week then 4 nights in Hanoi flopping in the Pan Pacific and IntCont.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
