Ha Long Bay - Vietnam

The funny thing in Vietnam is the size of the chairs and tables, but even funnier when you 6 foot +
Everything on the menu was in Vietnamese. Makes for an interesting lunch...

This was lunch by one of the lakes in Hanoi called Hồ Tây, with an American couple called Mark & Jenifer that we bunked down with in a hotel in Hanoi and then went to Ha Long Bay with.

Bicycle traffic jam Hanoi

On the way to Ha Long Bay, that's our car in the background. Everyone on this punt is looking at us, it felt pretty wired!
AND I MEAN EVERYONE....

Lunch is fresh crab bought from another boat and cooked for us while we swam. I believe now you can only go on a special cruise even though they are beautiful Junks, it just wouldn't be the same. I'll always love the little fishing boat that took us through the cave to the center on an island. No big boats could get in there....

Ha Long Bay in all it's glory!

Hmmm... (my hay day I think)

This little guy, he must have been about 8, is selling coral. We didn't buy any...

This cave had been little up for us tourists by candle.

Xin chào Tôi là một du lịch
(Hello I am a tourist)

This is a little film of Hoi An today

Play Me

I love this city. It holds a very special place in my heart. Ever since the night we were going off to sleep on the roof balcony of a small hotel in Hoi An called " Hotel 99", the manageress came rushing up to us and said "you must go .... NOW" as the police were coming and they were to full. Turfed onto the street with wet cloth off our make shift clothes line, we wondered what to do now? we walked the dark streets of Hoi An back to " Hoi An Hotel and slept on the floor of the lobby in the putrid heat.

The best restaurant in Hoi An 1993 Hands Down " Nhu Y"
Loved their chicken and corn soup....

* DIEM VY - PUMPKIN SOUP

1/2 lt Boiling Water
1 kg Pumpkin Cubed (smaller pumpkins are better)
1/4 kg peanuts
1/2 kg corn
salt to taste
pepper to taste
Small amount of sugar
1 clove of garlic ( the more garlic the better)

Boil the pumpkins for 15 minutes add chopped corn and mashed peanuts. Then add salt and pepper. garlic and sugar boil for another 15 minutes and then just at the end add more garlic for the smell.

This recipe was given to me by the beautiful lady who owned " Nhu Y"

These photos were all taken on the Island of "Hòn Miễu" off the cost of Nha Trang,
or on the local ferry we caught to get there, the cost was 12 cents if I remember right.