It's a quiet night for us after a long day of touring Hanoi. We opted for the helicopter tour which saved us most of the long drive from the port to the city. It's about 3-3.5 hours by bus. The helicopter ride took 35 minutes and was a lot of fun. It was a large helicopter (24 seats) so not as much motion as I was expecting - it felt more like a small fixed-wing plane to me. It was a very smooth ride though visibility was poor due to the haze. We flew over the Halong Bay monoliths but couldn't get a very good view or good photos due to the haze. Tomorrow we cruise the monoliths so hopefully Grant will get some good photos then.

After arriving in the city we saw the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and the complex where Ho lived and worked. Unfortunately his body is off for "reconditioning" as is the custom for two months every year. The guide said it is a secret where the body is sent but conventional wisdom is Russia. we saw an 11th century pagoda then visited the Temple of Literature, a Confucian temple also from the 11th century. There are rows of stone tortoises at the tmple which are like diplomas or certificates for former students who passed their exams. Turtles are a sacred animal representing longevity, and students preparing for exams still rub the turtles' heads for good luck.

After lunch we visited the prison known as the "Hanoi Hilton" then had some free time to spend in the Old Quarter where we enjoyed seeing street life. I really enjoyed Hanoi - you can see the French colonial influence with wide, tree-lined avenues and European architecture. Also French baguettes for sale from vendors on bicycles :) Crazy traffic and motorbikes everywhere, but people were friendly to us. I'd like to return some time and see more.

Dena

Dena, glad you had a good time in Hanoi. We really enjoyed our trip to Hanoi (including the helicopter ride). Did you buy an Ao Dai to wear? Shopping in Hanoi was great; as was shopping in Hoi An and Saigon and Bangkok and...

We are looking forward to all the Dragon SeaMail as we are getting to enjoy again one of our favorite cruises (of course, we could have done without not having our luggage for ten days).

I know I posted a comment earlier, and it disappeared. (I can't believe it was pulled for any reason.) Never had this happen on land. After PANDA, we took the same excursion and had the same haze when we took the helicopter, and it sure was hot inside until we took off.

Tour sounds very similar, though I don't remember anything about Ho's body. I remember seeing the Mausoleum and later his house. I also remember that we had a pretty good lunch. (I usually remember the food.)

Looking forward to more news and great photos.

------------

Eugene

Eugene, your post must of got lost in cyberspace as I didn't remove anything!

Marc - no Ao Dai for me but I did see some silk blouses (waist length) of similar style that I might look for in the upcoming ports.

Eugene - we thought the lunch was very good too - better than the usual lunch served on these tours. There was some tasty pho (noodle soup) and other local foods. We usually avoid large group tours like this but we thought this one was well organized and fairly efficient overall.

Dena

Photos from Hanoi


Our 24-seat Russian helicopter before take-off


Dena & Grant with helicopter after the flight


Ho Chi Minh mausoleum


Street vendor


Our mascot, the Dragon, at the Confucian temple


Street scene - more motorbikes than cars


French baguettes for sale


Selling doughnut-like treats

Great photos, Grant. Still need to meet you and Dena.

Great photos, Grant. Still need to meet you and Dena.

Very cool, Grant! Thanks for the peak into Hanoi.

When you're shopping at the tailor shops in Saigon check out the Lemongrass restaurant for lunch. The food is excellent and the prices are low.
Jim

Another vote for Lemongrass we ate there with the Matassas then Tom went back, again, while the 3 of us were touring.

Posted pics on Facebook..until I figure out how to post elsewhere.

Andi, they are great! You know how to use your camera. I really enjoyed them.
Lynn

Andi:

Posts on Facebook coming out just fine. You're really getting with the program. Well done!

Cheers! Ray & Penny
p.s.: The Great Wall on a shiny, clear day. You lucky duck!

Sorry to miss you pics Andi, don't know how to do Facebook and not sure I want to :eek: But we are loving your reports and enjoying your wonderful descriptions of the places you are visiting.

Keep it coming.

I don't do FB either JoAnn maybe someone will send you their login and PW so you can view (lurk) Andi's pixs -

Halong Bay

In the West we love to get a tan and in Vietnam they want no part of tanned skin as that signifies they work in the fields. I originally thought they covered their faces because of pollution in the city but that's not the case.

We enjoyed Vietnam and am glad you posted these visual reminders.

Cheers! Ray

I'll try to post some of the pics here when I remember how.

You didn't really see the Hanoi Hilton, because it was torn down a few years ago. All you saw was the small propaganda setup they left in place. A good friend of mine, who was a fellow POW, was there when it was being torn down and he brought home one of the bricks. Many of our group have gone back to Hanoi for "closure". I won't be one of them. As I told our interrogator the day I left, " The good news is that I'm going home; the bad news is that you have to stay here". He stopped smiling after that.

Doug, I have many Vietnam vet friends and they are all across the board re: going back. When we went last year my husband (who is Vietnam "era", got lucky and sent to Germany)was on deck as we sailed into Vietnam and said there were quite a few emotional guys up there.
Guess its all about what you need.
---------
Helen

This is Halong Bay, Viet Nam Link

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=779754&id=1295365946

Hanoi
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=779793&id=1295365946

Great Wall of China
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=780066&id=1295365946

Beijing: Bei Hai Park
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=780132&id=1295365946

Hong Kong
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=779908&id=1295365946

Wonderful pictures!!
Thank you for posting them. :app:

Great pictures Andi and Grant.

Doug, being in your shoes I completely understand where you're coming from...unlike you, we only have to imagine.

Doug, Like Marcie I too completely understsnd. I liked your response ro him, perfect!

Yesterday we visited Hue, which was Vietnam's old imperial city and home of the emperors. The area has had huge amounts of rainfall recently and we saw some flooded streets. The morning started out rainy but cleared up by the end of the day.


vietnam woman at the hotel


Thien Mu pagoda


Minh Mang tomb


Royal Citadel


Market stalls


The "DMZ Bar and grill

Finally I am posting.

I did do a post but did not do it in word first and lost it. Try to catch up here quickly because I am short of time.

So much fun seeing everyone on arrival on the ship and meeting a few new people, we have had very nice seas so far and we all hope that continues. No sense going over in detail the ports as Grant and Andi have posted that information and some pictures – thanks to both of you. So I will offer just a few observations.

Hanoi ---- long trip but I am glad I went. I think there is not enough to see to justify and overnight stay but it is SUCH a long day to go to Hanoi and back within a day. It did surprise me as I had anticipated that Hanoi would be more traditional with the girls in the typical Vietnamese Ao – Dai clothing. All we saw was blue jeans I was so disappointed. I loved the girls in their flowing outfits and long opera gloves that I had seen in Saigon five years ago. It will be interesting to see how Saigon is today, probably all blue jeans too with McDonald’s on every corner. One of the humorous aspects of this trip was our guide. He called a bathroom stop “the happy place” we have never heard that term before. The stops were indeed “happy places” as they were incredibly clean and that was a nice surprise.

Da Nang and Hoi An. Olivia really wanted to climb up Marble Mountain and the Regent tours will give passengers time to do that. So we decided to do a taxi with Olivia and Susan. Not our best success with a taxi but it was a fun day.

We took the Regent shuttle to a hotel and got a taxi from there. The hotel taxi vendors called the regular taxis “mafia” a word they probably think fits and that would make the tourists shy away from the normal taxis. The competition for our business was fierce with the hotel taxis starting at $120 for the 5 – 6 hour trip and the drivers of the taxis on the street all vying for our business too. Ken walked down to the locals who came up with a price of $80. It was funny to see them all around him as he negotiated. He came back to us and this clean cut man who spoke pretty good English said he would do it for $80 as well. Well it was the old bait and switch trick as the driver that jumped in our car was NOT the one who spoke good English as we were whisked away from the hotel very quickly. Oh well best laid plans. The taxis were ALL very nice new mini vans with great air conditioning the quality of the vehicles surprised me. Our driver was fine but very little English but sometimes I like that better. We were able to visit and not have to listen to long explanations that are hard to understand.

At Marble Mountain we got another wonderful saying to add to the “happy place”. They all said the same thing “where you from lady” I responded with “America” the Vietnamese responsed with great enthusiasm “totally awesome”. It became incredibly humorous after a while. I never knew before that I was so “totally awesome”. I had forgotten how incredibly steep the steps to the top of the mountain were. Regent does the right thing in not having guests attempt this climb someone would be bound to get hurt and very few could make the climb. I did remember I loved it once I got to the top but Olivia and I gave it up and went shopping instead. Susan and Ken went to the top.

Susan and Olivia bought many trinkets; I abstained as I already had purchased five years ago and had my stone boxes and lacquer items. Susan proved to be a wonderful bargainer going to take her with me when I want to shop.

We then went to Hoi An and that was a wonderful spot, with old temples, a big river and lots of small shops with great values. We ran into Andi, Doug, Jim and Pam who were on the Regent tour. This town is well worth a visit. Susan bought some wonderful silk shawls at the price of two for $5.00.

On the way back we saw China Beach and three cargo ships had washed up on the beach from the typhoon that hit this area. I have never seen ships “beached” before. They were working on one of them trying with bulldozers and huge airbags to refloat the ship, a major undertaking. So much development is taking place here with huge hotels under construction. Cannot believe there will be enough tourism to fill all these rooms.

Pooch has been fun we have two tables going when we play and are mixing up who we play with each day. Ken has become a designated scorer now. We are playing with the MUDMAN cards.

Last night we did the final drawing for the free cruise. The ship did a wonderful DRAGON ice sculpture for the party. Captain Felice Petruno is in a class of his own, particularly when it comes to a drawing. He was fantastic. He gave hints to each name as he drew the card he made it so much fun. He has warmth, charm and a great personality that just makes him very special.

Viet Nam Day 1: Hanoi

We have now been on board 4 days, with three days in Viet Nam and one day at sea. Our first day we were anchored around Halong Bay which was located in North Viet Nam and had a choice of various excursions around Halong Bay or Hanoi. The second day was a half day tour of Halong Bay for the entire ship. Therefore, almost everyone opted for a tour of Hanoi on day 1, with some variations. There was a full day to Hanoi (11 hours), a full day with shopping to Hanoi (10 1/2 hours), Hanoi and Flight over Halong Bay (9 hours at a cost of $600 to save 1 1/2 hours and to get a 30 minute helicopter ride), Halong’s Countryside (5 hours) and Kayaking in Halong Bay (4 1/2 hours). If I knew what was to lie ahead, I would have opted for the Countryside tour or the kayaking, but Hanoi had always played such a prominent role in our history books, it seemed a must do.

Originally, we were to take the helicopter tour, but our friends were on the shopping tour and it was free, so we switched over. It was to include a visit to Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, a visit to the literature temple, lunch, 2 hours of shopping in the old quarter. It started off fine with a fairly interested start looking at the Viet Namese countryside of rice paddies and everyday life. The 3 hours and 15 minute ride was stated clearly up front in the brochure. We made one stop at the “happy house,” the Viet Namese euphemism for rest room which was complete with gift store with kick back for the guide.

There were some interesting sites along the way, but we whizzed past, unable to stop, missing some wonderful photo ops. We arrived in sweltering, muggy heat to walk around the mausoleum and Presidential park grounds for 45 minutes. It was medium interesting. The mausoleum was dull. Then, it was off to lunch which was a mediocre lunch at best and I love Viet Namese food. Then, the guide insisted that we see the literature temple instead of the market. The temple was an 18th century Buddhist temple not unlike those we’d seen in Beijing, but not worthy of 45 minutes and bypassing a 16th Century old French quarter where daily living would have been much more interesting. We prevailed upon the guide to give us some time and he finally agreed to 10 minutes in the market and we enjoyed our all too brief time there. Some folks made some very nice purchases. Then, we had to make the 3 hour ride home, elongated by an interminable 1 hour stop at the kick back gift store on the way home. We were really pissed off. This is supposed to be the best time of year to visit North Viet Nam weather wise. I just can’t imagine how our troops, in full battle regalia, dealt with this. It gets over 100 with full humidity in the summer and gets very cold in the winter. Compared to Hong Kong and Beijing, or any other place I have visited, Viet Nam is truly a third world country. The living conditions are truly distinct from western conditions. Yes, there is running water and folks are moving towards western attire, but their culture and attitudes are still dramatically different than ours.

As we made our very long drive I tried to take in these alternate and jarring lifestyle differences. The first thing I noticed was the air pollution -- so thick and heavy with coal, dirt, steel factories. I noticed waste everywhere. While there were trash cans, it seemed the normal course of action for individuals to throw trash into a curb. Hence, the lovely countryside was littered and the cows and goats were the garbage collectors.

The country roads were not heavy trafficked. When traffic did pass by, it was in the form of trucks, bicycles, or motorbikes. Cars were almost non-existent. We neither drove on the left or on the right. We drove in the middle to make way for the bikes/motorbikes. When a bus or truck needed to pass us, it let out a long series of horn noises before and during its passing.

Homes ranged from shacks to thin, three or more story brightly colored buildings. Our guide joked that the homes are so thin because the VietNamese are so thin and don’t need much room! They are very much like Philly row houses. Long and narrow.

Men and woman wore clothing very western clothes of t-shirts and jeans. A number of women seemed to also wear traditional clothing. About half wore pyramid shaped traditional hats as sun protection. Almost all woman and some men wore face protection in the form of a scarf. At first I thought this was because of swine flu or bad air quality. I was wrong. This was actually to protect them from the sun as it is favored to remain light skin and the Viet Namese shun getting tanned. In fact, as dreadfully hot as it was, we noticed most of the women wore heavy jeans and long sleeved shirts. As they favor not tanning, conservatism was the mode of female attire.

We, in the US really haven’t seen much poverty until you have seen countries outside of the US. However, there is a self sufficiency that helps them get by. A family subsists here on about $100 per month. A teacher only makes $100 per month. They live off their land and use the extra money to help them get what they can’t make or grow themselves. A “wealthy” family is one that works for one of the multi-nationals as an engineer or is a doctor in a town. This family will bring in $1000 per month. Now, with a 100 sq. meter house costing in the neighborhood of $150,000, this isn’t much and our guide told us the inflation of costs is rising dramatically. So, what is amiss with the government holding these people back so many years after the war? It isn’t just communism. Russia and China are blossoming. People are able to become very rich. Most of the money and new development that does exist seems to come from Japan and the US. Every new building or bridge or tunnel that was pointed out to us was the Japanese or US built this for a cost of XX million. VietNam was established as an agricultural civilization and it was a society originally based on Confucianism. However, by the middle ages, Confucianism was losing its influence on Vietnamese society and money definition began to spread in negative ways. In 1954, North and South Viet Nam divided and also developed differing economic policies.

The war eroded the country’s professionals, intellectuals and skilled workers through 1975. Between 1976 and 1981, the then-unified country had a planned economy which were not achieved because of low labor productivity, unemployment, material an technological shortfalls and insufficient food. Between 1981-1985, there was more of an emphasis on agriculture and industry and to improve the managerial skills of government officials. By the late 1990s, more than 30,000 private businesses had been created, and the economy has continued to grow at an annual rate of more than 7 percent, one of the fastest in the world, and poverty has been nearly halved. However, it started at such a low base, to our ours it appears almost negligible.

The people we saw working in the rice paddies certainly did not seem like folks enjoying the opportunities of the new world. They were toiling the soil by hand, drying the rice on the roads, probably much like their forefathers before them. The air was sweltering hot. Their windows and shutters were closed to keep them in darkness and perhaps cool the dankness that hung in the air. Store fronts were open to the street and folks sat in them not talking, or merely shopping...going on with their daily life. I saw little town conversing. It was a life of work, whether in the fields or home or business. I thought how sad it was that in all these years since the war that this is only how far that they have come. But our guide talked of hope. He said “Isn’t it wonderful that we now have all these motorbikes instead of bikes? Someday they will be cars.”

School for the children is 1/2 day, either morning or evening. In the countryside, they may work in the fields for the other half day or are tutored the other half day at a private sum.

As we neared Hanoi, we passed some factories, the parkings lots had not one car -- only motorcycles and bikes.

Once we reached Hanoi, the traffic became heavier. Motorbikes were everywhere. Folks congregated in a squat position on the sidewalks to eat or take coffee. Some families rode the bikes-father, baby, mother, with the child in-between. Even though helmets are the law, some wore no helmets, including the baby. Motorcycles also transported goods--chickens, pigs, etc.

Dogs and cats. Not pets here. The not so swift and clever end up as dinner. Cats are the rodent catchers.

Hanoi isn’t a modern city. It is a throwback to a vestige of a very old city with a few new buildings here and there, none of note or beauty. There is little new construction, save a bridge or a tunnel. The people still serve homage to Ho Chi Min. There is a large park which houses his mausoleum, the presidential palace, his former homes, his cars. The people still love him as the Chinese love Mao. There is a parallel. The park is nice and quiet. But there is something run down about it. It is not beautiful like the parks in Beijing. You are aware that this is not a western environment. It is not EPCOT. There is nothing shiny and glossy about Viet Nam.

The streets are vibrant. Folks are busy and do not appear to be lazy. All appear employed and in the state of doing something, even if just hawking. The market area, which our driver gave us only 10 measly minutes to wander, was full of activities of daily living. It was one of the nicest markets I have ever walked through.

Viet Nam Day 2: Halong Bay

Halong Bay is a UNESCO world heritage center in the Gulf of Tonkin which includes about 1,600 islands and islets comprised of limestone pillars. They are considered to be of a precipitous nature, so most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. It is an incredibly lovely site. We were shuttled to this area on day three and ushered onto odd crafts for our journey into the bay. The place is a tourist area and the bay is filled with a mass of "junks" which are in fact tourist boats.

As we traveled the bay we also saw rudimentary houseboats, some fishing villages and, I understand, some 5 star houseboats. The day was warm and muggy again, but we had been lucky again with the weather. Grey, but nice. We enjoyed the scenery, our friends, and ran around the deck picture taking trying to capture this breath-taking scenery. What a lovely way to spend a half-day.

I got some shopping done on the junk. I “thought” I did some hard negotiating for two pearl necklaces with some rather large pearls which looked quite nice. I got them for $30 each. Then, I returned and found out that the cruise director’s wife got them for $20 each. I was robbed!!

We returned to the ship for lunch and ice cream social, some card playing and the captain’s reception and formal dinner with friends.

What can I say but a lovely first two days in VietNam!

Da Nang and Hoi An

I really didn’t know much about VietNam except it was something many of my friends died in or avoided in the 60s and 70s and was a war that met with much US controversy. I was a typical US individual whose knowledge of VietNam had the depth of loving VietNamese food, knowing that the French had first occupied VietNam and withdrawn, and the US stepped in. I was the adult who had lived through the VietNam war era but was really in a haze of college and anti-war sentiment and really didn’t understand the depths of history or the politics at the time I was a student. I remember some students returning from the war who were different. Their hair was shorter than ours. They were a bit shell shocked and they didn’t really fit in with the rest of us. When they got drunk, they spoke of atrocities that we didn’t really understand. When you made quick movements, they jumped and it freaked you out. A lot of us didn’t understand why we were fighting this war so far away. We just wanted it to go away. So, it is with interest that you want to see that these people have done well since lives were cost to make their lives better. You want to see that it wasn’t a waste. You want to see where all the action was. You want to meet the people that our boys fought and died for.

We were met with a rainy day. It looked cold outside, but it was really hot and muggy. I put on my wellies and a rain jacket, but packed my birkies and got into my bus. Again, the ground was littered with trash and wandering cows and goats were busy gobbling up the refuse.

Despite the trash, the scenery was lovely. Water and Mountains bordered the road on one side and woods on the other. Houses, similar in style to those we saw on the road to Hanoi dotted the landscape. More cars were evident and there was more modern garb. Our guide, Q, was charming and not at all cloyingly gabby like our guide of the previous two days, which was a blessing. Q shared much of the same information as Guide One as far as income and demographics. It appears that the central plains area was past its rice cultivation period as opposed to Hanoi. It was going into the rainy, Typhoon season here. Many of us found out that a typhoon is merely the eastern word for hurricane; so many of us thought that there was some difference between the two, but there isn’t. We are trying to outrun a typhoon that is in the seas here and it looks like me may do it. The clouds cleared up for us and I was able to take off my coat and take off my wellies.

We passed by a couple of beaches, of which one was the famous China Beach. These are beautiful beaches now being developed with modern hotels and restaurants. The beach is long and crescent shape with palm trees lining the beach. Up on a hill overlooking the beach is a giant white Buddha. The road is being widened, so many of the cement and tin roofed huts have been knocked down and rubble lines the opposite side of the street. So, the beach side is lovely and the opposite side looks like a war zone still many years later. Only the bridges and tunnels are glossy and new. Da Nang has more modern buildings than Hanoi and every so often you can see a very modern low rise office building. It is apparent that US money has been dropped in the Southern part of VietNam as opposed to the Communist section in the North. It has the feeling of a larger, newer city and while not glossy, appears more developed. The hotels are nicer, the roads are better, there are more cars and there is a more western appearance.

We strolled through a lovely middle ages market town, Hoi An. It was their version of Colonial Williamsburg. Hoi An was an important trading center in the 16th and 17th century and was settled by Chinese, Japanese, Dutch and Indians. This town was declared a World Heritage site in 1999. There were homes for us to visit and a number of little souvenir shops with some decent bargains in silks, jewelry, knick knacks. Our guide gave us a tour of the town, which is still subject to some terrible flooding, the last being several weeks ago. Homes in the town can be under water up to 6 feet. You can keep the charm.

From here, we went to lunch. We spent a bit too long there, our bus having had a flat tire, but then ventured up to the famous marble mountain, where we were assaulted with a barrage of street vendors who have stores which sell all sorts of marble objects. The Marble Mountains are rocky limestone outcrops jutting out of the beach near Da Nang. Paths lead to the top of the forested cliffs, supposedly affording spectacular views of Non Nuoc Beach (Non Nuoc Beach is a white sandy beach on the outskirts of Da Nang, renowned for both its spectacular beauty and for its history as an R&R destination for American troops during the Vietnam War. Today, the beach is home to expensive resorts, surfing and entertainment facilities. and the East Sea). The caves nestled in the cliffs were originally inhabited by Cham people. Today, the Marble Mountains are home to various artisans producing sculpture and artwork at its base. I would have liked to have had more time for a knickknack or two, but it was too overwhelming, with too many vendors and too little time. Doug got a happy buddha to rub its tummy for good luck.

From there we went to the Cham Museum to see sculpture from the 11th and 12th Dynasty. It was a varied and full day. A little bit of scenery, a nice lunch, some shopping, a walking tour of medieval century village life, a museum of historical ruins...it kept us moving and gave us a flavor of the VietNam Central Plains area. The museum itself is housed in a beautiful French colonial style villa with open-air courtyards, fruit trees and bougainvillea.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, French and Spanish traders and missionaries made landfall in Hoi An. By the 19th century, Da Nang had superseded Hoi An as the most important seaport in the central region. The presence of the French in the 19th and early 20th centuries and the Americans in the 1960s, led to continued growth of Da Nang, and it is now Vietnam's fourth largest city.

We returned to the ship about 6 pm after an 8 hour tour, ready for a hot shower and cold drink and a nice dinner with friends.

The Mariner has been so much fun. The Captain is a charmer and the Cruise Director and his wife, the Asst. Cruise Director are a lovely team, warm and gracious. Today, we awoke late, I wrote and worked on my pictures. The food continues to be excellent, with each day the menu showcasing some local items. Today, the captain and staff prepared a fantastic pasta lunch for us on deck. It was the best pasta I have had in ages...bolognese, with broccoli and spicy. Of course, there were lots of other dishes as well. Last night at dinner I learned that many of our Philippine staff, those who wait on us, clean our rooms, etc., are professionals--lawyers, doctors, teachers--all who can’t earn enough in their own country and come on board to make more to support their families. What a shame that these highly educated people can’t put their degrees to better use in their home country.

Our next two days are in Saigon. Tomorrow, we are going to do the Mekong Delta in Depth. Unfortunately, we also wanted to see Saigon and tomorrow is the only day they offer Saigon. They offer the Mekong Delta on both days, but it is a different trip. The trip on the first day is supposedly better. The In Depth trip is a 6 person trip in a van which goes and visits a home and village and is a private boat trip.The second day trip is a 40 person bus trip. So, I arranged a private tour to Saigon for the second day. We'll leave around 8am and end in the city about noon. This will give us time to walk around if we want and take a shuttle back to the ship. The final shuttle goes back at two and the ship sails at 4 pm. on Saturday. So much for the free tours. But, it's nice to sometimes do your own thing at your own pace. Gil and Arlene will team up with us and we have room for up to 4 more if anyone else wants to join in.

Well, time to sign off and go and clean up for afternoon tea and trivia. It has been a delightful afternoon relaxing on the sea, by the pool under blue skies. The next time I have time to write, I will be on my way to Thailand.

Ngaire, those of us who know you would agree that you are “ totally awesome ”.

That woman is so pretty in Grant's photo. WOW

WOW!!! Awesome reports from all of you....very in- depth reporting.
Thank you.

Links to Vietnam pictures
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=783231&id=1295365946

WOW what great reports Andi and Ngaire. And fantastic photos Grant.

Thanks everyone for sharing your adventures, makes me feel like I am right there with you.

We just finished another delicious dinner in Compass Rose and I finally have time to report in before the show starts. Today was another hot and humid one in Vietnam. The Italian officers prepared lunch on the pool deck. The Captain, General Manager and other officers sweltered as they sang Italian songs while preparing their “Mamas” favorite pasta recipes. They suffered while we benefited from a tasty pasta lunch. Right now, rows of finishing boats are visible, their lights blazing as they look for another night’s catch.

Our time in Vietnam has been enlightening. Our 3-hour bus ride into Hanoi for the “Hanoi with shopping” tour, gave us the opportunity to view the countryside. Farmers burned the remnants from the rice crop as they prepared for a new planting season. Unfortunately, it left the air with a smoky haze, making it hard for some of us with allergies.

Unlike our “pit” restroom stops in China, the ones on the way to and from Hanoi were first class. Of course they were funded by stores, which obligated us to stop and browse, a small price to pay for clean, westernized restroom facilities.

The road to Hanoi wasn’t that great, especially with motorbikes and local buses roaring around us. I could understand why our guide was concerned that we leave Hanoi before rush hour. Plus, the ride back in the dark wasn’t all that safe either.

The tour company planned an overly ambitious itinerary for us in Hanoi. We were scheduled to see the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and the literature temple, Hanoi’s main cultural sites, before lunch. Due to traffic plus some slow walkers in our group, we only made the Ho Chi Minh visit before lunch, leaving the tour guide in a quandary as to how to fit it all in after lunch and still leave before the massive Hanoi rush hour. In the end, we squeezed it all in with not enough time for anything. I felt sorry for our guide as he tried to please his employer while trying to make 30 guests happy.

On the return ride to the ship, we passed several villages where TV’s blazed in the farmer’s homes, the only light to be seen. Groups gathered on street corners, sitting on their haunches or chairs, socializing and eating dinner.

Our day in Halong Bay proved to be more pleasant as a breeze kept us cool while we sailed through the limestone formations. I wasn’t aware that it is such a tourist destination, especially for the Chinese. Our guide informed us that the casinos in town have been built by the Taiwanese for the Chinese. Vietnamese are not allowed inside but he didn’t explain the reason. In any event, the junk ride was a pleasant way to spend the morning even if the hazy weather kept us from taking good photos.

Yesterday, we skipped tours for a day on the ship. It’s great to be here when all the guests are off touring. Tomorrow we’ll be visiting Saigon. Tour time again. Of course all the tours have been free which makes it even better despite the heat and humidity.

Great photos Grant! And such detail from Andi!

We have Vietnam on the "list" but want to do it in more depth than on a cruise - all your insights are terrific.

wonderful reporting and photos, all. Great resource for our eventual Vietnam visit. Keep on POOCHing. Ngaire, remind me to send the Yalta cards for the global POOCH deck collection.

Cheers, Anne

PHOTOS FROM DRAGON:


Halong Bay

Fruit Boat

Would You Buy a Banana?



Hoi An

Olivia, Ngaire, & Susan.

Japanese Bridge.

Grounded From a Storm.

Captain Felice Draws the Free Cruise Winner, Don & Carolyn Rodman.

Captain Felice Cooks Italian Pasta on the Pool Deck for the Passengers to Sample. You Could Smell the Garlic at Reception.

LOL Ken, I can smell the garlic from Northern VA just looking at that picture. What a fun thing.

Such great reports and pIx; thanks all so much!