Our travelogue

14 February 2011
After many weeks of preparation we are finally ready for departure.
We've been very lucky for the flight, we took off at 19.20 from Zaventem to Warsaw, Poland without any delay, no later than 1:20 where we took a direct flight to Hanoi. It took off with 20 minutes late, but we arrived in Hanoi with 25 minutes early. Arriving in Hanoi, so it was 3:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. in Belgium! The arrival is a change that leads directly into another world. (The Vietnamese, Klaxons, bicycles, mopeds, ...)

The movement seems like a big mess, people move in all directions, frank and determined for the one who goes first, no traffic rules! We ask why they were putting in lights? (No matter what color they spend anyway). Mopeds and bikes are loaded with so many things not seen one who leads them!
Our first hotel is located in the heart of the 36 Guilds (Quarters craftsmen). In the 15th century each district gathered Guilds craftsmen exercising the same trade and originating from the same village. After a 40 minute transfer by taxi, we're finally at the door of our host. We receive a warm welcome and a tea (not as good as the host. After taking a bath, before being installed, too strange to be in this maze of streets, we are immersed in a hubbub inimaginaire.Les Street traders who are charged with invading the streets for lack of place.Pour move we must look not to unintentionally take objects for sale and try not to get snagged by motorcycles in fury .
After an eventful night a little after the jet lag (not easy to sleep 15 hours of the afternoon CET)
We go to Lake Hoan Kiem (Returned Sword), a beautiful wooden bridge serves the Hall of Jade Mountain (10.000Dongs per person). Built on a lake island in the 19th century, location of a former palace of the Lords Trinh. It is dedicated to the god of Literature Van Xuong, General Tran Hung Dao in, winner of the Mongols in the 13th century and at its center, the Turtle Island, with its magnificent tower.
During four days we visited the outskirts of Hanoi, through their magnificent objects typical Vietnamese businesses.
We went to the market on December 19, a huge indoor market which are grouped in dozens of small traders, we find: shoes, handbags, clothing, costume jewelry, ....

From there we continued our journey to find ourselves a few blocks away at the old prison which is called Hoa Lo, which nowadays has become a museum (10.000VND per person). It served the colonial administration in jail before hosting the U.S. pilots captured by the Vietnamese.
We started with the visit of the Ambassadors Pagoda where the rooms are suffused with pieces of wood carved and painted with a huge suspension of coiled dragons on Buddha child. Very much frequented by the female population, the pagoda houses aujourd'hui'hui L Institute of Buddhist Studies countries.For we reward our miles driven, we settle into a small restaurant and eat a good beer in Hanoi (450ml for $ 10,000 VND, prices can reach 30,000 VND by the location) followed by a soup (Pho), consisting of noodles and some spring rolls.
The next day, we are already accustomed to this movement that leadseverywhere, so we decided to continue our visit to the north east of Hanoi tothe Bach Thao Park where we pay (2.000Dongs per person) and we get a sweet thank you called "dynamite" it is a candy coated chocolate mints. We head to the Botanical Garden where we meet many honeymooners come here to do their photo reports.

On the way back to the hotel, we buy some souvenirs and a good number of postcards that we will soon post the cards are very easy to send by cons we will need more than an hour to send a parcel 245GR we must weigh and complete 4 papers completely identical. We end up not understanding anything, but we hope that our package will arrive at your destination. (For we pay 93.500Dongs 245gr).
From Hanoi, we decided to take the bus to Bac Ninh, where we stayed a day and night. We find a hotel a bit off center of this small town, the room is very large and welcoming is always so perfect. In the streets it's much quieter than Hanoi, people are hyper and smiling always asking us to take pictures and take the opportunity to photograph us with their mobile phone.
Vincent so distracted and amazed by these people who never cease to smile, forget to watch where they walk and fall down the sidewalk, which eventually makes us look an e Pharmacy and where we must try to explain that his Vietnamese foot swells (the translation of our pharmacists are laughing, they leave us at least 5 ribbons of sticky but with patience and the wonderful translation by Vincent we end up understanding and here we are in possession of a bandage.) The next morning the foot properly inflated, we go to Bai Chay by the National 18, which more or less 2:00 bus for $ 70,000 Dongs per person.
Arrived in Bai Chay, we find a small hotel overlooking the sea and 50 meters from the main market.
Once defeated the luggage, we take a taxi to the hospital, where we're really well received, and upon our arrival, we have a nurse who has guided us to the formalities and to show us a way to pass a radio my foot, barely an hour later, we left the hospital drugs in hand, and a nice twist, plus a score of 25 Dollars (consultation, including radio and drugs)
After a day of rest, we are parties to the discovery of Bai Chay. For our first day we go to the beach and we learn to Halong Bay. The following days were very sunny, discover Halong Bay and its cellars in 4hrs (In the streets we are accosted by vendors that we offer several circuits for Halong Bay at prices ranging up to five times. In the end we're paying $ 15 for 4 hours).
The following day, up early, we drive to Halong city on foot, while continuing our efforts to offer thongs. Amazed and attracted by the huge bridge that connects Bai Chay Halong City, we take the lift us up on top of it. After visiting Halong City and its market, we take a taxi back to hotel.
The following days we discovered the night market in Bai Chay and the pleasure of sitting in the sun along the beach.
After 6 days in Bai Chay, we take a taxi that takes us on the island of Tuan Chau where we spend the day exploring this beautiful island still few tourists, and its magnificent beaches with many hotels that are construction.
After a sunny start to the day to sunbathe on the beach, we are parties to the Tuan Chau ferry to take us up to Cat Ba in just over an hour. Aboard the ferry, one bus and the driver has to offer us the sum of 100,000 Dong to drop us off at Cat Ba City which is located at 37 km from the wharf, we offer him 70,000 and he refuses. We make the ferry ignoring the driver and arrived at Cat Ba, it is up to us and accepts the 70,000 Dongs.Le travel worthwhile, the scenery is magnificent, vegetation, houses, ...
We decide to spend a night in Cat Ba center for $ 8 dollars, the night was very noisy, the day after our first action is to seek a new hotel. Also on the same street we find a hotel for a price of 5 dollars a night, we will spend 3 nights. During these three days we take to be well placed to go under 15 minutes to the beach sunbathing and swimming, the weather is superb.
For the remainder of our trip, we take the ferry to Haiphong and then a bus to the center, we do not stay there because the city seems to us far too dirty and industrialized. We here at the station from Haiphong to catch a train, only 2 trains per day at 6:40 and 18:40. Not to wait until 18.40, we joined the bus station, where we find a match. In 2h30 we were in Hanoi. Having more room in the hotel, the boss gives us a very kind taxi to spend a night in his second hotel 10 minutes away and we paid the same price for a room much more pleasant.
The next day we take the opportunity to re visit the center of Hanoi last time. At dawn, we leave Hanoi by minibus and make us to the airport where we take a flight to get to Da-Nang. The flight lasts an hour and went very well, from the descent of the aircraft we already feel the difference in temperature it is a little over 30 °.

After retrieve our luggage, we headed to the taxi to get to the Sandy Beach Resort where we had reserved for 3 nights. A little over 14 km of it, we spend three wonderful days at the pool and beach and a short day visit of His GNU Hahn also called Mountain of the Five Element and Marble Mountain. We take this opportunity to continue distribution of thongs and balloons. After these few days in quiet, we head to the center of Da-Nang, where we visit the city.

© Photos: Literature © © News-Vincent Surmont-2011

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