Ha Noi Vietnam
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Hanoi Vietnam: A traveling green grocer walking the streets near the lake.


Hanoi Vietnam: Foreign tourists seem to be the principle customers for these Pedi cabs.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: These islands are pocked with caves; some natural, some man-made. During the past wars soldiers often used them as hiding places.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: The stairs leading up to the entrance to the cave used by Viet Cong during the wars.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Inside the cave.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Another of the many tour boats on the bay.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Our tour boat waiting for our return from the cave visit.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: One is tempted to say "when you've seen one, you've seen them all." But, here in this place that is far from the truth. Every new bump is a surprise.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Floating docks.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Sometimes it seemed like a traffic jam there were so many boats moving around.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: The house boats which seemed to be in use by people who live here.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: This seemed to be a floating gas station.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Entrance-exit at the secret cove.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Entrance-exit at the secret cove. inside looking out.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Another view of the entrance-exit at the secret cove.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Entrance-exit at the secret cove.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Some of the boats stay on station for long periods of time to serve the needs of tourists and tour boat operators.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Strange shaped outcroppings, unique and bizarre.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Ideal abode for a nautical hermit.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: The jungle marches right down to the water's edge in some places.

 

 

15-21 November 2002

Hello from Ha Noi Vietnam,

Ha Noi & Halong Bay

When my flight from Nha Trang landed at Hanoi Airport I grabbed the city bus heading into town and rode it to within about a kilometer of the city center. Located around the south and west of a lake, the central business district has plenty of hotels, all of which were fully booked the day I arrived. In desperation after three hours of searching I took the first rat-trap with an available room and continued searching for something better for the next day. The  $25 Prince Hotel, while not terrible certainly would not do for the full six days I'd be in the city. The Golden Key at $45 turned out to be about the best I could do without breaking the bank.

The highlight of my stay in Hanoi has to be the day trip over to Halong Bay. Looking back I wish I had spent more time there. Our boat wandered around a bay full of strange limestone outcroppings, magical. This is one place I definitely would like to revisit someday. The shoreline around the bay is crowded with hotels. Rates at an excellent one I checked ran about forty dollars per day, but I'm sure cheaper places are available. I remember taking many photographs while walking the city of Ha Noi, but the album disappeared from the ofoto collection and they can't recover the lost collection. It's a puzzlement.

Peace

Fred L Bellomy

 

 



Halong Bay Viet Nam: Photo taken from the small boat we boarded to enter the "secret" harbor through a natural bridge shown here.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: So many boats, so little sound.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: We follow a caravan of boats around and among the waterway canyons.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Bizarre bumps jump out of the bay on every side making it a great place to play hide and seek.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Floating dock where we boarded small boats to explore some of the arches and caves.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: The "houseboat" may have been a gas station. Here one of several kids plays on the boats.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Strange formation framing the natural bridge entrance to the "secret cove" at one of the islands.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Entrance-exit at the secret cove.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Entrance-exit to the cove is wide enough for many boats side by side.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: It appeared that people were living out here in the bay on some of these house boats.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: A small cluster of houseboats.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: A lone sentinel.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Rope on the deck...


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Solitary tower.

 

 

 

 


Halong Bay Viet Nam: At the departure docks.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Looking over the bow of our tour boat.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Another of the tour boats plying the waters of Halong Bay.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Strange, odd shapes crop out of the waters.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Everything is covered in mist the day I toured the bay.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: More fog.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: A cargo boat works the water front.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Strange islands in the fog.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Weird outcroppings shrouded by haze.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: A cluster of tour boats moored near one of the islands.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Some of the passengers outside on the deck wear raincoats to protect against the fog and spray.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: A house boat that seemed to be going nowhere.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Now that is what I call a real house boat.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Our crew stays busy while we explore the formations.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Strange formation framing the natural bridge entrance to the "secret cove" at one of the islands.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Boats drifting in the still water within the secret cove.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Boats drifting in the sheltered calm water inside the cove.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Entrance-exit at the secret cove.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Another view of the remarkable marine formations.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: One of the small boats heading for the arched entrance to the secret cove.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: One of the small boats heading for the arched entrance to the secret cove.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: This one looks like it is about to fall over.


Halong Bay Viet Nam: Wonder if people name some of these formations? This group could be called "Triple Peaks."

 

 

 

 

Reference photo: author
 August 2002
 

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