Life in a movie: Halong Bay

There are a few places in this world that I have been that are so unbelievable that all personal and rational thought seems to freeze and everything exists in an unbelievable state of aw.  Zurmatt Switzerland, Morano Glacier Argentina, and the Grand Canyon are a few that jump to mind for me personally.  I add Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island to that list.  This was one of the places I was most looking forward to seeing before this trip and it didn't disappoint in the slightest.

In trying to keep our tours to a minimum we decided to book our transportation to Cat Ba Town only and plan everything else out once we arrived.  Very good idea.  The leeching tour companies around this area seemed particularly shady and up to no good.  We didn't hear anything but bad things from everyone we talked to on the island.  Unfortunately, mom got sick right as we got to Cat Ba island.  Terrible timing but it was definitely one of the more comfortable places we have been to get sick.


What this did mean was I was virtually on my own for the four days we were in Halong Bay.  I decided to try to fill my time with an equal amount of invigorating physical activity and wonderfully mellow beach time.


First on the list was a wonderful fun bike ride across the island and up the coast.  My legs have felt so antsy on this trip, getting tons of work from walking everywhere but never really getting the chance to get opened up.  Getting on a bike felt fantastic.  The landscape was something out of a fairy tale story of a an island jungle.  Rolling hills of green vegetation, massive palms fanning everywhere and oddly enough loads of pine trees mixed in.  The type of scenery that made it hard to pay attention to where you are going.  Always  keeping your head up to watch the world change as you whoosh by.  It was great.  I found that the favorite past time for local children around here is chasing the bikers up the hill as they struggle to peddle.

Another day I rented a sea kayak for three bucks and set out to explore the Halong Bay money maker, the ocean.  Unbelievable seascapes I could never imagine before I saw them.  Things that you only think exist in movies or pictures.  The Karst rocks jutted up from the blue ocean as if the earth was confused what should be there, water or mountain.  Add music and you could have something out of Fantasia.  Fighting with the current I found the act of kayaking a lot harder then I had planned but it did not worry me.  I found myself being visited by random butterflies in the middle of the ocean and I leaned back and smiled.  I am in love with life.

I literally found my own private island!  A patch of sand that was maybe fifty feet long on a little mountain of rock in the ocean.  Not a person in sight.  It was truly mine.  I took the opportunity to practice my free hand labyrinth building techniques!

Halong was a place that defied logic.  As far as I am concerned it could literally be the dictionary picture for geological beauty.  I loved it.

I miss everyone deeply and I hope you are all well.

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To keep things in prospective:
I watched this fisherman for over 40 minutes slowly throwing out a single line and hook into the water and pulling it back in.  We did not seem to catch anything as I watched but never once broke his peaceful rhythm.  He seemed older in years then most and for all the knowledge I have does this every day of his life... Things could be very different.

Hanoi -People, horns, people, fashion, people people people

Man oh Man, what an interesting city!  From the moment we arrived till the moment we left I found myself in a state of aw.  My first impressions were that of terrified bewilderment.  The former lessened with time, I don't think the latter ever will.

The most striking thing about Hanoi was, hands down, the constant state of movement and traffic.  Never for a moment (except during the police enforced 12 a.m. curfew) would the traffic relent.  People always seemed to be on the move and rush hour was nearly unbearable.  There are no traffic lights in old town Hanoi and no discernibly grid system for the street making for some of the most intense intersections I have ever seen (up to 9 ways!)  90 percent of the vehicles on the street are motorized bikes or scooter of some sort that zip and zoom where ever they need or want to go.  No real one ways or sides of the road, sidewalks are free game for driving, people just go anywhere.  I honestly think these are some of the most aware driver in the world because no one ever stops or hesitates on the road.  Everyone fluidly weaves around each other like it was nothing.

Crossing the street reminded of something from an Indiana Jones movie "only the penitent man shall pass" because you just go.  whether there is an open street in front of you or 30 motor bikes heading right for you.  You don't break your pace and just step into the unknown and somehow this works perfectly.  I never saw any ting even resembling an accident or traffic accident.  I took a bit of getting used to but after a day or so I loved it, so efficient!

Where we were staying was an area of town called the Old Quarter.  It sounds historical but was really more like the worlds largest outdoor shopping mall.  Street after street of shops selling everything you could think of from food to to the finest silk dresses, L.E.D. Buddha statues to personalized hand carved grave stones.  It was bizarrely refreshing to be somewhere that wasn't just a destination for foreign travelers and backpacks.  This is where everyone was coming to get what they needed.

Just a small side note about the peope of Hanoi, They look good.  All the time.  The women always seemed to be dressed in beautiful printed blouses and dresses, then men looking super sharp in fitted suits or designer jeans.  Here travellers were more obviously from there clothing rather then skin tone or luggage.  Everyone seemed like they were going out to a Friday night in LoDo.

Hanoi is a place that seems to defy logic for me.  The roads should be backed up for miles with loads of wrecks, but aren't.  The hawlkers should be pushy and aggressive, but weren't.  The people should be cold and distant but were surprisingly beautiful and uplifting.  The taste in my mouth was expected to be sour and harsh but, oddly enough, I was more intrigued and excited about Hanoi over anywhere I've been yet.