Day 12 already – 2/3 of the way through our Vietnam adventure. Time flies when you’re having fun!
Our morning started with breakfast, uneventful until Andrew decided to partake in the traditional Vietnamese breakfast of Pho loaded with chilli. Then it became mildly amusing as he claimed (with sweat pouring down his face) that it would kickstart his metabolism. Let’s see if he tries that again!!!
This morning we had another new guide – Hang (girl). She absolutely adored the girls, had fantastic English and was so knowledgeable about every aspect of her country. Our drive from Hue to Hoi An took us along rivers, over mountains and beside the sea. It was absolutely stunning.
First pause was at a river known for oyster farming and fishing. The techniques and equipment are still very traditional, but obviously quite effective!
Just after these photos were taken some teenage boys arrived with a rice sack which they threw in the water and proceeded to hit. After a short exchange in Vietnamese between Hang and the teenagers, we were all quickly loaded back in to the car and sped away… We’re yet to find out what was in the bag, but it was clear from Hang’s facial expression that it was not for young eyes. We’ll keep you posted… I think this will rival the pigs head on the motorbike and and the dog on a platter!
Further down the road, Hang pulled over and collected some of the local fare for us from a small roadside stall. This delicacy known as ‘Banh Loc’ consists of a shrimp in tapioca flour, which is then encased in a banana leaf and then boiled. Doesn’t look great, but tasted pretty good!
Our drive took us over the Hai Van pass. This high mountain road formed the border between North and South Vietnam until 1975, and afforded troops clear views over Da Nang Bay which housed a major American refuelling and weapons base. The old bunkers are still at the top of the Pass, and while they’re covered in lantana and moss you can imagine the troops keeping watch day after day.
Next stop, the Linh Ung pagoda. This houses the ashes of senior Buddhist monks of the region. This area loves the ‘Happy Buddha’ and the Lady Buddha!
It’s also the site of a stunning cave hidden at the top of the mountain, which was devoted to worship and doubled as hospital for the Vietnamese Guerillas during the American war. Hang explained the significance of the warriors on either side of the steps – you descend past the evil warriors (note their red faces) to leave all the bad with them. As you leave you walk up the right side of the steps past the good warriors to ensure you leave with positive energy. Nice!
We arrived at our hotel in the early afternoon, and had to call the travel agent to check we’re in the right place. Somehow we’ve ended up being upgraded multiple times to a 5-star resort, in a suite on the beach that is only slightly smaller than the upper level of our house. It feels completely excessive, and does nothing for our ideal of teaching the girls that not everyone is quite as lucky as they are. We had commented on the road between Da Nang and Hoi An that the size and scale of Western Hotels and Villas seemed almost exploitative…
We didn’t get any photos of our opulent abode in the day, but thought we’d close with a shot of the largest pool in Vietnam – 150m long, ready and waiting for Emma to start training in the morning. Yeah right. The chances of that are about the same as the chances of her having Pho for breakfast :))))
Love M & theBunch xx
Comments are closed