Hoi An is magic

We spent the last three days in the wonderful town of Hoi An. It is the food capital of Vietnam. We took a cooking class and has several great meals. Last night we both had Cha Can -- a grilled fish and noodle concoction that was out of this world. And since we learned how to make mango and cabbage salad all our friends will get a taste.

Hoi An is also the clothing capital of the country. Paul got a new tailor made sport coat. Katy got a blazer and a local outfit called the ao doi in which she looks stunning. It is Almost embarrassing how cheaply we got them and how quickly.

Sadly you won't see any pictures of the dress.  Paul dropped the camera and broke it!  We hope to get a new one in Ho Chi Min city later today. Oh ... Almost forgot. We also got a Ho Chi Min refrigerator magnet!,

Traffic in Hanoi is wild

Day 3, 4 in vietnam

Day 3 in hanoi was a nice hike in BanVi national park. We went for a 5 mile hike up to about 1200 meters. At the top was a small pagoda for the mountain gods. Of course the view was fogged in.  It always is for us. So we didn't see anything at all despite the effort.  But it was still a good hike and worth the effort. When we got back to the hotel we had a well deserved beer and some photos noodle soup to fortify ourselves.

The next day it was off to HaLong bay
. The bay is a fascinating place with karst projections dotting a shallow bay. Highlights included a visit to a floating fishing village (a bit touristy for my taste) and a wonderful morning tai chi class on the top deck for sunrise

Hanoi day 2

Another day in Hanoi. Very crowded city. But it has several oasis. Here are two photos of the Quan Tuc pagoda which sits in the middle of a lake -- one of the quiet spots.

We also saw the temple of literature -- which is the oldest university in Vietnam. Founded in 1076. We were most amused to see both a college class and a host of kindergartners there all praying for academic success.  If only it were that easy!

First day in Hanoi

It was a great first day. Friends took us around the city. A unique and beautiful place. 100s of lakes and pagodas everywhere. One in center city has a 100 year old turtle in it.

The traffic is wild. No lights. Cross at your own risk. Just walk straight y ahead and don't make eye contact. The old quarter is a wild cacophony of noise and cars and people but it all seems to work out fine.   It reminds me a bit of the souks in the middle East.

We went to a ceramic shop and Katy took her first molding class. Naturally we had to buy some bowls and a tea set.

Arrived in Hanoi

A grey day as we try to recover from jet lag.  Here is the view from o our hotel window

Another Grand Adventure -- South East Asia

We are off on another grand adventure later this week.  We depart on the 19th of January for three weeks in South East Asia -- mostly Vietnam, but with a little bit of Cambodia and Laos thrown in.  We'll be traveling with two other couples (or friends Dev & Ellen and their friend Ron and JoAnne).  For those who want to follow along, we'll be posting updates here on the blog (and links on Facebook).  Our rough itinerary is as follows:

We begin in Hanoi where we arrive and spend a couple of days looking at this beautiful old city.  Highlights will include a 1000 year old pagoda and the classic water puppet shows, along a trip to the Ba Vi National Park.  Then its a short trip over to Halong Bay, a world heritage sight, where we will spend some time visiting old-style fishing villages.

Next up is a short flight to the mid-section of Vietnam and the town of Hoi An, where will take a cooking class and see a classic market town.   Then we jump down to Cai Bei in the Mekong Delta for 3 days of bike touring.  We will finish the Vietnam portion of the trip with some relaxation -- 3 days on the beach a Phu Quoc.

Then it will be off to Siam Riep and Angkor Wat and the other structures.  We'll do some more biking and take in the sites.  Then our trip closes with a visit to Luang Prabang in Laos.  Luang Prabang is a world heritage town on the Mekong with a very vibrant history that is still "alive" (or so we are told).  It's a bit of a shot in the dark, but comes highly recommended.  After that, its back to Hanoi for Tet celebrations and a trip home.  Should be a blast.