CRUISING SOUTH CHINA SEA

Tuesday, March 26th
     Our day yesterday in Ha Long bay was an interesting and busy one.  We sailed away last night at 11pm and will be at sea today and tomorrow before arriving at Siagon (called Ho Chi Minh City now but will always be Siagon to me) on Thursday morning.  We have some swells today so not exactly smooth sailing.
     First today, let talk some more about our time in Ha Long.  Coal mining is the main employer and industry in that region.  A lot of coal is exported to Japan from here.  There are also a lot of very small farms.  The government lets the people use very small plots of raise rice and vegetables.  They call themselves farmers but I would call them gardeners.  There is no tractors or farm equipment.  If they are lucky they may have a water buffalo or two and rest if done with manual labor.  Seems everyone also has a little stand along the road or in town to sell something, anything.  In towns the shops are on street level and they live above that.  The government lets them build on small pieces of land 12 feet wide at front and 60 feet deep.  You will see these very narrow and long homes in photos.  This is why they build homes that are two or more stories and extended family member's families also live there.  Corruption is rampant according to our guide.  He says only wealthy people are police traffic officers, customs officials, and other government officials as they take bribes for people to get out of tickets or allow smuggling stuff into the country.  Teachers make $200 in USD per month.  Our guide used to be a teacher but now makes more as tour guide.  A lot of Chinese come here as tourists since the Chinese border is only 100 miles away.  As I mentioned US and Japanese companies are now starting to invest in this area.  I'm sure they have to bribe the government to let them in.

                                                  Taken as we sailed into Ha Long Bay

                                                                     Small boat

                                                                   Coal boat

 

                                  One of the 1969 limestone islands (monoliths) in Ha Long Bay

                                    Tourist boat that takes 2 or more day trips around the bay.

                                                                         Coal Boat

                                              Navigation light on one of the islands

                                                                A floating house

                                                            Bridge the ship passed under

                                                             Name of our morning tour

                                                            Pictures of our tour bus

                                                              House along road

                                                          Street in Ha Long City

                                             Typical use of motor bike--hauling stuff

                                         This is kind of boat we were about to board for tour.

                                                             Inside of our tour boat

                                                      Upper deck of tour boat

They were selling local fresh water pearls and other souvenirs onboard.  Rebecca bought these and earrings for $30.  Allison also bought some.

                     Family coming out to try and sell us fruit.  I did not buy but gave them some money.

                                                     More photos of the many islands

                              Tour boat that you could take 2 or more days tour and live aboard.

      These islands were formed from erosion of water and wind over hundreds of millions of years.

                          Cruising past a "floating city".  About 200 people live on some 40 floating homes.

                                             Unfortunately, it was a hazy day for taking photos

                                                       One of the floating homes

                                                   They called this "duck rock"

                                           Old style boat with sails.  Now all are motorized.

                                       A tour boat stopping to see floating house.  We did not.

Fishing nets used at night.  They are lowered in the water then bright light is illuminated to attract the fish.  then the net is raised and fish collected.

                                                           Another large fish net

                                      Galley on our boat.  He was cooking lunch for crew of 4.

                                             Boat was very comfortable and clean

                                                         Bike is loaded down!

                              Our 5 hour tour in afternoon.  Most photos taken through bus window.

                                                        Stands lined the road we traveled

                                         Rail road tracks leading to Hanoi very close to homes.

                                           Pineapple stands lined one section of the road.

                        Two houses next to each other.  Front is 12 feet and is 60 feet deep.

                                                   Coal powered power plant

                                              Water buffalo in back of rice paddy.

                                            Construction site.  Note above ground wires.

                                                                         Vegetables

                                                        Yen Tu Monastery

                                           Water pumped under granite ball made it rotate.

                                                           One of the Buddhas here

                                                     Smaller dining room for the monks

                                                               Smiling Buddha

                                                                 Our guide

                                                Vietnamese beer--actually not that bad

                                               Two water buffaloes along road

                                            These women were making concrete bricks

                                              Woman pulling weeds out of rice paddy

                                                   Vegetable garden of a home

                                                          Very small house

                                    Guy in white shirt was owner of farm house we got to visit.

                                                                   Owner on left

                                                                    lime tree

                                                     Way from alley to front of his home

                                                             Front entry to house

     Bathroom was on side.  He built this new one when tour company started paying him to let tourists see his house.

                                                            One bed in bedroom

                                                      Another bed on other side of house

                                             Dining room.  Kitchen out back

                                           This pig lived on other side of bedroom wall.

                                                    View of house from alley

                                                                     rice paddy

                                                                    vegetables

They were widening the road that lead from Ha Long City to Hanoi.  It was a dusty mess.  About everyone wore masks due to dust.

   Back on our ship they were preparing pool deck for "dinner under the stars" that night.  We do not eat outside as prefer air conditioning.

They set up a huge buffet and grill meats

https://goo.gl/photos/UqGVqpEnAwxCn7oRA

HA LONG BAY (HANOI), VIETNAM

Monday, March 25th
     I was up early as Captain said it was beautiful sailing into Ha Long Bay.  It was just after daylight that I went out on our balcony and what I saw was incredible.  Somehow I missed seeing this back in 2010.  I was taking photos, showering, and having breakfast from room service all at the same time.  I also called mom & dad back in Illinois.  Mom said it was snowing!  We had to meet for our first tour at 8:55.  We made sure to get on the same tour bus as our friends, Joe & Allison, from Galveston.  They were also at our table last night hosted by Franck, our General Manager.  The bus took us to a dock about 15 minute drive from the ship where we boarded little wooden boats that held about 20 people.  Then we headed out to get up close and personal with the giant limestone rocks/small islands projecting straight up out of the water.  There are nearly 2000 of these.  We have two days at sea next so will post the photos tomorrow, I hope.  I took 171 photos today but will not bore you with all of them.  We cruised around the monoliths for about 3 hours.  It was one of the best excursions I have ever taken (and I have taken a bunch!)  It was about 80 degrees so very nice with the moving boat to provide a breeze.
     After a bite of lunch we were off again on another tour.  This one was of the countryside.  We headed down same road that lead to Hanoi for just over an hour.  They were in process of widening the road but so far it is only a two lane highway.  It was packed with mostly big trucks and hundreds of motor bikes.  Not many cars as the Vietnamese cannot afford them.  So everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has at least one motor bike.  The first of two stops on this excursion was at the Yen Tu Monastery.  Although we did not see but a couple monks, there are quite a few living here.  We saw some Buddhas, of course!  The gardens were  very nice.  Our next stop was at a local farmer's house.  He was older gentleman who greeted everyone of us with a hardy hand shake and big smile.  We were served small baked sweet potatoes, which is apparently one of the farmers staples, and hot tea.  Rebecca had a sweet potato but I passed.  I had actually bought a Vietnamese beer at the monastery.  I have to taste the local beers of the countries I visit for my old high school friend, John Bones.  Anyway, we got to go inside the small, very meager house.  By the way, the pig pen was right next to the house.
     We headed back to the ship which was just over an hour's drive.  I must say that most of the Vietnamese are still very poor but seem happy.  It is a filthy place!  They do not clean up around their houses or the streets of the villages.  The farmers have no machinery.  They still use water buffalo to plow the fields.  There are no large farms.  They only own small plots that will feed their families.  Rice and vegetables are grown around here.  It is still decades behind the rest of the world.  What a shame, as it is a beautiful country.  Where we docked, American and Japanese companies are investing in industry now.  Labor is plentiful and VERY cheap here.  Unemployment is high.  Visiting Vietnam makes you really appreciative of what we have in the States.
     As we toured all day I quickly wrote this while getting ready for dinner.  I have not proof read this so apologize for the errors in grammar.  Mrs Long, my high school English teacher, may change my grade for her class.  Lots more tomorrow.
        Photos on tomorrow's posting.

CRUISING SOUTH CHINA SEA

Palm Sunday, March 24th

                                                Position at yellow arrow in red circle on map.

                                                               Palm Sunday worship
     We turned our clocks back an hour last night so think we are now 12 hours ahead of Dallas time.  We had breakfast in Compass Rose dining room this morning as they serve caviar and champagne on Sundays.  After that we attended the Palm Sunday worship service.  It was very nice and there was a big crowd today with about 70 showing up.  Next on our agenda was a lecture on Southeast Asia in showroom by Sandra Bowern.  By the way, it is 82 degrees today with hazy skies.

      At 12:15 there was a gathering for Vietnam veterans.  We had a nice little group:  couple army doctors, submarine officer, couple of marines, myself, and a couple of guys just interested in hearing our stories.  This is the first trip back to VN for everyone but me.  I won't go into what was said, but just suffice to say, it was a frank, and at times, emotional discussion. Theme for today's pool side lunch buffet was Tex-Mex.
     This afternoon we will be going through the Strait of Hainan and entering the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of North Vietnam.  Some of my navy friends flew off aircraft carriers stationed in the Gulf during the VN War.
     At 8am tomorrow morning we will be anchoring in Ha Long harbor for the day.  This is the stop for touring Hanoi.  Hanoi is 75 miles from the harbor and the excursion to tour it is 11 hours long.  We did this in 2010 so will not return.  Instead we will be doing a 3 hour cruise in the morning to see the many unique rocks protruding out of the bay.  Then in the afternoon we will have a 5 hour tour of the countryside around Ha Long.
     At 6pm this evening there is a Seven Seas Society (people who have cruised with Regent previously) cocktail party.  At 7pm we have been invited to dine with Franck Galzy, the General Manager.  We met Franck last year when he was General Manager on our Circle South America cruise.  Franck runs everything  on the ship not related to navigation (that is Captain's job).  I know it is going to be a fun evening.
     Here are some photos I took at 11pm last night as we left Hong Kong harbor.