Spent the morning at the War Remnants Museum, or, as it is known locally, the American war crimes museum. This is a must on most peoples itinery here and I can understand why. The sanitised version of events we got at the time did not reveal the true horror of what took place. I did not realise that 3 million Vietnamese died in the war, 2 million injured and the effects of the chemical spraying will affect generations to come. Nor did I realise that America never declared war on North Vietnam but unleashed all the technology at their disposal, largely from aerial bombing, including dropping 40 million litres of agent orange. The photographs were completely "no holds barred" and the collection of war planes other armements and methods of torture chilling.
I dropped my new camera on the way in (had the case on upside down on my belt, doh), amazingly the first cyclo driver on exit took me to a shop who are repairing it by tomorrow for a cool million: 35 quid. This minor tragedy though was put in perspective by the museum.
I promise to cheer up next time. Just had a delicious strawberry shake...strawberrys grow all year round here! Off now to find some aircon...it is hot!
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
Rules of the Road
My hotel booked the bus for me and it was another experience. Not a tourist bus, I was the only westerner on the coach or at any of the pit stops and nobody spoke English. Didn't realise that seating was allocated and sat in the wrong seat, separating a girl from her boyfriend but when I realised and offered to move they wouldn't hear of it and we sat like that for 7 hours! The people are so generous and polite.
Sat right at the front of the bus so was able to observe the rules of the road as follows:
1. Size matters, give way to bigger vehicles (pedestrians have no right of way)
2. Sound the horn at least every 15 seconds
there are no more rules, everything else is general guidance.
At least 90% of traffic drives on the right
Sound the horn: x1 to ensure it is working, x4 to advise traffic in front you are approaching, continuously or in bursts of x4/5 to assert your right of way,
When entering a road junction NEVER look to see if anything is coming (you might catch the eye of oncoming traffic and be forced to give way)
At red traffic lights think about stopping before driving through
When reversing onto a main road just keep coming, you can't be expected to have eyes in the back of your head (traffic will stop)
For pedestrians crossing busy roads, walk SLOWLY into the stream of oncoming traffic. Motorcyclists don't want to damage their machines and generally avoid collisions
Speed limits are determined by the traffic in front
This was all very useful for arrival in HCMC which is absolutely manic.
Had a hotel reservation but they let my room go and offered me a higher price suite. Walked out, went in the next one, took a room and ate (you will be impressed with this Christine) in the restaurant next door. Didn't even shop around.
Very hot and humid here...just like home?
Sat right at the front of the bus so was able to observe the rules of the road as follows:
1. Size matters, give way to bigger vehicles (pedestrians have no right of way)
2. Sound the horn at least every 15 seconds
there are no more rules, everything else is general guidance.
At least 90% of traffic drives on the right
Sound the horn: x1 to ensure it is working, x4 to advise traffic in front you are approaching, continuously or in bursts of x4/5 to assert your right of way,
When entering a road junction NEVER look to see if anything is coming (you might catch the eye of oncoming traffic and be forced to give way)
At red traffic lights think about stopping before driving through
When reversing onto a main road just keep coming, you can't be expected to have eyes in the back of your head (traffic will stop)
For pedestrians crossing busy roads, walk SLOWLY into the stream of oncoming traffic. Motorcyclists don't want to damage their machines and generally avoid collisions
Speed limits are determined by the traffic in front
This was all very useful for arrival in HCMC which is absolutely manic.
Had a hotel reservation but they let my room go and offered me a higher price suite. Walked out, went in the next one, took a room and ate (you will be impressed with this Christine) in the restaurant next door. Didn't even shop around.
Very hot and humid here...just like home?
Monday, 3 March 2008
Easy Riders: Part 2
Met Hung at 8.30 and we went for a tour round the local area on his brand new Honda: less than 1 month old, $2,800, a fortune here. First stop another pagoda (I think I am now all pagoda'd out) but they had a fantastic collection of gnomes outside that beats anything our neighbours have hands down!
We then took in: terrace farming, a flower farm, mushroom farm, fish farm, rice wine making (and distillation to rice vodka, wow). Then we drove for some miles with the most beautiful scent in the air, I thought it was honeysuckle but it was this plant, do you know what it is? (Katherine Dobie will know because they probably have this on her plantations in Carolina)?
The best coffee in Vietnam is first fed to a breed of weasel, the droppings are then collected and roasted to produce the premium variety....I gave it a pass.
We then went to a silk factory, waterfalls, a typical Vietnamese restaurant, went trecking through the forest, and visited the Gaudi inspired Crazy House. You can stay here for $15 a night and the rooms are all irregular, organic shapes with animal themes like this.
Got back exhausted but saw so much in one day. Now moving on, a 7 hour bus ride to HCMC where it is reported to be VERY hot.
We then took in: terrace farming, a flower farm, mushroom farm, fish farm, rice wine making (and distillation to rice vodka, wow). Then we drove for some miles with the most beautiful scent in the air, I thought it was honeysuckle but it was this plant, do you know what it is? (Katherine Dobie will know because they probably have this on her plantations in Carolina)?
The best coffee in Vietnam is first fed to a breed of weasel, the droppings are then collected and roasted to produce the premium variety....I gave it a pass.
We then went to a silk factory, waterfalls, a typical Vietnamese restaurant, went trecking through the forest, and visited the Gaudi inspired Crazy House. You can stay here for $15 a night and the rooms are all irregular, organic shapes with animal themes like this.
Got back exhausted but saw so much in one day. Now moving on, a 7 hour bus ride to HCMC where it is reported to be VERY hot.
Sunday, 2 March 2008
Da Lat, (pictures back)
Well, a short bus ride from Nha Trang, only 200km, took just 7 hours! After we left town the road surface got really bumpy and then we started climbing into the mountains, from sea level to about 5,000 feet where I am now. The road for the last 20k was just hairpin bends but our bus kept overtaking all the way up. Being so high it is beautiful in the day and nice and fresh in the evening. Lonely Planet (thanks Yvonne, just invaluable) describes it as alpine and it is, fir trees, French architecture, chair lifts the lot.
Stopped for lunch on the way at a roadside cafe and you are right Michael, it is frangipani and this was in their garden, scent was overpowering.
Took a look at the first golf course I have even seen in Vietnam, Royal?why? Da Lat. It did look beautifully kept, fantastic views and I thought about playing but the loan clubs are crap and they wanted $130 for a round!! So settled for a genuine Easy Rider tomorrow for $25 for the day and we are going to see all sorts.
The market here is a bit special and the flowers just spectacular. I added this picture just for Helen.
Can now see the blog, have found a card reader and am adding pictures to earlier posts. Will take some time to catch up though but have a look back through for changes.
Stopped for lunch on the way at a roadside cafe and you are right Michael, it is frangipani and this was in their garden, scent was overpowering.
Took a look at the first golf course I have even seen in Vietnam, Royal?why? Da Lat. It did look beautifully kept, fantastic views and I thought about playing but the loan clubs are crap and they wanted $130 for a round!! So settled for a genuine Easy Rider tomorrow for $25 for the day and we are going to see all sorts.
The market here is a bit special and the flowers just spectacular. I added this picture just for Helen.
Can now see the blog, have found a card reader and am adding pictures to earlier posts. Will take some time to catch up though but have a look back through for changes.
Saturday, 1 March 2008
Easy Riders
Get your motors running....well a 150cc Honda anyway. Met up with an Easy Rider in Nha Trang, Mr Binh, they have a portfolio of comments from satisfied customers and take tourists around for the dat/days on their bikes. In Da Lat they are on Harleys but here the humble Honda suffices.
Mr Binh speaks pretty good English and took me to Bo Ha waterfalls, a ruined Cham tower in Nha Trang and a couple of other beauty spots, 5 pounds for the day.
This is a bit like Blackpool, it has its sleezy side and it is full of Europeans but it is such a beautiful place. The bay is a big horseshoe shape with mountains rising on all sides reminding me a bit of Marbella but more beautiful, more lush and 3 dimensional.
On the walk to the waterfall we saw lizards, snakes (one big one at least 5 feet long), birds (a species of kingfisher I have never seen before) and fish.
We passed through typical famland and villages that look as though they have been the same for generations except for the addition of satellite dishes.
I am off as planned to Da Lat on the 7.30 bus, aim to spend 2 days there and then get an Easy Rider to Saigon. Well thats the plan, I am starting to think now about timing the return to Bangkok for my flight on 12th and still have a lot to fit in.
Internet is still a pain. I can not view the blog or see any comments but hope to add some photos later...I can edit and post new blogs but can't see it so hope it comes out OK.
Mr Binh speaks pretty good English and took me to Bo Ha waterfalls, a ruined Cham tower in Nha Trang and a couple of other beauty spots, 5 pounds for the day.
This is a bit like Blackpool, it has its sleezy side and it is full of Europeans but it is such a beautiful place. The bay is a big horseshoe shape with mountains rising on all sides reminding me a bit of Marbella but more beautiful, more lush and 3 dimensional.
On the walk to the waterfall we saw lizards, snakes (one big one at least 5 feet long), birds (a species of kingfisher I have never seen before) and fish.
We passed through typical famland and villages that look as though they have been the same for generations except for the addition of satellite dishes.
I am off as planned to Da Lat on the 7.30 bus, aim to spend 2 days there and then get an Easy Rider to Saigon. Well thats the plan, I am starting to think now about timing the return to Bangkok for my flight on 12th and still have a lot to fit in.
Internet is still a pain. I can not view the blog or see any comments but hope to add some photos later...I can edit and post new blogs but can't see it so hope it comes out OK.
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