Ruminations from the Silver Muse.

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The next morning we were sailing into Halong Bay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Viking Orion had beaten us in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

first lunch at Kaiseki.

 

 

And then I was off on the Zen monastery and local village tour.

 

 

Edited November 4, 2023 by drron29

[drron29]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Then on to a new highway opened a year ago which mostly follows Halong Bay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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And now a slight delay in our tour as our stationary bus was hit by a speeding local bus.

 

 

 

They had to climb out through a broken window as the door on the red bus was jammed. For us only a 15 minute delay until a replacement bus arrived.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.picasa.ini

Edited November 4, 2023 by drron29

[drron29]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of new developements because of the new highway,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of coal mines.

 

 

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We stopped at a local market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The highway has a few sections missing.

 

 

And we reach the temple.

 

 

 

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The lower part of the temple complex.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Now climb the first 100 stairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But now I continue via the roadway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The higher you went the better the views.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Now we are going to sit down on these mats to practice Zen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I was a total failure in Zen meditation. hard enough just to get down on the floor. the various aches and pains then prevented an open mind. So nothing more to do but look at the decorations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And back down the hill I go.

 

 

 

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Now off to the village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We arrive at the village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those are Peach trees.

 

 

 

Cobra wine. Not aged enough to drink yet.

 

 

This bird already said hello so I taught it to say hello Ron.

 

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We visited an old couple and were served tea and steamed sweet potato. Also had a nip of his rice wine. basically alcohol. The fellow seemed to like his drinks.

 

 

 

 

 

This fellow didn't seem worried 3 days before Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

 

As we were leaving all the children appeared. There were 3 older girls who wanted to practice English. A young fellow approached me and asked me to say his name. From the reactions of all the others it obviously wasn't his name. Probably taught to swear in Vietnamese.

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Lots of new construction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then turned on to the inland route as the sun was setting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[drron29]

The last of the sun set and passing several miles of coal mines which our guide at the beginning of the excursion said were just small operations begun by the French.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then through the Halong Bay CBD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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An area of flower shops.

 

 

 

Then eating areas.

 

 

 

 

And finally hotels across the bay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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That night it was Indochine for dinner. The menu.

 

 

 

The welcome cocktail was based on orange.

 

As she doesn't do spicy food Rojaan had 2 appetisers. The beef tataki and the foie gras and mushrooms. She liked both.

 

I had the Tom yum soup which was ordinary and then the Osso buco Szechuan style. It was very tender and flavorsome.

 

 

We both finished with their creme brulee which is fantastic.

 

Then time to leave Halong Bay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The next day was a sea day and lunch was on the pool deck. Rojaan had her usual Caesar salad with chicken and I had a variety from the buffet they do on sea days.

 

 

 

 

 

Then Rojaan had the Eton Mess and I the cheesecake.

 

 

Dinner was back in Atlantide.

 

 

Rojaan started with the laced prawn and then had the lobster.

 

I started with the curried cauliflower and then lobster salad both of which were nice.

 

 

I then had the steak Rossini. Again a very good steak.

 

 

When we got back to the suite just caught the last of the sunset.

 

 

 

 

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The next morning we were docked in Da Nang. Once again a magnificent view from the Cruise terminal.

 

 

But all the busses and vans were there.

 

 

 

 

Then I was off on the Exploring Cham Civilisation excursion. First of all through stacks of containers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Brad1185]

The charred cauliflower dish sounded really good.