Sleeping was a pleasure, but my only complaint relates to the stillness of the boat. We could have been on shore, it was so stable. One of my delights from past cruises is the rocking of the boat while sleeping being similar be being rocked as an infant. Regardless, the sleep was a good one. As annoying as a 7:00 am breakfast may sound, in these surroundings you want to be up early to see the sun as it rises over the rocks creating shadows or highlighting crevices and caves.
After being spoiled with the meals from yesterday, it was a come down to be served watermelon slices and pineapple with coffee or tea for breakfast. Guess the honeymoon is over. After a twenty minute sail, we were told we were getting into smaller boats to be rowed through a cave and into an inner harbor. It is the transferring from boat to land or boat to boat that always concerns me and makes me nervous.
When the smaller boat was filled with all of us travelers, one rail thin Vietnamese sailor earned his keep and received his aerobic exercise as he was the rower for our boat. The inner bay kept me asking myself what movie could be set in this scenery, but it went unanswered. If it was to be used, viewers would only think it was a Hollywood set created for the occasion.
Returning to our Junk, we were called to breakfast, a meal we thought we already had, but this time, we received eggs and ham with baguettes. We started to make our way back to the realities of car horns and traffic noises once again. Before we reached shore at noon, we were served lunch, another display of culinary talents. Being underfed was certainly not a concern.
Once on shore, we were again in the hustle and bustle of people arriving and those of us leaving. We were assigned to the same driver that brought us here, but with other fellow travelers on the return trip. We were back to the hotel by 3:30 pm. When they asked about our trip, we told them about the lack of a guide. They contacted the tour agency, which is investigating the issue. In the meanwhile, the hotel personnel had said that since they booked it, they will take responsibility and give us a free night’s stay and a courtesy ride to the airport. We were grateful for their coming to bat for us and offering us some recompense.
The evening was spent hunting for a good coffee, but I have become addicted to strong Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. We found Papa Joe’s but the coffee was less than satisfying, though the service was exceptional. All of these countries services personnel could give lessons to the Hungarians. After walking around the city for an hour, we went to Mamarosas spelled as one word, for dinner. I opted for a pizza that was less than stellar, but different from any Asian food. We hunted for a bakery when we were done, but could not find any. We did come across a small store that sold baked goods that looked appealing. The sales clerk was a twelve year old girl with her friend and younger sister visiting. We ordered three cakes; they were small, and cups of tea. This little girl prepared it and served without any adult other than the two of us, in sight. How children grow up without a childhood could teach spoiled Americans some things. They started singing a common song in French and when Ron joined in with them, they were initially shy about his interloping into their song, but after a minute, they were all crooning together. When we left, I think they wished he could have stayed behind to continue to entertain them.
Breakfast, included at the hotel, was a satisfying omelet, bacon, and a baguette. Baguettes in Vietnam have centers like spider webs. You can see there is something in there, but when you try to pull it out, the consistency is like cotton candy. If you wad it up, you have a teardrops worth of substance in your hand. The coffee is atrocious making me need to seek out better flavored caffeine elsewhere. Ron read in the guide (not Frommer’s mind you) about a place called Baguette and Chocolate, but after twenty minutes of walking up and down the street where it was listed as being, a young man came up to us to see if we needed assistance. The café had moved over a year ago. We found another reasonable looking coffee shop where real coffee was served. We sat in the window seat.
Outside the window and across the street was a young cyclo driver, the bicycle kind of transport. The young man waved to us and motioned he would take us around the city. We smiled and tried to ignore him. It was not on the agenda. Finally, he found a willing fare and left us. Before we left the café there was a replacement who offered an hour tour of the city for $8.00 for both of us. We decided to take him up on it, but cyclos are built for two Vietnamese, not two of any non-Asian body types. By contorting like we were playing a game of Twister, with one leg on the red dot and the other leg on the blue dot, we intertwined into the seat and off we went. Our driver started out with the first question they learn in all English lessons throughout the country. “Where are you from?” They could care less about the answer since they never respond to the answer. Case in point, we told him we just arrived from Pluto and he did not stop short and kick us out of our seats. The next question also follows the formula, but still throws me. “How old are you?” Again there was no reaction when I said twenty-five and Ron admitted to one hundred and one. Skipping over formalities, the next inquiry is “How many children you have?” Our cumulative total of forty-six did not stir a reaction.
Riding in one of these cyclos is very similar to the ride in the House of Horrors. You are riding along, and then suddenly you think you are going to smash into something and the car turns suddenly at the very last moment, causing your heart to beat as fast as tribal drums warning of impending danger. If I had started dying my hair again, I would have been white once again by the end of the ride. Someone should discuss implementing more traffic lights here, but the three that they do have go unnoticed by all anyway, so the lack of them must be to conserve electricity.
If someone could create a mechanism making car and motorcycle horns bleat every ten seconds while the motor is running, it would allow all drivers to concentrate on steering, freeing them from having to count to ten to hit the horn manually. Noise never stops and neither does the traffic. Adding to the suspense of our survival, the driver kept bending over to tell us things along the way. First he pointed out the Military Museum explaining in poor English what it was, and then said “You know, boom, boom!” About five minutes later, he was massaging my neck and told me he knew where we could get a good massage and some ‘boom, boom’. We are not sure if the Military Museum is displaying sexual exhibits or if the massage therapists have guns, but we thought it wise to refuse both.
The tour was especially delightful when we went around the lake; miraculously the traffic was reduced in the lake area, so we could actually speak to each other without shouting. The placid moment did not last long as we entered the real word soon enough. The clock had run over one hour and we were on the opposite side of the city; we thought of getting out and walking back, but with crossing streets it would have taken at least an hour and years off of our lives. When we were finally able to untangle ourselves in an area that held some familiarity, it was a two hour ride. Suddenly the cost of our indulgence went from $8.00 to $22.00. Okay, it was worth the money. He needed it more than we did, but still I hate being made the fool. Seriously, could have stopped him at one hour; we discussed the added costs and let him continue uninterrupted.
As we rode around, we noticed that the shops run in waves. Two blocks will all sell motorcycle seat covers, and then the next two blocks will all be pots and pans. Shoe stores cover the next few blocks. They all segregate according to their offering like they fear keeping the competition out of sight. Astonishingly, they do wear more shoes here than they did in the other cities, where flip-flops or other styles of sandals are worn. When it first caught my attention, I could barely count ten people wearing shoes, but here the statistics are just the opposite.
The other key difference here in Hanoi is that restaurants, shops, even the cyclo drivers crave U.S. dollars over their own Dong. In the other cities, we could not convince people to take dollars; we had to have Dong on hand. When we run out of dollars, we will have to plead vendors to accept their own currency.
Later when we were walking around, one of the women who looks like they are carrying the scales of justice, but are really carrying fruits or vegetables for sale, stopped me to buy fresh cut pineapple. With the opportunity to pamper ourselves with fresh fruits, it seemed reasonable to spend $1.00 on a pineapple already peeled and cut. She said to me, “Take my picture.” I indulged her by snapping her with her bracing and balancing her heavy load. Ron snapped a couple too. When I said thanks, she said “Okay, 50,000 Dong for the photos.” After a good laugh, I thanked her again saying not in this lifetime because other than a ‘NO’ she would not understand anything I replied with.
We wound up buying a nice carry-on type bag that has concealed wheels and a handle for $20.00. Tomorrow it will take it maiden voyage to the Halong Bay excursion. Another Hmong elephant made its way into our life also. There would have been a second Hmong dragon too, but could not find a blue one in the right size. Now that we each have a carry-on bag, might as well make good use of it.
Walking around the lake one more time, we walked a bridge to reach a small island. On it is a pagoda called “Where the Turtle Returned the Sword” based on a legend. There is a temple there where the deity looks like Confucius, but the explanation discusses a General in the Armed Forces from the 15t century. People were obviously in prayer at the base of his statue.
Restaurants here are definitely more upscale than in Chau Doc and Ho Chi Minh City, implying the costs are higher, but they are more affluent in their décor also. Due to these, the people selling gum, books, water, cigarette lighters, and horses with bobbing heads are not likely to enter and give their spiel while diners are in the process of mastication.
One funny sign we have commonly seen restaurant bathrooms states “Do not stand on the toilet”. It is common in less touristy areas to have squat holes in the floor that you stand over. The country folk must not recognize the use of a toilet trying to stand and squat on them.
We went to a French/Vietnamese restaurant tonight called Le Cyclo. Each of the chairs were cyclos around a table. Different and interesting, it was one of the most expensive meals we have encountered on our entire trip. Ron had the duck and I had chicken over fried Vietnamese noodles. With two beers, the bill came to a shocking $16.20. Pin It Now!
Ron went down presumably for breakfast, before I was ready. When I went down, he was not in the breakfast room. I knew he was our wandering, so I had an enjoyable breakfast alone. When he returned and had his, we spent an hour walking the village for the last time. I swear I will not miss the cobblestones at all. The shuttle was there promptly at 11:00 am. There were three others in in already, picked up at different hotels. We added yet another couple after us making 7 total. The single passenger in the front seat was from Iowa; the couple behind us was from Pennsylvania. They were really talkative and the wife kept the conversation going steadily when she found that we lived in Budapest. They was their stop off after Vienna. They picked our brains.
Once in Linz, we enjoyed the breads and coffees in the snack shops before boarding our train. This go around, we did not have a seat in a compartment, but regular seating. It was fine and we had all four seats 2 by 2 facing each other to ourself.
After an incredible 12 hours of sleep, a record for me, we ventured over the train station for breakfast. Ibis charges 9 Euros for it, but the station has a plethora of choices and the Austrian breads are a carbo loaders dream come true. My fave is the roll with melted cheese plastered all over it mixed with pumpkin seeds. That and a coffee is all I needed to start the day.
We had saved our transport ticket for today (6.50 Euros savings with the Linz card), but our first stop was the Lentos Museum of Modern Art, so we walked there. The city was alive after the deathly quiet of yesterday's holiday. Linz is not an attractive city; there is no architecture to feast your eyes on. It is the plain Jane of cities, so it has to work extra hard with the make-up to be appealing in any way.
The Lentos is heralded as a magnificent piece ofarchitecture that was specially designed to be the hallmark of modern art. From the bridge crossing the Danube, it looks like a glass box with a chunk carved out of it. Modern art is not a turn on for me, but Ron wanted to go. I was actually surprised at how many pieces I found enticing, though the permanent exhibits were cast aside for the special exhibit that would end at the end of this month. There were more appealing to me than Andy Warhol. Admission, normally 6.50 Euros was free with our card. Yesterday, was bright and sunny, but today is overcast and foggy, a perfect day for being indoors.
Intriguing, but we did not indulge were the nut vendors on the streets. They sell different types of hot roasted nuts as well as chestnuts for 2 Euros a bag and from the looks of things, they do a booming business. After a coffee, we went to the Ars Electronic Center. This is the "Museum of the Future" where everything is interactive. We were able to waive the 6 Euro entrance with our Linz card, so we explored and played with different exhibits. Though the explanations were in English, there were few that really made sense or did what they were supposed to do. At 1:30, we were part of a group that went into 'the cave'. Of course, the whole thing was in German only, so we made our escape. Just in time too, a group of school children had just arrived and swarmed the place. We had heard about an old fashioned cable car that goes up the mountain. This was the next stop. Our pass did not cover the cable car ride, but there were plans to modernize it in 2008 ruining its appeal, so we were told. The tickets were 4 Euro each with a return. Up we chugged through the forest, past private homes for a ride that seemed to last for much longer than what I had timed on the return. The scenery was lovely and the trees were crispy colors. At the top, we found a walking trail leading us to the entrance of the 'Grotto Railway'. This statue should have been a clue, but...what the heck, it was free with our card. The railway is a dragon shaped 'train' more of a kiddie adventure than one for overage adults, but we saw other adults enter, so we followed like sheep. Picture the Disney "It's a Small World After All" done in fairytale gnomes, animals, and insects. The ride circles three times, the first lighting all displays on the left, then on the right, and for the grand finale, the whole thing with colored lights blaring from the ceiling. Yea, okay, got it. Did it. Been there, done that, time to go.
The ride down the mountain only took 17 minutes not going any faster than going up, surprising us as to why it seemed so much longer ascending. It was now 4:30 and we wanted to go to the Castle Museum, not for the history, but for the special exhibit on chocolate. We rushed over there to find that it closes at 5pm, not 6pm. We did not make it. We also missed out on the Dentistry Museum, the Collection of Military Lore, and Collection of historic data of customs and taxes. Wow, who cannot deny that this should be the European City of Culture with these offerings making up their list of 12 museums in the city? We thought we could take in the city tour that was part of our card and transported by the little yellow train. However, it stops running at 5pm also, after September 30th. Another missed opportunity.
Every block has at least one church, which we dutifully entered, not so much out of interest as to have something to do. Even with the stores open, I was not diverted into succumbing into my favorite hobby of shopping. There was nothing that screamed 'come look at me'.
Without the mobs of demonstrators, the central square was what, interesting? What more is there to say about it. The plantings were lovely? I was really at a loss to find superlatives to describe this city and even with a thesaurus, I would have come up short. The best I could do was to say it is a stopping off point to other more interesting places.
Along the main street, we found a place for dinner, a typical pub/restaurant that was crowded with locals, a good sign. The food was good, the beer was fine, the atmosphere was lively. After dinner, Ron wanted to see one of the gay bars that opens at 8pm. I thought for sure we were in for another dud experience, but to my surprise, it was jammed, standing room only. This could be due to the fact that it probably could only hold 100 people at the max and that is if everyone agreed to keep their arms at their sides and drink their drinks with long straws. Being no bigger than our living room and kitchen combined, it was enthralling to see the mix of men there. The only woman was the bartender. One quick drink was all we needed to satisfy our curiosity.
On the way back to the hotel, we discussed whether we really wanted to spend another night here on the way back from Cesky Krumlov and the answer was a resounding definitely not, more museum tickets and vouchers left untouched be damned. We had already recovered our 20 Euro investment for each of our Linz cards, so like gambling, quit while you are ahead of the game. We went to the train station and changed our reservations to return home on the 30th, then called the hotel we were booked at for the last night and canceled the reservation. Feeling at peace, we went back to the room and read.
We were surprised last night being the longest day of the year that it was dark by 8:30 pm. The morning sun made up for it shining through at 5:00 am and heating the air significantly.
I literally rolled out of bed at 6:00 am since my hip was hurting and rolling was the only way to get up. My back had started to bother me before we left Hungary, but with all of the last minute university duties, I never had time to do anything about it. I held tightly to the belief that it was stress related and once vacationing, this would resolve on its own. I was mistaken in this assumption as it is getting worse rather than better.
Outside, it sounded like a bird convention on the river with every one of them vying for the right to be the leader of the group. There is apparently no Robert’s Rules of Order for sure amongst this bird group. It did sound more like the British Parliamentary proceedings in a heavily debated session.
With the sun shimmering on the river’s currents, the joyful noise of the feathered occupants was ultimately relaxing. Breakfast was not until 8:00, so we slowly meandered to the lodge, the same as where we had dinner last night. Our offerings included three different cold cereals, three choices of breads, and a wide variety of toppings: margarine, jellies, marmalades, honey, cheese spread, peanut butter, and Marmite. Bread is toasted in a hot cast iron skillet, a clever idea. Today, breakfast will be available until 10:00, later than what will be the custom for the duration of the trip, we were told. There is an optional river trip for 120 Rand for those who wish to go, so those who are will need to eat earlier than the rest of us.
Ron decided he would like to do this trip. Bruce said it was not too energetic, a low energy relaxing trip, as the currents were mild. They would be gone for about three hours. Having concerns about my hip and the ability to sit in a canoe for this length of time, I begged off. Since there are two to a canoe, Ron was teamed up with Thomas, the student intern.
My alternative choice was to sit on our patio outside the cottage and write, watch the birds, and just relax with the voices of the river’s currents. After a short time, I felt as if someone showered me with relaxation dust. I had not been this mellow in ages. I believe this was the best choice for me and hoped Ron was having as enjoyable a time.
At the start of the river’s edge, there is a patch of vegetation directly in front of my view. Every once in a while, a bright red winged black bird flew into it. Each attempt to get a picture of it was fruitless, as the bird hid amongst the plants as soon as the camera is focused. Many of the other birds look similar to sparrows or starlings. A heron was sitting on a tree branch stuck into the bottom of the river and poking up to the sky. The heron was there for so long, I thought perhaps it was part of the tree, until it decided to fly off, leaving no doubts.
By half past noon, the canoes still were not appearing in the water for their return to the dock. It was a little concerning, but they finally did start to show close to 1:00. Ron and Thomas were the last ones, which I had expected. I knew Ron would stop the canoe to take pictures along the way. When they did return, their canoe became stuck in some reeds and the guide had to go back to push them out. Everyone had complaints that the guide was not effectively guiding, but trying to rush them along and was way ahead of the group. The Swedish family of four, in the next cottage, were all back, showered, and dressed before Ron and Thomas returned.
Again, we had lunch in the lodge and then packed up for our next long drive of four hours before reaching our next nights accommodations. On the way, we had our first flat tire just as we passed the Ai Ais sign to tell us where we were at. It took about 30 minutes for Bruce and John, just the driver, to fix. The tires are huge and it is a multi-person task. All of us stood around and watched for some minutes, then decided we should be huddling in the shade of the truck. It was getting toasty in the sun. Once were on our way again, within minutes, we passed a car with a flat tire also. None of the ‘highways’ are paved, but only gravel or dirt covered.
We arrived at the Fish River Canyon National Park camp grounds run by the Namibia National Park system (www.namibia-travel.net). The cottages were certainly not as luxurious as last nights, but clean and sufficient. Each cottage sleeps four people in two bedrooms with a small kitchen area in between and a bathroom with shower to one side. We shared the cottage with Omo and Jean.
We only had time to drop our things in the room, then we drove to Big Fish Canyon. This is the 2nd oldest canyon in the world, the oldest being in South Africa. It is the second largest in the world, with the Grand Canyon in the US as number one. The Fish and Orange rivers meet here. It developed predominantly during the pluvial times - a rainy climatic epoch - many millions of years ago, making it 180 km long, up to 27 km wide in some areas, and up to 550 meters deep. The Fish River Canyon probably formed about 500 million years ago. However, the gorge was not only created by water erosion, but also through the collapse of the valley bottom due to movements in the earth's crust.
Because the Fish River is being dammed in Hardap near Mariental, it only contains a small amount of running water. In winter, during the dry season, the river bed is often completely dry or reduced to only the occasional puddle. However, after rainfalls in summer the river can become a raging torrent.
The early San people’s legend was that the canyon was gouged by a frantic snake, Koutein Kooru, as it was being chased by hunters. The Fish River is, at 650 kilometres, the longest river in Namibia. Its source lies in the eastern Naukluft Mountains and flows south-west of Ai-Ais into the Oranje.
We hiked part of the perimeter. It was amazing to see and since I have not been to the Grand Canyon, it was a treat besides. We waited in the parking lot until sunset where the vista point did not disappoint us with a splendid scene, then had dinner by the truck.
Omo and Anna the nine year old spent a lot of the truck driving time playing hand games. This keeps all of us entertained with their rhymes as they play. After dinner, they did a “presentation” to show their advanced skills of hand coordination. The children are exceptionally intelligent and having lived in multiple foreign countries, they are well advanced for their ages. Yet, they still have the most endearing childhood qualities that immediately steal your heart.
We stayed at the vista until 9:00 pm, then headed back to the camp. A group of the crowd went to the pool for a dip, Ron included. I was tempted, but it is so difficult getting pants on and off with my hip, I decided not to bother for such a short time. My other concern was losing my contacts at the start of the trip and it took too much hip locomotion to go back to the cottage to take them out and then back to the pool.
The cottage was basic and the bedrooms had twin beds attached to each of two walls. The sheets were clean and they were comfortable, all that we could wish for.
We have traveled 260 km today for a total of 990 so far.
I was born in Long Branch, NJ on the Jersey shore and lived there until I was a junior in high school. From there, I moved to New Lothrop, Michigan to finish my last two years of high school. I returned to Michigan for one disasterous semester of college, but moved to Florida. I have owned a restaurant in PA, drove taxi in Jamestown, NY, and lived in Philadelphia before CA. I have a BA in Psychology/Sociology from Thomas A. Edison State College, a MSW (Temple University), and my Ed.D. from the University of San Francisco.
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