Communist Karaoke
Good evening (or morning) friends! It's been several days since my last post. I spent the last 3 days in a delightful spot called Ha Long Bay. The ad posted in the comments was not put there by me--I'll leave it in case people are curious.
Anyhoo, Ha Long Bay was unbelievably gorgeous. The bay is full of over 2,000 limestone islets jutting out of the sea. We went kayaking on the first and the second day, which was incredible. It was very relaxing to be out on the water, sleep on the boat, not hear any noise or smell any exhaust. We were able to kayak into little lagoons through tunnels in the limestone. The second day, our guide took sea urchins out of the water and set them on our kayaks. We could see them move! It was so cool. We paddled to a secluded beach and hung out for a while. We harrassed a sea cucumber--it was pretty gross looking. I took a million pictures and will post them soon. I think the afternoon kayaking yesterday was the best time I've had so far. It was so calm and beautiful. The ocean is a turquoise color.
People live in houses floating on the water in secluded areas of the bay. They drink rain water, cook with gas and have fish farms. We took our kayaks from one of these "houses." They barely seem seaworthy to me, but people live on them. I think they don't know the saying "don't shit where you eat," because there was a lot of trash in the water, no indoor plumbing and they're raising fish right next to their dwelling. Made me think twice about the squid we ate for dinner.
Last night was Christina's birthday and we went to a karaoke bar on one of the islands. The karaoke guy kept letting me have the remote to find a song to sing, then he'd take it away as soon as I found the right song and give it to someone else! He was ruling the karaoke with an iron fist. So, I decided it was communist karaoke.
I was waiting for the bus to take us to the boat a couple days ago and a lady appeared at the door of the hotel selling some bread. She pointed to the bread and said "chocolate" as clearly as the day is long. I thought, "I'd like some chocolate-filled bread!" I bought one from her, opened it to eat it AND NO CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!!! I was unhappy. I went and found her and demanded my money back. She tried to shoo me away, but I told her I was going to follow her up and down the street all morning and tell people she was running a scam unless she gave me my money back. She spoke no English, but she did speak the international language of "this person is pissed because I unequivocably ripped them off." I got my money back and had plain bread for breakfast. Sigh.
I'm having trouble staying fit on this trip. There's not a lot of time to do yoga when you're going from a bus to a boat to an island to a boat to Hanoi to a bus to another bus. My goal for the rest of the trip: take as few buses as possible.
In other news, I'm disappointed to discover that although I applied for early action at the U of M law school, they deferred my application. This (I think) means I've neither been rejected nor accepted yet. I have to wait to May to find out their decision. On the positive side, I did get accepted to the University of Iowa, a similarly ranked school that's close to home. So I don't have to go to Hamline. Yay.
Tomorrow, Christina, Derrick and I head north to Sa Pa, a mountain town. We are going hiking for a couple days and get to spend a night with one of the hill tribes (the black Hmong--not to be confused with the black lung). It should be really fun. I'll probably be out of contact for several days again. I get back to Hanoi on the morning of the 27th. I have to arrange my visa to Cambodia here and then I'm off to Phnom Penh.
Vietnam has been fun. I think I've learned:
1. I don't want to spend my whole trip on buses
2. Even with lots of time, you can't see everything--you must pick and choose!
3. Go with the flow and things will be fine
4. It's really unbelievably hot in Saigon
5. Traveling is fun
6. Traveling is tiring
7. I love you guys! (I already knew that before though...)
The internet connection here is the fastest of all time! Or the fastest I've had in Vietnam yet. It's great.
TTFN,
Lauren
posted by Lauren at 7:20 AM
3 Comments:
Hi Lauren;
All in all it sounds like Viet Nam has been a positive and generally enjoyable experience for you. I guess every part of the world has some sights that are worth seeing. I hope that Cambodia follows that pattern.
Yesterday was the last workday for us at Goodrich. And since it was also the last workday before the Christmas "break", Troy treated us all to pizza and sodas, all sumptiously served up in the kitchen of the "house across the street" on Garfield. There's still quite a bit of finish type work left in the two single houses where you installed the "window treatments". Stuff like painting, filling nail holes, joints etc. The type of work one of the guys on another crew that I worked with called "college girl work".
Anyway, when we were on break, I passed around a couple of your blogs as well as some of the photos that you posted earlier. I didn't include the photo titled "Scuba Lesson" (bathing suit) because our first aid kit doesn't include a defibrillator. The photos elicited the usual "I can't believe that she's travelling alone for SEVEN MONTHS!!" The standard old guy stuff.
We were discussing your travels and one of the guys suggested that we let you know that we missed you on the crew, so we took a vote and on the third ballot, by a margin of 7 to 4 with 3 abstentions, we did so resolve. So this is the official notification. (Just kidding, Nancy! It took only two ballots and the final vote was an overwhelming 11 to 2 in favor with just one abstention)
Well, all this is pretty mundane stuff compared to what you're experiencing. In a sense, I think there is a certain amount of "envy" that none of us have the nerve to undertake an endeavor like yours. We all continue to wish you the best in your odyssey and maintain our interest in your progress. Keep us advised! And, of course, additional photos are always welcome. I took a few digital shots of the work site before I left yesterday and as soon as I can recall how to post them, I'll forward the link to you.
We wish you peace, joy and continued good health this Christmas Season.
George
10:07 AM
Hey! Congrats on getting into Iowa! The u of m, of course, is MY preferred school, but I'm already imagining fun road trips down to see you!
Man, your kayaking trip reminded me of the kayaking I did in Thailand - we saw some cool sea urchins too. Have you ever eaten uni? Ben had thought it was sea urchin liver, but Core said its sea urchin reproductive organs. Either way its slimy, raw sushi. You know the kind where you really can't think about it too much or else your stomach might start to turn.
Anyhoo, I miss you so much! I love reading your blogs. We'll be sure to put some SnB minutes up, but I've not gone the last two weeks because of finals. But they're over! I'm free! And we will write!
I heart you!
Mo
11:44 AM
For a unique high-end experience, book passage aboard the Emeraude -- a copy of a French steamer that once plied these waters in the early 20th century. Certainly the largest boat at 55m (180 ft.), the elegant Emeraude has 38 cabins, a fine-dining outlet, and plenty of room to stretch your legs. The luxury trip comes with a price tag, of course, but the 2-day, 1-night cruise is well worth it.
Leaving Hanoi at 8am, you'll check in at the private Emeraude pier and be shuttled to the boat. Before checking in to your cabin, you'll enjoy welcome drinks and a quick orientation. Compact, as ship cabins always are, onboard rooms are decked out in hardwood, with nice fixtures like air-conditioning, a private reading lamp, slippers for shuffling about the decks, and a tidy, compact bathroom area with toilet, shower, and a separate room for a small sink stand. Everything onboard is retro, which means pleasing hardwood, brass, and fine linens. The oversize wicker chairs on the top deck are cozy, and you'll find shaded areas as well as sun-worshipping space. A casual, friendly atmosphere pervades, especially when the corks start popping.
Dining onboard is a delicious buffet, and most guests find themselves sharing a meal with new friends. Lunch on day 1 is followed by a stop at the Surprise Cave, then an afternoon of cruising and great views of the islands. The boat docks in a quiet harbor and guests have an opportunity to, on their own or with a guide, explore nearby Trinh Nu and Hang Trong, the Virgin Cave and the Cave of the Winds, or take a dip in the bay. The back of the boat is low in the water and there is a sturdy ladder making it easy to get on and off (the adventurous will join the crew for dives off the upper decks). Dinner is a sumptuous affair of fine local cuisine (heavy on seafood) and good Western options. Enjoy drinks on the upper deck as you watch the moonlight glisten off the bay.
Day 2 starts with tai chi classes on the sun deck as a brilliant sunrise paints its colors on the arching canvas of high limestone peaks jutting from the glassy waters. Blissful. After your exercise, tuck in to a hearty Western-style breakfast. The boat returns to the dock by 9:30am, and a direct transfer finds you back in Hanoi by lunchtime. The trip is quite memorable, and a ride on this retro ship, outfitted to the nines, is unique to Halong Bay. The price for the overnight cruise is $290 for a luxury cabin for two and $490 for the one-suite room, but discounts for larger groups are available. Transfer from Hanoi costs $100 for a four-seat vehicle. Check the website at www.emeraude-cruises.com or call the offices at the Press Club in Hanoi (tel. 04/934-0888; fax 04/934-0899).
4:33 AM
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