tp. Hạ Long, Vietnam
We landed in Hanoi late last night, it is the capital of Vietnam and located in the northern part of the country, close to China. Just like in Laos, it is a Socialist Republic but has good international relations with the U.S. and other countries. There are only five remaining single-party socialist states that officially practice communism-China, Cuba and North Korea are the others. We will be exploring Hanoi more after our cruise. An early morning transfer to Halong Bay brought us to one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! Besides being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also one of the New Wonders of the World. There’s not much to tell about this area so pictures tell it all. It is karst topography, limestone formations that were carved from water to make these formations that jut out of the beautiful emerald green water. There are also lots of caves and grottos around every corner. Our junk, the Paloma is so pretty, exactly what you would expect to be plying these mystical waters. All dark polished wood and very comfortable. Our cabin had a beautiful deck with lounge chairs right on the front of the boat so it was perfect to just sit with a cocktail as we sailed through the bay. We had delicious local food prepared for us each day, it was too much! We went kayaking, swam from a beach or the boat, explored a spectacular cave, visited a pearl farm and just relaxed. The boys met two girls their age so they were happy too and played lots of card games. Halong Bay means bay of the descending dragon. The legend of Halong Bay is beautiful: “Long ago, in the first founding days, the Viet people were attacked by foreign aggressors. The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her band of Child Dragons to help the Viet people fight the invaders. While the enemy vessels were launching massive attacks against the mainland, the dragons descended in flocks from the sky. They spat out innumerable pearls which changed into jade stone islands the moment they touched the water. These islands linked together to form firm citadels that checked the enemy’s advance and smashed their vessels to pieces. After the invaders were driven out, Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons did not return to Heaven but stayed on earth, right at the place where the battle occurred. The spot where the Mother Dragon landed was Ha Long, and where the Child Dragons came down was Bai Tu Long. The place where their tails violently wagged was called Long Vi, the present-day Tra Co Peninsula with its soft sandy beach stretching many kilometers.”
