Bought myself a linen suit for $50. Of course, it doesn't fit quite as it should, but you can't really argue when you haven't got the time to stick around.

Visting Hue was eerie. The capital of Olden Vietnam is now a sleepy town with not much happening. Until a tourist bus shows up, and people start screaming ONE DOLLAR at you. The Vietnamese royalty did not live in outlandish style, with humble houses and without pomp, they ruled Vietnam in it various guises through the ages and fought the Chinese. Hue was scorching, a ONE DOLLAR hat was bought just to keep from tanning to much. The sweat, however, just poured. A peaceful boat trip down the river, check out more limestone, and then back to Hanoi again.

The remainders of Colonial days are still upkept, with Graham Greene's old cafe still as exclusive now as it was then, icecream parlours and posh restaurants with outdoor dining and French menus. The ex-pat dream could be had here.

Ha Long bay completed, and wandered aimlessly around this place, resorted to eating pizza. It's time to leave. Bangkok, again, tomorrow.

- posted by Daniel @ Sunday, July 04, 2004 0 comments

 
Hanoi. The French sat in this town for a while, and made coffee houses and wide roads. Hanoi is so much calmer than Ho Chi Minh. Perhaps because it isnt as industrialised, and perhaps because it has a lake in the middle of the city, calming the residents by it's very presence.

Took a trip to Ha Long bay, which is a series of limestone islets on the coastline. Stunning scenery and scorching temperatures. Yet again, annoying unrelenting people trying to sell stuff. One woman tried to sell me a comb, and was not happy with a no, No or even a NO. She attempted to show how useful the comb would be to a bald man by combing my arm hair and repeating the essential "One Dollar?" with soul destroying persistence.

- posted by Daniel @ Thursday, July 01, 2004 0 comments