My post on my trip to Hanoi

This was an old post which I saved as draft since 25 May 07. It is unfinished, but I doubt I remember much about my trip now. I am a goldfish. Besides, all the photos which I took in Hanoi are no longer in my pc and they were stored away in another storage area.

I know that I have not been blogging, sorry again. I am not on a hiatus or having any blogging block. Just that I have been too busy with new work and when I am free, I want to be away from my pc.

But I really miss all my friends, family and my carefree days - I have so little time to go around and keeping in touch. So I guess blogging is even the better way to update all my friends about me and my thoughts.

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Before I move on to a new work, I cleared all my leave in the current company. 6 days to Manado in Feb. Another 6 days to Hanoi, Vietnam.

Here are some photos to share with you.

Under the blazing sun, on a steel boat rowed by the local, with the companion of ducks, along the canal to Perfume Pagoda. Took a day tour to visit Perfume Pagoda. It is about 2 hours bus ride outta Hanoi city, then another hour via this steel boat and a 15 mins ride on a cable car - all just to visit a temple in a cave and the Perfume Pagoda.

Junks resting in the calm Halong Bay

The gold sky illuminating the tranquil emerald bay of Halong. The 2days/1 nite tour to Halong Bay, where you can stay in a self-sufficient junk on the calm bay, is good for the soul. Nice break away from the honkings and messy streets of Hanoi.

The rather fascinating interior of the Song Sot Cave in Halong Bay. Huge cave with really nice formations. Nice and cool inside. This photo do no justice to the view you behold in the cave

We are being rowed into 3 caves through the boat ride in Tam Coc. It was another day tour to Tam Coc and Hua Lu. Another 2 and half hours bus ride outta Hanoi city. The the boat ride was really pleasant, due to the nice cool breeze and sunless sky. It seemed like it was going to rain but it didn't. The scenery is nice coz the canal is surrounded by green padi fields on both side. But the boatmen harrased you to buy their goods, mostly embroidery products

Vast green padi fields in a Thai decesdant village.

At the border between China and Vietnam. Apparently this crossing between these 2 countries has just been recently opened, which has helped to forge a strong trading ties.

A group of Black H'mong ladies with children near the marketplace in Sapa town. They are very enterprising - persuasive in selling their crafts and silvers (the cheap stuff are actually steel that are made to look like silver). Some even can converse in English.

Playing football at a square in the middle of Sapa town. It wass pretty cool weather during my visit there>?

Sapa is breathtaking. Everywhere you'll see valleys and hills.