Monthly Archives: May 2015

Dragon Boat Ride – Huong River, Hue – Part Five

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Up at 6:00 am for a Dragon Boat ride? Not a problem it’s 10:00 am at home … Easy!

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Heading along the Huong River shows everyday life for many Vietnamese.

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Better known as ‘The Perfume River’. Our dragon boat feels like it’s on a mission as we’re heading towards The Imperial Citadel.

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Trung Tien Bridge.

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This bridge is nearest the majority of the tourist hotels south east of the citadel complex which is not far now.

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And where would we be without a driver? Here with helpers Ms Huang our host and Bob giving directions.

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Next stop along the way is the seven-storey Thien Mu Pagoda.

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Stay tuned for Part Six.

Tam Giang Lagoon, Hue Vietnam – Part Four

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Ngu My Thanh Village, a typical fishing community near the Tam Giang Lagoon. Some architecture today can still be seen as having had a French influence.

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Tourism is a new and welcome source of income for the fishing families in Ngu My Thanh and Tan My villages of Quang Dien District.

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Tam Giang lagoon supports a range of wetland habitats making a nature lovers paradise the livelihood of 300,000 people who live along the shores rely upon its aquatic resources.

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Glad they’re tied up!

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Our delightful host Ms Huang from Travel Town Saigon welcomes us onto the small sampan for the morning tour.

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Because of the heat, it was an early 6:30 am start which was ideal.

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The lagoon system of Tam Giang-Cau Hai stretches 70 km along Thua Thien-Hue seashore. It’s the largest lagoon in Southeast Asia with a total surface area of 22,000 hectares.

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You can see closely how the fisherman divide up the areas with hand-made nets which are staked out to maximise their catch.

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Every day large volumes of fish caught at the lagoon are then sold in local markets or to wholesale traders. Occasionally locals keep some of the goods to make fish sauce.

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Not much happening for us. Someone’s going hungry.

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Approaching our retreat for a hearty pre-packed breakfast and lunch.

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This is what you do when you’ve finished breakfast and fishing all morning. So what am I thinking now? I’m wondering what’s for lunch … Again something spicy I trust.

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Here with funny boy Thuy, the next Anh Do is my prediction.

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Bob having a cool beer before our Pho lunch. Very impressed with his new-found Aussie mannerisms.

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Time to say bye and move onto the next venture. More food I suspect.

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And I was right. Water Land Bar and Restaurant in Hue is great value with a variety of dishes.

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Waterland offers Banh xeo (crispy pancake filled with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts) with fresh summer rolls – must-try dishes here. Western food is available however, don’t expect it to be great as the local food because it’s not what the eatery is dedicated to. You can join and have a bit of fun in a cooking class too.

Hoi An, Central Vietnam – Part Three

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The centre of Hoi An is very small and pedestrian-friendly, so you will be walking around most of the time.

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The main thoroughfare in the Old Town is Tran Phu. Just south of the Old Town across the Thu Bon River are the islands of An Hoi to the west, reached via Hai Ba Trung and Cam Nam to the east via Hoang Dieu.

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Hoi An Hoi An (Hội An – ĐVHưng) is a beautiful city in Vietnam just south of Da Nang and the Old Town is listed as a UNESCO World site.

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Street sellers are prominent.

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No shortage of merchandise which is of excellent quality – and cheap!

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Typical street scene and authentic.

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Entrance to the Chinese Temple.

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Bob checking the seamless and individual handmade needlework which is exceptional by any standard.

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Entrance to the Japanese Covered Bridge.

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This beautiful little bridge is emblematic of Hoi An. First constructed here in the 1590s by the Japanese community in order to link them with the Chinese quarters across the stream.

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The entrances to the bridge are guarded by weathered statues: a pair of monkeys on one side, a pair of dogs on the other. According to one story, many of Japan’s emperors were born in the years of the dog and monkey.

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Once a major port, Hoi An boasts the grand architecture and beguiling riverside setting that befits its heritage.

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Within the Covered Bridge is a small temple for all to pay respects regardless of their beliefs.

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I can’t wait to try this – ‘May Peace be with You’.

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Ready-made clothes are abundant although a little small for me, would suit many others looking for a bargain.

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The biggest mistakes visitors make are not staying long enough in the city and not letting their tailor know how many days they have in Hoi An. Expect alterations and multiple fittings to ensure it’s right and one reputable service is A Dong Silk located in Le Loi Street.

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Arriving at Sabirama Cooking School, this was a definite highlight of my journey.

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One of the best travel experiences is the ability to cook some of the local dishes you sampled on your journey. Look out Luke Nguyen!

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I’m trying to learn how to make rice paper and it’s not so easy I’m afraid. I’ll appreciate those Vietnamese rolls much more next time I order them at home …

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Sticky rice cooked the traditional way and although looks uninviting is incredibly delicious.

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So at the end of the day here in Hoi An if you need to transfer to the airport the nearest is in Da Nang which has domestic connections to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hue. Some international flights to Bangkok, Singapore, Siem Reap (for Angkor Wat) are available.