20131131 Vietnam, Halong Bay

20131131 We managed to get in a couple of hours sleep before we had to catch a bus for our next adventure on the Marguerite cruising around Halong Bay for three nights, just what I need after a sleepless night on a rickety old train. The bus trip was three and a half hour of rough roads with lot of potholes and heaps of road works all the way but also we heard some interesting and the one store the captured me was the store of the flag.  We arrived at Bai Chay Wharf at 12.00pm to be transferred by tender to the Marguerite Junk Boat.

The Vietnam flag was officially adopted on November 30, 1955 and the gold five-pointed star symbolizes the five groups of workers in the building of socialism (intellectuals, peasants, soldiers, workers and youth), while the red symbolizes bloodshed, and the revolutionary struggle.

We arrived at our Junk to a welcoming drink then received Junk facilities and cruise instruction as well as cruise briefing before we check in to our cabin before we begin our first adventure off the beaten track to visit the Surprise Caves.

This is the Marguerite Junk Boat we toured the bay in except it was painted white only because the authorities of Quang Ninh asked that Ha Long Bay boats be painted white, saying the change befits the bay's recent international recognition, so all tourist boats except dragon boats, will be white with brown sails or have your licenses revoked.

"Who is this Nutter"

There’s a wonderful legend to Halong Bay that I just must tell and it goes like this: 

When the country was newly formed, the Vietnamese had to fight against invaders, feeling sorry for the country; The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her children descending on the earth to help ancient Vietnamese people defend the country. While the enemies were attacking the main land, The Mother Dragon and her children appeared and incinerated the enemies with their divine fire and giant emeralds. The emeralds from the dragon’s month were scatted around the battlefield on the sea and formed an invincible defensive wall that left enemy fleet sinking.  Thanks to the dragon, the invaders were swept away and peace came back to South East Asian.  After thousands of years the wall of emeralds turned into islands and inlets of different sizes and shapes.  The Mother Dragon and her children never returned but stayed in the mortal world and turned into human form and helped people expanding the country.  In remembrance the bay was named “Ha Long or Halong and the bay where the children descended “Bai Tu Lony” which means “Thanks to the Dragon’s children”.

When it comes to scenery, Halong Bay is truly an amazing site, known for its thousands of rock and caves emerging out of emerald waters.

'Wow'

Sung Sot Cave: After climbing 100 steps we entered one of the most impressive caves I have ever seen, the cave is surrounded by thick jungle vegetation and was discovered by the French in 1901 who named it (Cave of Surprises) and it covers three main chambers covering an area of over 10,000 sqm and the mouth is about 25 metres above sea level.

Illuminated Stone Penis-Shaped Rock one of many bizarre formations in the cave, and of cause I had to pick this one to post.

From the top of the cave over looking Halong Bay, it is just breath taking.

Hạ Long Bay in Vietnam features nearly 2,000 majestic limestone karst formations, highlighted by tower karsts, hidden caves, and iconic islets like the Fighting Cocks. A world Heritage Site, this marine landscape was shaped by over 500 million years of geological changes and water erosion.

Here we go through the mountains caves to another part of the Island called Monkey Myer, where cute Monkeys scamper over the large rock.  Mr serious here needs a chill pill.

Our tour guide Thing Tin on board our Junk Boat, he was such a lovely guy.

Des and I had a surprise presented to us on board our cruise ship, we were made to stay outside until the table was prepared then escorted to our table and the hostess announced our 30th wedding anniversary to the dinning room, what could we say, Des and I were dumb founded, so we had no choice but to graciously accept the lovely bouquet and complementary wine, well! we didn't want to embarrass them after all

THE END OF A GREAT DAY