Day 7 Ninh Binh Sightseeing

 So today’s blog won’t be as eloquent as the previous ones as I’m (Jenny that is) is writing it!! Before I tell you about today, I must mention something that happened yesterday. We stopped in a small town for a rest and were asked by a young guy using Google translate if we were OK to which we replied Yes. He then said that they don’t get tourists here and certainly not grandparents!! How rude! 😂😂

On to today- a day off the bikes although we did use them to get around. This area is full of limestone hillocks (they call them mountains!- but hardly). The morning see us cycle a few miles to Traing An where we took a 3 hour boat ride around the hillocks, through limestone caves , stopping at 3 temples. There are 3 routes to choose from and each boat takes 4 people plus the person rowing! We had to wait a few mins for another 2 who also wanted to do route 3 and ended up sharing with an Aussie guy and what we first thought was his Vietnamese mistress.! Turned out he was in a business trip and Nelly worked for the same company. It was great to have an interpreter. Another colleague was in a separate boat with 3 young Vietnamese ladies who liked photographing each other. This colleague was really funny and certainly called a spade a spade. Despite the weather- dry and misty to start with followed by mizzle, it was a fun beautiful trip and going through a 1km cave was amazing. The people rowing sat in the back of the boat so they had to do a forward rowing action which looked cumbersome and hard. When the rain started we were given umbrellas- so organised! 

We returned to our “bungalow “ having originally planned to go straight into Hang Mua, a walk up one of the hillocks by steep stone steps, but the rain got heavier. 

However, late afternoon the rain stopped so we were back in the bikes to walk to the top. It wasn’t a long walk - just lots of steps and the UK wouldn’t have allowed the top bit which was just volcanic rock (health and safety wise), but it was OK here. We returned in the dusk to see it all lit up and had a cycle back in the virtual dark with no lights (naughty naughty) but no bicycles have them! 

Will be eating at the accommodation restaurant - fried rice again and maybe noodle soup- hoping not to spy the 2 rats we saw last night!!! 

Ps the boat ride today was where King Kong the remake was filmed






 

Comments

  1. JeanneJanuary 13, 2024 at 7:14 AM

    Finally caught up with you two , thank you for blogging - what an adventure! Thinking You’ll need more than noodles & doughnuts tho’-to keep you going on those bikes. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJanuary 14, 2024 at 1:38 AM

      Yes rice and noodles seems to be our staple diet as vegetarianism is rare here. I could live on the donuts though - haven’t seen any over the last few days.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2024 at 8:16 AM

    It's a beautiful country especially for Silver Cyclists

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJanuary 14, 2024 at 1:34 AM

      Which wonderful person wrote this?

      Delete
  3. Dr FeelgoodJanuary 13, 2024 at 8:37 AM

    All sounding fantastic so far (if a little damp!)
    I was going to ask about the bikes and how they were holding up - saddles OK?!
    You'll be pleased to know the biking loonies managed a jaunt to Subway in near freezing temps this am!! 🤔🙄

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJanuary 14, 2024 at 1:39 AM

      Well done getting out. Bikes holding up and surprisingly comfortable- all touring should be on a MTB

      Delete
  4. BruceJanuary 13, 2024 at 10:41 PM

    Sounds great and well done you two Grandparents 😄

    ReplyDelete
  5. B&MJanuary 15, 2024 at 4:42 AM

    A great commentary Jen

    ReplyDelete

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