Left yesterday morning for Ninh Binh province. The hotel manager a week ago told me he would arrange for a car and driver for less than a private tour (the private tours can be costly because one person pays the same as the group.) So the driver showed up yesterday and then wanted more money. So with some scurrying, he found another driver and, fortunately, this one spoke more English. So another harrowing experience of navigating the motor scooter rush hour traf...

Trying to catch up on the blog and edit the photos when I am not at the computer is hard, so thought I would jump ahead to today and fill in the gaps when I can. As just about all museums and sights of interest are closed in Hanoi on Mondays, I intelligently planned two Mondays here so had to make the best of today, Tuesday. Started the day at Hoa Lu Prison, the "Hanoi Hilton" as it was called by the Americans imprisoned there during the Vietnam War. The prison ...

The train arrived a little early and I was sound asleep on the top bunk as e pulled into the Hanoi train station. I had to quickly get myself and my things together (and ended up leaving my sweatshirt there). Once out of the station, I found a moto to take me back to the hotel. When I arrived I found the doors locked (5:30 A.M.) so I decided to resort to Plan B. However, I really needed to use the restroom. I had slept so well on the train that the need didn't ar...

Up for the basic egg and toast breakfast at the Sapa Starlight, checked out, and then joined the group tour arranged by the hotel to go to Bac Ha. the two hour drice was back through Lao Cai to pick up some people at the train station and then on to Bac Ha. The plan was to spend a couple of hours at the market, regroup and eat lunch together. This market was unlike any place I have ever been. It is a market primarily for the Flower Hmong, an incredibly colorful...

(Late entry) I put the ear plugs in last night, crawled under the mosquito netting, and fell asleep. I had to get up once, glad I had the flashlight to find my way outside to get to the bathroom, but then promptly fell back asleep. I guess I was really tired because I slept until 8:30 which I imagine is unheard of in this part of the world. No real place to take a shower, so I got dressed and emerged. Pham asked if I heard the early AM roosters or the noisy pig...