I am in a very deep sleep, due to the exhausting day yesterday, when I hear a noise that disturbs my sleep. At first, I can't understand what it is and where it is coming from, because I am still in the faraway land of Morpheus, but after a while, I realise that it is not a muezzin calling for the morning prayer, but it is the bloody rooster once again.
Cartoon images shoot through my head once again. The rooster and I as cartoon characters somewhere in the middle of nowhere, in a deserted place. Like in the western films, it is sunny and hot and there is a distance between us. I hold a gun in my hands and point at the noisy rooster and he stares at me with his eyes wide open.
As I am about to pull the trigger I hear a female voice coming from the right hand side. I turn to see who it is and what she wants and I see a chicken running towards me, pleading me not to shoot. I keep my gun pointed at the rooster while I look at both of them in turns.
What do you want?
Please, please, don't kill my husband!
Why?
Please, please, don't kill him!
He is noisy and he wakes me up every day. He must be eliminated!
Please! I am begging you! Think of his family that will be left behind!
What family? Are you kidding me?
His children will lose their father and I'll be a widow and a single mum!
What children? You're such a drama queen!
These children, says the chicken and points with her head to the side.
I look at that direction and see a bunch of little chickens in the shadow of a tree.
Oh, for Christ's Sake! I put my gun down and say to the rooster: You're lucky to have such a woman! She just saved your arse. If you wake me up again, I will not show mercy. Understood!?
The rooster swallows and doesn't say a word. The chicken runs over to him, followed by the chickens.
Oh boy!
I put my earplugs in once again and continue my sleep until 8am.
While I am having a shower, I wonder if there are any other guests in this hotel. I didn't see anyone the day I checked in and I didn't see anyone yesterday, but I heard some noises, possibly from upstairs.
When I go downstairs to the restaurant to have breakfast, I see two people sitting at one of the tables. I take the one next to them. We greet each other and then they continue their conversation. They speak German and after a few minutes of listening to them and their plans, I introduce myself in German and we have a bit of a smalltalk and talk about travels and travel plans. They say that they arrived yesterday evening and are leaving tomorrow morning. Ah, that's the noise I heard!
They ask me a few questions about the city and the area and I provide them with the same map the owner gave me and tell them what I have visited and what else is on my agenda. They have hired a motorcycle in Hanoi and want to travel the country for the next three weeks, but they also want to go to Cambodia. Since they are not sure yet what to do, they will think about it today and will have a decision until tonight.
I go back to my room after breakfast and spread out the map and fire up Lonely Planet on my iPad to check where to go today.
I ignore the city map and go straight to the other one.
Off I am on my shabby bicycle, humming Queen's song once again. I take the same route as yesterday, pass the fancy bridges, the city gate and some other interesting buildings I saw yesterday, until I reach the Van Lam village. I aim for the boat ride to the Tam Coc cave. I enter the site and try to park my bicycle somewhere. Ideally I would like to chain it around a tree or a lamppost, but every time I try it, somebody comes round and tells me to park it at the designated bicycle park. And of course you have to pay for it. The fee is around 50p and another 10p is the visit at the loo.
I then walk to the ticket counter and look at the price list, but somehow I don't get it. I ask the lady behind the counter how much it would be and she says roughly 8 quid. Hmm... I have some doubts and ask again, but she insists that it is 8 quid. A couple from India and their daughter line up next to me and have the same questions. Then the lady explains: There is a charge for the boat and one for each passenger. That's why it is 8 quid for you and more for them. If you find another person, you could split the charge for the boat, so you pay less. Aha! This makes sense now. Me and the Indians look at each other and decide to get a boat together, but the lady shakes her head and says: Two passengers per boat only! Damn!
So I pay the 8 pounds, say goodbye to the Indians and walk towards the boats.
She is my lady guide for this morning. What you can't see in this photo ist, that she uses her feet to propel the oars. She and all the others must have very strong muscles if they do this all day long. A tour around the three caves and back lasts about two hours.
This is a photographer who waits for victims. She approaches your boat, rows around you and takes several photos, which you can buy later when you get back on land.
Even though it is a very popular tourist destination, it doesn't feel crowded. In fact it is very tranquil and the sound of the boat in the water hypnotises you. The lady guide starts a bit of small talk at some point, but the conversation ends after a few minutes.
This is the Dragon on the peak with the roughly 600 steps, the place I went to yesterday.
The ladies leave you in peace the first time you pass them, but your guide will stopp on the way back and they will float around you and will try to sell you overpriced drinks and food.
This is on the way back. We have stopped and the lady vendors approach us. I don't want to buy anything from them, which doesn't please them at all.
I am back on track again, trying to find one of the other places on the map. I succeed to find a cow.
This looks interesting. What is it and how do you get there?
I don't find the Bich Dong Pagoda, neither do I find the Tien Grottoes nor the Thung Nang boat place. At some point I cycle through a tiny settlement if you can call it like this. It basically is some stalls, a tent and a hut with a cafe and a restaurant. I have the feeling that this is the boat place to the Linh Coc Hai Nham Cave, but there are no signs. So I continue on the road ahead of me hoping to find something.
A few miles later, I see some westerners with some motocycles under some trees. Some of them are drinking beers, while some others have gathered around a motorcycle. I park my bicycle and walk closer. Indeed, one of their motocycles has broken down and they have called roadside assistance. I ask them if they know where we are and they say that this is the entrance to the Nham bird valley garden. There's a ticket counter across the road and the road leads up to the mountain.
The Germans from this morning and also the owner of the hotel said that I should go there if I am interested in birds, otherwise I shouldn't bother. Well, I am interested in birds, but other kind of birds... So, I don't bother and cycle back to the settlement I saw earlier on.
And I was right. This time I stop at the stalls and look down the river where I see some boats. One of the ladies from the stalls calls me and asks if I want a boat trip. I say yes and she tells me where to buy a ticket. They organise a male guide and off we are.
This place doesn't seem to be popular at all. Either because it is afternoon or nobody can find it. For me it's perfect! We are the only boat and I enjoy the tranquility and the beautiful scenery.
Cartoon images shoot through my head once again. The rooster and I as cartoon characters somewhere in the middle of nowhere, in a deserted place. Like in the western films, it is sunny and hot and there is a distance between us. I hold a gun in my hands and point at the noisy rooster and he stares at me with his eyes wide open.
As I am about to pull the trigger I hear a female voice coming from the right hand side. I turn to see who it is and what she wants and I see a chicken running towards me, pleading me not to shoot. I keep my gun pointed at the rooster while I look at both of them in turns.
What do you want?
Please, please, don't kill my husband!
Why?
Please, please, don't kill him!
He is noisy and he wakes me up every day. He must be eliminated!
Please! I am begging you! Think of his family that will be left behind!
What family? Are you kidding me?
His children will lose their father and I'll be a widow and a single mum!
What children? You're such a drama queen!
These children, says the chicken and points with her head to the side.
I look at that direction and see a bunch of little chickens in the shadow of a tree.
Oh, for Christ's Sake! I put my gun down and say to the rooster: You're lucky to have such a woman! She just saved your arse. If you wake me up again, I will not show mercy. Understood!?
The rooster swallows and doesn't say a word. The chicken runs over to him, followed by the chickens.
Oh boy!
I put my earplugs in once again and continue my sleep until 8am.
While I am having a shower, I wonder if there are any other guests in this hotel. I didn't see anyone the day I checked in and I didn't see anyone yesterday, but I heard some noises, possibly from upstairs.
When I go downstairs to the restaurant to have breakfast, I see two people sitting at one of the tables. I take the one next to them. We greet each other and then they continue their conversation. They speak German and after a few minutes of listening to them and their plans, I introduce myself in German and we have a bit of a smalltalk and talk about travels and travel plans. They say that they arrived yesterday evening and are leaving tomorrow morning. Ah, that's the noise I heard!
They ask me a few questions about the city and the area and I provide them with the same map the owner gave me and tell them what I have visited and what else is on my agenda. They have hired a motorcycle in Hanoi and want to travel the country for the next three weeks, but they also want to go to Cambodia. Since they are not sure yet what to do, they will think about it today and will have a decision until tonight.
I go back to my room after breakfast and spread out the map and fire up Lonely Planet on my iPad to check where to go today.
I ignore the city map and go straight to the other one.
My plan for today is to visit all those places in the top left corner. I tried to find some of them yesterday, but I didn't succeed, so I am hoping to find them today.
I then walk to the ticket counter and look at the price list, but somehow I don't get it. I ask the lady behind the counter how much it would be and she says roughly 8 quid. Hmm... I have some doubts and ask again, but she insists that it is 8 quid. A couple from India and their daughter line up next to me and have the same questions. Then the lady explains: There is a charge for the boat and one for each passenger. That's why it is 8 quid for you and more for them. If you find another person, you could split the charge for the boat, so you pay less. Aha! This makes sense now. Me and the Indians look at each other and decide to get a boat together, but the lady shakes her head and says: Two passengers per boat only! Damn!
So I pay the 8 pounds, say goodbye to the Indians and walk towards the boats.
This is taken from the shore
Here she is again
Some sights along the way.
Rush hour
Light at the end of the tunnel
Goats
Floating market
A few miles later, I see some westerners with some motocycles under some trees. Some of them are drinking beers, while some others have gathered around a motorcycle. I park my bicycle and walk closer. Indeed, one of their motocycles has broken down and they have called roadside assistance. I ask them if they know where we are and they say that this is the entrance to the Nham bird valley garden. There's a ticket counter across the road and the road leads up to the mountain.
The Germans from this morning and also the owner of the hotel said that I should go there if I am interested in birds, otherwise I shouldn't bother. Well, I am interested in birds, but other kind of birds... So, I don't bother and cycle back to the settlement I saw earlier on.
And I was right. This time I stop at the stalls and look down the river where I see some boats. One of the ladies from the stalls calls me and asks if I want a boat trip. I say yes and she tells me where to buy a ticket. They organise a male guide and off we are.
Oh, a family!
Some videos
It is getting late and I should cycle back. Ninh Binh is an hour or so away and I need something to eat. I decide to pay this Pyzzi Pizza place another visit and see what meals I'll be served today.
I arrive at the restaurant after an hour or so and park outside the door. When one of the ladies sees me, she comes to open the door. We bow at each other and greet each other and I take a seat. I choose Spaghetti Bolognese, Beef Burger and Green Salad with Passion Fruit Sauce. What do I get? The green salad, chicken burger and spaghetti with beef meatballs. Then we have a similar conversation like yesterday. They feel sorry and I laugh and eat what I have been served and give a generous tip.
What a day!
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