February 27, 2019 - Ha Long, Vietnam - Wednesday, Day 52

February 27, 2019 - Ha Long, Vietnam - Wednesday, Day 52

We will not go in to Hanoi today. Yesterday our guide told us that he lives in Hanoi, and what is usually a 3 hour drive to Ha Long took him 5 hours because of route closures due to the summit. While it might be interesting to share Hanoi with these world leaders, it would be more aggravating than it would be worth.

The day had dawned with another layer of haze covering the bay. We took the complimentary shuttle to the port gate and started to walk. Immediately we were confronted by a very large water park. We took some pictures from outside before we walked around a barrier and headed into the closed park. I said to Alice that we probably just set off an alarm when a guard appeared from nowhere and ordered us out. She was kind but firm. We were obedient.

Ship's Tours of the Bay

Tree is a Cell Tower

Entire complex is Sun World

Chinese New Year
Year of the Pig

As we walked through the garden we came to another park. This was a large, but closed, amusement park. We did not attempt to breach the barrier. We took our pictures from outside.

A little farther on we came to the ticket desk and entrance to the cable car that transports people high above from the island we were on to the other island of Ha Long. That area is more populated and commercial. We had been there on our tour yesterday. At the other end of the cable car was a large ferris wheel. They are everywhere in Asia. The cable car also has the largest gondolas in the world. They are double deckers and hold 235 passengers each. The haze hid the tops of the towers supporting the cable cars and the top half of the ferris wheel.

Today we opted to stay on this side and walk. 

We reached the main drag and started walking away from the harbor. This street was lined with restaurants. It was 10:30 in the morning and they already had tubs with live seafood outside. The practice is to pick your fish or mussels or squid and they prepare it to your liking. We were being hustled to eat. We politely declined.

She is weighing produce for sale

Farther down we crossed the road at a small park. Cliffs rose in front of us to beautiful condos and apartments very high up looking out over the bay.

Heading back toward the road to the ship we turned down a side street to view some neat narrow homes that our guide had explained to us. These very narrow family dwellings ranged from 3 to 5 stories high. The custom is for the family  shop to occupy the ground floor. The eldest live on the first floor and the younger family members rise from there. The buildings are very long, extending far back from the street. This allows each family to have its own cooking space on its floor.

Our Favorite Hotel

The exteriors of the buildings we observed were very clean and recently painted. we soon discovered why. This are was close to the activity, and hotels had bought up these buildings. They were all hotels now. The ground floors had become the receptions. Very innovative.

Back at the parks in front of the harbor we walked toward a lighthouse that we had seen from the ship. It was on the beach, and seemed not far away. Using the scanty map we had gotten from one of the tour operators we thought we knew the way. Off we went.

We followed what seemed to be the road to the tower until we reached a roundabout. There was no exit toward the lighthouse so we headed toward the port terminal building. As we walked there was a wall on our right side blocking the view and advertising a future development for housing and shopping. We noted it and kept walking. 

Chinese"Junk" Behind Us 

Our mission had changed. We now wanted to reach the terminal building in search of the Happy Room. When we finally arrived we discovered that this was a construction work in progress. Only one entry was open. It was for workers, but it was unguarded. Inside we found a large and pretty hall with a courtyard in the middle and ample seating at the ends. It was totally empty except for 2 worker heading toward a back room. We could hear grinding of stone taking place on an upper level. We found the restrooms. They were finished, but dark except for whatever light came in through windows high in the walls. Our business successfully finished we moved on.

Outside we followed a sidewalk toward a road that should take us to the lighthouse. Well the sidewalk did take us to the road. A short way late the road ended and we saw a dirt trail that should take us where we wanted to go. 

Before getting to the terminal we had met a couple in wedding garb with a photographer and his assistant. We took their pictures and they took ours. The bride was carrying her good shoes and had jeans on under the dress which she held high. Now we could see them well ahead of us also heading toward the lighthouse. 

What the heck. Let’s take the trail. This turned out to be a dirt road used by trucks to bring in fill that was dumped farther out toward the water. It provided good walking except for the occasional puddle left ver from a recent rain. We dodged the puddles and stepped lively over the softer soil. Soon we heard laughter. Up ahead 2 women were squatting and eating their lunches. They were amused by our antics. Did i mention that although we had seen the bride and company, they were now nowhere in sight. We walked on. 

We got to another road. It had clearly been used by gravel trucks, but none were around now. All to soon this road ended. Gravel and sand extended before us. We were alone, but we could see footprints off to the side. A trail there led to an abandoned sidewalk with light poles along it. Far ahead we spied the bridal party. Carrying on we ran our of sidewalk. Now only sand, weeds and puddles lay between us and the lighthouse. Careful selection of places to plant our feet got us to the lighthouse. The bridal party had left this area heading toward the beach. we got to the steps at the lighthouse, they were barricaded, but we were able to squeeze around the barrier. There was a motorbike parked alongside, but there was no one in sight. 

When we got to the top of the stairs a man called out to us. He clearly wanted us to leave. Alice waved her camera and he waved 5 fingers at us. He would give us 5 minutes. He and another fellow were repairing tiles in the walls and floors on the the first level. There was no way we would get to climb above this, but we took advantage of his kindness to  walk around the first floor taking pictures as we went. In 5 minutes he chased us down a shoed us off. We thanked him as we left. 

This had been another travel adventure. We had been trespassing on the development site from the time the walk ended near the terminal building. We had seen only 8 other people on our whole journey. The lighthouse will become a landmark in the new development as a remnant of the past. The images of the complex to be are enticing. The status is this is the initial stage. Land is being brought up to the desired height and compacted to the necessary degree to support construction. The renderings display a self contained city. We can only wonder at the cost.

We retraced our steps to the port terminal without incident. Along the way we passed some cargo containers behind the wall we had seen earlier. These were set up to house some of the men working on this project. 

We were never challenged except at the lighthouse. We were thrilled that we had this wonderful opportunity.

Under Renovation

Soon we were walking the length of the pier on our way back to Maasdam. The haze had burned off, and the sun was warming the air. We were happy to get into the air conditioning back onboard.

Scrubbing the Roof Over the Pool