Ha Long Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin Vietnam

Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin in Northern Vietnam is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Vietnamese legend has it that the bay was formed when a Dragon fell to earth. There are just under 2,000 islands and rock formations in the bay and most all are uninhabited. Halong Bay is on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites. You can easily get there from Ha Noi and most of the companies that are allowed to operate boats in the bay also include transportation from Ha Noi.

Leaving the harbor on Cat Ba island and sailing out into Ha Long Bay on the Djonk for a three day sail.
Leaving the harbor on Cat Ba island and sailing out into Ha Long Bay on the Djonk for a three day sail.
The Captain is navigating out of the harbor.
The Captain is navigating out of the harbor.
Looking up at the Bridge.
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The limestone islands in Ha Long Bay are spectacular to look at.
The limestone islands in Ha Long Bay are spectacular to look at.
More limestone formations.
More limestone formations.
A fisherman is on his way.
A fisherman is on his way.

The cruise company does a pretty good job of entertaining the guests when nature alone is not enough to fill the time. One popular event is the “make your own spring roll”. There is a demonstration to follow along in to show you how to roll it and then you may try your hand at making a spring roll.

Making spring rolls

Making spring rolls, put in the fillings!

Making spring rolls, now the hard part - roll 'em up!
Making spring rolls, now the hard part – roll ’em up!

Once you have mastered the technique of spring rolling, you get to eat your creation as an appetizer at dinner.

My own handmade vegetarian spring roll! With a Ha Noi Beer!
My own handmade vegetarian spring roll! With a Ha Noi Beer!
Dinner soup - Pumpkin Soup.
Dinner soup – Pumpkin Soup.
Vegetarian dinner option.
Vegetarian dinner option.

Being a vegetarian or even vegan in Vietnam, is in my experience easy. The pork is of course used a lot here, as in most S/E Asian countries, but good vegetarian options are readily available. If they are not on the menu, most kitchens will change dishes so as to be vegetarian/vegan if you just ask. For the Ha Long Cruise companies, just notify them in advance and they will have your options available.

Moon over Ha Long Bay.
Moon over Ha Long Bay.
Sun is on the way up.
Sun is on the way up.
Daylight is starting to light up Ha Long.
Daylight is starting to light up Ha Long.
Early morning is the time when the re-fueling barges comes around and refuels the Djonks for another day in Ha Long bay..
Early morning is the time when the re-fueling barges comes around and refuels the Djonks for another day in Ha Long bay..
One of the awesome limestone little islet-cliffs in Ha Long Bay.
One of the awesome limestone little islet-cliffs in Ha Long Bay.
The beach on Ti top island (named for Russian cosmonaut Gherman Stepanovich Titov) above at a time when it is pretty much deserted, however when the boats shops up this beach can be full of people, so full that it is a challenge to walk on it. My best guess is that maybe as many as 1,00 people crowded this beach at my visit and made it pretty much unbearable.
The beach at a time when it is pretty much deserted, however when the boats shops up this beach can be full of people, so full that it is a challenge to walk on it. My best guess is that maybe as many as 1,00 people crowded this beach at my visit and made it pretty much unbearable.

One of the excursions takes you to The beach on Ti top island (named for Russian cosmonaut Gherman Stepanovich Titov). This is one of the few beaches in Ha Long Bay that is now open to visitors. It used to be a “free for all” but the local government had to step in to make sure that the area was not totally destroyed by tourists that had no regard for the fragile environment. Today there are only a few beaches where the boats are allowed to take tourists that want to go swimming. This restriction obviously mean that the most accessible beaches get overrun by people and the obviously takes away ,most of the enjoyment of the beach trip. The boats are also only allowed to anchor up in certain areas and after an accident in 2010 they are put in the same areas so as to have help nearby should anything go wrong.

The Ti Top island has a statue honoring the Russian Cosmonaut that is tis named for, Gherman Stepanovich Titov (1935-2000).
Ti Top island has a statue honoring the Russian Cosmonaut that is tis named for, Gherman Stepanovich Titov (1935-2000).
The sun came out to shine on Ti Top island and the beach.
The sun came out to shine on Ti Top island and the beach.
A bit more crowded here at the small Ti Top island beach.
A bit more crowded here at the small Ti Top island beach.
More limestone cliffs against dark rain filled clouds.
More limestone cliffs against dark rain filled clouds.

Long way to Ha Long…

Long way to Ha Long, is if the company that takes you there from Ha Noi doesn’t take the toll road to get there. The long way (about 190km with lower speed limits) adds a lot of time and may take as long as three to four hours. The toll road (150km) is much faster, about two hours. The scenic value of the slow road does not make up for the added time. I did not know this in advance, so I wound up on the slow road going there. Going back I changed to the toll road which is a better choice.

This is the not quite so scenic, but much faster route.
This is the not quite so scenic, but much faster route.
Speed limits on the toll road leaving Ha Long Bay going back to Ha Noi.
Speed limits on the toll road leaving Ha Long Bay going back to Ha Noi.

Temple of the Jade Mountain in Ha Noi Vietnam

The "Morning sunlight bridge" leading  to the "Jade islet" in the "Hoàn Kiếm Lake" where the "Temple of the Jade Mountain" is located.
The “Morning sunlight bridge” leading to the “Jade islet” in the “Hoàn Kiếm Lake” where the “Temple of the Jade Mountain” is located.

Temple of the Jade Mountain (Ngoc Son Temple) in the central Ha Noi’s Hoàn Kiếm Lake is dedicated to Confucian and Taoist philosophers and to the Vietnamese national hero Trần Hưng Đạo (b 1228 – d 1300). When the temple was built sometime in the 18th century it was just a small temple, but after an expansion in 1865 more buildings were added.

The gate to enter the temple.
The gate to enter the temple.

Hoàn Kiếm Lake (the name of the lake in English means something along the lines of “Lake of the returned sword”), the lake has had different names over time, one of them in English was the “Green water lake” which refers to the color of the water in the shallow lake, the depth is between 1.2 and 2 meters.

A mural relief of a Lion just inside the landside entrance to the temple of the Jade Mountain.
A mural relief of a Lion just inside the landside entrance to the temple of the Jade Mountain.
The "Morning sunlight bridge".
The “Morning sunlight bridge”.

Today the centrally located lake and it’s surroundings is a gathering place for locals as well as for tourists. The lake is also a part of a legend that includes Vietnam’s greatest hero and one of the most famous persons in Vietnamese history Emperor Lê Lợi.

The portal on the island.
The portal on the island.
Detail of the mural on the right side of the portal.
Detail of the mural on the right side of the portal.
Temple of the Jade mountain.
Temple of the Jade mountain.
Interior of the temple.
Interior of the temple.

The legend starts in the Thanh Hóa province, some 150 km south of Ha Noi. During his evening fishing expedition on the local lake, fisherman Lê Thận caught something heavy in his nets and felt excited about such a big catch. The catch turned out not to be a big fish, but just a piece of metal. Disappointed, he threw the piece of metal back into the water and cast his net again. When he pulled the net in, he found that the piece of metal had yet again made its way back into his net. He mustered all his strength and threw the piece of metal back into the water, this time far away enough that he felt certain that it could not make it’s way into his net again. However, after casting his net again with the same result – the piece of metal was once again in his net, he shun his light on the piece of metal and then he realized that it was in fact the blade of a sword. He brought the blade with him home after his fishing expedition ended and put it away in a corner in his house.

A few years later Lê Thận joined the army of the rebel leader Lê Lợi to fight against the Chinese incursion into Vietnam, he was very successful on the battlefield and quickly rose through the ranks. The warrior Lê Thận caught the eye of the general and the two became friends. When general Lê Lợi visited Lê Thận at his home, the dark home suddenly became lit up from the glow of the sword blade that was sitting in the corner where Lê Thận had placed it after he brought it home. Lê Lợi felt that this had somehow come about as a result of his presence in the home and he grabbed the blade and held it up to look at it. Before his eyes the words “Thuận Thiên” (Will of Heaven) appeared on the blade. With the permission of Lê Thận, general Lê Lợi brought the blade with him when he left.

One day while fighting the Chinese enemies, general Lê Lợi saw a Banyan tree up on a hill that was emitting a strange glow from it’s branches. He climbed the hill and under the Banyan tree he found the hilt of a sword. It was beautifully decorated with precious gem stones. He immediately thought of the sword blade he had brought from the home of Lê Thận, and brought it out and placed the hilt on the blade. It was a perfect fit. Lê Lợi thought this was a sign from heaven that he had been chosen to free the land, so he rallied his troops and went to war to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam. The sword helped them win many battles against the Chinese and they finally drove them out of Vietnam. Lê Lợi ascended the throne as emperor of Vietnam in 1428 (Emperor Lê Lợi ruled Vietnam 1428–1433).

Hoan Kiem turtle is on display at the temple.
An embalmed Hoan Kiem turtle that died in 1967 is on display at the temple.

Later when emperor Lê Lợi was in a dragon boat on the Hồ Lục Thủy (Green water lake). The lake was located just in front of the emperor’s palace, and according to the legend, a Golden Turtle God (Kim Qui) came to him and asked him for his magic sword. Lê Lợi assumed that the Golden Turtle God was acting on orders from the Dragon King who was seeking to reclaim the sword that he had given to Lê Lợi during his fight against the Chinese. When the emperor looked down at the sword in his belt he saw it starting to move on its own. The Golden Turtle God came up next to to the emperor in the boat and with a human voice asked him to give the sword back to the Dragon King. Emperor Lê Lợi then realized that the sword had just been lent to him to free the land and that it should be returned to the Dragon King who lives under water in the lake. He then threw the sword towards the golden turtle and the turtle caught it in his mouth and disappeared. In commemoration of this event the lake was renamed from Luc Thuy “Green Water Lake” to the current Hoàn Kiếm Lake (Lake of the returned sword).

An embalmed Hoan Kiem turtle that died in he lake in 2016 was put on display at the temple in 2019.

The turtles in the lake are likely of the species Rafetus Swinhoe (Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle) , although some Vietnamese biologists claim that the turtles in the Hoan Kiem lake is a distinct species separate from the Rafetus Swinhoei species. If it is a separate species it is at this time extinct since the last known turtle in the lake died in 2016 and is embalmed and on display in the temple. Of Rafetus Swinhoei there are only three known specimen in the world that are known to be alive.

Temple decoration.
Temple decoration.
Temple interior.
Temple interior.
The devil in the temple.
The devil in the temple.
An assortment of weapons in the temple.
An assortment of weapons in the temple.
A beautifully adorned horse.
A beautifully adorned horse.
Bonsai outside the temple lakeside.
Bonsai outside the temple lakeside.

Angkor Wat Cambodia

Angkor Wat at sunrise V2.
Angkor Wat at sunrise V1.
Angkor Wat at Sunrise V2.

The Khmers that built Angkor in the 12th century 1130-1160 AD where Hindu and they dedicated the temple mainly to Vishnu. They were led by King Suryavarman II. When Angkor was converted to a Buddhist temple at the end of the 12th century, the Wat was added to the name. Angkor was built to be the capital city of the Khmer empire, but scholars have long thought that it was also meant to be the final resting place and tomb of King Suryavarman II.

Angkor was built to symbolize the universe according to the way the Hindu Khmer saw it. The moat represents the oceans around the world. The galleries are the mountain ranges around the divine Hindi Mount Meru, the golden mountain – home to the Gods. Mount Meru itself is represented by the five central Angkor towers. There are carvings on walls all around Angkor showing the God Vishnu and other Hindi Gods. The theory that Angkor was also built to serve as the tomb for King Suryavarman II after his death, has now been generally accepted.

Angkor Wat at sunrise V3.
Angkor Wat at sunrise V3.
Moonshine over one of the Angkor Wat buildings.
Moonshine over one of the Angkor Wat buildings.

Angkor Wat is the worlds largest religious monument and it occupies some 162.6 hectares in Siem Reap district of Cambodia. One hectare is a square with sides that are 100 meters (this is about the size of a European football field). The area that Angkor Was occupies would hold about 162 European sized football fields.

Walking up to Angkor Wat main entrance.
Walking up to Angkor Wat main entrance.
The walkway leading up to the main entrance of Angkor Wat.
The walkway leading up to the main entrance of Angkor Wat.
Geese in the moat in front of Angkor Wat
Geese in the moat in front of Angkor Wat.
One of the five Angkor Wat towers.
One of the five Angkor Wat towers.
Angkor Wat from the South side of the temple.
Angkor Wat from the South side of the temple.
Panoramic view of the South entrance to Angkor Wat.
Panoramic view of the South entrance to Angkor Wat.
Serpent head at Angkor.

The serpent in Hindu religion represents the struggle between good and bad as told in the Hindu story of creation; “The churning of the sea of milk”. In the center is Vishnu, on one side are the demons of the underworld, and on the other side are the celestial gods – the sides are both pulling the serpent Vasuki in their direction.

Apsara or actually in Cambodian tradition it appears to be a devata at Angkor.

An Apsara is a spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist cultures. There are two different types of apsaras, worldly and divine. English translations of the word includes, nymph, fairy, celestial nymph and celestial fairy.

More carvings of apsaras/devatas at Angkor.

In Cambodian tradition Apsaras are either dancing or poised to dance. If the female figure is standing still and facing forward as a guardian or custodian of the temple, they are called devatas.

Carving with an Apsara.

The sandstone used to build the temples at Angkor was quarried up on the Kulen mountain, around 40 km+ from Angkor and floated on the Siem Reap river during part of the route.

A walkway with pillars and an arched roof with no mortar stacked sandstone blocks.

Even though wages in Cambodia are low with Western standards, don’t expect a visit to Angkor Wat to reflect that. The concession to sell tickets etc. is held by a private company and they charge whatever the market can bear. Currently in the fall of 2019 prices were $37 USD for a single day ticket, 3 days (there are no 2 day tickets) are $62 USD and a 7 day pass will set you back $72 USD. Here is a link to the official ticket site with current information. You can also pay in the local currency Riel (KHR) but US Dollars are widely accepted and sometimes preferred in Cambodia. You will also need a driver and, to get the most out of your visit, a guide to help you sort out where to go and what to see. The prices for this varies, but don’t be surprised when a guide and driver with A/C vehicle can cost you around $130 for the day. Cambodia is a great country to visit and Siem Reap and Angkor is one of the most interesting places in the world, but it is hard, not impossible though, to do well on a small budget.

Bath on the highest level was reserved for the King
Angkor main tower.
The steps up to the top are steep, hold onto the handrail!
The steps up to the top are steep, hold onto the handrail!
Looking East from the main tower.
Looking East from the main tower.
Northern view from the main tower.
Northern view from the main tower.
Reclining Buddha in the main tower.
Reclining Buddha in the main tower.
Looking West from the top of the main tower.
Looking West from the top of the main tower.

Angkor is not just Angkor Wat, although this is the main temple in the whole complex. It has many other temples that are spread out around the area. The one furthest away from main temple area, Banteay Srey (sometimes Banteay Srei), is located some 25km away from the main group of temples that were once the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom. Banteay Srei means “citadel of beauty” or “citadel of the women”. This could be related to the more diminutive scale of the buildings and to the fact that it is intricately decorated with carvings, even more so than many of the buildings in he main temple area of Angkor Wat. The fact that Banteay Srei was constructed out of read sandstone which is easier to carve than other types of sandstone and therefore has more intricate carvings may also be part of why it was named Banteay Srei.

A crew clearing out vegetation in the moat surrounding Angkor Wat.
A crew clearing out vegetation in the moat surrounding Angkor Wat.
This is one type of vegetation that can be found in the moat.
This is one type of vegetation that can be found in the moat.
One of the current inhabitants of the Angkor Wat moat.
One of the current inhabitants of the Angkor Wat moat.

Scuba diving in the Andaman Sea in Thailand

Andaman Sea diving, notice the Starry Puffer towards the bottom.
Andaman Sea diving, notice the Starry Puffer towards the bottom.

I went scuba diving in Thailand while on Phi Phi Island. This is on the West coast of Thailand and the body of water is called the Andaman Sea, it is a part of the Eastern Indian Ocean and it is separated from the Bay of Bengali by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

I chose Princess Divers for my dive and Felix was an excellent companion for someone who does not do a lot of diving but is a certified open water diver with both PADI and NAUI. Here is little clip from the dive: