We have just returned from two nights and three days in Ha Long Bay, a beautiful area about 4 hours northeast of Hanoi. We were taken there by bus and boarded the boat around noon, worried that we wouldn't see much of the islands because of the smog. But as we got closer, we got to see plenty. There are nearly 2000 of these islands, ranging from small rocks to very large islands. What makes them startling is that they rise up very steep and tall from the water. Since they're of limestone, there's also lots of interesting erosion, carving out arches and cutting away at the base of some of the islands, making very dramatic structures. Here's one shot of the islands, and I'll post another of one of the more dramatic structures.
We were on a very nice boat, with a quite luxurious cabin--full queen sized bed, and our own bathroom, with very modern fixtures and a generous shower. The food was superb and generous. One habit for serving the food is to create roses our of tomatoes and beautiful designs with various fruits and vegetables. We've seen doves carved out of pear apples, and a junk made out of a cucumber with rattan sales of carrots. Quite dramatic, and also very tasty.
We're in Hanoi for a free day tomorrow, and then take off for two days up in the mountains west of Hanoi.
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