Pearls, altars and train toilets...

Yet another perfect sunrise to the Tai Chi performing boat crew in the presence of the limestone giants. We made our way on the junk boat to some caves that have a dual purpose: first and foremost it is a tourist attraction (if you look carefully you'll find the likes of an elephant, happy Buddha and even Romea and Juliet in the carefully formed limestone stalagmites and stalagtites) and secondly it is a source of fresh water for the local fishermen. "Water is very clean" says James. "Everything is natural except lighting", he continues. And maybe the stop signs?
At the end a souvenir shop greeted us (after yet another mount everest amount of unequal stairs) with figurines resembling commonly known animals. But if you looked closer you would see that all of them were made out of tiny shells, hundreds of them, perfectly placed. This reminded me of home where similarly our large population of low income workers resorted to their (low cost) extensive and beautiful creativity, using wire, beads, wood, tins to faithfully make their days wage. Poverty and necessity looks the same anywhere.

As we returned to the Halong Bay Harbour, our hearts felt a pinch of regret not being able to stay in this majestic yet revealing world heritage site. Our carefully calibrated westerner minds went over the solutions to the plastic pollution problem in the water, no permanent investment into this very tragic situation we've all agreed upon. All of this forgotten the very next minute when another beautiful sight appears before our eyes.

On the way back we stopped at a Pearl factory where we were treated to the extensive pearl making process and then to the gigantic sales room thereafter. There a grades of pearl, A/AA/AAA/AAAA. A class pearls were the lowest quality, doomed to become a facial moisturising cream. The rest were priced according to increasing quality. Every Pearl a different colour determined by the 3 types of oysters they are created from. Mostly, it is the younger generation that works in factories like these, the older generations still work on the farms. "But we are grateful, more money for the family, better life" he says in his unmistakable Vietnamese accent.

After our trip back to Hanoi we were privileged to meet our next specially selected guide, Anna. Anna took us through the bustling streets of Old Quarter Hanoi into dark alleys between houses and sitting in a few local restaurants with carefully selected dishes to expand our limited palates without scaring us off. From the popular Pho and Bao, to the less known Banh Mi (usually specially made baguettes from the French colony influence) that was slightly altered by adding some rice flour to the mix. "Every Banh Mi tastes different and I've tasted many in different countries, but this place makes the best", smiling Anna claims, our self proclaimed Bachelor in International communications. And last but not least the Vietnamese coffee or the name us tourists prefer the Egg coffee. This custard tasting egg yolk foam on top of your regular coffee or hot chocolate was one of the most surprising and pleasant tastes I've had. This after knowing that raw egg would be used and possibly maybe cooked chemically...?

Again, the cacophony of hooting vehicles, ant- like pedestrians and the stark contrast between old and new, broken down and beautiful is mind boggling. Many (although less in numbers that the scooter bikes) expensive cars make their way through these crowded streets, the giant Range Rover looking out of place in this otherwise proprotionately tiny-house world. Anna explained that the government used to tax the house owners based on the facade width of the house facing the road. That explains the very narrow but elongated houses. The regulations have changed now but the old quarter is so packed that it is easier to make due with the space they have than to try and rebuild this iconic landmark.

"Every shop has an altar dedicated to the god of prosperity, made to bless their business with many customers." The altar itself is a small shrine like object with items of food or drink on them. Here it was coke cans and a papaya fruit.

After the food tour we climbed in a typical middle class train with four bunks in a room. Hot, humid but clean enough. And of course charging stations for your phones. Now, people know I'm not a clean freak or snob (except for coffee) in any way shape or form. But even these toilets gave me a chill down my spine and made my toes curl the wrong way around. During the train commute our facilities became blocked. The water used to flush was pooling and with every unstable move (which was constant in this train) the water would make a pungent dance, sometimes splashing all over your feet... Now where would the nearest shower be?Baca selengkapnya