Gulf of Tonkin

I did sleep, but needed to use the loo early (a squat, on a moving train, with a sprained ankle, corked thigh and while holding my breath).
Wide awake after all that at 6, so packed myself up, as quietly as I could, to watch the world go by. I do love trains for that reason.

Exit to a throng of touts for taxi and tours, but I got snaffled up by a Grab driver and then paid more than I should. Swings and roundabouts!

My host Tinh, is great and while we waited for the rain to
pass she favourited local food options and sights on google
maps and said she’d organise my 1 way trip to Hoi An. Who needs a lonely planet!
Would never have found the accom as the old area near the citadel is a rabbit warren.

Their home is lovely and opens on to one of the worship sights where the king would pray for the villagers once a year. The whole city and all of its historic sites are slowly being restored and Tinh was telling me with strict regulations so that it doesn’t become another tourist trap. In an effort to maintain the old quarter as original as possible, nothing can be above 2 stories. She was telling me the government buy back the old family homes where 4 families might live and if those children are married they then are allocated 4 properties. A good deal. The houses at the end of this street will be demolished to allow better access to restore and maintain the historic site here at their front door.

This old quarter is lovely and a far cry from Hanoi….

After some Pho at a local place recommended by Tinh and with a break in the rain I set off to tour the Citadel, which was directly opposite the restaurant. Without referring to the map and knowing that I was looking at an exit, I assumed go left and ended up walking it’s whole bloody circumference before being 200m away from where I started for the entrance. And this thing is massive! So I was buggered before I started…

I have done my last audio tour, while interesting, there’s a lot of details, dates, reigns and sons, and mothers and emperors and palaces and pagodas with long names mentioned. Too many to take in! Lots of restoration and preservation going on.

Stopped for a coffee on the way home and was entertained by 2 couples that must have taken 100’s of selfies while I was there. The boy was as bad preening and posing!

Considering the lack of sleep last night I have done well, I came back to The Purple Hue Guest House, showered, rested, discovered I’ve left the power adapter somewhere and then wandered out into the dark to find another local recommendation for the Hue version of Pho. Delish.

I’m done, it’s 7:30 and 24’Read more