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South
China
Sea w/ Randy & Elizabeth
My friend Elizabeth
and I took a trip from Hong Kong to Bangkok in February.
We flew from Madison, Wisconsin to Chicago Il, to San Francisco
CA,
to Hong Kong.
In
Honk Kong we boarded the Song of Flower cruise boat with a group tour
sponsored
by the Smithsonian, through the Gohagen
group.
The boat went to Hia Phong, Hanoi, Saigon , all the way to
Bangkok.
We then flew to Cambodia, to see a group of Temples including
Angkor
Wat . Then back to Bangkok for a few days, before flying
back
to Hong Kong, San Francisco, Chicago, and finally Madison.
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Port in Hong Kong |
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about 80 l boats in view |
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We are getting off the Song of Flower, to
a small local ferry
going to a cave out in the Ha Long bay |
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On the ferry boat I purchased some local white
and black pearls, not round ones but very cool. |
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Its a little foggy out |
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The Song of Flower was great, and all the
service
wonderful. Great entertainment, very cool band and
entertainment
"personalities" |
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You can almost hear the
B-52's (not the BAND, Kiddies) |
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On the ferry boat, to see the caves in
the harbor, you are
like a dot in the water next to huge oil tankers and freight boats. |
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in the caves
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The local
guide on the tourist boat told us
the the Vietnamese
used this cave to hide the sharpened bamboo stakes they installed to
sink
boats in the harbor at low tide during a battle. Our
resident
expert, Mai Elliott, said that battle was not even close to
here.
As we approach the dock, it is apparent that the other ferry boat
approaching
alongside of us is going to race us to the dock. Neither pilot lets of
the throttle until the last moment, as we hurtle towards the
rocks.
I got the impression our Pilot was cursing under his breath when we got
squeezed out by 5 feet at the dock. A third boat in further
behind had the passengers walk through one one the docked boats, as
there
was no more room at the dock to pull up.
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We get off at the cave, on an island. It was a
pretty neat tourist trap,
there are small concession stands for souvenirs and film. The boat ride
alone is worth it, but prices are very reasonable. |
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This the Boat's Dragon head. Lots of Dragons
out here.
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This is a small boat that pulled alongside to
sell us fresh fish. Huge
Prawns, Cuttlefish, Crabs HELLO! HELLO! A very
small child hooks a line as they chug alongside, and reaches up to take
money for the things purchased.
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We chug on into the mist, back to Song of
Flower. |
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Cruising to Hanoi. |
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Back to the City! Traffic, and lots of
it. All flowing smooth.
Every house has a TV antenna. Even the tiny grass huts. |
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4 on a small Honda? no problem. Pull a
trailer with 4 big live hogs with it? Sure. Carry 11 men in trailer
behind
Honda? Yep. Big loads of bricks, Chickens, two truck tires, you name
it.
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with no laws, optional stoplights, and a mutual
consideration for each
other. You just walk across the street, they go around you.
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zoom
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See
MORE
click here
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Scooter
Therapy
Inc
12 North
Few
Street | Madison,
WI
53703
toll free
1-800-411-1543 | local 1-608-255-1520
fax
1-608-255-1587 | E-mail
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Scooter Therapy
Inc
12 N. Few
St
Madison, WI
53703
toll
free 1-800-411-1543
local
1-608-255-1520
fax
1-608-255-1587
E-mail
Hours:
M-F,
9-6 Saturday, 10-3 CST
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