Weather in Phong Nha: Partly sunny, very hot and humid. Temperatures from 26c (32f) to 36c (97f).

Up at 5am to travel to the aiport to catch a flight to Dong Hoi and from there transported by mini bus to Phong Nha Farmstay. For the next six days we will imerse ourselves in the magic of remote rural Vietnam. The Farmstay is located in Northern Central Vietnam, between the coast and the mountains. Set in idylic surroundings of rice paddy fields, tended daily by the local community, on the edge of National Park just off the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

We arrived at lunch time and are spending the rest of the day relaxing and resting.

Weather forecast: Hot and humid, overcast at first, then sunny. Temperatures ranging from 28c (82f) to 35c (95f). Temperatures will feel like 30c (86f) to 38c (100f).

Our last day in Hanoi before tomorrow we fly off to Dong Hoi and from there are taken to the Phong Nha Farmstay.

This morning we visited Hoa Lo Prison, which was known by US pilots shot down and captured during the Vietnam war as the Hanoi Hilton. It was originaly built by the French to incacerate Vietnamese who rose up against French colonial rule.

During the vietnam war the prison was used by the Vietnamese government to lock up US pilots who had been shot down. This included John McCain who later became a Republican Senetor.

We then visited the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long which was full of young schoolchildren who were a delight to see. The citadel which was built in the 11th Century was the hub of Vietnamese military power for over a 1,000 years.

Our final visit was to the Military History Museum which has lots of photographs and exhibits relating to the Chinese occupation of Vietnam, the French colonial rule and the US Vietnam War. Very interesting.

We had a restful afternoon before going to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre.This is a traditional Northern Vietnamese art form. When the rice field flooded the villagers would us this type of puppet play to entertain themselves. The shows are performed by the puppeteers in a waist deep pool so it appears the puppets are moving over the water. See the video in the itinerary.

This is our last night in Hanoi so here are a few observations.

We have loved our time in the chaotic madness which is Hanoi. The traffic is totally crazy with every person for themselves but somehow it works. No one walks on the pavements as they are covered with parked motor bikes and scooters, people selling things and people sitting on very small plastic stools eating. So everyone walks on the roads where you face traffic coming at you from all directions. The Vietnamese are a very hard-working nation, most of those who we have met have two or three jobs, but they remain upbeat and friendly. We have been very impressed by the high levels of customer service we have met and the attention to detail. The Vietnamese don’t waste anything and everywhere you go you see people mending things and making things which we would just go to the shops and buy. One final amazing thing hardly anyone smokes. In the six days we have been here we have only seen three people smoking or vaping.

Weather: Hot, very humid, overcast. Temperatures 24c (75f) to 28c (82f).

We spent today cruising in Halong Bay. We had travelled there on Tuesday night and stopped at the Paradise Suites Hotel. The cost for an overnight stay and breakfast was £31. What was amazing was the level of service it was like staying in a five-star hotel, the quality of the customer care, the staff, attention to detail, the rooms and the breakfast.

We really enjoyed the cruise; the boat was excellent and not too crowded. Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with stunning beautiful scenery. it was nice to relax and chill out, eat excellent food, the itinerary included been taken in a sampan rowed by locals to some caves and the chance to go for a swim which we took. The level of customer service, the attention to detail and doing those small things which make all the difference was excellent.

Weather forecast: Blazing sunshine, very hot and humid. Temperatures from 26c / 79f to 36c / 97f but the real feel 40c / 104f

Today we are going on a cycle ride out into the countryside surrounding Hanoi. Wish us luck, not only with the weather, which forecasters are warning will be ‘excessive heat’ but before we get accross the Long Bien Bridge into the countryside we have to ride through the choas of Hanoi rush hour traffic!!

We survived our cycling trip. Riding in the Hanoi traffic was interesting but less scary than I imagined. The humidity and heat was challenging but we managed.

It was good to get out of Hanoi into the countryside. Saw lots of rice paddies and vegetables been grown in large fields. Lots of old ladies sitting by the sides of the road selling locally grown produce. The Vietnamese don’t appear to throw anything away. So you see lots of small shops repairing and making things we we in the West would throw away or go to a shop and buy new.

This evening at 7pm we are travelling to Halong Bay, a two hour drive. We are stopping overnight in a local hotel, ready to board Jade Sails Cruise luxury sailing boat for our day cruise round Halong Bay and Lan Hay Bay tomorrow.

Weather forecast: Mostly cloudy, hot and humid. Temperature 26c / 79f to 35c / 95f

Handicraft villages day tour visiting three villages which each specialise in making one product. Quang Phu Cau village incense: Chuong village conical hats: Ha Thai village lacquer.

We had a wonderful day out visiting the three villages. The first one we went to was Ha Thai village where they specialise in making lacquer products. We visited the workshop of an artist who produces lacquer paintings that sell internationally for high prices. We were shown the process which he goes through to produce his work and were given a chance to produce our own lacquer artwork. To see the reults look at the photos in our Vietnam Flickr albium which you get to by clicking on the Flickr logo on the left hand side of the front page of the blog.

We then visited Chuong Village. Most of the villagers work in the fields. But to earn extra money maney of the women make conical hats. We watched while a 71 year old lady sat on the floor and built a hat. We were then given our own hats to paint. See our Flickr pictures for the result. We were also given a very nice lunch by one of the villagers.

Our last visit was to Quang Phu Cau village which specialises in making incence sticks. Incence plays a big part in Vietnamese lives so the demand for incence sticks is very high. We were shown how they are produced and how they piut out in large bundles to dry. This is an amazing site, see the pictures in Flickr.

Weather forecast for today: Partly sunny, hot and humid. Temperature 75f (24c) / 93f (34c)

Morning Tour – Walking tour of the Old Quarter & French Quarter;Ngoc Son Temple;and the Temple of Literature.

Disapointingly we did not get to go on the walking tour of the Old Quarter and French Quarter. Not sure why that is what had been agreed. Much to our suprise we were taken by car to the French built Roman Catholic Cathedral where we watched a very colourful and noisy Easter Sunday ceremony taking place but that was the only French building we got to see.

From there we travelled to the Temple of Literature – This was very busy with many different groups of students in their gowns having group and individual pictures taken. Scott proved a big hit with students wanting to have pictures taken with him. They could not get over how tall and well built he is!!The Temple buildings and grounds were very impressive with a history going back over a 1,000 years.

Ngoc Son a Temple was ok but what was most impressive was its location on an island in the middle of is in a beautiful location on an island in the centre of Hoan Kiem lake.

We finished the tour with a very nice lunch – unfortunately I forget to take a picture of the menu, but it was very enjoyable.

The weather started off overcast but very humid, but by the end of the tour the sun had come out and it was time for sun hats and sun cream.

Afternoon – spent resting at our Airbnb.

Evening – Food tour of Hanoi on the back of motorbikes. This was amazing. Riding through the anarchy and choas on Hanoi’s roads, with hundreds of motorbikes plus a few cars and buses going everywhere and every direction in an intricate band crazy dance, which by some miracle works.

The tour was really interesting showing many different side of Hanoi and the snacks and food for the most part very enjoyable. This tour was the highlight of our trip so far.

Saturday afternoon – Went for lunch at a little local family run restaurant. Had Bun Cha which is grilled pork and rice noodles, served with bean sprouts and spring onion on a sizzling skillet. Very nice.

We then went for a walk round the Old District. Its total chaos with the pavements full of people eating and drinking or selling things, so you have to walk on the road most of the time. But the roads are very busy, full of scooters and a few cars who appear just to go in any direction they want. To cross the road you have to dodge in and out of a constant stream of traffic. Not for the faint hearted.

We then visited the famous train street (5 Trần Phú).  Nestled in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, train street runs between the houses. Many of the house owners have converted the downstairs into small cafes which attract the tourists to sit and watch as the the train go past. Its very exciting but frightening at the same time with a train passing 12 inches away from where you are standing.