Vietnam : Ninh Binh and an exemple of humanity
Une des spécificités de ces "pirogues" ce sont les rameurs qui rament avec les pieds, et souvent les bras derrière le dos.
Souvent c'était des femmes, et non des hommes, qui ramaient et que ce soit pour 2 ou 3 passagers.
Comme vous pouvez le voir la vue est superbe malgré un temps nuageux voire pluvieux et froid.
Et sur le chemin des autres on peut voir les échanges commerciaux voire des petites boutiques qui profitent du tourisme fluviale.
An unforgettable human meeting
Vietnam is a country that I loved not only because of the wonderful landscapes but especially thanks to the friendly and human encounters.
The most touching humanly for me be it in this country but also during this year round the world is the encounter that I had in Ninh Binh.
Having left my big backpack in Kuala Lumpur (as I was coming back after a possible 2-3 month trip to South East Asia) and having only a small bag, I had only taken the minimum for a normal climate.
But that day it was particularly cold and I wore only a small hooded jacket and sandals (having lost my sneakers in a bus a few days earlier). Around 6:30 am-7 am I was freezing after walking 30 minutes. Seeing a fire and a small group of people I ask (by gesture as I do not speak Vietnamese) if I can join them to warm myself up. Among them a woman speaking more or less English. After 5-10 min with her, I leave.
45 minutes later, finishing my breakfast in another small street restaurant, I see with surprise this same woman entering the restaurant with her scooter helmet. She looked after me for a moment on her scooter to bring me a warm black dress ! She tends to me but suprised and embarrassed I refuse. But she insists and removes her second pair of gloves and her second pair of socks. Not knowing what to say, I enlighten her to thank her!
This memory will be eternally in my soul and in my heart. And when talking to the restaurant owner, this woman made him more kind to me. Indeed the owner of the restaurant where I had just eaten wanted to stand up by saying that it was $ 20 when we had agreed the normal price 20 dong. He was so nice after he accepted the rate we had agreed and even offered me a local juice.
Ninh Binh: Tam Coc
Why did you choose to visit Ninh Binh rather than Halong Bay? Because the weather was not good, I did not want to spend too much money (as I only knew the circuits offered at the Halong Bay) I decided to go to see his cousin the bay 'Halong terrestrial is, which it, much less visited. The Halong bay is located in the Ninh Binh area and more precisely in Tam Coc and a 2 hour drive south of Hanoi. And to get there we pass through the bridge.
And on the way you can admire different buildings and landscapes, despite a rainy weather.
Tam Coc is a tourist site that means "Three Caverns" is 8km from downtown Ninh Binh.
It appears that the scenes of the film "Indochina" were shot in Tam Coc.
One of the specificities of these "canoes" are the rowers who row with the feet, and often the arms behind the back.
Often it was women, not men, who rowed and that it was for 2 or 3 passengers.
As you can see the view is superb despite a cloudy weather and even rainy and cold.
And on the way of the others one can see trade or even small shops that take advantage of river tourism.
This walk on the water was nice but being refrigerated (it was even colder on the water), I could not take full advantage of it, which is really a shame, but in the month I was able to save a little bit of money if I had been to Halong Bay: D
On the way back to the Hanoi bus, having time (and despite the cold) I decide to visit and walk at random, admiring the landscape of rice fields in particular.
Chance does well things I fall on this beautiful place :
Jade Pagoda
Later I knew that I was in Bich Dong which is only 2km from the pier of Tam Coc.
The Jade pagodas are located on the slope of the Bich Dong mountain, in the Ngu Nhac Son range. They consist of 3 pagodas: lower pagoda, middle pagoda and upper pagoda. Visitors reach the upper pagoda after a hundred stair steps and enjoy fresh air and a beautiful view of the surrounding area.
Pagodas of Jades, Bich Dong.
And do not hesitate to enter this small cave that is inside this site of the Pagodas