After our final breakfast at the Sofitel we checked out and began our approximately 4 hour long drive to Ha Long Bay. As we made our way out of Hanoi heading east the scenery gradually changed from urban scenes to more rural ones. We saw many rice paddies flooded as these were Rice paddies right in the middle of a cemetery We actually discovered that Vietnam is one of the top 5 rice exporters in the world. The United States is a major rice producer but still imports some, mostly more expensive types. The rice that Vietnam grows is a lesser quality grain but also one that grows much more quickly so they produce several crops a year. This lower quality rice kernel isn't as popular in the United States as other speciality types of rice. Another problem with Vietnamese rice is that some growers use too many pesticides. In 2016 the U.S. Customs bureau rejected some rice from Vietnam because of the excessive pesticide residue. Lots and lots of vegetables growing Fruits and vegetables for sale along the road Hold on to me dad Sad to say but it was not uncommon to see young children on scooters like this. I will say that this young man was going very slowly but still it was very dangerous. A Canon factory We passed by this Canon factory on the way to Ha Long Bay. Our local guide told us that working for Canon was very desirable. Not only did they pay a little better than many other manufacturers but their employee's got discounts on their products too. Many young people have left their villages to try to get jobs in cities. Their average wage was equivalent to about $150.00 per month. Between rent, food, gasoline, electricity most people barely eke out a living. They but scooters on credit. The average worker can't afford to buy a car which is why scooters are so popular. We stopped about midway to Ha Long Bay at a nice rest stop. It was a local handicraft producing center. We bought a nice hand carved wooden box and also a beautiful silk embroidered mat. We paid 2,300,000 VND which equals around 100 dollars. The detail and colors were quite amazing. There were larger and smaller pieces but we decided on this one below. Ha Long Bay hand embroidered in silk During the drive to Ha Long Bay our local guide Tran was telling us about some of their culture. Family is the most important thing to the Vietnamese people. He also spoke about how important education is. It is mandatory for all children to go to school. Their school is free for the first 5 or 6 years. In their middle and high schools there usually is a fee charged if the family has the income to pay it, otherwise it remains free. Military service is mandatory in Vietnam for at least 2 years. We continued on and made good time. We were actually a little ahead of schedule so we stopped again at a Pearl factory just outside Ha Long Bay. They gave us a demonstration of how Pearls are formed, and of course there was a store for purchasing the finished product. Learning about oysters and the making of Pearls We moved on and drove into the harbor area. It is being developed with luxury hotels, condo's and apartments. We got off the bus and were led to our boat. We were going on an overnight cruise into Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay located in north east Vietnam is a UNESCO world heritage site and is famous for it's emerald colored waters with thousands of irregularly shaped limestone islands, most covered with trees and foliage. Beautiful tree covered limestone islands in Ha Long Bay We were welcomed aboard the boat with a small cup of ginger tea. It was excellent. Afterwards we were given our cabin assignments and went to drop off our stuff. Our cabin, cozy Our bathroom complete with an open shower area We went up to the third level to the dining room where a wonderful buffet lunch was being served. After finishing we moved outside to the upper deck to enjoy the scenery. It was just breathtaking all around was like looking at a postcard Rush hour going into Ha Long Bay A happy couple on a very relaxing cruise The same happy couple enjoying the cruise We cruised for several hours into the Bay before dropping anchor. We all boarded a small motor launch to be taken to see the Floating houses. All decked out in orange and black on our motor launch We transferred to a sampan and were piloted around to see the famous Floating houses. Small groups of people in a sampan Floating houses in Ha Long Bay The people that live in these floating houses make their living fishing. Most of these people have done this for many generations. Their village is a self sufficient community that lives in harmony with the land and water. They continue to exist by living and working together. When you can't go to the market, the market comes to you A little boy and his dog Shortly after returning to our boat we had a truly yummy dinner. Around 9pm we went to the stern of the boat on the lower level and tried squid fishing. They turned on bright lights that was suppose to attract the squid towards the surface. They weren't biting that night so we decided to call it a day and turn in. The happy couple night squid fishing. Alas no luck Next time we finish our Ha Long Bay cruise and fly to Da Nang to visit Hoi An.
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