A new adventure begins

Jakarta. The Big Durian. The mega city that tourists love to hate. So what did this tourist think of it? I think it's the kind of place that could grow on you given time. But at a two day glance its mainly heat, noise, traffic and frustration. Not that i didn't see some interesting things. The first interesting thing i saw was on the way from the airport - the infamous Jakarta traffic. And it's all true. Peak hour Jakarta style starts at around 8am and doesn't abate until late in the evening. But get out and about before the chaos starts and you'll see lycra clad cyclists and joggers and street carts seling my favourite breakfast - bubur (rice porridge). After settling into my room at The Packer Lodge in Glodok (Chinatown) it had already been a long day so i only had the energy for an Indomaret (Indonesia's equivelant of 7/11) for provisions then food. The woman at reception suggested the warung a few doors away so I headed there and chose my dinner from the piles of plated goodness. Yellow coconut chicken curry, green beans and tofu on rice. Delicious, nutritious and only $2! I had dinner there all three nights i was in Jakarta. The next morning, after an ok nights sleep in my somewhat monastic but very clean room, I did the usual first day errands - ATM, SIM, onward travel. Then it was finally time to get out and about. Just north of my accommodation is Kota, the old town where a cluster of buildings from the Dutch occupation line a large square. its also home to a number of museums all of which I of course visted. Also when entry is 50c it's hard to refuse. I started at the Fine Art and Ceramic Museum. The collection didn't do much for me the the building itself with its wooden floors and iron spiral staircases did.

Hunger then drove me to Cafe Batavia, a meticulously renovated slice of old colonialism. Lazily turning ceiling fans, uniformed wait staff and a curved wooden bar made you feel like drinking cocktails and complaining about the  natives. And like all relics of a bygone era it served overpriced tourist food which seems to be the price of ambience (I'm looking at you Raffles).

Next was Museum Wayang - the puppet museum. I initially raced though it not really looking as the display methods were pretty underwhelming, not to mention a lack of meaningful interpretation. But I went through again and looked properly and the objects were really quite interesting. Along with puppets showing traditional stories, there were some that dealt with more recent history like treaties with the Dutch. There was also a set of Jesus and the disciples.

Next was the Jakarta City Museum with more up to date interp. Pity a fair amount of the 

lighting was not working. Again though, a fabulous building. The next day it was time to 

tackle the national monument and museum. With my handy bus pass I whizzed past the traffic jams in the dedicated bus lane and wandered through Merdeka Square to MONAS, a towering symbol of nationalist pride. The tower itself looks like the Washington Monument with the Statue of Liberty's flame on top

Once I'd finally found the entrance and negotiated not buying the tourist  would have had me essentailly paying double, I was then told it was a 2 hour wait. It turns out that Saturday is school children's excursion day. Not wanting to wait that long and remembering I'm not a big fan of lifts or heights, I wandered off to the National Museum across the road. More swarms of school kids but here I persevered, bought my ticket and fought my way through the door! I headed straight for the top floor where there was a facinating (and well interpreted) display on ceramics. The trade routes that came for spices also brought ceramics from China, India and Vietnam. All the Chinese dynasties were represented. Also of note was a huge collection of gold objects, some found as recently as 2000 and a display of examples of Old Javanese script carved into stone and on metal plates outlining the decrees of various kings.

Then I did what I often do when a city overwhelms me - went to the mall. And a mega mall at that - Grand Indonesia near Plaza Indonesia. After some retail therapy I thought I'd try MONAS again only to find the lift to the top was closed for the day. I guess its wasn't meant to be. On the bus back to the hostel I caught a glimpse of the catholic cathedral and grand mosque so all the sights I'd had on my list were all ticked off after a fashion. All that was left was a repack in preparation for my 6 hour train ride to Semarang the next day.

Getting ready for the next adventure

Here - have a random photo!

Nun biscuits, pebbled streets and the Alhambra in Granada

We left Cadiz in the rain on a bus bound for Granada. During the trip we drove past the millions of olive trees that produce a third of Spain's oil. It was quite a sight. As we took a taxi to our biggest and best accommodation yet, we realised just how uphill of central Granada that Alberczyn, the old Muslim area and our home for the next 3 days would be. But luckily we quickly discovered the excellent bus system that would save us some shoe leather! We arrived early evening which was just enough time to do a test walk to the ticket office of the Alhambra. We had come to realise the guides aren't kidding around when they suggest you buy tickets online 3 months in advance. Without this you are destined to be in line between 6 & 7am for when the leftover tickets for that day go on sale at 8. I'm usually not too bad at early starts but a 6am start combined with a travel day the day before left me unable to form proper sentences. Not to mention the 20 minute walk down a steep hill and up another steep hill in the dark with a head torch. But in line we did get, split between the cash and credit lines for the best chance of tickets. The credit line, that I was in, won and within 10 mins of opening we had tickets. So then it was off for breakfast and regaining further consciousness before heading back for our alloted time in the Naserid Palaces. The Alhambra has been on my places to see wishlist for years, as I'm sure it is for many others. We'd already seen so many architectural treasures of Moorish Spain but this is supposed to be the crowning glory. Its certainly large and imposing from the various vantage points beneath the plateau on which it sits. An amazing piece of fortification. I bought a guide book of which I was glad as there is very little interpretation on site. Its history is fascinating but its been altered over time more than I'd realised. In fact the lauded Naserid Palaces are not in their original condition, some of which is not even known. I don't want to say I was disappointed, and i'm sure the other 6000 tourists that visit every day would disagree but in the context of all the other Moorish remains in Cordoba and Seville it was less awe inspiring than say, the mihrab in the Mezquita or the receiving room in the Alcazar. My favourite parts were actually the views and the gardens, especially those of the Generalife. So we left after 4 plus hours content that we'd done it justice.

The next day was a sights other than the Alhambra day. We started in Alberczyn with the Palacio Dar-el-Hora - the home of mother of the last Muslim ruler of Granada who told him as they retreated from the city - don't cry like a child over what you couldn't keep like a man - or words to that effect. It had a nice set of private gardens and great views to the Alhambra. Then to the Placio Sephardi a small, privately funded museum dedicated to the almost forgotten Jewish population of Granada who were banished at the same time as the Moors. The objects were interesting but lacked interpretation in either English or Spanish. Then after lunch to the Cathedral and Capella Real to see the might of Ferdinand and Isabella, the royal power couple who kicked out the Moors and Jews and united Spain in the 15th century. I particularly liked the the Capella Real which, apart from housing the remains of Ferdinand and Isabella, has a surprising collection of 14 - 16th century Netherlandish religious paintings - my favourite kind of religious paintings. Guided by the Lonely Planet I also wanted to check out the Monasterio de San Jeronomio of which every inch of the ceiling is decorated, capped off by a 10 meter high carved alterpiece with scenes from the life of Christ.

That night we went to a flamenco show - something I'd wanted to do in Spain. It was a totally for the tourist thing but I can imagine if you spent some time to understand it properly and seek out the more authentic performances it would be revelatory. As it was the female dancer was passionate enough to kick chips out of the floor with her foot work!

Our last full day in Granada mainly consisted of day drinking and eating tapas but before that I sought to uncover the mysteries of nun biscuits. I'd read on the internet about the nuns in cloistered convents who baked and sold biscuits and the process by which you obtained them. And it goes:

1. Find your convent of cloistered nuns - in Granada, the Monesterio de San Bernando.

2. Find the point of sale consisting of an intercom and revolving shelf in the wall.

3. Buzz the intercom and inform the amused nun in your very bad Spanish of your desire to buy biscuits.

4. When asked from behind the revolving shelf of your order, advise her in bad Spanish you would like a mixed half kilo.

5. Upon the arrival of your biscuts on the revolving shelf, leave correct money and say thank you.

5. Leave said convent and jump up and down excited you now possess nun biscuts. Which for the record are delicious and shortbread-dy, some with caraway, some dusted with fine icing sugar. Then go and start your day drinking after a cafe con leche and biscuits.

We found a fabulous old school tapas place with sherry and vermut on the barrel and insanely good tapas. And Granada is the last bastion of the free tapa. Order a drink, get tapa. Order another, another tapa etc. But Bodega Castanada also had amazing menu of other yummy things. They also have the distinction of serving vermut they way I'd been told about way back in Madrid, with a touch of gin and a touch of soda to bring out the dryness. I'm going to annoy every bar person in Melbourne trying to replicate it! But my favourite tapa was bread topped with a thin slice of fried pork, grilled jamon and grilled green pimenton peppers. Again, one to try at home. Bodega Castanada was so good we went twice in one day and it was the last place we visted before bed and an early start the next day for our flight to Barcelona, our final destination in Spain.

Oh, and the pebbled streets? Alberczyn is paved with river pebbles standing upright in concrete which makes it very hard on the feet. Pretty but cankle producing...

 

Cadiz - ocean views and the mid trip slump

We arrived in Cadiz and saw our first ocean views from the taxi. Staring out across the Atlantic there isn't much in the way before you hit the east coast of America. I came to Cadiz for its history (continuously inhabited since Phoenecian times), the ocean views and its proximity to the sherry triangle. Our accomodation was OK, bright and spacious but lacking in amenties and in a very busy square. The main source of noise was the cafe straight out the front door but they made up for it a bit with good breakfasts - tostada (toasted roll) with salmorojo (a soup/dip/spread of tomato, bread and garlic) that i've become quite partial to. That first afternoon was a wander to orient ourselves and to disover that Cadiz a) doesn't feel particularly Spanish, b) is not very big and c) full of day tourists from the cruise ships that dock there frequently. But considering its history, geography and large port, is not really surprising.

I developed a rotten head cold which made the next day's adventures a bit challenging. Jerez de la Frontera is the home of a number of big sherry bodegas (where they mature sherry in the barrel in huge sheds called bodegas) and one of the biggest is Gonzales Byass. After a mix up with train tickets we arrived in time for the 5pm tour and tasting. This is after killing time in Cadiz and visting the Cathedral and Roman Ampitheatre ruins which had a good interpretation centre on top of them. But, sherry. Two and a half hours of sherry. it was quite interesting and there were 3 tours running simultaneously in English, Spanish and German. Then the tasting of 4 sherries - I quite liked the Croft Cream - and exit through the gift shop to stock up on kitch souvenirs.

One more day in Cadiz before decamping to Granda and we just wandered. Being a Sunday not much was open so I followed the coastal walk from the old city gates to the park not far from our accomodation. One last thing to do and that was to try the seafood Cadiz is famous for. At a popular restaurant we had the local speciality of fried sea anemone (tasted like oysters), octopus on potato and best of all simply fried sole with a fresh little side salad. So that was Cadiz really. I find there's usually some place on a trip you don't exactly jive on (like Danag for me last year) or have the mid trip slump. At least it had ocean views...

 

Messing about in boats in Seville

We arrived in Seville after a short train ride and after buying our onward tickets to Cadiz we taxied to our accommodation to be greeted by our host's father with a bottle of local wine. The area we were in was about a 15 minute walk from the main sights of the Cathedral and Alcazar but nearby was the huge Almeda de Hecules which I dubbed the Hippodrome (and promptly got Public Enenmy's Welcome to the Terrordome in my head). But I digress. Suffice to say we had lots of food and drink options without having to go too far. My first view of the outside of the Cathedral was impressive - lots of flying butresses. We lined up at the Alcazar to see if we could buy tickets for the next day but in that we couldn't we went in anyway. The gardens are lovely and the main Moorish recieving room is spectacular. And fellow nerds, more Game of Thrones locations - the palace at Dorne. I took lots of pictures of me in the relevant areas of the gardens and buildings. Total nerd I know!

We ate and drank our way back to the flat at various bars and ended the night drinking the Reserva version of Cruzcampo, the ubiquitous local beer which at 6.4% made for a fuzzy head the next day. But I didn't let that stop me. We headed first for the Cathedral to see the inside which is pretty awe inspiring. Its contains the not subtle tomb of Christopher Colombus and an absolutley ostentatious carved, gold altar that's about 10 meters high. We climbed the bell tower which mercifully had ramps rather than stairs even if there are 32 of them. Had they been stairs I'm sure I, and the old people in front of us would have expired half way up! The view from the top is spectacular once you jostle for position with the other tourists up there. Next we caught a local bus for Santeponce, about half an hour from the city to visit the Roman ruins of Italica. It's the outpost of the empire where the famous emperors Hadrian and Trajan were born. Its not very well preserved but as my experience with Roman ruins is quite limited I thought it was pretty cool.

Later that night we discovered the most amazing bar with incredible food and wine. So good we went twice. The tapas is not your run of the mill potatas bravas, jamon & queso and croquettas. We ate braised beef cheek, local mushrooms, honey glazed ribs, razor clams and an icecream of fresh curd which was mindblowing. Its called Eslava for anyone heading that way. And it was on the same street as our apartment! We continued our food adventures in the Santa Cruz area in a great bar with fantastic staff called Bodega Santa Cruz where they chalk your bill on the bar and I had the best vermouth of the trip so far.

The following day we did a repeat trip to the Alcazar for a tour of the Spanish royal apartments. While we waited for the tour to start we checked out a small exhibition about ceramics nearby. There was a really impressive floor projection of which I actually sat through the complete loop! Then it was off to see Plaza de Espania, built for a world exposition in 1929. A wonderful piece of fantasy architecture complete with a small canal. On which you can hire and row boats. Which of course we did. How could we not? D. had rowed at uni so at least one of us knew what we were doing! It was hilarious fun.

Then more tapas and a home cooked meal courtesy of D and our short time in Seville drew to a close. I don't think either of us quite got a handle on the city but we had fun trying! Next stop Cadiz for history and ocean views.

 

Coroba - it's all about the architecture

After a fast train from Madrid we arrived in Cordoba just before lunchtime and quickly got settled into another good flat located two streets from the Mezquita. The first port of call was the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos which is famous for its beautiful water gardens. Like so many of the architectural gems of the south of Spain, the Muslims built it in the 8th centrury over the original Visigothic settlement and after the Reconquista it was used by the Catholic monarchs. Today there was a long line of tourists waiting to get in before it closed at 2.30. And in that it was not open the next day (being Monday) I made sure I got to see it. And very glad I was about it too. We started in the gardens which in my opinion are the best part. They are absolutely beautiful - long pools of water surrounded by formal, shady gardens with roses, pomegranates, herbs and conifers.

The interior of the buildings were not very exciting but the view from the ramparts and towers was worth the climb. And I got a great view of the Roman bridge - and for all you Game of Thrones fans, it was used as the Bridge of Volantis in the last series.

After lots of tapas and snacks in Madrid we finally had our first proper meal - albeit at 10pm. Our hosts gave us lots of suggestions for bars and restaurants and this one, called La Boca did fusion food (eg. Thai noodles with local pork) and was delicious. The it was off to sleep before getting up early the next day for the Mezquita. The Meqzuita has free entry from 8.30am until about 9.30 before you get kicked out so the faithful can get in a service before the paid entry starts. And you share it with other early bird tourists, the cleaners and the practicing organist. My first impression was not one of wonder, but of confusion. Moorish arches but Catholic iconography everywhere. It just seemed a nonsensical jumble. I was however awed by the mhirab, the focal point of the mosque which has the most exquisite mosaics.

We then went walking - we did a lot of walking - in the quiet back streets. We crossed the river for a view of the Mezquita and then down came the rain! We hightailed it back to the flat to dry off and wait for the rain to ease. We'd decided to buy tickets for the night tour of the Mezquita so we wandered and ate and drank until it was time for the tour. I'm so glad we decided to do so. Far from the twee sound and light show it had the potential to be, it really illustrated the wonder and majesty of the building. First we sat through a well produced introductory video (though it did start with "Since the dawn of time man has..." etc which I find a bit hyperbolic) and then we were lead through the site chronologically and the relevant sections were lit up. The mosque was extended twice and then in the 17th century a Baroque church was installed in the middle. We had better access to the church than in the morning so the change in the architecture was much more marked. Amazing! But our short visit drew to a close and it was up and off to Seville for more history and architecture.

Madrid - its all about the museums

Be they of art

Or of ham

 

Madrid has got it all.

My first foray into AirBNB went really well, even with the late arrival of my flight (fog in Dubai) and subsequent 2 hours on the metro (Sunday timetable) to get to Calle Lope de Vega in the Barrio de las Letras our home for the next week. The flat was smaller than I anticipated but it was comfortable and well appointed. And 3 minutes walk from the Prado and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums. Not to mention the myriad food and drink choices around. Almost every corner had a local bar serving drinks and tapas including the ground floor of our building. The first evening was a quiet one, D was sick and I'd just crossed 6 time zones in 2 days so I waited for my soul to catch up. Day one proper and it was straight to the Prado, straight to the Goya black paintings and to stand in front of Saturn, one of my favourite paintings in the world. And then off to explore and spend up big in the gift shop. Then to a market for snacks and the beginning of day drinking (vermouth is my tipple of choice) - its the socially acceptable thing to do in Spain! After which I totally get the whole siesta thing! There are a number of old markets in Madrid that have been gentrified to have tapas stalls and bars and we liked them a lot. Mercado San Migual and Mercado San Anton were good examples. The following days were a series of museum visits and eating and drinking. I did lose a day to a vicious bout of tummy troubles but around that there were many highlights. The Thyssen - the history of western art in one building. From the personal collection of a rich family bequethed to the nation you start with 14th century egg tempora on panel on the top floor and end in the 80s with some Lucien Freuds before exiting to the gift shop. A fantastic museum, one I loved just as much when I was last in Madrid 15 years ago. I also went to the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, a dimly lit, ecclectic collection in a beautiful old building. It had an old fashioned cast room and a truly terrifying carved wooden diorama of the Massace of the Innocents that has to be seen to be believed! But hands down, my favourite museum is the Reina Sofia. Concentrating on Spanish art, it is thematic as well as chronological with the 2nd floor being before the civil war and the 4th after. The laminated room information cards are academic essays which I found facinating. I spent a good 3 - 4 hours there even though I was under the weather - it was so fascinating I couldn't bring myself to leave! Another favourite was Retiro, the huge park next to the Prado with lakes, pavilions, formal gardens and woodlands. It has its own 'Crystal Palace' which is rather fab but unfortunately closed for the installation of an art work. The Reina Sofia uses it and the nearby 19th century Palaco de Velazquez, to show temporary exhibits and while I was there there was a small retrospective of Carl Andre installations. I'm more of a a Richard Serra fan but the setting suited the works well and I really enjoyed it.

I also checked out the Temple of Debod - a 2nd century BC Egyptian temple rescued from the formation of the Aswan dam in 1968 and installed in a park with a fantastic view over the west of Madrid. Close to this was at small church that has some rare Goya frescos in situ.

Some time was spent revisiting places I remember from 15 years ago - the afore metioned Museo del Jamon near Sol, the cafe with the bulls heads where I learned tostada is toast, and of course the museums. But now that I'm older and more of a bar fly I was gratified to find an amazing rooftop bar on the 7th floor of the Circulo de Bellas Artes exibition space. Madrid is relatively low rise city so the 7th floor had an amazing view.

It was wonderful to spend nearly a week exploring and getting a better feel for a city that 15 years ago I didn't quite get. Next stop - Cordoba and some Moorish history and architecture.

 

Only poor people and stupid tourists walk in HCMC

But how else do you get to experience the traffic? Sure, you could pick a curbside seat in a cafe like I did my first night and watch it with a beer in hand rather than cross it. Or you could choose to get out and about in the morning peak hour. This is the time footpaths which, for much of the day are moto parks, become secondary roads with the speed to match. You haven't lived until you play unavoidable chicken with a mob of oncoming Honda Dreams. So yes, I have mixed feeling about HCMC! Its doesn't help the traffic situation that some of the main thouroughfares in District 1 are building sites for the underground railway that will be finished in around a decade.

But there is still plenty to like. The 30c bus ride from the airport for one - cop that Skybus. Not staying in Pham Ngu Lau and instead being within spitting distance of the Rex Hotel. Seriously, backpacker central is even more sleazy and run down than I remember. I'm sure it gives the Khao San Road a run for its money! The Fine Arts Museum is pretty good. Likewise heading down to Cholon in District 5 and checking out the Ben Tre market and the Chinese temples in the surrounding streets. That was bus no. 1 - once you get a map the HCMC bus system is pretty good (and cheap).

But I do exasperate the moto taxi drivers with my constant refusals of thier services. I really do prefer walking and looking with no particular destination in mind. You do end up bathing in your own sweat but that's Asia! I find Vietnam's architecture facinating. From fading colonial buildings to modernist concrete apartment blocks you just have to look up and around corners and down alleyways. And the emerging cafe scene is also fabulous in its aesthetics. They've embraced industrial chic with old sewing machine tables to rest your coffee on and decorated with old typewriters, radios, window grills and doors. And they're usually upstairs in apartment blocks taking you down alleys and up anonymous stairs until you reach them. There were two such cafes in the same alley as my hotel.

And even though I didn't do a street food tour (ran out of money!) I did eat well. On my first night I had Japanese! There was a sushi joint, a proper, not out of place in Tokyo sushi joint in you guessed it, the same alley as my hotel. I blissed out on tempura don and miso. Is there a more comforting combination than miso and rice? (Probably. But its a happy place for me!) I ate many banh mi and tried bo bittet - minute steak and egg served sizzling with pate and meatball for good measure and a roll to mop up the juices. Pretty satisfying and only $3.50.

I drank lots of black coffee on ice served from the back of a bike. I also ate a few times at L'Usine, a hip shop come cafe which is straight out of Fitzroy - actually Fitzroy wishes it could be this good. Is the sort of upmarket cafe that is popping up all over Asia - evolving from the cheap noodle dishes for Western palates and beer joints to a haven for flashpackers (and expats) wanting a slice of home. And in my case wine - 2 for 1 on Vermtino before 8pm. Sweet!

Apologies if this post is a bit disjointed. But that how the last days of my trips always seem to roll. Also I'm finishing this post at klia2 enroute home and I've been feeling unwell all day (most unusual for me) - so make of it what you will. Overall I enjoyed Vietnam the second time - if only to cross more food off my to try list! And its so variable - you can get the backpacker vibe in Hue or go totally upmarket in HCMC. It certainly makes things interesting. So, signing off until the next adventure which who knows, might not be Asia! H

Not loving Danang

In Danang I cracked it and did what I always think I'll do and then talk myself out of - book into an expensive hotel and hang around in a bathrobe for a day! But to begin at the beginning. I caught the train from Hue to Danang. Its the third time now I've done this journey and I love it every time. The train goes over the Hai Van Pass along and above coastline untouched by any sort of development - not even a beach hut. It was raining which added to the magic! I'm such a sucker for a view.

 

We rolled into Danang earlier than expected and I got lost looking for my accommodation. Now why I decided to book into a private room in a hostel (the only one in Danang no less) is beyond me. I stayed in some great ones in Bangkok but the hostel scene is small in Vietnam. And I paid upfront for 2 nights. And the reason? Yet another food tour run by the owners of the hostel. The room was crappy but the food tour amazing and totally worth doing. We went to four places and tried Danang's specialities. First was bun thit nong - noodles and grilled pork which is eaten all over and some fantastic beef in lot leaves. Next was the place where I tried the most 'new to me' dishes. Mi Quang, another noodle dish and particular to the region. Its pretty good stuff. I tried steamed fermented pork sausage - quite sour and not to my taste. Nor was the corn drink we also tried (essentially a corn milkshake in a bottle) but I was glad I did. My list of odd things eaten had expanded on this trip! But the best was for next - banh xeo. Again banh xeo is found all over but this very famous restaurant has a secret weapon - the dipping sauce. To make, take a rice paper sheet, add a bit of pancake, add greens, then grilled pork - roll and dip. Taste sensation! Desert was a chunky fruit salad drink which included avocado in the melange. So back to the hostel and an earlyish night. Though I was in a hostel I didn't really meet anyone - I've been finding travellers here to be an unfriendly bunch, too busy buried in their electronic devices to have an actual conversation. Or maybe I'm old and uncool. My journal writing certainly raises eyebrows!

 

And this is the point at which I cracked it. The bed. More specifically the matress. The floor, hell, a concrete slab would have been more comfortable. And I made the mistake when checking out to mention this to the owner (in my bumbling, can't tell a lie way) so it was no surprise I did not get a refund for the unstayed night (but annoying). So I headed to the riverfront to an upmarket hotel and got a room in the 13th floor with a view of the Dragon Bridge. And the afore mentioned bathrobe time took place.

I did manage to visit two museums in Danang. The most famous the the Cham Museum which is widely known and advertised. So with high expectations I paid my 40,000 dong and headed in. Worst. Museum. Ever. And I've seen some doozies in the region but at least they had charm. This was just contemptable. Priceless artifacts concreted into the walls and whitewashed badly, open air, very little interpretation and an air of neglect. Awful.

Sigh!

Less visited is the Museum of Danang. A little neglected to be sure but at least some attempt as labeling and interpretation was made. Though I wasn't sure whether to laugh or be shocked by the use of craft shop googly eyes on mounted specimens...

Makes him look friendly doesn't it?

So I didn't really jive on Danang but I didn't get to the beach, or out of the city. I really just wandered. And when half the streets are being dug up to lay cable it colours your perspective somewhat. Next and final stop - Ho Chi Minh City.

Corn drink - not traditional, part of Danang's ongoing sense of invention when it come to food apparently. Appeared a couple of years ago. Will not be revisiting.

Loving Hue

Ah, crappy backpacker buses. I'd almost forgotten them. Until I moved on from Hoi An to Hue. Leg room that even I found painful and a pitiful gust of warm air masquerading as air conditioning. But it got me there, through rather than over the Hai Van Pass in a tunnel so long I started nervously eyeing the emergency exits cut into the mountain. But daylight came as did eventually our arrival into Hue. Smack into the middle of backpacker row. Last trip I visited Hue twice, once after crossing over from Laos and again with D after Tet in Hoi An. Then, as I did now I stayed in an alleyway of cheap hotels closer to the bridge. In fact I stayed at the same hotel, Sunny's though the difference being they'd knocked down the front and rebuilt it with the older rooms surviving behind. I scored a $10 room in the new building with a balcony overlooking the alley where I sat and watched the world go by. My first day felt like a greatest hits album, hitting the places and experiences I'd had before. A fried egg baguette at Cafe on Thru Wheels, Indian for dinner at Omar's around the corner, a beer at Pallets a cute little bar a few doors up and bun bo hue for breakfast from the lady who sets up at the top of the alley in the morning. But I then explored more and can honestly say I really love Hue. Its not all that touristy, in fact seems quite reluctant to fully embrace tourism and it's a place that takes some exploring to uncover its charms. For me its the food and the history.

I started my first full day on the most uncomfortable single speed bike in South East Asia - I was in agony after 2 hours but I packed lots into it. On my to do list was riding around the citadel that surrounds the Imperial Palace. I took the first gate and turned right following the outer wall which gave way to waterways and ponds, glimpsing the ancient next to the new and the bustle of daily life. I then headed out and rode 3 kms to the Thein Mu pagoda which overlooks the Perfume River. The pagoda itself is kinda cool but as always it's the unexpected that makes the biggest impression. In a small chapel (or whatever the Buddhist equivalent is) a ceremony was taking place and I stood transfixed by the beautiful, melodic chanting and singing of the monks. At the back of the complex is another monument of some sort but I could see some sort a view behind the glade of pine trees and outer wall. As I peered over I was greeted with the sight of a cemetary stretching into the distance.

Later I would ride through it before linking back up with the main road. I had just enough energy to get back to town for provisions at the supermarket before collapsing for a bit back in my room! Later I had another wander and eventually found a food stall I'd been told about that served banh ep. Its a rice, egg and mango crepe topped with greens and dipped into a firey chilli dipping sauce. The crepes kept coming until I signaled I'd had enough. And the price of this deliciousness? 10,000 dong - 60 cents!

I also reaquainted myself with the local beer, Huda, my favourite Vietnamese beer. The next day I'd booked an afternoon tour out to the emperor tombs, too far to ride so I mini bussed it with a bunch of day trippers. We visited 3 and they were all different from each other and facinating in their own ways. Minh Mang was emperor 1820-40 and his 28 hectare tomb complex was surrounded by lakes and forest with the various gates and temples in a line down the middle. The most beautiful part was a pleasure garden he had constructed during his reign. The complex in in good condition after restoration.

Next was Khai Dinh, the puppet emperor of the French who's tomb is a moment as much to concrete as a king the previous emperor was deposed and exiled to La Reunion). But it's quite beautiful in its decorative monochrome. Next was the obligatory visit to a "craft village" to see incense being made (and sold to tourists).

And then Tu Duc, I think my favorite of the three and the one I wish I'd had more time at. It's a big, rambling complex and very run down though it is being restored. Then it was off to the river for a cruise in a boat with dragons on the front (I hesitate to actually call it a dragon boat) which was very pleasant.

All that remained of my 2 days was another fab food experience before beer and bed in rediness for the train to Danang the next day. All regions and cities in Vietnam have their own speciality dishes and one of Hue's is Com Hen - rice with baby clams. I found a popular restaurant in a street not far from the hotel (guided by the interwebs) and sat down to the slight confusion of the staff who relaxed when they saw how much I enjoyed it. Most noodle and rice dishes here a a complex mix of protein, herb, vegetable and sauces. Com hen had rice and clams sure but also crunchy rice crackers (or possibly fried pork skin - not sure) and herbs and topped with chilli. Mix thoroughly and enjoy. The accompanying clam soup/stock I didn't like quite so much but the pork paste steamed in banana leaves to make a sort of sausage/luncheon meat I did like. And again astonishingly cheap at $1.80.

I think Hue is my favourite place in Vietnam which I know sounds like a big call, but I like that you have to explore to get the most out of it. Next stop Danang, somewhere I have only passed through previously.

 

Wine time in Hoi An

An uneventful flight on a really old Vietnam Airlines plane took me from Hanoi to Danang and my prearranged car took me to my booked guesthouse in Hoi An. On this trip I'm starting to shed my compulsion to do things the hard way. Sure its not 5 star and private drivers, I don't want to insulate myself too much, but its good for the equalibrium! My homestay, a guesthouse that Mrs Nhung and her extended family run and live in on An Hoi islet was lovely. And the location was perfect, 5 minutes on foot to the Old Town and around the corner from the late night backpacker bars that have multiplied since my last visit. Old Town is still like being in a movie set though all the shops selling the same same tourist tat is a bit depressing. But lovely restaurants, cafes and the occasional unique shop are still there too thankfully. My favourite is Reaching Out which employes people with disabilities who make the most exquisite jewelry and homewares. They also run a gorgeous tea shop staffed by deaf women.

 

My four days passed with many coffees, book in hand. And a run of shopping on my last day. But the highlight was a street food tour I did. Phuoc, who also runs cooking classes (which are run by every second restaurant in Hoi An it seems) to diversify runs Coconut Tours. For 3 1/2 hours Phuoc lead me through the backstreets of Hoi An tasting the most amazing dishes, introducing me to the vendors and their specialities. There were honestly too many to list without boring you dear reader but suffice to say I ticked many of my 'want to try' boxes while some dishes were completely new to me. Highlights were duck congee with blood pudding and then river snails, which I failed dismally to suck from their shells much to the amusement of the school kids around me. Apparently its a popular after school snack. Certainly more exotic than the cereal and 2 minute noodles of my childhood! Phuoc tried to talk me into trying duck embryo but I demurred. I had to laugh when he admitted he doesn't like them either! Honestly, if you find yourself in Hoi An, do this tour.

Duck congee

The snails are on the left covered in chili and spring onion. The red things in the foreground are dried beef wrapped in rice paper then grilled.

 

The heat of the first week of the trip dissipated into rain about which I'm not sad - it really cools things down. So all activites took place between showers. I did get on a bike and headed to the beach but the weather is such the waves are fierce and the beach damp and closed to swimming. But the view is interesting, the sea and the sky are the same colour and they blend so it's hard to make out the horizon. (Not necessarily in this picture but on the bus ride from Hoi An to Hue I experienced it :-)

 

Other than that, the discovery of a wine bar selling dry French Rose was the height of excitement for me in Hoi An! And it was nice to escape the insanity of Hanoi. Next stop Hue.