CHEAP BEERS

“HANOI HILTON”

The “Hanoi Hilton”(Maison Centrale) is a name coined by captured American pilots incarcerated in this central prison located smack bang in the centre of Hanoi city.

It had previously become infamous as a place of torture and misery by the French colonialists,who had originally built it in the early 19th century to hold common criminals,and later local revolutionaries fighting the French.

The conditions were absolutely abysmal and the building ( now a museum) shouts misery and depravation from every nook and cranny.

One can sense,....almost smell,the atrocities committed in this place!

The museum comes in for much criticism for its rendition of how American captives were treated here.

The present government (Communist) version is that they had a pretty great time with organized sports,.....good food,no torture,adequate clothing,church outings and the like.

Not likely,......but when one considers the effect of considerable and extensive bombings on the local population,and their treatment by the previous French colonialists,.....I reckon I’d probably have put the boot in now and then if I’d been a local😬

Senator McCarthy and a number of other ex-pilots who  were incarcerated here went on to become high ranking politicians and even presidential candidates. 

1st DAY HANOI

Slept like a baby last night from around 9pm but the 5 hour time difference tends to wake one up pretty early.

It gets light here at around 5am,which was about the time I noticed a bit of light seeping through the curtaining and decided to take a little jog around the lake situated a block away.

In virtually all of the many major cities I’ve visited in the past I’ve always been just a little reticent when going out into an awakening metropolis,where no one else is doing the same, and most residents look at me as though I’ve totally lost it!

Couldn’t believe my eyes,......straight out of the front door into a full on fresh produce market right down to the lake where literally thousands of residents of all ages were “working out” ,......jogging,cycling,walking,Tai chiing,dancing,yogaing,......you name it.

Most of these guys were doing this before setting off to work,.....some ladies clad in what was clearly their office wear,.....old farts my age and older,.....badminton players ( no net) with two racquets,..one in each hand.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!

In all my travels I’ve never seen anything like it!

Of course I had no camera with me but I shall definitely be running with one tomorrow😁

FIRST EVENING HANOI

The flight over was a pretty long one,,.....9 hours to Dubai, then a 3 hour stopover,.....followed by a 7 hour flight to Hanoi.

Look we’re used to it now when travelling but it was great to find that our hotel here is located smack bang in the heart of the old French quarter,....just a block away from the old French Cathedral,and 100 meters from the lake .

We’d been recommended ( hotel staff) to try one of the oldest (1966) little local restaurants for one of Hanoi’s specialities,......Bun cha for an early dinner before passing out.

Fried meatballs wrapped in spinach with tender pork pieces made in a type of broth,.....to which one adds noodles and greens,.....chili and garlic to soak up the most incredibly tasty broth🤪.....check out the pics.

And all of this,....with beers for the grand total of R120 for the lot.

Then a quick walk down to the lake,.....surrounded by coffee shops and the like,and back to the hotel for a good kip😁

(Temporary Backup) KAROO AGAIN😬

Couldn’t wait for our upcoming Vietnam trip so I booked a midweek at WILDERNESS DUNES tagged onto the back of a couple of days in the Karoo en route.First night was booked at one of my “favorites”,THE CALITZ,in Calitzdorp where the owners,Colleen and Chris kindly invited us to supper at the guesthouse with old friends of theirs,Trevor and Taryn.Awesome Karoo lamb and boerekos👍😁

Next day we set off toward Swartberg pass,via Groenfontein.Half way through,at Kruisrivier,one of my tyres shredded forcing us to detour back to Oudtshoorn to repair the damage and reinstate our spare.

Eventually we arrived at our destination,a sheep farm located just 8 kms outside Prince Albert,.....WOLVEKRAAL,....an amazing farm stay complete with inside fireplace and braai,with wood laid on.

Then on to Wilderness where we’ve spent the past 4 days with amazing weather considering we’re slap bang in the middle of Winter here.

SOME REAL OLDIES FROM THE 70’s

Ok have been trying unsuccessfully for a couple of days to upload pics to no avail.

As a last resort I deleted the app and and then pulled it back and it’s finally uploading pics!Wheww!!!!

Just checking

Had to download yet another app in order to post,.....the previous BLOGGER app also became defunct it seems??

Every year or two these apps seem to go belly up?

Let’s see if this one works?