Caving in Halong Bay

Photos courtesy of Taking5. All rights reserved.
Ever been in a karst cave before? This is what it's like in one of the larger caves in Halong Bay, Vietnam. As it's part of the Unesco Heritage Site area, the cave has been lit with a few bright lights within all the better to see with. However if you're unsteady on your feet or claustrophobic, don't. It's a steep climb up stairs often without a handrail and the cave can be a little moist on the ground. So wear decent shoes and go slow.

I've seen karst landscapes before in Kedah, Malaysia so none of this was a surprise to me although it has to be said this was the largest limestone cave I've been in yet. I also saw temperate climate limestone scenery in England but there, they have a whole activity called caving in which one has to don special suits etc and it is a much more adventurous sport than the casual tourist walk in Halong Bay.

The best bit was coming out of the cave and seeing the large stone legs overhanging as if someone up there was enjoying the vista across Halong Bay too.

Swimming Beauty

Swimming Beauty
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Sadly it wasn't quite the right time to go swimming in Hanoi in spite of the very inviting pool in the Somerset Westlake Serviced Apartment we stayed at. But any excuse to buy this bag will do and I was delighted not just with the gorgeous girl embroidered so delicately but that they had put in a waterproof lining and the zip was a hidden one. This little shop of embroidered treasures where I discovered this, is called Tan My Embroidery

Naturally after being enchanted with that bag, I rifled greedily through their carefully laid out selection of bags and selected a few others as gifts for people I knew back home. I have to say what I liked was the marriage of a 700 year old traditional craft in Vietnam to comtemporary designs and objects which can be used. Useful art or design is a whole lot easier to buy than something which simply hangs on one's wall, although that certainly has its place too and the embroidered art pieces were certainly stunning.

I'd say this shop isn't cheap. I guess the picture of Laura Bush shaking the hand of the proprietor should have given me a clue as to why all the items were priced in USD so don't expect a bargin. However, they do deliver high quality contemporary embroidery that can be put to good use whether it's duvets, bedsheets, pillow cases, a blouse or two, or a shoebag.