Hunting Uncle Ho, The 'Bears Vietnam Journey
#1
10-10-2012, 10:49 AM
Hunting Uncle Ho, The 'Bears Vietnam Journey
Day 1
So, it all looked good on paper, leave home at 5 AM, three flying machine trips and by 9 PM that night we'd be enjoying the sights and sounds of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
Wrong!
Mrs SB and I were absolutely knackered after nearly 22 hours of travel by the time we showered in our hotel room that night. We had a long day and didn't take into account the fact that we were gaining time all day during the flights! What was 9 PM was local time, was well after 2 AM where we had come from. The light and noise show from the overnight monsoon was mind boggling.
Day 2
Still, 6 hours sleep and were ready to explore. As a bit of history -I joined the Royal Australian Navy as a 15 year old Junior Recruit in 1976 - mere months after the fall of Saigon, so the Vietnam War era has always held great fascination for me.
Mrs SB and I walked through a few markets in the steamy, spice laden morning and eventually made our way to the Independence Palace (the renamed Imperial Palace). This was the place where the footage filmed by the late, great Aussie war correspondent Neil Davis went worldwide of the two North Vietnamese tanks busting through the Imperial Palace gates.....
These gates and........
This tank.
Tha Palace shrieks 50's era decor but is fascinating, expecially the command bunkers beneath the structure.
The humidity and 30 plus celsius heat made drinking water and lots of it important, but eventually your taste buds cry out for excitement. So we found a little shop that speciallised in coffee or fruit based concoctions.
Mrs SB enjoying a strawberry cocoa thingy whilst my Titanic consisting of a whole list of heart stopping/artery clogging goodness awaits my pleasure.
We visited the War Remnants Museum, the Notre Dame Basillica and then walking home came across a bike shop with some very special machines on display - not the least a Steam Punk Harley.
Too blingy for a good shot with my camera
but the detail work was superb. In my minds eye, I can see Shadow tearing down some South African back road with his robes 'a streamin' in the wind
Had a few beers ($1 AUD each
) over a superb seafood dinner (with a slightly eccentric American lady delivering political discourse) and sat back and watched the light show as the monsoon moved in for the night.
Early night tonight as we are off at 7 AM in the morning for our flight to Hanoi. We'll start hunting renters of bikes tomorrow afternoon.
Catch you later.
Cheers, The travelling 'Bears.
So, it all looked good on paper, leave home at 5 AM, three flying machine trips and by 9 PM that night we'd be enjoying the sights and sounds of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
Wrong!
Mrs SB and I were absolutely knackered after nearly 22 hours of travel by the time we showered in our hotel room that night. We had a long day and didn't take into account the fact that we were gaining time all day during the flights! What was 9 PM was local time, was well after 2 AM where we had come from. The light and noise show from the overnight monsoon was mind boggling.
Day 2
Still, 6 hours sleep and were ready to explore. As a bit of history -I joined the Royal Australian Navy as a 15 year old Junior Recruit in 1976 - mere months after the fall of Saigon, so the Vietnam War era has always held great fascination for me.
Mrs SB and I walked through a few markets in the steamy, spice laden morning and eventually made our way to the Independence Palace (the renamed Imperial Palace). This was the place where the footage filmed by the late, great Aussie war correspondent Neil Davis went worldwide of the two North Vietnamese tanks busting through the Imperial Palace gates.....
These gates and........
This tank.
Tha Palace shrieks 50's era decor but is fascinating, expecially the command bunkers beneath the structure.
The humidity and 30 plus celsius heat made drinking water and lots of it important, but eventually your taste buds cry out for excitement. So we found a little shop that speciallised in coffee or fruit based concoctions.
Mrs SB enjoying a strawberry cocoa thingy whilst my Titanic consisting of a whole list of heart stopping/artery clogging goodness awaits my pleasure.
We visited the War Remnants Museum, the Notre Dame Basillica and then walking home came across a bike shop with some very special machines on display - not the least a Steam Punk Harley.
Too blingy for a good shot with my camera
but the detail work was superb. In my minds eye, I can see Shadow tearing down some South African back road with his robes 'a streamin' in the wind
Had a few beers ($1 AUD each
) over a superb seafood dinner (with a slightly eccentric American lady delivering political discourse) and sat back and watched the light show as the monsoon moved in for the night.Early night tonight as we are off at 7 AM in the morning for our flight to Hanoi. We'll start hunting renters of bikes tomorrow afternoon.
Catch you later.
Cheers, The travelling 'Bears.
Last edited by Sebastionbear1; 10-10-2012 at 11:01 AM.
#2
10-10-2012, 02:58 PM
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Cool photos and a great read so far! Thanks for allowing us to join you and your Mrs. on your journey
That chopper photo is pretty cool. What make of Honda was that in the background? I can see "CBR", but can't tell what kind it is. I never knew CBR's had single sided swingarms, aside from custom ones...
That chopper photo is pretty cool. What make of Honda was that in the background? I can see "CBR", but can't tell what kind it is. I never knew CBR's had single sided swingarms, aside from custom ones...
#3
10-10-2012, 04:20 PM
February 2012 ROTM
#4
10-10-2012, 05:14 PM
#6
10-11-2012, 07:23 AM
Cool photos and a great read so far! Thanks for allowing us to join you and your Mrs. on your journey
That chopper photo is pretty cool. What make of Honda was that in the background? I can see "CBR", but can't tell what kind it is. I never knew CBR's had single sided swingarms, aside from custom ones...
That chopper photo is pretty cool. What make of Honda was that in the background? I can see "CBR", but can't tell what kind it is. I never knew CBR's had single sided swingarms, aside from custom ones...
I am ashamed to say Matt, that I didn't investigate the Honda much at all. My guess is that it was a special as the shop had some pretty cool creations. The bling of the Steam Punk Chopper really caught my attention. There's a bit more of it in this photo - and not much room between bikes to get a good photo.
Cheers, SB
#7
10-11-2012, 08:38 AM
Day 3
What!? Still no bikes!
5 AM start to catch the 1700km flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi.
Landing in Hanoi we were collected at the airport by a hotel car and the differences between north and south Vietnam was immediately apparent!
South Vietnam could be seen as a capitalist communist state, but north seems a lot more........ummmmmm..........tightly bound. Landing at the airport you can see many fighter planes in their blast shelters and the road from the airport into the city for the first few kilometres along the airport boundary is lined by tall, grey, austere steel plating!
Logged into the pub we were staying at and went out and found some Pho (pronounced 'fur') for lunch. Decided to look for rental bikes in the morning, so walked around town looking at the shops and people.
Crossing the road here is an absolute experience as the traffic can appear totally chaotic. But it isn't!
If you think of the traffic as a communicating shoal of fish, that's about how it works. Crossing the road, it doesn't matter how busy it is, you step off the pavement and just walk at a slow steady pace and the chaos continues around you, with the shoal of bikes parting around you until you reach the other side. The first couple of times it is a bit nerve wracking, but once you get the hang of it, it's simple and safe
- well you tell yourself it is anyway.
Finished up the walking part of the day at the City View Cafe, 5 storeys up over looking Lake Hoan Kiem sipping Gin and Tonics.
The 'Bear imbibing a rare alcoholic beverage
G&T's - the discerning traveller's drink of choice. Mrs SB just likes them anyway.
A very small taste of the traffic with a lone pedestrian on the loose.
French Colonial architecture abounds
The view towards the lake and Ngoc San Temple on the island.
Tomorrow we find the bikes we are to ride for the next month!
Cheers, The travelling 'Bears
What!? Still no bikes!
5 AM start to catch the 1700km flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi.
Landing in Hanoi we were collected at the airport by a hotel car and the differences between north and south Vietnam was immediately apparent!
South Vietnam could be seen as a capitalist communist state, but north seems a lot more........ummmmmm..........tightly bound. Landing at the airport you can see many fighter planes in their blast shelters and the road from the airport into the city for the first few kilometres along the airport boundary is lined by tall, grey, austere steel plating!
Logged into the pub we were staying at and went out and found some Pho (pronounced 'fur') for lunch. Decided to look for rental bikes in the morning, so walked around town looking at the shops and people.
Crossing the road here is an absolute experience as the traffic can appear totally chaotic. But it isn't!
If you think of the traffic as a communicating shoal of fish, that's about how it works. Crossing the road, it doesn't matter how busy it is, you step off the pavement and just walk at a slow steady pace and the chaos continues around you, with the shoal of bikes parting around you until you reach the other side. The first couple of times it is a bit nerve wracking, but once you get the hang of it, it's simple and safe
- well you tell yourself it is anyway.Finished up the walking part of the day at the City View Cafe, 5 storeys up over looking Lake Hoan Kiem sipping Gin and Tonics.
The 'Bear imbibing a rare alcoholic beverage
G&T's - the discerning traveller's drink of choice. Mrs SB just likes them anyway.
A very small taste of the traffic with a lone pedestrian on the loose.
French Colonial architecture abounds
The view towards the lake and Ngoc San Temple on the island.
Tomorrow we find the bikes we are to ride for the next month!
Cheers, The travelling 'Bears
Last edited by Sebastionbear1; 10-11-2012 at 08:40 AM.
#8
10-11-2012, 09:01 AM
#10
10-11-2012, 10:07 AM
I can see Shadow tearing down some South African back road with his robes 'a streamin'
On THAT THING ? If I had my druther's I'd ruther be dead than ride that thing !!!!!!!!!!!
Trouble with robes is they are inclined to fly up and you end up looking like a large bat
(ask me how I know this)
Great pics SB glad you're having a good time.
Pfffft - bloody Harley - pffft again
And don't forget MY SS 50
OH and that's my kind of town - MORE BIKES THAN CARS !!!!
On THAT THING ? If I had my druther's I'd ruther be dead than ride that thing !!!!!!!!!!!
Trouble with robes is they are inclined to fly up and you end up looking like a large bat
(ask me how I know this)
Great pics SB glad you're having a good time.
Pfffft - bloody Harley - pffft again
And don't forget MY SS 50
OH and that's my kind of town - MORE BIKES THAN CARS !!!!