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  1. #51
    Thailand Expat
    Marmite the Dog's Avatar
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    By this time, I had hooked up with a chatty Irishman called Marcus. We were eager to catch the evening's rugby matches, so we thought to pop into the Spotted Cow as they might be showing it. Unfortunately, they only had UBC, so it was football or football.



    The beer situation was pretty desperate too. I had to have another Halida!



    We needed to find somewhere pretty quickly, if we were going to catch the start of the England - Italy game. Aparently, the Hilton were showing it, but when we got there, they announced that UBC weren't showing it. Luckily, a pair of Hanoi expates were walking out at the same time as us, and took us to another hotel (Somerset Grand) and then up to Jaspas Bar on the 4th floor. Within 2 minutes the game had kicked off and I was supping a local stout, called Amber. Much better.



    After about 6 of them, I had a few of these.



    After the rugby finished I found myself in an Irish bar, but after another pint of Amber (probably), I thought it would be a wise move to go home.

  2. #52
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    I noticed the tiger beer coaster. Beer for me in Vietnam is sorted

  3. #53
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    Marmite the Dog's Avatar
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    ^ I am constantly amazed by Australians' lack of taste.

  4. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
    a chatty Irishman
    Are there Irishmen who aren't chatty?

  5. #55
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    How about some sightseeing photos. Tourist attractions. You know, photos of the corney stuff tourist do when not watching ball games or drinking beer.

  6. #56
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    ^ I will sort out those pics this evening and post them tomorrow.

  7. #57
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    Great thread. Thanks.

  8. #58
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    OK, after my late night on Saturday, I had to be up early on Sunday to do the tourist thing. I had a driver and a guide waiting for me after breakfast.

    First stop was Ho Chi Min's Mausoleum. We weren't allowed to take cameras into the mausoleum, but he looks like a waxwork dummy with a whispy goatee. I think the mausoleum was Soviet designed.



    Then I had a look at the Presidential Palace.



    Before heading over to the National Museum.


  9. #59
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    Inside the museum were lots of records pertaining to dead soldiers. Needless to say, I didn't bother photographing them. I did like some of the sculptures.






  10. #60
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    Next stop was the Museum of Ethnology.

    Inside were artifacts from most of the different ethnic groups living in Vietnam. Some were familiar to me (Hmong & Thai) and some were not (Lolo & Cham).

    Outside were some cool houses. This is a Bahnar communial house.



    And this is an Ede longhouse (42 metres). There are two sets of steps; one for women and one for men.



    This is a Giarai tomb. The carved people accompany then dead person into the afterlife, and most are celebrations of fertility.


  11. #61
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    For some strange reason, Vietnamese couples liked to have wedding pictures taken here.




  12. #62
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
    I did like some of the sculptures.
    Why is there a sculpture of what looks like an old Edsel?

  13. #63
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    After lunch, I had a look at the silk village. This was about 20kms out of town.

    These are used to spin the silk thread.



    This is a bolt of silk cloth being woven.



    And this is the set of punch cards which tell the machines what pattern to weave.



    You could buy all sorts of clothing in a multitude of nearby shops.

  14. #64
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    We returned to town and went to the Temple of Knowledge. This was Vietnam's first university and is around 1000 years old.







    I think this was my favourite part of the trip as (apart from the ignorant Korean tourists) it was nice and peaceful.

  15. #65
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    This young lady was filming a video along to some terrible music. My guide liked her because she looked strong. I told him to go and get her number, but he was scared of his wife.


  16. #66
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    The last stop on the day was at the Hoa Lo Prison. This was built by the Frogs and was then used by the Viets to hold American POWs. Most of the compound is now taken up by the Somerset Hotel where I had got drunk the previous night. Spooky...(not)

    The original front doors.



    One of the communial prison rooms.



    A relief showing the Frogs being nasty to the Vietnamese political prisoners.

    Last edited by Marmite the Dog; 14-02-2007 at 10:38 AM.

  17. #67
    Thailand Expat
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    For those who value their privacy, private cells were available. These ones were used for important political prisoners just before they were executed.



    This was in the courtyard and is their memorial to all those Vietnamese prisoners who were captured because of their srtuggle for freedom from the tyrannical French and their effeminate ways.



    Then I had dinner, and went home.

  18. #68
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    Are your movements restricted there or are you allowed to go whereever you want?

  19. #69
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    Ahem, Marmite is there as a tourist, why he takes pics of prison cells, goodness knows, but he's not confined to one.

  20. #70
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    Excellent report! Two thumbs up!

  21. #71
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    Great thread marmite... camera operating nicely I see.

    E. G.

  22. #72
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    i dare say when u come to Jakarta you'll see (and photograph)more of te city in a weeken than i bother to see in a year!

  23. #73
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog View Post
    ^ I am constantly amazed by Australians' lack of taste.
    We are just easy to please and are a pleasure to travel with as we don't ever complain about the local beer

    Good thread btw.

  24. #74
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    Quote Originally Posted by ceburat View Post
    Are your movements restricted there or are you allowed to go whereever you want?
    Even when I worked in Hanoi in the early 90's you could travel pretty much anywhere you wanted. I think you weren't supposed to photograph bridges and airports, but nobody seemed to give a toss.

  25. #75
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    Did you get me any coffee big boy???

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