Tapp's Travels

Late at night, (8 January) approaching 10.00 pm we were raided by the police.  Several young men with their green and red uniforms and huge peaked caps and clunky boots chambered aboard, marched up and down the deck and demanded to see the passenger and crew manifests.

(Obviously, we didn’t get all of this lot – and anyway it was dark at the time!)

They wanted to physically check that the passports (all held by Myo, the ship’s purser) matched the passenger list.  Then they wanted to physically see all the passengers.  We had been asleep when the “inspectors” boarded.  Glenda elected to stay firmly “asleep” under the duvet!  And I, standing in our doorway totally starkers (sorry about that mental image!), had to persuade them that it was definitely Mrs T that was in bed with me!  This charade went on for 45 minutes all round the boat.  They then confiscated the crew passports and escorted the Captain, the purser and Tifo, our guide, to their land-based police station.  It was 01.30 before all people who should have been aboard, were indeed back aboard again.  There was a strong rumour that 500 US dollars had changed hands to secure our freedom to continue the trip!  Apparently, this charade occurs most trips, sometimes several times.  To be fair, this was the only time we were exposed to this side of life in Vietnam (so far!).  (Although there was another rumour that the boat had been “inspected” more than once in our absence.)

In justification, we were told that there had been “some trouble” in a nearby village.  Furthermore, as a consequence, we were not going to be allowed to visit the silver engraving village.  The captain, purser and our guide were seen huddled round the ship’s computer screen.  They were consulting Google for a suitable, alternative outing.  They settled on Nam Dinh.  Another specialist village.  But not a single bit of silver engraving in sight.  This is a Bonsai Village.  Every single property we walked past was involved in the cultivation, development and (presumably) sale of the things.  Not a lawn in sight,  not a vegetable and certainly not an ordinary tree.  Not even a temple!  Bonsai everywhere!

We “parked” near a cross-river ferry and (presumably) bribed the ferry man to make a mid-river stop alongside Angkor Pandaw.   We all piled on and were delivered to shore for a walk round town.  All except Dave who was left on guard duty!

It might be noted that today, Vietnam announced that the air temperature in Hanoi was recorded at a maximum of 17°C, the lowest for a decade.  We can confirm that it’s been significantly chilly, especially in the early mornings.  Not in a northern European chilly sort of way, but we have been out and bought fleeces and scarves in anticipation of our trip to Sapa.  Anyway, back to the bonsai!

Some of the specimens had an actual purpose, like these sunshades.  But they’d be a bit heavy to move around!

Many came in matched pairs – Ying and Yang.

Others were just downright complicated!

… and some even replaced structural features.

Amazing!  And all of them commanded astronomical prices.  Well I guess 80 or 90 years of growth and at least three generations of carers means a very slow turnover.  Some the big ones were on sale for many tens of thousands of US dollars – and most of the valuable ones were only sold in pairs!  (Apparently, the current record or a pair of Ying and Yang fig trees from this area is US$ 118,000.)  I hesitate to think of that value in Vietnamese dong – but it would be north of three BILLION dong!

Local commercial transport – as seen on the walk back to the boat.

Little tricycle, two-stroke tractor things were beetling up and down the top of the levee.  Transporting new, silt-rich soil for nutrifying the bonsai trees.  And, after a pleasant two kilometre walk, back aboard by ferry.

This is a translation of the notice about ferry fees.  For the record, there are about 36,000 dong to the pound.

After our forced change of plans, we back-tracked a few kilometres up the Red River and turned left onto the Sông Ðam Nịng River.

Here we are waiting for the second cooked meal of the day!  We passed an innocuous looking jetty … with several river police boats moored alongside!

Police on two small motor launches were actively boarding two passing barges as we sailed serenely by …  Maybe the financial penalty system works for the local ships as well as cruise lines!  (It should be noted that we are the ONLY passenger boat in the area!)

The afternoon was constructively passed watching locals weaving basket handles …

… and hand-making poppadom-like crisp breads …

… and then cooking them over a much fanned charcoal fire

Now it’s time to become expert mat weavers.  These thin mats are used to sleep on.  Hard wooden benches topped with a thin layer of woven bamboo strips.  Not our idea of a comfortable bed!

Time for home!  A passing local family.

That evening  a local troupe of dancers and musicians came aboard to entertain us.  By this time we are on the River Ðáy – getting lost in the delta!

They even gained a new trainee!  When she qualifies, she gets a red dress and hat!

Tomorrow,  we will be going for a trip in a rowing boat at Ninh Binh.  Hope we don’t have to do the actual work!