2014-12-04-Day15: Cambodia!

We took it easy in the morning, enjoyed the luxury suite, had breakfast, packed, etc. Then it was off to the airport to fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Made it to our hotel, had an early dinner. Tomorrow it's off to see the temples!

2014-12-03-Dy14: Ha Long Bay & Thien Cung Grotto

Day 2 of our cruise, we went to a SPECTACULAR cave in the bay called Thien Cung Grotto. One of the most spectacular caves I've been in. All of us loved it, but Matthew's highlight was standing on a bridge deep in the cave an doing his best Gandalf, "You Shall Not PAAASSSS!". Jenny's highlight was buying absolutely dirt-cheap pearl jewelery from the locals.

I'll post some pics later, but here's someone else's pic from the grotto:

We were back on land by noon, then bussed back to Hanoi.

Our hotel upgraded us to a penthouse suite, which was lovely. We went out in the evening and saw a water puppet show, then had dinner and did a little more shopping.

[update: added a few pics]

Siblings at dinner

Tom's hair getting out of control. Will need to get him a haircut here.

Boys in the boat, rowing out to see a fishing village.

Jenny tries here hand at making spring rolls during an on-ship cooking class.

Attempted (and failed) night time squid fishing

Jenny in Ha Long Bay.

Thien Cung grotto.

Walking Hanoi

Buying fruit before our flight to Cambodia

2014-12-02-Day13: Ha Long Bay

After spending some time exploring Hanoi last night, we had dinner in a rooftop restaurant to enjoy the view. Today we took a bus for a few hours to get to Ha long Bay, one of the 'new 7 natural wonders of the world', which is to say that it made *someone's* top-7 list and is very pretty.

There we took an overnight cruise. On the first day, we enjoyed the view, and got a rowboat tour of a floating fishing village. In the evening, the boys and I tried our hand at squid-fishing. We were unsuccessful but did see many of them.

The boys and I walking in Hanoi

 

 

2014-12-01-Day12: Hanoi

Left the hot springs in Hue, took an hour's taxi ride to the airport, flew up to Hanoi.

Had the afternoon to do some sightseeing, but apparently, the sites include our blond-headed children. Jenny's had MANY women unable to resist reaching out and touching her curls. Today, Tom and Matthew each had young ladies ask to pose with them for pictures.

 

 

Curious if customs will let me bring some of this local booze back. Never mind the tequila with the worm. This has a cobra and scorpion in it!

2014-11-30-Day11: Hot Springs and site seeing

Poor Jenny was under the weather again, so in the morning I took the boys to the pool for a while. Then Tom and I did the intermediate course on the high-wire adventure course, and did the half-km zip line.

Alisa took the boys in the afternoon to see the Imperial Citadel and a famous tomb as well.

2014-11-29-Day10: Hot Springs

Enjoyed the resort here. Soaked in the hot springs, played in the water slides, whole family did the beginner-level high-wire adventure course.

2014-11-28-Day9: Travel to Hue

Took the train from Denang up to Hue, where we drove an hour up to the Alba Thanh Hot Springs, a resort built around, well, hot springs.

Alisa on the train with a very-much-under-the-weather Jenny

 

 

Here's the route thus far: