If Angkor Wat is a true man-made marvel (doubters, see previous entry) then Halong Bay, Vietnam is an equally legitimate natural wonder. The islands of Halong are like Paris Hilton—they pop up in unexpected places, surprise you with their beauty, shock you with their defiance of natural and/or human law, and feature granite headlands. (Actually, we know the islands are made of limestone; investigations into the composition of Ms. Hilton are continuing.)
Just back from a 2-day, 1-night visit aboard the Halong Phoenix. Fabulous, highly recommended outing, which combined take-your-breath-away sightseeing, fun cave exploring, strenuous sea-kayaking, pleasant swimming & junk diving (alas, no photo of back-flip off the 2nd deck… ), and feasting on day-caught seafood & other local specialties. On top of which, cabins were roomy with nice private baths and, extravagantly, air conditioning. (I guess I should have expected luxury when I’ve shelled out a million … dong.)
The beauty of Halong is manifest, its appeal universal—as attested to by the diversity of tourists going in and the homogeneity of mood & expression of those coming out (all happiness, smiles all around … even from the Scandinavians). On the other hand, the subtle – but apparently insuperable – charms of Karaoke do not reveal themselves to just anyone. Our tour guides “treated” us to an evening of Karaoke aboard the Phoenix, in celebration of one travelling couple’s just-begun honeymoon. We 19 guests seemed not quite to “get it.” But, the 5 guides and crewmen who were participating were enraptured. They sang 80% of the songs – not frequently with competence, but always undeniably (even enviably) with glee. I’m not sure a poor rendition of Lionel Ritchie’s “Hello” constitutes an only-in-your-dreams wedding tribute—but I’m sure it made for an unforgettable one.
…This leads to the broader question of why there is so much old and/or bad (usually ‘and’) music here in Vietnam. I can buy an early cut of the next Indiana Jones movie on DVD from a guy in front of my hotel, so I know content availability isn’t an issue. Why isn’t anyone Karaoke-ing to, or for that matter listening to, the Bravery, Interpol, or even just the Killers?
1 comment:
These are wonderful observations and writing. What if you divide your future between Halloween costume planning and execution and being a travel writer?
This notion that Americans want to read brief pieces written at a high school level stems from the mistaken conclusion that we bail early from all long or complicated works. Nope, just the boring ones.
Good writing is a dish best served.
Keep typing.
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