The Train to Ninh Binh

Train 1

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March 23

We had a great relaxing 11 hour train ride from Hue to Ninh Binh. We enjoyed the private sleeper cars, each big enough for four people. We were able to enjoy playing cards and consuming many cans of “333” beer as well as some wine and vodka, which made the trip extremely enjoyable. The scenery was beautiful with the limestone hills jutting out from the green rice fields. In Ninh Binh we stayed at the Thuy Anh Hotel, a nice 5 story building with no elevator. Guess which floor we were on?

March 24

We had a great day visiting some of the historical sites and enjoyed a boat trip at Tam Coc on the Ngo Dong River. It was very scenic, but it was very touristy and the locals were so pushy trying to sell you many wares along the way. There are also boats that came up along side and tried to sell you drinks and treats. If you said no, they would ask you to buy a drink for your paddlers. If you do the paddlers turn around and sell it back to the vendor for half what you paid.

Train 2

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Dinner tonight was at a local restaurant where English was not spoken or written on the menus. Our guide did all the ordering for us. A group of locals that were also there for dinner came over and offered us local rice Vodka that was made in their home province. We toasted with them and they were so happy they were shaking our hands and kissing us. It was great fun. They gave us another bottle as a gift for consumption at a later date. Some of the group decided this was the night to try a few new culinary treats. We enjoyed deer and water buffalo as well as dog meat that our guide had ordered for everyone to try. It came out very rare with the skin still attached. They also served the liver and stuffed intestine. Roger had to force himself to try it only because it was served very rare. He said that it was actually not too bad. There was no way I could try it. Some people said that it tasted like lamb. Most of the group tried it but some had a little trouble keeping it down, I think it was because some of them dipped it in shrimp paste which smelled disgusting. On the way out of the restaurant we examined many different types of rice “wine” in which they add different things like goat testicles, scorpions, King Cobra snakes and insects of many kinds. A great evening was had by all.