::: Western Vietnam Short Ride

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Howdy...

I haven't put on my riding gears for quite a long time, might be since Oct2012. Hmmm that's too much!

Actually I had done a quite long trip with my family by my SUV from Hochiminh City to North of Vietnam during Tet holiday (lunar new year Feb2013), the trip took me almost 3 weeks and aprox 3200miles.

Can't wait any longer to be riding my VFR again, so that why I made this trip last weekend.

Departed from HCM City early morning.

Unlike the other trips, I rode further south, to the area called Vietnam western.

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See the trip tracklog here if you like: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1173002
 

Don't know why but all four riders that day were born in the years of horse!! What a funny thing. Three horses in the same year, and one is 12years older.

Here we are:

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A quick rest after the breakfast:

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This bad horse was rude to my left saddle bag:

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Sign of country side, flat and green:

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This is my first trip after replacing my rear tire. Now I am using Avon sport tire. Can't say much as it's new, and I haven't got a single chance for cornering.

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A light lunch - fish noodle - a kind of special of the place:

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We reached the most south point of the trip:

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The signboard teach people that there are two kind of seafood, which could be eaten and the other is very dangerous, you can eat, but the toxic inside that thing will kill you right away (tetrotodocine is the name of the toxic, as said by the board - I have no idea about it).

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Further left from that signboard, we went to an estuary.

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The river is in front of us. The East Sea is on out left.

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Can you imagine that there was land until about 200m further on the water now?! Yeah, it was land, was village with people living there.

But due to the waves from sea, the land keep to be collapsed. Then the village soon disappeared. People lost the houses. They have to move further inland to live.

Stopped here for some drinks:

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Oldest horse - was coming back from CA. Yeah, he 's living there.

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We were super surprised that came so many kids around the bikes just some minutes after we stopped the bike:

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Yeah, this may be their first time seeing such big bikes. At their age, I had no chance.

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See how the boys excited and curious:

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This big boy was excited with his sugar cane juice. I don't think he can have this in the US:

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I was stationed in DaNang 1967-1968 , most of the bikes I saw back then were little Hondas modified to carry about 10 people around. kinda like little buses.

Beautiful countrysides, It would be a blast to see it again someday.

Nice pic's as usual...........

Always a pleasure to read and see your ride post Viet Horse. Thanks for posting.

I want to try a glass of sugar cane juice.   I also wonder how you can determine an edible crab from a poisonous one?

Glad to see you riding again.  Keep the photos and posts coming.

Nice you are feeding the enthusiasm for riding to a whole new generation. Nice report.

Thank you all.

@telepops: I was born after that time however we have learned that was hard but glory time of Vietnam. I met quite numbers of US ppl who had been around that area. There is a colleague of mine was there as well. It's now pretty much different from what you have seen, even since the last 5 years. You still can find such little buses here and there, but mostly on the back roads.

@Lee: good question! I also have asked the local, and they said it's not easy for knowing which is which. There are some little differences between them. The experienced local can recognize them easily. So the signboard kinda awareness to people, that they would not catch and eat them freely unless consult with the experienced or professional people.

A little divert from this - In Vietnam, we have lots of poisonous stuff (vegetable, animal, fish, etc...), the eater could be vomiting, dizzy, unconscious, or even dead. However, the experienced people they know how to do eating, how to cook, how to make it safe, and many people like to eat those.

So the same as above thing, they can remove some specific parts of its body, so people can eat.

We then went to a nearby fish port, where is the work-base of all the fishers here.
Here is a typical bridge of this area, small, but high.
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There are lots of small small rivers around this area. So they have to build small bridge like that to fit with their budget and also daily needs. They also use small boats for their daily traveling and living, so that why the bridge need to be raised quite high to let the boats can go underneath.
 

The fish port entrance:
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Inside the small local port:
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Most of the boats are still out at sea:
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That small boat is used for fishing around 150Nm away from land.
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They are drying Squid:
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Smell here is awesome.. LOL...
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Close up:
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Which is more Hp??
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Now, not only kids:
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Then we were invited to have lunch with buddy's relative there.

Kidding me!? Gotta cross this bridge!??

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Nah... that's not a good idea:

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But the dishes were tempting...

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Done the dinner, we head backward for around 30km to the town.

Dark came very fast as there is no lights on the road, no vehicle on the road as well.

There came to the local ferry lucky us - it was still working whilst we came - it's smallest ferry I've ever seen. Look like it's family owned ferry.

We all got on the ferry deck and made so much surprise to the ferry owner. They asked us lots of question and make the ferry went really slow.

Finally, we got to the other side of the river. Here you can see the ferry:

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The GS was too big so take a little more time to make a return:

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It was really nice experience.

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We reached Bac Lieu town by around 19hrs. Just nice. Checked in the hotel then we went for some more beers, and chit chat until mid-night.

Trung nice pix's.

Thanks Switchblade. It's always fun to get on the road with VFR and great buddies. Missing you guys now!!

----------------------

Sunday morning, after a morning coffee session, we wrapped up and headed home.

We soon got to visit the castle of one of the most famous rich young man during 19th century.

A bit brief about those people, they were the richest people of the area that time, extravagant, generous... Lots of anecdotal about them which being kept telling until now.

For example, they bought the most expensive cars, buy jetplane to go gambling, paying money to become the King for a week, burnt money (cash) to cook meals, renting several cars just to carry his bag, his glasses, his hat, his pet, etc... for his trip to visit the City.... etc...

Well, and how his castle looks like now:

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This was built in 1919. Designed by a French architect and constructed with many imported materials:

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Now the castle has been restored to be come a 10 room hotel, however, people say that it still as the original construction.

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It's built in 1919 and still much bigger than what I dream for my house now!!

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We did a quick stop on Can Tho Bridge:

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Another stop for drink:

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I then bought these bringing home as gift of this beautiful western.

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It's short trip, but fun and really meaningful.

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very nice as always, thx for sharing V

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The VFR looks good, the guy  that painted  it did a hell of a job.

very nice as always, thx for sharing V

Thank you for your continuous support.

The VFR looks good, the guy  that painted  it did a hell of a job.

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One of my colleague who is a US biker saw my VFR with his own eyes both before and after it was repainted.

I almost failed to convince him that is one bike only. He did not believe me because the paint job was done so perfect.

I think Wrestler should say something about his new fairing as well.

Great stuff, Trung.  So glad to see you are riding again. Yes, as soon as I finish putting the grommets on the bike today and replacing the fasteners, I will take pics.  Whoever your guy is, he is amazing. The paint match is picture perfect. And, very importantly, the price was truly right. Even after the high shipping cost, it was a super bargain. 

TRUNG, VIETHORSE, IS THE MAN!!!!!

Great stuff, Trung.  So glad to see you are riding again. Yes, as soon as I finish putting the grommets on the bike today and replacing the fasteners, I will take pics.  Whoever your guy is, he is amazing. The paint match is picture perfect. And, very importantly, the price was truly right. Even after the high shipping cost, it was a super bargain. 

TRUNG, VIETHORSE, IS THE MAN!!!!!

Just in time for TMac.....

I want to try a glass of sugar cane juice.   I also wonder how you can determine an edible crab from a poisonous one?

Glad to see you riding again.  Keep the photos and posts coming.

An inmate tells me that the poisonous one is female as its eggs contains toxic particular.

And that crab is also called HOREshoe crab! Dang! Just began the story with all four riders were born in the year of HORSE, then now talking about the poisonous Horseshoe crab....!!! Funny....

I don't think horseshoe crabs here in the US are poisonous...

http://www.beach-net...eshoe-crabs.php

Well, looks like maybe just the eggs (roe) are eaten.  They are not really crabs but are  in the Class Mesostomata.

Great stuff, Trung.  So glad to see you are riding again. Yes, as soon as I finish putting the grommets on the bike today and replacing the fasteners, I will take pics.  Whoever your guy is, he is amazing. The paint match is picture perfect. And, very importantly, the price was truly right. Even after the high shipping cost, it was a super bargain. 

TRUNG, VIETHORSE, IS THE MAN!!!!!

Just in time for TMac.....

Special gift from Switchblade. Too bad that I can't bring it to TMac...

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I don't think horseshoe crabs here in the US are poisonous...

http://www.beach-net...eshoe-crabs.php

Well, looks like maybe just the eggs (roe) are eaten.  They are not really crabs but are  in the Class Mesostomata.

I've never tried a horseshoe crab. However I don't think they are warning for nothing.

Here and there show very few info of that thing.

http://www.rightdiag...oning/intro.htm

Man... Just finished watching an episode of Top Gear, where they had to travel from Hanoi to Ha Long. Between the stuff I saw in that episode, and the pictures you post up... Makes me want to go visit and take a nice long bike ride. Beautiful scenery, and the food looks amazing!

Now if I could just remember the Vietnamese I was so fluent in when I was 4...  LOL

Great picture diary of your ride Trung.

I rented a 1983 VF750F in Thailand and rode up close to Cambodia and back down through Bangkok before returning to Pattaya Beach but that was so long ago.

Good people, great topography, would love to get back ther some time.

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Hey that looks   GOOOOOOOD   Trung   !!!!

Amazing pics! :happy:   Sorry for OT, I have similar keyring... [image: IMG 0917]

Album: My Gallery

1 images 0 comments

Amazing pics! :happy:   Sorry for OT, I have similar keyring...

Thanks.

Switchblade, pls confirm if Pata's keyring is genius. LOL...

Amazing pics! :happy:   Sorry for OT, I have similar keyring...

Thanks.

Switchblade, pls confirm if Pata's keyring is genius. LOL...

Yours was made in Vietnam    .....

Hey that looks   GOOOOOOOD   Trung   !!!!

It's now my FB cover photo. Miss you guys so much!!!! :beer:

Backatya            !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!