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From the caves to Lang Co
We arrived back late from the cave expedition and stupidly before hadn't booked a bus for that night or the following morning. With 'Tet' which is the Vietnamese version of Chinese New Year fast approaching everyone was leaving to go and spend time with there family's and most shops had already shut.
All the sleeper buses and trains were fully booked but we were lucky enough to get the 5am local bus from Phong Nha to Hue. Awake before the cockerels were, we waited outside the hotel so we could flag the bus down. It came on time, probably because it was the first stop.
That 6 hour journey to Hue on the local bus was probably the funniest one we have had yet.
I fell asleep almost immediately, Chris however struggled. Something about Tet that really amuses me, is the songs. They probably have about 10 songs, all with the same beat. And this bus driver was blasting this same song out continuely for 6 hours- when I say blasting I'm talking standing next to a speaker in Fabric! I probably woke up every hour or so, to the sound of Chris effing and blinding, his curly hair bouncing up and down because of the bumpy bus and the same song pumping, and to me it was like he was bumping up and down to the sound of the track. From behind it looked like he was having a great time but his face was telling a different story.
I'm literally sitting here cracking up writing this because it was so funny. Every time I opened my eyes that same scene was occurring except with an added feature every hour. First there was the man getting on with a tree, which smacked Chris in the head. Chris swearing. Then I drifted off next thing I know a lady is changing her child's bum basically on Chris's lap, again from behind all I could see was this bobbing head and bundle of curls going to the beat but I could hear Chris moaning and swearing. Then the third hour with the bus absolutely packed now we stopped at a car wash. The bus driver got out locked everyone on and the guys outside started washing the bus down with jets - but there were two young boys asleep with the window open, getting absolutely soaked, they soon woke up. I was just cracking up at everyone's misfortune. It was like a scene from an Eminem music video with the same track playing and constant mis Haps and misery for everyone on there, a total piss take! Eminem would have played the bus driver in this music video I recon. Oh and I almost forgot the chickens that were on the bus, don't no what there cost of fare was haha!
So we arrived in Hue which is a main city only 2 hours from our desired destination Lang co. The usual harassment at the bus station occurred taxis and motorcycles arguing over us but we just wanted a coffee and some wifi to research what we wanted to do and what area to stay. We found a coffee shop. No wifi. It wasn't a coffee shop really it was the standard outdoor vendor with a 1m by 1m indoor space where they cook, wash and probably pee and tiny miniature plastic tables and chairs in the street. We ordered coffee, we got black tar and a cold cup of tea each. These 2 men on motorbikes where still on our tail, got to give them there dues they had been persistent for an hour now so we gave in and just got on there bikes. We wore helmets and probably went about 5 mph the whole way to the city with our luggage on there as well!
We found a lovely hotel, quite luxury for us £18a night, (£8 over budget) with an extremely comfortable bed and even our own computer suite included. I loaded it straight up and found as I had suspected, it had the original windows game 'space cadet pinball' on it. I remember when we first ever got a computer we used to sit there as children and play this game. I was literally in my element. Had a bath strolled around in my bath robe and slippers and played this game. Then we had to decide how long to stay here and when to head to Lang Co, normally this isn't too much of a trivial decision but there were several factors to consider this time.
A friend of mine and his wife who live in the UK are originally from Lang Co, and when we had first mentioned visiting Vietnam, Chucky had told me all about his village and said I must visit. So although we knew no one else who had ever been there, it was really important to me to go. And probably nicer that we had no information about the village. Problem was it was now the day before New Year's Eve, and as we hadn't heard from Chucky for a few days we were unsure wether it would be best for us to stay in the city for Tet (new year) or go to his village.
Chucky had sent me a message a week before saying when we get to Hue to let him know. So a few days later I messaged to say we arrive in Hue on the 17th of February and he responded with 'When you get to Lang Co head straight for the market and walk down and my houses is the tallest on the street ask my name they will know me',
Chris and I read this message over and over again trying to work out what to do, we thought he knows we are in Hue, he's given us directions to his home, lets just go. So with no trains running to Lang Co because of Tet we managed to find a tourist bus going to Hoi An that would drop us off in Lang co on its way.
We didn't really explore Hue at all before we left the next afternoon for Lang Co, which is a small regret of mine as we found out afterwards that it's the ancient capital so we probably would have enjoyed it. But we were just so happy in that hotel it was nice to have a day off from backpacking and just chill out. Like a Sunday in England. And I kinda thought, yeah a Temple great, but we have seen so many, a temple is a temple. I've been to more temples then I have to church and I'm a catholic!
So we arrive in Lang Co and head for the market. We are fairly used to being stared at around Asia but this was another level. All the kids wanted to talk to us, and as we reached the market with our rucksacks everyone was asking us, where are you going? Do you need a hotel? They were all laughing because they thought we were lost. With our instructions we carried on down the market until we saw this 3 story large white Victorian style house on the right hand side. It was the sort of house you would expect to see in Knightsbridge. Totally not what we had expected at all. We said 'Chucky Pham lives in London' and were ushered in by a man in a flat cap. He couldn't speak English but he pointed to a picture of Chucky on the wall in a family portrait and I was like YES Chucky! So he got on the phone we didn't know who he was talking to or what he was saying but we were given a cup of tea and just sat patiently.
15 minutes later Chucky and Cindy walked in, we couldn't believe it. They were home for Tet, such a lovely surprise. Chucky explained that it had been a last minute decision as his brother couldn't make it back so he was holding the fort for him in Wallington at the shop.
Chucky was surprised to see us so soon, he had assumed we would stay in Hue for Tet with the other tourists as they put on shows Ect and was worried we would be bored with him.
But we wanted to experience Tet how it should be done and what better way then with a local in a small village. After a catch up and some more tea he introduced us to all of his family who were all so lovely and then took us on a short tour of the village by foot.
Lang Co had only been around for 100 years, he showed us the first ever house to be built there and explained about all the other homes and there shapes and sizes. The one story little huts which is what I had imagined his home to be like we're the original ones built by the family when they first arrived in the village and the ones that were taller and more grand were because the children of the family home lived abroad so they would put money together to build the family home up and make it nicer for there parents. He pointed to homes, there children live in Australia, there children live in America, Canada, England and so on. It made us understand instantly far more of what we had already seen in Vietnam.
As we got to the end of the street we found ourselves on the beach. This village is surrounded by 15km of white sand almost like an island but still connected to the land by a main road. One side had a lagoon and across the bridge built by the French during the invasion, there was even a jungle and waterfall. This village had it all, I was absolutely blown away by its beauty.
The people that lived there reminded me SO much of the village in Malta my dad is from Haz Zebbug. Everyone out the front of there homes drinking and everyone knowing one another. Chucky was like a Lord! Everyone knew him we stopped so many times for him to speak to people, his aunties, uncles, cousins, school friends all there for Tet, I almost felt like I was in Zebbug with my family.
As everyone was home for Tet and Chucky hadn't expected us so soon his family home was full and the other house he had planned for us to stay in which was his late fathers home wasn't ready for guests as no one had lived there for so long, so we stayed in a guesthouse at the top of the market. He and his friend dropped us there and he explained that he would have to go and visit family and would come back to collect us at 10pm ready to celebrate Tet with his neighbours.
After the journey and all the excitement Chris and I both fell straight to sleep and slept solidly until we heard knocking on the door!! We couldn't believe it 10.08pm and we had slept from 6.30pm!
We quickly scrambled our stuff together and hopped on the back of Chucky's friends bike. Although we could have easily walked there in 15 minutes Chucky insisted we be collected.
We arrived to the street and everyone had brought out there speakers some larger then me and began playing the traditional songs, it all made sense about that bus journey now. It's like our Christmas as westerners we play the same Christmas songs in the run up to Christmas and as Christmas and birthdays was not celebrated in Vietnam this was there BIG celebration.
We were handed beers and sat and watched all the mayhem around us. A custom done in Vietnam is that you do not sip your drink alone, every time you or someone else would like a bit of there drink they must hold there can up and say 'Mot Hai Ba Vo', which is 'one two three cheers' in English. With me and 6 men sitting around the table, I barely had time to digest my last mouthful before someone else would put up there can and we all had to drink again.
There were young boys wandering past is with pieces of the market stalls, like entire stalls just casual walking past. Chucky explained that every year the same thing happens the young boys take the market apart and set up a huge bonfire just down in the middle of the street. And every year the market men and woman wake up on New Years crying haha.
Young children marched up the street dressed as Chinese style dragons with a couple of young boys behind them playing a beat on a drum. They were stopping at every house along the road. It's an ancient tradition for people to hide money in there homes and the dragons (children) will dance and find the money. When they came to us and started performing Chucky was telling them all they needed to practice more for next year as there dancing wasn't that good and when he was a boy it was far better. It was extremely entertaining for us and I guess for the children it's like our version of Halloween trick or treating or Carol singing. They found the money and moved on next door!
Just before midnight Chucky told us we must go to the toilet as after 12am when it was officially New Year's Day nobody was allowed in any body's home unless they were invited. Buddhists believe that the first person in the home of the year has a huge impact on the luck you will get that year. If someone unhappy is the first to enter the home then this would mean misfortune and unhappiness for the whole household until the following year.
I asked Chucky what happens if his mum doesn't invite the first person to the home until morning and he just laughed and showed me an ally I could pee in.
Chucky showed us around his family home earlier on in the day and showed us where they would pray before the new year. Each home has a room dedicated to there ancestors with a shrine. With pictures and candles. They give there ancestors food and drink throughout Tet and the cans of soft drinks are opened and even have straws put in them, these are left by the shrines. They also invite there ancestors to come and join them for celebrations on new year so they buy them everything they would need, new clothes, shoes, toothbrush and even razors. These are also left by there shrines. It's almost like packing a case for your parents to come and stay. After New Years they burn all the clothes and bits they have bought for there ancestors in order for it all to go back with them.
After every one had said there prayers the countdown for new year began, Chribella went to the bonfire with the young market burners handed a beer on arrival even though no one had a clue who the foreigners were. Suddenly we found ourselves interlinked with everyone there, arms around each other dancing around the bonfire, it was crazy even by my standards.
Clocks strikes twelve and I was thinking oooo I wander what one of there songs is the official new year one. Out if nowhere.... ABBA, starts playing 'Happy new year, Happy new year' so funny, my face was hurting from smiling. Chris lost his flip flop half way round and just had to hop for a period. Everyone was using there beer to chuck on the fire in order to ignite it even more. It took us a good 5 minutes to actually tear ourselves away from the group to re join Chucky. Every time one of us managed to break free from the circle around the fire the other one was dragged in by someone else!
When we returned back the neighbours were all exchanging red envelopes with money in. So we did the same- minus the envelopes though, as we didn't get the memo about those. Chucky taught us the phrase 'Happy New Year' in Vietnamese. 'Chuc mung nam moi' ... It took me a few attempts but I did finally get it after repeating it about 100 times and writing it down.
About 1am whilst Chris was peeing in our designated toilet ally Chucky's neighbour came to me and invited me to be the first guest of the year in his home. I was so shocked and honoured. I couldn't believe he had chosen me having only met him that day. He said to Chucky that he could see I was a happy girl as since he first saw us waking down the market with our rucksacks earlier that day I hadn't stopped smiling. As Chris walked round the corner from our loo his face was a picture watching me walk into his home. He was then invited to join us as well. We were given an in scent stick each and lit it to put next to his ancestors shrine and we stood there whilst he preyed. We then shared a cup of tea with him and spoke as much as we could with the huge language barrier between us. It was the most lifting experience of our journey so far and I was so touched by it all I was ready to burst into tears.
I was also desperate for the toilet by this point especially after all that beer so a massive sense of relief ran through me as I was shown his toilet and could finally go.
When we came out Chucky explained that it meant huge honour and luck for us for the remainder of the year as well. He also said that he too had wanted us in his home but his mum was extremely old fashioned and superstitious and said it wouldn't count as we had been in there home already that day.
Many more of Chucky's friends came and went after midnight to have a drink and celebrate - so there was lots more drinking, and by about 2.30am we were ready to go home. I think I can speak for both of us when I say we both went to bed with smiles on our faces that evening, so happy, and so glad we were lucky enough to be involved in such an ancient traditional celebration and see a true depiction of vietnamese life and culture.
We had arranged to meet Chucky at 2pm the next afternoon. And he had told us that we must wear out nicest clothes. I told him about the one kind of ok dress I had with me and he said it was okay. But certainly no shorts for Chris. Everyone looks there best on New Year's Day and he would be wearing a suit himself.
So that morning was mostly spent in bed nursing our heads. We left the guesthouse around 12pm and walked away from the town to the outskirts where there were a couple of hotels. We knew that in the town and nearby everywhere would be closed due to it being a family day so had hoped that perhaps these results were open.
We walked along the beach without seeing a single soul for about 30 minutes. Then finally found one resort that was open. Thank god I was starving. After eating we headed back towards the market and just before we reached the top Chucky rang to tell us to come to his home. We walked through the market- which didn't resemble much of a market anymore due to most of it in ashes 500 meters away and saw loads and loads of people gathered playing games and gambling.
When we arrived to Chucky's I said my new phrase 'Chuc mung nam moi' to which I received a little clap, meaning I could finally pronounce it correctly. We were invited to spend the day with Chucky and Cindy's family doing as they would traditionally do on New Year's Day.
First stop was the cemetery or tombs as Chucky called them. It was right on the beach. First thing we noticed was that there were loads of just dug out graves, so we asked why some had been destroyed.
Chucky went on to explain that the government have decided to sell the land here to big hotels and plan to remove most of what there is now. Including an entire 100 years worth of dead bodies. Because Vietnam is a communist country they have no say in the matter. So they just have to start moving the bodies. I asked about the homes that were on the beach front he said that the government would sell that land and give the people a fraction of the money and tell them to find somewhere else. So sad.
There was a team of about 25 of us walking around with everyone praying at various tombs, lighting in scents with even the children doing it.
We noticed whilst there that several tombs had the Swastika nazi sign on them, or what we thought was the nazi symbol. But Chucky explained that this is actually called "Manji", a symbol of auspiciousness in Buddhism. Hitler stole it in the 1930s and this is why now it's a sign of horror in the western world! Not that my opinion of Hitler could get any lower but if it could it would of just then.
After visiting two different sights for both Cindy and Chucky's ancestors we were then whisked in and out of around 7 houses in 3 hours. We visited all of Chucky's friends, each one was so lovely. Beer and untold amount of food at every home. You felt rude if you didn't eat it and then rude if you would eat to much. I would love to go into detail of all of the food there was but I honestly do not know what I was fed for those 3 days, all I know is they are all wonderful cooks and it was absolutely delicious. One home we visited was completely torn in two, another result from the government. You could literally see the bedrooms on one side and the bath room on the other where it had been decided that a road to the beach must go directly through the Center of this mans home. A bull dozer had just ploughed through and created the path that we now walked through to reach another small building to the back right of the original property. So sad, yet when we reached the other building where the people now lived there was no sign of sadness or resentment. Just happiness, food and laughter. Another one of Chucky's friends is a professional tailor we visited his home and before we knew it he's got his tape measure out measuring Chris up for a suit whilst I'm sitting on the floor trying to eat fruit with chopsticks with 8 men. We finished the evening at Chucky's uncles coffee place, a huge outdoor area over looking the lagoon. I had a coconut water and went into the kitchen to see how they did it. It was a perfect way to finish the day, and with Chris and I both drunk and tired again we were dropped home!
The next morning I vowed, NO MORE BEER. We walked to Chucky's place, but before we could even get into the door were invited into his neighbours house, for some beer. Haha. The entire pattern of the day before was beginning again already.
When we teared ourselves away from next door and got to Chucky's I gave him and Cindy some gifts to say thank you.
After that Chucky took us on his bike for a tour of the area and view points. We first drove over the bridge to the jungle side of Lang co then took the main road along side the sleepy and very quaint looking train tracks. Once we reached the highest point before the road curled around the mountain and was out of view, we stopped. From here we could see the entire village and the 15km surrounding of beach. The bridge and the jungle to the left and the lagoon in between. One of the most stunning views. Not at all what you would expect from Vietnam. You hear about the busy city's and holiday resort beaches, but not places like this. And to be honest im quite grateful. Although with government plans in the next 10 years im sure this piece of perfection's skyline is going to change dramatically for the time being its peaceful, easy way of life is something rare in today's day and age.
After stopping here for a while it was back on the motorbike and down towards the lagoon, still on the opposite side of the village we stopped at a flat piece of rock that Chucky used to go to for BBQs when he was a child. We sat here for a while and listened to his stories. With the jungle behind us and no one to be seen I had to ask why he ever left.
He explained to me that there is no pension scheme of any system in place to look after the elderly and with very little tourism in Lang Co it's very hard to make enough money to support his and Cindy's parents. Where as with the wages in the UK they can send home £100 to there parents and it's enough for them to live for a month. Completely different worlds.
At around 3pm we made our way back to Cindy's parents home, had our 'last supper' and said our goodbyes.
We climbed onto our carriages and prepared to embark on the famous Hai van pass to Da Nang.
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