Short flight to Danang then taxi to the town for a tour of the few hotels before deciding on one by the river. Danang and China Beach, famous for having an American base during the north/south war. Walked around the town and to the second biggest Cai Doi temple, which wasn’t big. It was locked but someone woke up and let us in. A large globe suspended from the ceiling with a very big eye on it, keeping a watch over us. We crossed the river and walked past a lot of nothing to a large white sandy beach. On the way back there were many shellfish food stalls setting up along the roadside...

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Arrived in Chinese area of town and walked to hotel area, found a room and headed out for beer. Found a local place where the beer is in a big metal vat and dispensed into 1L plastic bottles which were served at the table, glasses provided. Cheap beer and no taste but cold and wet.

Next day we went to a market, looked at clothes, cameras and watches. Went to Reunification Palace and saw the state rooms which are still used. Photos of when the Palace was 'liberated' by the north, with a tank smashing through the gates. Also had many underground rooms used to hide from bombings. Also vis...

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Bus journey to Vinh Long included a short ferry crossing and all was well until the bus dropped us way out of town, ended up walking 8km to town centre. Found a large room on the river front and immediately had drinks on the river front. Coconuts are lovely in Vietnam, full of liquid and then soft flesh. Looked at a couple of places for boat trips, avoided the one with coaches parked outside. It was hard to find dinner that night, the menus were in Vietnamese of course, and we have no idea with the language. Tried to order a couple of meals and one arrived but wasn't huge. Had to then go...

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Boat stopped so we could enter Vietnam and have bags go through x-ray. Arrived in Chau Doc around 5 hours later. Many boats on the water from small fishing boats to large cargo boats. Jetty conveniently lead straight to a hotel and the room was fine and only $10 so we stayed there. The town was small so anywhere would be fine. In the town centre was a garden with pagodas and along the river was a big market. Not at all a tourist town, this border crossing route has only been open a few years and has not impacted on the town. Breakfast was on the waterfront, good fried eggs here. Looked at the pagoda gardern and then got a bus to Ving Long, further south in the Mekong Delta.

King of Thailand had beaten us to the Royal Palace so we had to wait until the afternoon before visiting, we thought the red carpet was out for us. Andy visited Toeng Sleung Musuem which is referred to as S21, where Khymer Rouge tourtured people in the late 1970's. We visited the National Museum, housed in a lovely terracota coloured building with tiled roof and curly bits on the ends. the coutyard style inside displayed stone sculptures from the 6th to 13th centuries, as well as bronze, wood and ceramic items. King of Thailand had then finished in the Royal Palace and we were allowed in. ...

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