Dong Hoa might be a poor fishing town but as you hit the coast its a fantastic place to see. Once again nice quiet empty roads. The new cost road climbed slowly, no one in VN would dream of commenting as I rode up on the wrong side of the 6 lanes in order to look down on the rocky seascape below.
Undulations to cool down. Commuters were all heading the same way as me ie away from Don Hoa. As it happens they were heading for the mammoth fish farms ahead.
Wild swift/sand martins were flying along the ridge, like seagulls at home but with their wonderful aerial turns and swoops, like little fast-jets, how they see and then catch little flies is beyond me.
The first sight of the bay and lighthouse was breath taking – google maps Hải đăng (Mũi Điện) Đại Lãnh. A speedy decent soon took me into the wooded hills. Apart from the occasional scooter it was a a peaceful place and ne’er an air-horn in the vicinity. I think I pushed at one point but the serenity more than made up for any effort cycling a heavily laden Giant uphill.
The view soon opened up to reveal a bay absolutely stuffed to the gills (boom boom) with floating rafts and netted areas.
What a lovely little fishing town it was Dai Lanh. Coffee and milk sachets (both khong duong). A noisey group of middle aged women in the cafe contrasted ostentatiously with the majority of the other women who were employed with fishing and labouring/shops, I assume the men were out on the water.
Why do the cafes issue hard plastic cups lids and straws (and plastic carryout bags) when they could easily use porcelain or glass?? More photos on where the plastic ends up in later posts.
Onward and as they say upward. I was wondering if there was anywhere to stay as it was such a nice place and saw the Hotel Dai Lanh Beach. Next to the Coma rail and highway tunnel. No tunnels for us today.
Shortly afterwards, I met not one, not two but THREE long distance cyclists. The Japanese fella just sailed past with scarcely a nod. First Robin a Frenchman who’d just come from Cambodia and seems to have cycled everywhere including Canada. https://www.cyclopede63.com/ well composed website and worth a look when I finally catch up with me blogging – Hardinge apply yourself. Where have I heard that before!!
The south Korean had obviously bought a bike locally and carried his quite small back-pack bungeed to the rack. He was very excited to meet up with two unshaven Europeans. They were both heading north – into the headwind. RIP.
Dropping down for lunch I was happy to be given a reasonable sized chunk of rice instead of the normal huge pile. With the lunch came a Daisy cousin who could also dance for her dinner. The flower arrangements were unusual with blooms made of faked notes, the proud owner came to say hello.
A coffee at a family run proper looking cafe or press on for another 20km? I was tired and on schedule milewise so coffee won and it was off to the windowless box, the reviews over rated it. But it was on the ground floor, quiet and had secure banisters for the night’s lockup.
Isnt the internet amazing letting us contact each other with colour video. On honeymoon in Ladakh 1988 we sent out a few telegrams, they all arrived but we had no idea if they did or not.