Today we went for a walk to a park we have never visited. On the way we saw a golf driving range and detoured to visit it. For all you golfers - they had constructed a good sized net (in a city of course the range has to be enclosed.) It had only six tee boxes on each of two levels. They looked like what we might see at any western golf range. The 200 meters of enclosed "fairway" was mostly weeds. The manager apologized and said we've only been open one month - grass will come. I asked about a golf shop (could I buy a glove if I came back to use the range?). He said "no money right now - maybe later". Charge for a bucket of 100 balls: only $4.00.
After visiting the range and the park, we started toward a lunch destination. We thought we would take a short cut and wander through some alleys. These wind everywhere off the main roads. Some have small cafes, hair dressing shops, small grocery stores, etc. The smaller ones lead only to homes that of course are tightly packed together, and normally are one to four storeys high. These lanes are too small even for the smallest cars to enter. They are just big enough for a motor bike and a pedestrian to pass each other. Some are dead ends - we walked up two or three of those. But eventually we came out on the main street almost exactly where we wanted to be.
Last week we enjoyed a visit with our landlord (it was time to pay our rent - six months at a time!). He told of recently doing some consulting in an ethnic, mountainous area of the country. In one place they are planning to build a new road around the side of a steep mountain. The car took his group part of the way, but could then go no further.
So how was this Vietnamese executive from Hanoi to continue his "inspection"? Not on an ATV. Not by motor bike. Not by bicycle. No, it was suggested, the best and safest way to continue on this very narrow "road" was to hop on a water buffalo! So he did! Maybe slow, but very safe. Wish I'd been there.
After visiting the range and the park, we started toward a lunch destination. We thought we would take a short cut and wander through some alleys. These wind everywhere off the main roads. Some have small cafes, hair dressing shops, small grocery stores, etc. The smaller ones lead only to homes that of course are tightly packed together, and normally are one to four storeys high. These lanes are too small even for the smallest cars to enter. They are just big enough for a motor bike and a pedestrian to pass each other. Some are dead ends - we walked up two or three of those. But eventually we came out on the main street almost exactly where we wanted to be.
Last week we enjoyed a visit with our landlord (it was time to pay our rent - six months at a time!). He told of recently doing some consulting in an ethnic, mountainous area of the country. In one place they are planning to build a new road around the side of a steep mountain. The car took his group part of the way, but could then go no further.
So how was this Vietnamese executive from Hanoi to continue his "inspection"? Not on an ATV. Not by motor bike. Not by bicycle. No, it was suggested, the best and safest way to continue on this very narrow "road" was to hop on a water buffalo! So he did! Maybe slow, but very safe. Wish I'd been there.
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