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July 22, 2015 I'm going to start today to record on a daily basis whatever happens to strike my fancy. So, it is a very cool breezy day. I just posted 5 short book reviews to The Monthly Reading Challenge. I'm suppose to put away some winter wood today from the woodpile outside but I'm playing hookey from work to write so starting this blog will get done. I'm having a daily fight with a flock of English Sparrows that are trying to take over my barn. They are making a terrible mess so they have to go. I have destroyed several nests so far they don't leave but they get out of the barn when I am around. I'm just starting the fight so I guess I don't know how far I have to go to discourage them. I'm trying not to spread myself to thin on WDC because I find so many things that are interesting here and I am trying to work on a new story. I really enjoy sitting at my desk with a cup of tea and reading blogs on WDC. |
 Day 2825: Halong Bay, Vietnam Prompt: Pick out one of the five legends/myths in this article: The Legend of Halong Bay: Discover Myths Behind The Names https://www.visithalongbay.com/insight-guides/the-legend-of-halong-bay.html and write a story or poem based on the legend/myth. Swim or Stay Tray had been walking for a long time through a jungle. He had left the main trail far behind. At first the terrain was close set bamboo, that had not been bothered for many years by humans. The tall plants grew close together and ware difficult to get through, but tray was actually finding a way. He hoped when the bamboo started to thin that he was actually traveling in a straight path toward the coast. The story he had heard in the local pub was if he traveled toward the large bay he would find something worth seeing. So, here he was off on a hike by himself. He cut himself a sturdy walking stick from the bamboo and walked on. Soon, the bamboo thinned and he was walking through mangrove trees and palms. When he stopped to rest he thought he heard the rhythmic slosh of water as it washed gently against the shore. within a few yards he had broken out of the undergrowth and was standing facing a beautiful bay which stretched before him in watery glory. The walk had eliminated the day. He sat down on the shore took some snacks from his backpack and rested against the base of a nearby tree. As, the sun went down Tray saw an emerald green island. The setting sun's rays illuminated it as if it was a gem in the far off reaches of the bay waiting to be plucked. Tray laid his head on his backpack. He watched the glowing emerald gem until the sun fell below the horizon and his heavy eyes closed in deep restful sleep. The next day was spent fashioning a small raft from large bamboo stalks he found along the banks of the bay. He used a ball of sturdy twine from his pack and some vines which grew on other trees to hold the buoyant wood together. You see, Tray was an explorer of sorts. A young man who was always moving around looking at new things. He was quite use to taking journeys where he had to improvise his own type of transportation. Once he was sure the raft would float he fashioned a paddle from some wood he found using a small Swiss Army knife that had been given to him by a soldier when he was a child. Tray boarded the raft and began to paddle this way and that trying out how well the raft was holding together and how well it maneuvered. finding all ways of maneuverability being to his satisfaction he set out paddling straight toward the emerald Island. As you will ascertain, others had seen the emerald glowing in the setting sun but none would say what was on it. Tray wanted to know why the sun cast it's rays to illuminate this island as a green gem and not others near it. It was farther from the shore of the bay than Tray had counted on. It took most of the day to reach the jutting rock of the Island. When he reached it he had to paddle West than back East looking for a beach on which to land, since most of the rock of the island rose straight up into the sky. Finally, when he was beginning to think he would have to spend a dark foreboding night on the little floating bamboo raft. He spied a very small niche of sandy beach on which he landed his little craft. He drew the craft up onto the 20 foot beach because he did not want to be stranded on this piece of rock,because now that he was actually on the island, it seemed to be just that, no more than another hunk of rock jutting out of the water many feet into the sky. The sun was setting behind the island and now he found himself in deep darkness without a light. He could hear the gentle lap of water against the little beach so he settled himself against the rock that surrounded the beach, took out an energy bar and a bottle of water from his pack and stared into the pitch dark hoping he was safe. Soon, his eyes closed. Once again his efforts of the day had caused him to settle into a much needed sleep. The rise of light from morning startled him awake. He knew immediately where he was. He stood up and began to explore the rock wall that surrounded this little beach. The beach was a semicircle. About 20 feet long and 15 feet at it's circumference point. The circle flattened in it's center, that is where Tray found the entrance to a path that led into the stone wall. He picked up the pack and moved off the beach onto the path which was still surrounded by rock. Ten feet onto the trail a formation of steps led upwards. At one place the trail, which was formed from the same rock as the wall, led left and right. At this point he believed he had climbed up about 20 feet. The new thing was, the seaward side of the trail was rock the other side was land with trees growing everywhere. He began to hear birds calling from tree to tree. Every now and then a foot path pebble and dirt, branched away from the rock path he was following. The land still aimed upwards at a gradual pace. Even the land with trees, brush, and living green growth also slanted in varying degrees upward and inward away from the path he was following. He came to a footpath that was much wider than the others. I'm going to try moving deeper into the Island he thought, but I better mark the way so I can return and make it back to the beach. He took out the Swiss Army knife. moving to the rock wall he began to scrape an arrow that pointed back the way he came. Startled, he realized the rock was crumbling away. It was leaving a mark that showed a green emerald glass like an emerald gem. He had revealed an emerald gem arrow pointing back the way he had come. He wanted to scrap away more rock but the day was moving on so he traveled forward onto the wider trail that led toward the internal part of the island. Suddenly a great stag stepped from behind a large tree. It planted itself in the center of the path facing Tray. Tray stood absolutely still hoping it would not charge. The stag spoke. "You are man, man cannot live here." The astonished Tray had many thoughts flashing through his mind. Did the deer speak? Is there a place to run to if I need to get away? The stag spoke again. "You cannot hide, you must leave here. Follow me." The stag ordered in a very commanding voice. Tray turned thinking to retreat the way he had come only to find a second stag with lowered head aiming his direction standing behind him. It was then that he noticed that the many points of the stags horns were sharpened to deadly looking hunting knife quality ends. Tray faced forward and followed the stag. They wound their way to the top of the island. The commanding stag led him to the edge of a clear solid emerald platform that looked out over the large deep bay. You have a choice. If you remain on the island today, tomorrow you will become a stag like us. If you do not wish to live out your days as a stag on this island you must jump. If you survive the jump you will find a small fishing vessel anchored against the wall where the bay meets the rock. You may use the vessel to sail away from our island. Keep the vessel. We wish you well. Tray started to stammer out a question. Choose now shouted the Stag! It lowered his head menacingly and began to paw the ground. Tray patted his pocket to assure himself his Swiss Army Knife was still there. He took several running steps across the emerald gem platform and jumped with a frightened force, as far out away from the rock wall as he could get. In a perfect dive he entered the water with arms outstretched, hands together body pointing down. The bay before him was racing up at an alarming rate. As he entered the water, he felt the weight of it on his flesh. He fought against the gravity by curving his body upward as soon as his shoulders were under the water. To his surprise the water here was very deep. He was able to turn upward shooting toward the cloudy sky. He surfaced shaking the water from his eyes and hair. When he was sure he was all in one piece he treaded water looking around to get his bearings. About 100 yards away a small fishing craft bobbed on the water held in place by an anchor. Tray swam over dragged himself up a rope ladder on the side and took possession of the boat. That is how the fishing fleet that makes its living on the bay came into being. One adventurous lad after another jumped from the emerald gem platform taking possession of the reward waiting below. THE END |
| Halong Bay, Vietnam We're doing a 2 day/2night cruise Day 11 and Day 12 will be in Halong Bay. https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g293924-d20211050-Halong_bay... Kayaking, swimming on the beach. learning how to make Vietnamese spring rolls and after dinner squid fishing. Let your imagination get carried away, discuss what fun things you've experienced.  I think at home spring rolls could contain a variety of vegetables, your choice. I like rice so the recipe I chose had rice, shrimp, peanuts, garlic, and some mint and basil. The shrimp could be substituted with salmon or another type of fish. The herbs could be substituted to something you like the flavor of mixed with rice and fish. Making spring rolls is fun and not really difficult. Remember use fresh lettuce leaves when you roll the ingredients together. And, precook the fish and rice. Even the cook was laughing at our attempts to make a perfect roll. At least we did not end up in a food fight. The upper deck of the cruise ship is outfitted with green grass carpet which makes me think of sunning myself on a large lawn. We have been so busy during the day. We jumped into (well boarded is a better word) kayaks and visited a village where there was a hike up, up, up a mountainous island to view the world from above. The bay is full of cruise ships, small and large, from up here you can see the smaller fishing boats. The villages harvest pearl oysters from the harbor. I think Blue Moon will have an opal setting with small pearls in a ring when she gets home. This is a gem of a vacation. Australian Opals and Viet Namese pearls must be a story in there somewhere. Caving wasn't such a problem. The way in was a path laid out for tourists. Just walking around in the cave was an education about formations under ground. Back in the kayaks we boarded a floating village. The residents were happy to get a couple dollars as a gift. They had a dog out there. The village is inhabited year round. The residents build plank type paths from place to place on it. Think of living there and providing all your physical needs on a floating house. This is a whole village of people. Just this week a house boat sank off Presque Isle in Erie, Pa. I saw it on the news. The owners had gone ashore to shop. In an interview they said they had been living on the house boat for many years without a problem. People with no how raced in to save the boat. I guess they were able to stop the sinking and someday it will be fully upright again. They did find the reason it went down. Back on the cruise ship I went topside to sit in a lounge chair with a good book waiting to watch the sun go down. As the cruise continued around and through the bay I watched the many large rock formations. I bet lots of different birds use them for nesting. I'm surprised people have not built small homes on them. Sandra Lyn and Lyn had some good ideas about what a house on a rock formation should look like. I hope I get up early enough to come up here and watch the sun rise. It's bound to be spectacular. apondia#1781748 |
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