Cuc Phong National Park

We drove out in the morning to see Hoa Lu which at one time was another Capital of Vietnam but lost it's hold on the people as it had a tendency to flood in the rainy season (so they moved it to Hanoi) The building and temples still exist but strangely there is a lot of 21st Century construction going on around the old buildings to make it 'more authentic' (hmm tourist trap?) The location was amazing though, all around the land is flat then these huge limestone monoliths climb vertically up to the sky giving a strange boxing in feeling. You can understand why it was chosen as a site for a capital, no one could get close without being potted entering one of the narrow entrances, on the other hand getting out was awkward when the floods came!
We moved on getting to the Cuc Phong National Park for about lunch time. Only to be told we were 3 minutes late for access to the park (we think it closes for lunch but we're not really sure) so we parked up and went to check in to our rooms for the night. The problem with this site was that as its so remote and there is only one restaurant the owner can serve pretty much what, how and when she likes; and she does! We HAD to have the set menu (there were too many of us!). The food was fairly basic and we ate because we were hungry. In the Afternoon we had the option to go on a trek through the park or see some show cave's, I opted for the caves and the coach took all of us down the windy road into the park. Eventually it stopped at the cave drop point and some of us got off to go and have a look. First we crossed a ravine on a concrete walkway then climbed a load of steep steps and a ladder at one point to reach the entrance. The cave's weren't up to much but I did get a couple of good pic's including a spooky one with the red light from a head torch.
Back down the steps again and we then realised we had to walk the 8km back to the park entrance! oh well so much for not going on the park trek!
The evening meal was – well a meal at the same place but then we gathered outside at a little cafe to celebrate Alyte's birthday complete with beer, wine, a big cake, and a huge confetti bomb that sprayed us and the area with finely chopped tin foil (I'm still finding bits of it days later) Some of the group went off to do the optional Night spotting but after my experience in India I passed on that on and planned to spend my time typing up the blog.) Hahn suggested I stay at the little cafe and 'guard' the beer which seemed like a good Idea as I was the only one drinking it!. The owner of the cafe returned (after we had spent ages brushing up the confetti) with her 3.5 year old daughter to lock up. We had seen the girl earlier while we were waiting for tea and she had been sat on a little stool 'reading' a Vietnamese-English Dictionary and this time she came over to look at my laptop. Then she wanted to have a go so I started up the Mr Potato head program and within 15minutes she had mastered the mouse and was having great fun much to her mum's amusement. Eventually the others came back and by now it had got fairly cold (you could actually see your breath – the first time since November for me!) and I think this is why I came down with a cold myself a couple of days later. As it was so cold they all decided to fore go the late night drink and went to bed so I pick up the box of beer and wines and went myself and it was only 9:30!