From Pom Coong Village to Ninh Bình

The sky was still gray after a few days so I decided to go to Ninh Binh. Looked at the options on the map. Did not want to go the same road again. Decided to go on the QL 15 from Mai Chau – along the river and then the QL 217 towards the QL 45 and then to the Homestay. Turned out that this was a really stupid idea. Construction almost all the way till the QL 217. Average speed less than 20 km/h. Road conditions: mud and deep puddles of water or sand and dust – both not nice to ride a motorbike. The last 80 km I had to drive in the dark – took more than 2,5 hours since there are so many holes in the street and too much traffic and the bad light of the Yamaha. Most of the cars and trucks have the high beam on so you can not really see the road – a nightmare when the side of the road is wet and muddy.
The last kilometre was a dirt road between the rice fields. Without the smart phone impossible to find. Turned out that Chez Beo Homestay was more clever than the Homestay I intended to go. They where on Google Map and the other one not. So I went to the wrong place only to find out that there are no rooms.
The same second the manager told me that there are no rooms two girls left their room to announce that they have to go NOW to Hanoi Airport. Something happened back home and they needed a taxi right away. Good for me – now there was Room #8 – all empty and waiting for me.

Sand production somewhere on te way

Too many bamboo sticks – easy to fix! Unload till the truck comes down again. Carry up the hill and load the truck. Repeat at the next hill.

Lunch on the way

Sugar cane harvest

Propaganda on the way

Chez Beo Homestay

Chez Beo Homestay is not really a Homestay – more a bungalow place with a restaurant. They offer dinner for 40.000 Dong – 1,65€ and it was “All you can eat”. Nobody leaves the table hungry. A big bottle of Ha Noi beer is 12.000 Dong – so we managed to empty the fridge ever day. Breakfast was included in the room rate (5 US $, double bed, table and a few chairs, fridge and a closet – shared shower and toilet) and lunch was 40.000 as well. For lunch they will prepare a meat dish with vegetables or a few vegetable dishes for the vegetarians. For dinner you can choose yourself from the table since everybody eats at the same time in the evening at 19:00.

Dinner at Chez Beo Homestay Everything I had was really good!

View from my room in the morning – it was not cold but damp and misty. Imagine all the flowers when in season!

Cat in my room – not like Pai but friendly as well.

One of the bungalows at Chez Beo Homestay – they are really big and 12 US $ a pop for two people. Hot shower, toilet and breakfast included. Great value for money.

View from the restaurant towards the valley at Chez Beo Homestay. Two bungalows and two rooms are in the front of the place. The other bungalows down the valley along the river.

Further into the valley at Chez Beo Homestay

More bungalows at the back at Chez Beo Homestay

Water baffalos next to the hospital in Ninh Binh. Looks like a scene of an end of the world movie. The gray sky for days does not make it better. Had to get my last rabies shot. Drove to Ninh Binh and went in the first hospital I found. A really big complex and they still build more as you can see in this picture. Had to wait a while for a Doctor and he explained to me that they do not have the rabies vaccine at the hospital. But round the corner in a separate building where all the kids get the shoots they have. He wrote everything down so no more explaining was needed. So after looking a while for the place and ask one guy that on the road I was in a waiting room full of kids and a few mothers. The Doctor asked Indian or French – I took the french – paid about 10€ – got my shoot and back to Chez Beo it was. It started to drizzle on the way back. Hmmmm

Fish outside my window at Chez Beo Homestay

The next day rain in the morning – it was the day I wanted to drive back to Hanoi to meet Scott. My room was taken so there was no way back.

Last lunch – food was really good at the restaurant!

Midday the rain and wind stopped. Time to move. The place is on the left of the picture. Good Bye Chez Beo!!
If you want to stay at Chez Beo they have a homepage or you book them right away at the Chez Beo site at booking.com!

 
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