"Shells sink, dreams float. Life's good on our boat." ~ Jimmy Buffett

As our second night on the Dragon Legend II approached...

passengers now greeted each other by first names...

and tables were pulled together for larger groups at dinner.

One family included a very talented twelve year old(I'm guessing)...

who fortunately brought his violin on board 

and provided music for cocktail hour. 

After dinner,

the amazing crew proudly displayed their vegetable and fruit carvings...

and once again recognized a honeymooning couple on board.

Time after time,

the crew went out of their way 

to guarantee each passenger could sing the words of Jimmy Buffett. 

Our last morning,

as we headed toward the port...

a completely relaxed and scruffy faced Ren Man...

savored the last moments.

After our lunch in the cave the day before...

 we became more attentive... 

to the many other caves.

Wikipedia records the perfect explanation for all of these islands...

According to local legend, when Vietnam had just started to develop into a country, they had to fight against invaders. To assist the Vietnamese in defending their country, the gods sent a family of dragons as protectors. This family of dragons began spitting out jewels and jade. These jewels turned into the islands and islets dotting the bay, linking together to form a great wall against the invaders.

So we bid farewell to Halong Bay, the descending dragon...

and to the Dragon Legend II and its crew.

We were definitely singing...

"Life's good on our boat."

"Traditionally, each boat in the floating village is a separate household, though the raft or boat always serves more than one function. It is a home, a means of transport, and a source of income." ~ World Monuments Fund

She is so over it.
Another boat load of tourist gawking at her home.
Go ahead.
Take my picture.
But I am not smiling.
 Seeing this woman and her house on the water took me back... 
to our year traveling the USA in a thirty-two foot motorhome,

into which we crammed as many comforts of home as possible

 and towed a VW convertible.

No dog...

two children.

Same, Same but Different?
Ha! Not even close!

These families on Halong Bay take minimalism to a whole new level.

Vascilating between my curiousity of life on these Vietnamese renditions of a houseboat...

and sincere admiration of how simple life seems...

I am reminded of the dichotomy we tourists represent.

Their livelihoods are threatened by overfishing of the past,
 and tourism where visitors often leave a trail of litter behind.

They have created other sources of income...

including a peek into their lives...

as we are taken through the small clusters of homes...

where technology is never far away.

 Life becomes a stage...

 as we glide past...

 observing family members share a meal...

amongst the beautiful waters... 

enveloping and buoying their homes.

Slow, even strokes...

take us to a point unpassable at high tide...

  where all of our boats meet up...

and make the turn back to the boat launch.

As it began to rain,
 our heads appreciated the practicality of these hats.

Hearing our young driver...

I turned around to see if she was speaking to me.  
Ha!  Quite the advertisement for whatever cell phone company she uses.

Meanwhile, back at the launch,

we are shown the art of cultivating pearls... 

and the beautiful pieces of jewelry 
sold in the adjacent floating jewelry shop.

Upon returning to the Dragon Legend,

preparations are made for beach time... 

more kayaking...

and...            

    a...
                    climb...

to the entrance...

of our lunch locale.

We followed one by one... 

in complete awe...

as our friendly crew welcomed us...

to an amazing barbecue.
Yes, we enjoyed barbecue and beer in a cave.
Didn't realize that needed to be on the bucket list,
but there you have it.
Check✔

By this point,
friends have been made: 
conversations and laughter filled this awesome cave
where sweet memories were made.

Halong Bay part III coming soon.

"Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. The site's outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest." ~ UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Three peaceful days on Halong Bay... 

where limestone pillars jut out from the depths of the sea...

 at every angle...

kept us mesmerized from beginning to end.

Giggles and murmurs could be heard...

amongst other enthusiastic passengers...

 as we approached our home for the next three days.

The Dragon Legend II... 

one of the offerings of the Indochina Junk.

We were welcomed aboard 

by an attentive and friendly staff...

and led to our comfortable cabin 

where we never lost sight of the beauty just outside.

Activities were available for those who wanted to venture out...

and within an hour or so the kayaks were launched...

and our smaller 'dinghy' went off to explore the area.

Meanwhile...

I was queen of the sundeck...

and chose this for my afternoon activity.

My toes screamed for me to book a pedi in the spa on board...

 as soon as I could tear myself away from the vista...

and the solitude.

Our cruise coincided with the much anticipated 'super moon'...

and the almost-full moon rise... 

ushered in...

a kaleidoscope of colors...

setting the stage like sprinkles on an ice cream sundae...

preparing for the cherry on top...

our first moonlit night on the bay.

It was magical.

Halong Bay Part II coming right up.