Halong Bay Tragedy

In the budget hotels of Hanoi today the tragedy at Halong Bay is a source of widespread worry and conversation. One of North Vietnam's premiere tourist destinations, these sculpted limestone outcrops are visited by almost all the travelers who pass through the region. If yesterday's terrible disaster, in which at least 11 12 tourists perished in the sinking of an overnight tour boat, made it onto any friend and family radar screens, please rest assured that I was not on board.