Last day in Hanoi

---

So arrived back in Hanoi and at the hotel, where they were happy to see me, such a great hotel definitely recommend it and would come back. Room is dominated by this massive bed, which is really comfortable. I sorted out all my stuff, well attempted too anyway, who bought all this junk???? Gave up and decided to go out walking at about 8.00pm when the street life was really alive in the Old Quarter. It is amazing how quickly you work out where you are going, but I have also learnt that if I get lost once I find the lake I can regain my bearings and find my way home again!! Found the night market which was massive.

Found a road side stall that was selling sweet corn which the vendor put in the frypan with onion, chilli, garlic and dried fish and butter, fried it up and put it in a container and I took it away to sit on the sidewalk with a little Vietnamese lady who provided me with a Tiger Beer and I thought "where would you rather be???" I sat there for about an hour watching hundreds and hundreds of motorbikes go by. When I got back to the hotel, I was talked into taking a City tour on Thursday to make sure I get to see Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, as only if you go on a tour can you guarantee you get in to see it. So yes, I booked it. NOTE TO SELF - Listen to yourself when everything inside is saying "don't do it, you hate tours!!" But more on that in a minute!!

I woke early, very early in fact and ended up getting up at 5.00am to take a walk around the lake and watch the people doing Tai Chi and also walking around the lake. I did two laps at a pace to try and keep up with the other walkers. It was funny, didn't have any trouble crossing the roads that early in the morning, no bikes, but getting a place on the walking track around the lake was nearly as dangerous as crossing the road! It was really lovely though watching the Tai Chi and the calmness on the people's faces who were undertaking this gentle exercise workouts.

I returned to the hotel and got ready for the tour, of for joy!! It is not that I didn't enjoy the places that we went too, but I hate being herded on and off buses, told what to look at and not being allowed to just wander at my own pace. We went to a beautiful Pagoda on a lake, the Ho Chi Minh Museum and his house and gardens which was amazing, then onto the Temple of Literature and the Museum of Ethicnology (think that is spelt wrong). During the tour I did learn a bit about the history of Vietnam, which I am going to put a shortened version down here, as I am really interested in its history and want to remind myself of it later to do some more research into it, so here goes.

Firstly Vietnam is invaded by France and becomes a French colony as such. During the war when France and Germany signed a Treaty, France gave Vietnam (Indochina) to Germany. In turn Germany who was "friends" at the time with the Japanese gave Vietnam to the Japanese. Apparently the Japanese committed great atrocities in Vietnam and finally the Vietnamese stood up and defeated the Japanese. Ho Chi Minh declares independence in the area where the museum is. Then France decides it does actually still own Vietnam. Somehow the Soviet Union, China, and America all get involved and so in the end it seems that many countries have pulled and shoved the Vietnamese people around over the years and yet they are still so easy going and friendly I am intrigued with them, obviously!! I am sure I haven't got it all right but at least it gives you a bit of an idea of the mixed history of this country! Apparently there is currently two islands in the south of Vietnam that China has now decided that they own, they have been Vietnamese forever but just shows how changes are always happening in this country.

So at the end of the tour, I skipped the bit at the lake as I had already done all the touristy things there and I was feeling a bit weary!!

Now I have completed my packing and repacking and upped my luggage allowance as my bag is a might bit heavier than when I left!!

I have been out and done my last walk around, got lost, again..... I am really quite sad about leaving Vietnam, feel like I have only just begun exploring this place, but I guess there is always next year!

Anyway tomorrow I am off to Thailand to meet up with Peter and Ray, well the group got a bit smaller for the reunion, but we will have fun anyway, and we may have surprise visitors!! The blogs may not be as regular because I envisage lots of lying around on beaches and resting and eating, not quite the exploring that was in Vietnam, but still just what I need before I head back to work, of course that's not for two weeks!!!

---