Hanoi Old Quarter I dont know if I should consider myself as a backpacker, although I travel on budget, stay at reasonably priced budget hostels and travel with a suitcase :) I cant bear to carry a backpack anymore. I prefer to drag my luggage.
By looking at these pictures, they brought me back to my stay in Hanoi. I missed the Old Quarter especially and the food :) Thanks
backerpackers I think that backpacking is the ideal way to travel because it will bring you closer to the natives to learn about their cultures. Regardless of how much money backpackers have, they will still contribute to local economies due to the mass of backpackers traveling in the country every year.
Peace!!!!
Reply to Alex's comment This is just one of a series of articles about Western backpackers on the large page and I cannot translate all of them. In another article, the author talked with some of the backpackers and they shared about their lives. Like anyone, they also have to work hard to earn for living and save for travelling in many countries. I agree with you that at least they are still lucky they can travel, while others can't.
Don't Agree What i find troubling about this article is that according to the writer, hospitality is based on a person's wealth. Granted these people are quite poor but backpackers, while not individually rich, have a lot of money
collectively. And i'm sure that the Vietnamese economy couldn't go without.
Backpackers are still the same When I started traveling in the 80s backpackers already ruined their reputation in Greece and Turkey, by misusing the hospitality of the people there and just eating themselfs cheaply through the local kitchens. Sorry to read that this now als happens in South-East Asia. Hope it does not reflect on other travelers also. Specially in developing economies I found that people have not too much understanding, why comparatively rich Westerners can be so filthy and take it as expression of disrespect.
Greetings,
Marcus
Western backpackers I think this raises some interesting questions. Speaking as an older person, I would first mention that there is now a second category of 'Western Backpacker': the 'grey-haired Western Backpacker!'. Now these backpackers share some of the features of the ones described in this contribution (large backpack) but probably not smelly washing?! However, one key difference is probably that despite their appearance, they probably have nice bank balances and secure pensions, so the question arises as to whether we older ones are actually 'wolves in sheep's clothing'. I love travelling, but most of it has been done in connection with business. A friend recently told me about another retired man who regularly goes backpacking alone in SE Asia. I must admit the idea has occurred to me, but in some ways I feel that to travel encumbered with a huge backpack is a bit like caravanning, which has never appealed to me because in effect you are carrying your 'kitchen sink' around with you. I prefer to be as anonymous as possible when travelling (admittedly rather difficult for a white haired tall Westerner in SE Asia!). I am beginning to think that ideally I would like to travel as lightly as possible and not to have a mobile phone or camera with me. I have read accounts by distinguished travel writiers who prefer to do it that way. I also feel that we older travellers should contribute to local economies by paying our way in normal hotels etc rather than trying to 'do it on the cheap'.
Happy Birthday!!! Better late than never. Happy Birthday! I have heard of the battle in Dien Bien Phu but never pictured what the place looks like until I read your entry. Thank you for sharing! Where is your next destination?
The French War Ended Dear Hong Ha
Thanks for all of your phtos, with which I visually noticed how Vietnamese fighted with French army.
I wonder why Majority of Vietmamese martyrs at the cementery are anoymous, or whether those martyrs are unidetified civilians.
It's much regrettable that the war expanded to the proxy war between capitalist countries and communist countries in the field of Vietnam, and ended up when N.Vietnam entered Saigon in April 30 1975, leaving behind the great number of irreparable victim.
Regards
Kob
beautiful pictures Thanks for sharing your experiences. I was in vietnam (Ha Noi, Hue, HCMC) in april 2009 and wish that I'd read your blog before my trip. Ha Noi is a beautiful city with lots of history and I will visit it again someday. Where did you learn your englsih? Your english is perfect, far better than mine although I have been living in America for 30 years. Love your blog!!
cooking classes Hi,
Thanks your comments; i love all this talk about Asian foods.
My Mum and i have just decided to organise a trip to Vietnam. I have been there before but its been 6 years and this trip is going to be a bit different. I am interested in any cooking courses you may recommend; i was hoping for a one course that might include a trip out of the city Hanoi to farms or market.
thanks for your help..
Cheers
Memories Thanks for bringing back some memories and logging the trip I was supposed to take there. This was the city I got a bad case of dysentery in, so the family did the excursions while I was glued to my hotel bed. I did make the flight around Everest though!
I stayed in Thamel which is crowded and noisy. I suggest you to find a guest house in Jathaya. I walked from Thamel to this area and saw some quiet guest houses there. You can expect US$8 per night for a single room. A double room costs US$12.
Restaurants in Hanoi names Please! Fabulous Blog! Vietnamese food is the BEST in the world! I would love to hear of some names and addresses (Or therabouts) of some of the places you have used for these photos. I will eat everywhere from cheap and authentic to a bit posh and exxy if it is excellent authentic Vietnamese. Going for 5 days and don't want to waste 1 meal!
Thx, from Vietnamese food freak Aussie
I am a Hanoi_girl who loves to travel. When working for a Japanese construction company in Hanoi, I had the chance to travel to 28 countries and to all the 63 provinces in Vietnam, including 25 trips to Huế city. Egypt, Mongolia and Italy are my love, and other favorite countries are Australia, France, New Zealand, Nepal, Fiji, Japan, India, Indonesia, Belgium, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, China (8 trips, 15 cities), South Korea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Cambodia (3 trips), Brunei Darussalam, the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Laos (3 trips), Malaysia (4 trips), Singap... full info
Charles
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Hanoi Old Quarter
I dont know if I should consider myself as a backpacker, although I travel on budget, stay at reasonably priced budget hostels and travel with a suitcase :) I cant bear to carry a backpack anymore. I prefer to drag my luggage. By looking at these pictures, they brought me back to my stay in Hanoi. I missed the Old Quarter especially and the food :) Thanks