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Published: November 2nd 2007
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Onion Seller
Hanoi, Vietnam Happening Hanoi
After a couple of weeks European rest from the rush of Asia, I was excited about arriving in Hanoi and I wasn't disappointed. After eventually finding a taxi driver that would reset and use his metre I found myself in the middle of one of the most exciting Asian cities I'd ever visited.
Hanoi is a champagne explosion of sensual delight: on every street corner is a scene from a novel, below the incessant beeping and buzzing of a thousand scooters can be heard the chatter of traders hustling through the day and at every turn is a new scent of delicious cooking.
The exuberant Hanoi life spills out of crumbling buildings onto a maze of narrow streets. People are busy buying and selling everything from fresh crabs and trout to sunglasses and hats. Diners munch their way through delicious dishes of spring rolls and cha ca fish, sitting on children's chairs and as the night falls the bia hoi bars fill with locals swigging freshly brewed, ice-cold beer.
I joined in and soon found myself supping some delicious cold beers and watching the world go by.
Mount Fansipan
Keen to keep moving, after a
Beer Shop
Hanoi, Vietnam day in Hanoi I took the night train to Sapa and after meeting my guide and arranging for a porter to carry our food, we headed off into the hills on the backs of scooters to trek up to the roof of Indo-China: Mount Fansipan.
It took three days to get to the top of the 3141m high mountain and back and the walk took us through some beautiful countryside. We spent two cold nights camping on the mountain, eating the superb food prepared by the guide and porter and drinking the local hooch.
To ease my aching legs, the day after the trek, my guide procured a Russian built Minsk motorbike for a trip to some nearby hotsprings. It was great to be back on a bike, and good fun to wobble along the incredibly muddy roads. The hotsprings weren't as hot as I had hoped, but with a backdrop of the Tonkinese Alps, I wasn't complaining.
Ha Long Bay
I had a good old doze on the night train back to Hanoi, but was too early to check into my hotel. I wandered round the old quarter watching it wake up, as people took breakfast
I'd rather be at work.
Not sure this chap was enjoying his cyclo trip. on the street and fruit-sellers carried their heavily-loaded baskets of bananas to every street corner. Eventually my favourite Tamarind Cafe opened and I was able to get some breakfast myself and prepare for another day of soaking up the Hanoi atmosphere.
The next morning, I was collected from the hotel for a boat tour round Ha Long Bay. Leaving the crowded harbour our junk sailed into the mist and eventually the beautiful islands of the bay started to appear throught the haze. We swam, kayaked and visited some astonishingly large caves, spending one night on the boat, sitting on the top deck until late at night, scaring each other with ghost stories and another in a hotel, a short walk from the karaoke bar where our Vietnamese guide sang sad French love songs.
More Fun in Hanoi
Crushed for five uncomfortable hours on a coach designed to accomodate the smaller Vietnamese leg, I eventually arrived back in Hanoi just in time for some minor hotel room shenanigans and another delicious dinner.
A trip to the Temple of Literature ended with lunch at the unexpectedly amazing Koto restaurant, which was followed by a walk to Lenin Park via
Drink beer, look like me,
Poster in Red Beer Bar, Hanoi. Lenin's Statue. I'd given up taking the omnipresent motorbike taxis ("Hello, motorbike?") as I was rarely able to make them understand where I wanted to go, even with the use of a map, so I walked from Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum Complex all the way to Lenin Park, a route pretty much from top to bottom of Hanoi. Fortunately, the city's not as big as I'd thought and half an hour later I was ambling through a quiet park, watching the locals play badminton.
I took a cooking course the next day and learnt the secrets of delicious cha ca fish and a couple of other dishes. Stuffed with the results of my morning's study, I headed towards the Water Puppet Theatre. The Water Puppets are a Hanoi institution I couldn't miss. I wasn't disappointed as the hour-long show with music and fireworks was a great way to spend an hour of the afternoon.
Meeting some other travellers at my favourite bar, "Half Man, Half Noodle", for some drinks lead on to another feast at the beautifully restored Cafe 69 and not the early night I'd planned before my departure to Hong Kong.
The next morning I
woke early for some very last minute packing and passport panic and made it to the airport in time for the short flight to Hong Kong.
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Jason
non-member comment
your having too much fun!