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Published: April 26th 2008
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To the people who warn against Hanoi, and Vietnam at large, because of aggressive touts, pushy sales men/women/9 year-olds and the demolition derby that is every intersection we only have two words - Try India!
Ok, this isn't Thailand and bartering is more a religion than a simple everyday occurance, but this is a place that has received some unfair press form the outside world. Thoughts and images from the 'American War' can't prepare you for an old quarter with tight alleyways bustling with boutique shops and French cafes (although many Vietnamese cafes sell coffee, just coffee no food - even a request for milk can warrant disapproving stares). Armies of young cyclists and fruit sellers with bamboo baskets and conical hats pour through the streets as they have for a hundred years. However, venture further afield and the wide boulevards and grand residences start to take on a more European feel. A stately Opera House and tree lined avenues further chip away at any assumptions we had about a country that until 1975 had seen almost constant war throughout its entire history.
Perhaps our true joy at being in Hanoi had a wee bit more to do with
the fact that when we stepped off the plane it was 22 degrees and raining (beautiful glorious water falling from the skies - aah) as opposed to 36 degrees and as humid as ... well a jungle. We even grew to love (well enjoy at least) the 'Voice of Vietnam', a 6 a.m stirringly-nationalistic classical music wake up call pumped out of a tannoy system hooked up to every lampost throughout the city.
Having our misconceptions challenged and once again being in a major city we were also gifted the opportunity to visit some more obscure museums and enjoy a close up view of how the new Vietnam saw itself. What we found wasn't' vengeance or vendetta or even some vain attempt to glorify the communist state, but simply - We won, They lost. Few countries take such an objective view with their history and few could 'forgive' in the way the Vietnamese seem to have done (there's a lesson in there for those who still feel the Germans deserve a kicking when they're down).
However, where in most countries national museums a handbag would only make an appearance if it were especially beautiful or defining
of a style, Vietnam's war history museum proudly displays dour brown knapsacks that were used to carry food to the front line. Another display included the 'crucial' rock used by one enterprising gentleman in his defeat of enemy forces (it was a pretty rock though). In another ingenious exhibit old engines and wings from down American and French fighter planes have been turned into a giant outdoor piece of art that really captures the essence of the futility of such metallic conflict. We didn't stop with just the tanks and guns and selflessly queued for a quick glimpse of 'uncle' Ho (Chi Minh) in his embalmed state and the simple stilt house where he lived next to the grand presidential palace in which he refused to take up residence. We also managed to throw in a quick trip to the National History Museum home to the original revolutionary Vietnamese Flag and not one Vietnamese person. Shame really, after months of museums where exhibits were covered in bird shit (Calcutta) and lying broken on the floor (Delhi) this place had some really interesting well looked after stuff - just nobody to see it.
The must see thing to do when
in Hanoi is actually about 3 1/2 hours outside the city at the world renowned Halong Bay - one of the new 'Seven Natural Wonders of the World' if the Vietnamese get their way. A series of over 3000 tree covered islands rising like tropical eruptions from the sea along with hundred a of caves and grottos secreted among them. As beautiful as these island are the natural wonder would surely be better maintained without the huge water tanks and generators strapped to the sides of the mountains to provide lights and fake fountains which the guides spuriously claimed were creating new rock formations. In the end we thought better of pointing out to him how stalactites are actually formed over hundreds of thousands of years through very slow dribbles of water and not by chucking a bucket of water at a wall for seven hours a day. However, when you did find the occasional shaft of light streaming through the side of the mountain bathing the enormous formations in beautiful midday sun the effect was pretty stunning.
The tour itself to Halong Bay is more perseverance than pleasure full of lies, bribery and rip-offs all that threaten, but don't quite manage thankfully, to overshadow one of the world's natural gems. If this is peoples only view of Vietnam we really pity them, this is the worst most hideously greedy aspect of tourism that sadly is prevalent everywhere - if you visit Vietnam you must visit Halong Bay, just remember where the real heart of the country lies. Expensive and unfriendly, but something that has to be done
Kind of like the Tube.
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