The Old Quarter of Hanoi

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After an interesting bus ride from Hai Phong to Hanoi this afternoon, where we started off with two seats each and ended up with one seat for ourselves and our backpacks - on our laps for a good hour - we have arrived in what I would have to describe as one of the most beautiful quarters in a city I have ever seen. The streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter are full of bustle and action, with street vendors selling baskets full of fresh aromatic bread, old Vietnamese women carrying loads of soup ingredients ready for any customers wanting Pho Bo for breakfast, beautiful Colonial buildings which have been entirely neglected by years of wear and poverty... The energy is, well, energetic. The streets are one-laned, though motos, cars, pedestrians and dogs all make their way up and down them, horns tooting to inform the oncoming traffic that they are about to pass onto the other side of the road. Fascinating to watch, though the trick would be finding a quiet spot from which one could just investigate without being interrupted.

We tried out a little restaurant which came with high recommendations from the guys we had met at Cat Ba - the grilled squid in sesame seeds was delicious as were the other dishes from Little Hanoi 2, though, once again, we were all extremely full by the time we got through half of the food. Leens savoured another Coca, as they call it over here - I had joked to her the other day that I could fill a film with her and Coke cans in all the different places we had been. Today, I joined her for a good hit of sugar, and it was so ice-cold that it went down like a dream.

We have decided to spend the rest of our time in Hanoi, just relaxing, reading, thinking, thinking, some museums, shopping, thinking... The girls are going to find a good Day Spa, though I am undecided as the whether I will join them or not. Might spend my time in some museums instead, of which Hanoi is supposed to have many good ones. It also has some beautiful art galleries and parks, so I am going to just soak up the culture and remaining days of being in a foreign country.

Gotta run, we are going out for a few drinks,

x Maz

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Comments

[Gabi K.]

Well, I am in a hurry, too. Please take plenty of photos of old buildings and I wish I was there, you probably really miss me by now!The buildings would all be from the French colonialisation? Enjoy everything, in case you end up in a museum or gallery, think of your poor mother here in whoop whoop! Love you, lots of kisses to you and Picki, mum

[Aussie Kate]

Just Brilliant...
Hi Girls, i know this is random, but ur blog is brilliant! I will keep checking in to see the rest of your adventures...! Its awesome...! Keep having fun and enjoy...!