Hanoi

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After our slack movie day in Hue we left the night of the 11th to catch the sleeper to Hanoi. As I said before this was something I was starting to dread based on our previous experience of the train. Plus I had a bit of a dodgy gut and not sure if I could abstain from using the toilet for 11 hours. Due to my very acute sense of smell, I find that it better to avoid these situations. As much as I love travel this is one aspect that I find hard to get over. I don't mind the starter blocks but they have to be clean. That stinky we wee smell gets stuck in your throat for hours. Distressing.
We boarded the train that night at Hue and much to our pleasant surprise our cabin had been made up with fresh linen and was spotless. A complete contrast to the first leg. Well, this was the same train but a different carriage. Same price and same standard. The difference was that the person in charge of our carriage was a WOMAN who ran a tight ship!!!!!!! The stinky, yucky cabin was looked after by a MAN!!!!!!!!! He sat in his chair the whole time while this woman was constantly sweeping and cleaning. For those thinking of taking the SE4, ask for carriage 11 and avoid carriage 9. WE all had a great nights sleep and awoke with a banging on the door that we were in Hanoi.
We had booked a hotel in Hanoi on the recommendation of an Aussie family that we had met in Hoi An. They had 2 kids too and had raved about the Rising Dragon in Hang Be Street. We had rung from Hue and booked and they were meeting us at the train station. It is always nice to be met and not have to deal with the touts. The train had been 1 hour late leaving Danang ( this is normal) so we were 1 hour late arriving in Hanoi. The guy meeting us ( from the hotel) then proceeded to complain to us that we were late and that he had been waiting for ages and he was very tired! The poor Princess. Made me feel a bit uncomfortable but hardly our fault we were late. I made a suggestion to him that in future he should ring the train station and see if the train was going to be on time. I thought this was constructive, but he didn't seem to appreciate my offering.
The hotel had kindly let us use a temporary room until ours was available. This was very nice of them and it was great to be able to shower. As it was still not 6am we headed out to walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and this was really close to the hotel and we had read that lots of local did there early morning exercise there. It was nice and cool and a great way to walk out the kinks from sleeping on the train. I love walking along the streets at different times of the day in Asia. Space is used so effectively by so many different people. Outside our hotel before 6am it looked like a street food and flower market. There was lots of people trading food but by 6am they started to drift away and the sidewalk cafes were being set up in that same space. They just spring up with some plastic tables and chairs and basic cooking equipment. Usually they specialize in a certain dish. Lots of people eating at these places and they offer great food at such cheap prices. The problem for us is the kids like a western breakfast and this is not on offer here. Closer to 8am these cafes pack up and the shops open.
Walking around the lake early in the morning was great. So much to see and nice and cool still. People doing Tai Chi, Aerobics classes,hoiking, weight lifting, walking, hoiking and some form or exercise new to us that involves slapping your own face. We assume this has some circulatory benefits and I will be conducting a workshop on my return.
Went to breakfast at a great new cafe on Hang Be owned by a Dutchman and he cooked us an amazingly good brekkie.
My first impression of Hanoi is that I love it. We had been a little apprehensive about Hanoi because everyone talks about all the scams and how bad the traffic is. We were hoping to avoid the scam situation as we had already booked all out train tickets and Halong Cruise. The traffic we were used to as we had already been in Vietnam for 3 weeks and were now old hands at crossing the traffic.
Went down to the Water Puppet place and booked tickets for the 6.30pm session. We did the Lonely Planet walking tour on our first day after breakfast. This is in around the Old Quarter where we were staying and takes you thru some really interesting streets. The street are numbered and have a set product they sell. The kids favourite was Toy Street, Lyndon's was Bia Hoy corner and mine was silk street. It is crazy hot and we were dripping messes by the end.
Headed to Fanny ice cream before our puppet show. We had tried to go in HCMC but they were closed because of the power shortages. Great ice cream place with amazing choices.
Water puppet show was very clever and we had great seats. Tane loved it and was mesmerised. Ella like it too but her attention span is a little underdeveloped yet. This show is a must for anyone visiting Hanoi.
Went for dinner at a great place called 69 Cafe that was on Tripadvisor and LP. Really good food and service.
We also visited the Ethnicity Museum while we were in Hanoi. There are 54 Ethnic Groups in Vietnam and while this museum is a little bit of a drive, it is well worth it. All the taxi drivers know it and is only about 90000D on the meter. In Vietnamese, French and English and very well displayed.
In the afternoon of the 2nd day we went on a cyclo tour for an hour around the old Quarter. Was good to not have to watch where you were walking and be able to look up. So much is happening up in Hanoi as the buildings are so narrow and high. ( a Vietnamese hour is 45 minutes when it is hot according to our cyclo driver) I thought Ella and I got the good driver as he spoke English but all ride her would keep dangling things to the side of me trying to sell me stuff. Annoying!
Went to Bia Hoy corner to sample some local brew. These are the best concept ever and I feel that the AHA need to come over on a fact finding mission and take this concept back to Perth. Who says you need a building and licences premise to drink alcohol.We have been drinking on street corners sitting on little red plastic chairs great beer at the princely sum of 25c a glass. There are no fights and no hassles. A bonus at Bia Corner in Hanoi is that there is a kebab cart just across the road and that wonderful marriage of bear and kebabs is alive in Vietnam also.
Have had a bad run with our Hotel the Rising Dragon. I now call it Faulty Towers. They but us in a room that there TV didn't work and the roof leaked. Had a big storm in the night and woke to water dripping on my face. Then heard more dripping and saw water leaking thru roof on other side of room down on to tv. Pouring in. Probably why the tv didn't work. Night manager assured me that it was only leaking a little bit onto the bed and this would be OK!. They were full that night and surely I could just put up with it. Unbelievable.! This was Mr Cranky from the train station. I know this place has good reviews on trip advisor but we don't agree. I think they lost interest in us as customers after they found out we had already booked our Halong Cruise and train tickets to Sapa. We were moved to a room that was cheaper but at least didn't leak and had tv, but this was only after I really had to insist that I was not sleeping with water dripping on me. We then got ignored for the rest of our stay.
We are loving Hanoi and I would love to come back when it is not so hot.
We are off to Halong Bay for 3 day 2 night cruise on the Huong Hai Junk tomorrow and looking forward to hopefully a respite from the heat.

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Photos

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Hanoi Traffic

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Happy in Hanoi

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Hoan Kiem Lake Hanoi early in the morning

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Hoan Kiem Lake Hanoi

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The Japanese Bridge

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Mobile Florist

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Wet market

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Toads for dinner!

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Water puppets

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Bia Hoi corner

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Traffic

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Our favourite beer corner

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Aerobics class

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Our nice sleeper train