Hello Ha Noi and welcome to Vietnam

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We got to Ha Noi on September 5th. It was a quick 2 hour flight from Hong Kong on Vietnamese airlines. We were expecting it to be really hot and humid but it was not anywhere near as bad. We were picked up at the airport by a driver from the hotel and left for a 45 minute drive to our accommodation. I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by how clean and open Ha Noi is, especially when compared to other parts of Asia we have visited. You also see the very diverse history of the country just by looking at the buildings as you drive along. There are many different influences from a broad range of countries.

What is amazing is how thin the buildings are, especially some of the older ones. According to Jo it is to do with some tax that was in place back in the day. Apparently the fatter your building the higher the tax. So of course the buildings are very thin. Who knows but after the potato incident (she got the Danish word for potato correct all be it with dodgy reasoning) in Denmark I am in the unfortunate position of having to go with her explanations unless I have undeniable proof to the contrary.

We are staying at a little place in the “Old Quarter” called the Queen of Hearts. It is great. Clean, cheap, friendly staff and close to everything we need. We can’t ask for anything more. We have gone for a couple of walks and it is amazing how easy it is to get around, especially once you get the hang of crossing the road (just take slow steps and the traffic moves around you pretty much). You just don’t get harassed like you do in India, Thailand or Bali. The worst we got was asked several times if we would like to by some local donuts. I wanted to explain that we were not some fat, pastry eating tourists from Europe or America but Phoebe really wanted one so we got a few. The one great legacy from the French occupation here is the wonderful bread, pastries and coffee. There is nothing else in Asia that compares. A CF of 10 to the Vietnamese for their friendliness and hospitality without constantly being at you to buy stuff.

The food here is great. Clean, fresh and tasty. There is some sort of delight at every turn. It is also ridiculously inexpensive. Nowhere so far on our trip can compare for value for money. Right in the middle of Ha Noi is a large lake surrounded by walkways and parkland. It is a great place to walk around, take in the sites and get a drink or something to eat. It is full of tourists and locals alike. I have been waiting to come here for 15 years and so far it has lived up to all my expectations. So a CF of 10 for not having my expectations smashed into a million pieces because of some sort of dodgy advertising that is way off the mark.

On our second full day we went on a city tour of Ha Noi in a private car with a driver (Long) and a tour guide (Quin). It was meant to be for half a day but ended up going for pretty much a whole day. We went to see a lot of temples and pagodas, a museum dedicated to the Ethnic Tribes of Vietnam as well as the museums and mausoleums dedicated to Ho Chi Minh. Everything is laid out and easy to get to.

The history of Vietnam has involved many wars with many different countries over the centuries aw well as civil wars. This has left a lot of different monuments to visit and see in honour of heroes and significant people, none more important than Ho Chi Minh himself. Unfortunately the mausoleum that holds his preserved body was closed because it (as in the body) was being worked on. This is a regular occurrence, especially if a significant event is coming up. The body has to be sent back to Russia for the embalmers there to do their thing. Next month is the 1000 year anniversary of Ha Noi city so maybe that is why it was closed. Anyway we did get into the Ho Chi Minh museum. This was a building totally dedicated to him, his life, and political work and was done with abstract art to tell different significant events. Ho Chi Minh is referred to as the ‘Father of the Nation’ or ‘Great Uncle’ and everything about him is in a positive light. The Vietnamese are very strike about the way you behave when you are near anything to do with the main. Even in the museum we had to be very quiet and could only whisper. The mausoleum was so strict and had so many rules (eg no talking, no hands in your pockets) that I am pretty sure there is no way Alex could have followed them all and we would have probably got kicked out. Quin or guide was very interesting. She was about 23 and at University and worked as a guide to earn some money and practice her English. She new everything about Ho Chi Minh and his life and it was obvious what she had been taught at school. There is not a bad word to be seen or heard about him anywhere. We also went to the ‘Temple of Literature’. This was built in 1050AD and was the first University in Vietnam. Originally it was just for members of the royal family. You came here if you wanted to become a doctor or reach the level of Confucius. It is quite amazing to see names dating back to the 12th century. A CF of 8 for a very interesting day, including the free propaganda and indoctrination.

In the late afternoon we went to a water puppet show. This is a show where all the puppetry is done in water with large wooden dolls made from Fig trees. It had fireworks, live music, a light show and much drama. The show was about Vietnamese life and customs. It didn’t matter that it was all totally in Vietnamese it was still very enjoyable and entertaining. After the show we headed off for dinner. It started to pelt down so we grabbed a taxi. We have two maps; the Lonely Planet guide that is so detailed that it make Ha Noi look massive, and a hotel map that makes everything look about 50m apart. We figured out where the restaurant was and showed the taxi driver the way. Had to laugh in the end as it was only one street over and we could have walked there in about 2 minutes. Instead we had a 10 minute discussion about where the place was and realised that the driver didn’t know the street or place (in fact he had no English at all) and then a 10 minute drive to get there where I directed the whole way. Usually this would have got a very low CF but it only cost us 2 dollars and it did stop us from getting drenched. The restaurant had a very extensive menu of northern Vietnamese food. The restaurant is in an old building and you sit at traditional low tables on cushions. The kids took great delight as to whether I would be able to sit cross-legged at the table. Apparently, according to Alex, it is easy and he showed me how they did it at Kindy for Ms Wilson. I settled for a plate of tiger prawns and a Saigon beer. For basically $12 I got a massive plate of fresh prawns and an ice cold beer. I couldn’t have fit another thing in. Back home it would have been a $60 meal. To finish off the evening we bought a local bottle of traditionally made rice wine lacquer. We got the Mulberry flavour. Tasted quite good but I would have to say I slept very, very well and didn’t hear the traffic below at all.

I can’t wait for the next 3 and a half weeks to unfold after such a great introduction to the country.

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Photos

An apple a day
Ha Noi is really a mixture of old and new. You can still buy everything you need straight off the street. No supermarkets required here.

Don't give up your day job!
Sellers carrying their wears, especially fruit and vegetables in two massive baskets on the end of a bamboo pole. It is a lot heavier than it looks.

One step at a time
Downtown Ha Noi. Busy but you can still cross the road, one step at a time. Just smile and wave boys.

Hoankiem Lake
This is a beautiful lake right in the heart of Ha Noi. Lovely place to stroll around during the day.

Peddling your wears.
Using a loaded up bicycle is still the best way to get you merchandise around the narrow streets of the old quarter.

Check Mate?
Two old gentleman playing some type of checkers at Ngoc Son Temple.

Temple of Literature.
Built in 1050AD this University has seen many generations of scholars come and go.

Son Tinh
A local Vietnamese rice laquer with a Mulberry flavour. Tasted great but it had a fair kick in the tail.