Museums and Monsoons and MEEP MEEP MEEP!

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Geo: 21.0243, 105.855

The traffic in Hanoi is as mental as ever! Motorbikes carry entire families, perched precariously on every inch of available space. They, along with taxis and trucks, weave in and out of the pedestrians, disregarding any and all traffic signals. Crossing the road is an epic adventure, with traffic heading towards you in all directions. The only way to face the traffic is head on - with grim determination - and hope that they are as nippy as they look!

This morning's breakfast was a delight - we were greeted like old friends by the restaurant staff in the hotel. Stacey was reacquainted with the smoked breakfast sausages she loved so much last time and Ben had his first taste of Dragonfruit. Apparently, it tastes like parsley......? It may be an acquired taste!

We then allowed ourselves into the melee of the bustling city of Hanoi. The sun was shining, the temperature rising and we headed down to the edges of Hoan Kiem Lake - where legend has it that the Golden Turtle God emerged from the water and took the sword of Emperor Le Loi, who had used it to defeat the Ming Dynasty, returning it to its rightful owners; the gods in the waters below. There is still one massive freshwater turtle that lives in the lake, that locals believe is either the God, or a descendant of the God, but we sadly did not see him.

Our walk/moto-slalom then took us to the Hoa Lo Prison, where the French colonists imprisoned members of the Communist Revolutionary Army at the turn of the century, and then the Vietnamese used it to house the American Air Pilots shot down over the city during the Vietnam War. Even having visited before, it was a chilling reminder of the casualties and atrocities of war. Each and every visit to this area drags up reminders of the suffering dealt to these incredible people and each time I leave humbled by their ability to smile, to forgive and forget the inhumane acts done to them by numerous Western invaders. I have no doubt that there were atrocities on both sides, but while the West has moved on and rebuilt its infrastructure and compensated its soldiers, this country (and the others around it) bear the physical scars which are only just beginning to heal; the land still pocked with mines and bombs serving as a lasting reminder of the legacy of warfare.

From the oppressively dark and claustrophobic prison, we ventured out into the sunshine and into pastures much more entertaining. We found Fanny Ice Cream Parlour. Who can resist Fanny on a hot day? Not your three adventurers. So we stepped into the clean, modern, air-conditioned interior sanctuary of the parlour, The menu was extensive with more than 60 flavours and suggested dishes, including ice-cream sushi, ice-cream fondue, ice-cream rickshaws, ice-cream spring rolls - you name it, there was a combination. We steered away from the durian ice-cream (vile, vile fruit which smells of bins) and instead treated ourselves to refreshing ice-cream sundaes for lunch. Well, we are on holiday.

We then went to the women's museum which had been closed last time Stacey and I were here. It was a fascinating insight into the role of women in Vietnamese society - we learned that the women in the family have the rights to the family estate which is passed down to the youngest daughter. Women are revered as gods (Mother God who brings light and luck into your home and controls the four elements of the Earth) and they are treated more as equals than in any other country I have visited. There was a huge section on women at war, demonstrating the heroism of women in the country's fight for both independence and reunification. A moving video also told the story of several women who work as street-sellers on Hanoi's roads, leaving their families in the countryside for weeks at a time in order to buy their children an education and a better life. It certainly puts hard bargaining for a 20p discount on your street purchase into a new light!

Then we wandered around to find the Vietnamese History Museum which was the most beautifully timed piece of sightseeing I have ever done. We found the museum beneath mounting black clouds, chased by a flurry of leaves whipped up by the circling wind. The minute we stepped through the doors and paid our entrance fees, the monsoon hit. Rain was bouncing off the ground, the cars, the trees and buildings. The spray, blown by the ever-increasing wind, made fabulous patterns on the ground while the relentless rain added to the effect by cascading into the puddles. As a museum experience, it was not highest on my list of all-time must sees. A large collection of artefacts has been arranged into date order corresponding with the major revolutionary events of the 18th, 19th and 20th century. However, it is a very one-sided view of the events, although the exhibition does end on an uplifting look at the successes of the modern Vietnamese industry and subsequent economy. What made this visit special was that we were able to escape from the raging storm for an hour and miss the majority of the downpour.

Ponchos on (and very fetching they are too, Ben in a khaki one looking like he's about to join the army, my bright yellow one making me look like a rubber duck, and Stacey's day-glo orange cape which makes her look like Captain Traffic Cone), we headed back to the winding streets of the old quarter, dodging the poncho-wearing motorbike drivers (their ponchos have a clear window at knee height which allows their headlight to shine through!) and swerving taxis as we went. Dinner was back at the restaurant from last night (delicious, covered and close to the hotel!) where Stacey and Ben enjoyed noodles and I was treated to the Hanoi speciality of Bun Cha. I had no idea how to eat it, and I found out at the end of the meal, when the waitress showed a lady at the next table how to do it, that I had eaten in all wrong, but it was still delicious.

Back (in the remnants of the monsoon) to the hotel for a game of Scrabble and a couple of beers. An early start to visit the shopping district tomorrow (every street has a different trade with every shop on the street selling the same thing! You can go to pots and pans street, clothes street, silk street...etc) for souvenirs. Then we will see a few more of the sights and join our tour, ready to hit Laos on Saturday,

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