Blogs from Hanoi, Red River Delta, Vietnam, Asia

Last October my father was very sick after he got Covid while recovering from surgery. He was not expected to live so the whole family gathered and we were ready to say goodbye to him. Fortunately, he got better and went back home. I had the chance to catch up with my nephew Kevin who is now living in Sweden. At age 11, he was a nice bubbly boy and he was very different to the boy I saw years ago when he was growing up. It was a great chance for my family reunion. Kevin and his parents, however, couldn't go back to Hanoi for Tết this year as my sister is waiting for her residence visa. Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year - 9 to 13 February) is the biggest event of the year for ... read more

I reached Hanoi late evening and headed to the Old Quarter, where I was staying. The first thing I noticed was the cooler weather, after the heat of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, North Vietnam at 14 degrees was a sudden, but welcome change. The next morning I did what I enjoy doing in any new big city - take a walking tour. My guide was a young, enthusiastic Vietnamese guy who couldn't wait to delve into the intricacies of Hanoi. After a walk at the Hoan Kiem Lake with its beautiful greenish water, the famous red bridge and the Ngoc Son Temple, we headed to the Dong Xuan market, the largest indoor market in Hanoi. Selling products of every kind, the most noticeable thing was the wet market where I saw seafood of all varieties. Later ... read more

Gestern fuhren wir nach dem Frühstück an die Küste und bestiegen nach dem Besuch einer Perlmanufaktur ein Schiff zur Halong-Bucht. Dort übernachteten wir auch. Trotz fehlendem Sonnenschein gab es einen massenhaften Andrang und viele Boote die dorthin ausliefen. Zum Glück hatte ich eine Kabine für mich allein. Am Ziel angekommen besichtigten wir auf einer der Karstinseln eine große Grotte und bei einer anderen wollten wir einen Aussichtspunkt auf einer Bergspitze erklimmen. Aber auf letzteres verzichtete ich und beobachtete statt dessen das Treiben am Strand. Das ganze war definitiv ein Höhepunkt der Reise.... read more

I’ve arrived! First impressions? Heat and noise! But more about that in a bit... The first flight (LHR -> Singapore) was long – a little over 12 hours, but my seat was comfy, the food was good, the wine and my Singapore Sling were tasty, and I was very well looked after by Lou-Lou and her colleagues. It was my first experience with Singapore airlines, and it was excellent. I had a 3-hour layover in Singapore before my second flight, a mere 3 ¼ hours from Changi airport to Hanoi. Changi airport in Singapore is very clean and contemporary, with lots of shops and stuff to entertain one during the wait – a crystal garden, a fishpond covered in glass that you can walk on, a virtual waterfall... travel between T3 where we landed and T2 ... read more

Gegen Mittag lande ich in Hanoi. Als ich zur Passkontrolle gehe, erwartet mich dort eine lange schlange - ich schätze 20m schlange, die schließlich an einer Ecke in einen Haufen mündet. Also warte ich. Nachdem zwei mal jemand versucht, sich an der Schlange vorbeizuschmuggeln und sich direkt hinter mir anstellt, obwohl da noch 5 andere Leute sind, und jeweils von dem Inder, der direkt hinter mir steht zurückgeschickt wird, kommt schließlich ein haufen Chinesen, wohl aus einem soeben gelandeten Flugzeug, ignoriert geschlossen die Schlange und stellt sich einfach direkt an den Haufen, der somit noch größer wird. Das ist wohl das erste mal in meinem Leben, dass mich nicht nur einzelne Personen, sondern ein ganzes Flugzeug voller Menschen in einer Schlange überholt. Als wir schließlich in dem Haufen ankommen, stellen ich und der Inder, der irgendwie ... read more

I usually do not travel seeking a beautiful country. Mostly, I try to choose an interesting country, particularly lesser known countries, like Croatia, Serbia, Nepal, Laos, Myanmar, and Colombia. But here is a list of beautiful countries, per "Wander with Alexander" and his bucket list: Halong Bay, Vietnam A very beautiful place, and perfect for someone like me who is not a cruiser. It is just an overnight, with pretty good food and activities. The cabins and bathrooms are quite spacious by cruise standards. And the staff is friendly, speaking good English as well. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe By most standards, V Falls is a letdown from both Iguazu and Niagara Falls. But, after all, it is Africa, and it has a rather unique charm. It is best to combine with safaris, rather than make it your ... read more