Blogs from Hanoi, Red River Delta, Vietnam, Asia

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

Just the other day, someone asked about my best sandwich ever. I have given it some thought, and here are my answers. I had to categorize my answers, as the sandwich spectrum is just too broad. Best Banh Mi Without a doubt, it was in Hanoi, about a block from my Old Town hotel. I have been there on two different trips, and the taste and quality are outstanding. Cars drive by, run in and pick up a "to go" bag, so it must be well accepted by the locals. The pork banh mi has moist meat, flavorful condiments, and the best pickled radish. One sandwich is not enough, but two is way too much. Best Burger Hands down, the best burger we ever had was at the El Tovar Dining Room at the Grand Canyon. ... read more

Så fik vi taget fat på Vietnaturen ved at gå rundt i mylder af scooter, bil, mennesker og gadebutikker. Man skal holde et vågent øje på hvad der sker så man ikke lige bliver kørt ned af en scooter. For at komme godt i gang med ture må det første være at hilse på Ho Chi Minh. Men inden skulle vi lige se resterne af et B-52 fly som var styrtet ned i en sø. En gammel dame kom forbi og fortalte hvordan hun havde oplevet styrtet og hvordan vand og fisk var svømmet over og ned i deres beskyttelsesgange. Selv turen forbi Ho Chi Minh var en andægtig og hurtig tur rundt om den balsamerede krop som selvfølgelig lå inde i et kæmpe mausolæum. I videnskabens tempel fejrer de studerende afslutningen på deres uddannelse med ... read more

Later in our holiday we are going on a boat and apparently the mornings will start with some Tai Chi. We could do with this now in order to get ourselves in a state of serene calm to be able to face the traffic without having a nervous breakdown. I’m sure the best way to cross the roads is to just close your eyes and walk. We headed for the Temple of Literature, which sounds like my daughter’s idea of hell. She would think we were either deliberately trying to ruin her life or having some sort of joke at her expense. It was a huge 30,000 Dong to enter, but I keep forgetting that that is just over £1, hardly denting my vast wad of Dong. I’ve noticed that there a no coins here, but ... read more