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Published: February 12th 2012
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On Saturday night we left Hong Kong and flew 2 hours to Hanoi. We were held up quite awhile in Hanoi airport dealing with the visas...have never seen such inefficiency in my life!! We were met by Houng (pronounced like Juan), our guide and checked into the Hilton Hanoi Opera. Fantastic room with a lovely gift and fruit plate awaiting us...we are so spoiled!! Got together for a few drinks with the 5 other couples and met again in the morning at the breakfast buffet. So many choices...definitely my favorite meal of the day!! Everyone enjoying the traditional Vietnamese Pho (prounounced FUR)....hot broth with meat, noodles and veggies. After breakfast we all got into our rickshaws......what a sight as we set out with a line of 14 rickshaws travelling through the busy streets!! Seemed very scary at first, but it is amazing how everyone maneuvers through the traffic....scooters, cars, buses, rickshaws, and bicycles. We passed the Hoan Kiem Lake, and headed to the French Quarter...where we entered a whole new world!! Wow!! The sights, smells and sounds were just overwhelming!! So many people and so many things to look at!! These people literally live on the street...since there are often 8
families living together. Cooking is done on the street, and they shop for fresh produce at least twice a day. People sitting on low plastic stools, enjoying the traditional Pho, or coffee and green tea. Each street sells a different product...one for candy, one for shoes, etc. Scooters zippng around honking, the odd car or van, women carrying the "met" on their shoulder...a baboo pole.loaded with very heavy baskets on each end. Bicycles loaded with produce...many people wearing the traditional straw, cone shaped hats. If you can take your eyes off the street, you look up and see another world.....electrical wires everywhere, laundry, plants, dirty windows, etc. We got off the rickshaws and continued the tour on foot. Then we got into the buggies....like large golf carts...holding 4 people each. We went to see the mausoleum and viewed the body of Ho Chi Minh, or "Uncle Ho" as our guide so fondly referred to him. Very somber, with guards in white uniforms and long line-ups of people. Houng is giving us so much information on the history of this country...very fascinating. We toured the grounds of the presidential palace where we saw the homes that Ho Chi Minh had lived
in, and his 3 cars. Went to the single pillar pagoda and then to lunch. Next to the Temple of Literature, built in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius. We had a chance to sit and listen to a short concert by 4 local musicians playing traditional Vietnamese instruments. Amazing talent and very interesting. Then back on our 48 passenger bus (all 12 of us!) to the Hanoi Hilton...the famous prison. Very haunting and disturbing images, but also very interesting. The American prisoners were definitely treated better than the Vietnamese that were held by the French, but probably some bias there. We headed back to hotel for much needed rest, and then to the restaurant Green Tangerine for dinner. Interesting to see the lake all lit up and walk through the French Quarter at night.
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joddy
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Great pics, Jane. I remember those scooters! It is an amazing sight. Looks a bit cool and wet, but I'm sure it won't dampen your spirits. Enjoy