Hanoi - Vietnam

June 14th - 17th, 2016

Vietnam's Capital City is a fantastic city, full of interesting streets, bustling markets, historic sights and more places to eat than you can shake a stick at! Our overall impression was favourable, of course there were a few things we weren't keen on, the usual hassling of tourists being the main one, the INSANE traffic the second, you have to see it to believe it, but traffic in Vietnam is 90% scooters and you literally take your life in your hands every time you cross a street as there are so many of them coming from all different directions with no discernible pattern...literally 'organised chaos'. We have since learned the rules for crossing the street here, other than our usual one of following a local, 1. keep looking straight ahead, 2. don't dodge, 3. walk slowly, 4. don't stop. They seem to work mostly!!

On to the good things about Hanoi and what we saw whilst we were here, spilt into distinct sections it is a fairly easy city to find your way around if you have a map and the interesting parts are all pretty much walkable from one another, so despite its 7.8 million people, it doesn't feel all that big. We spent some time in the French Quarter where the roads are wide and lined with trees, providing welcome shade as you stroll past the elegant villas and open spaces, enjoying the quieter roads as this is mainly a residential district. Then there is the Old Quarter where our hotel and many others are situated, this is a congested square kilometre packed full with shops, restaurants, street stands and people peddling their goods from bicycles everywhere you turn. It was the home to the original Merchant's quarter and its street date back five centuries, many of them still dedicated to the original craft for which they were named. It is a fascinating area to wander around with something to catch your eye at every turn, so vibrant and bustling, always on the go!

Around Hoan Kiem Lake right in the centre of the city, people gather at all times of day, but most particularly early evening where it becomes a social gathering ground, with families and young couples strolling along, power walkers and joggers exercising and older folk practising Tai Chi. Lit up at night it is particularly magical and a pleasant place to relax and watch the world go by, it has a tiny island with a three-tiered pavilion on it reached by a red bridge adding to the soothing ambiance of the place.

Lastly there is the area to the West of the centre where the main historic sights are found, we came here to see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex, the vast open space of Ba Dinh Square where the Declaration of Independence was read and the Temple of Literature. The Mausoleum is only open in the mornings on certain days and luckily enough we were there on an open day so braved the heat to trek right around the huge square to get in line for the entrance. Unfortunately I had forgotten to bring my scarf with me and because of my short sleeved top was not allowed to enter, but Andy went through the gate and he said there were lots of guards all dressed in crisp white, a large dark grey, marble block with pillars and many corridors leading to 'Uncle Ho's' sarcophagus who apparently looked like Mr Miyagi from the Karate Kid! He also saw the famous One Pillar Pagoda, supported on a single column rising from the middle of a small lake and resembling a lotus blossom, it represents the flowering of Vietnamese art in the 11th Century. Meanwhile I sat on a bench in the shade and made friends with 2 curious Vietnamese children who were waiting for their parents and spoke very good English, though didn't necessarily understand my replies. After he got back we walked back towards the old quarter to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's principal Confucian sanctuary and historical centre of learning. It is one of the few remnants of the original city here in the 11th Century Thang Long and consists of 5 walled courtyards and various buildings. It is a pretty, peaceful, serene site that was well worth taking the time to explore. The beautiful layout of the area lends itself to calmness and away from the hustle and bustle outside, you could easily forget you were in the middle of a city. We enjoyed wandering around here, not least for the shade and cool interiors that the high ceilinged wooden buildings had to offer. The humidity amongst some of the narrower streets was stifling and we frequently returned to our room to shower and cool off before venturing out again. One other thing Hanoi had going for it was the coffee, whether it was sweet and milky in an iced coffee, thick and strong in a black or delicious and creamy in an egg coffee, the quality was the best we've found in Asia so far!