Winter 2016 - 02 Vietnam (Back to Ha Noi)

I. Vietnam

Chapter II. Back to Hanoi

Day 5 (part 2) Hanoi – ying Weather

From Cat Ba, it’s a half day trip (bus+boat+bus+bus) to get back to Hanoi.

One of the bus drivers got the top of our bus entangled with electric cables and had to push them off by hand (don’t do this at home, kids…).

Another driver tried to drive away during a bathroom break – while some people were still in the bathroom.

Someone even had to take the key from him to stop the bus…

I guess it could have happened anywhere, but when travelling in South East Asia, never let your guard down. Or else.

We left Hanoi 4 days ago and I was in T-Shirt at night.

Now, we come back and it’s cold and raining.

The temperature has dropped significantly in the past couple of days.

When we first arrived in Hanoi, we realized a bit too late that some taxi drivers are professional con artists.

Some drivers would use tampered meters and there are even fake taxis in Vietnam.

To make sure ‘the fare is fair’, only take cabs from Mai Linh (green taxi), Vinasun (white taxi) or Taxi Group.

By sticking to this rule no matter what, we never had any trouble later on.

Quinn had been in Hanoi three years ago and she remembers a famous restaurant called Little Hanoi.

That’s where we’re going for dinner.

Thankfully, she also remembers what it looks like because just across the street from it, there’s a copycat with the same name.

A bit of advice: in Vietnam, fake restaurants are rarely on ground level.

So, if you see a famous restaurant on the first or second floor, think twice before you enter and make sure you are at the right address.

The place itself is really nice and the music in the background, quite soothing.

It’s a nice change of pace after a long bus ride and the perfect place to get away from the noise and the traffic.

The tables are covered with thank you notes and recommendations from previous customers.

One of them praises the ‘chicken with 5 flavours’. I try it and I’m not disappointed !

After dinner, we walk back to the lake.

We have our tickets for a water puppet show tonight- a must-see in Hanoi.

Before the show, we stop in a cool Artbook store, where I get some neat movie posters and magnets, and then we go for a drink in the cafe near the theater.

Water puppetry in Vietnam is a tradition that dates as far back as the 11th century.

The wood-lacquered puppets move over the water, supported by a large rod, and the puppeteers are hidden behind a screen.

The shows are performed in a waist-deep pool while musicians sing and play.

The themes have strong references to Vietnamese folklore (for instance, the giant turtle that snatched the magical sword).

To take pictures during the show, you have to pay extra. And I didn’t.

The show itself is pretty cute (mostly for children I would say) but it’s a fascinating cultural experience that everyone should see once.

It’s been a long day, and, as usual, tomorrow, we’re gonna get up early.

So after the show, we quickly head to our hostel to get some sleep.

Day 6 Uncle Ho

This is our last day in Hanoi.

This morning, we’re going to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum.

It’s a relaxing 40min stroll from our hostel.

Today, the mausoleum is closed.

At least, the museum nearby is still open.

There’s a TV crew across the street.

Maybe something important is happening today.

I wouldn’t know anyway.

Ho Chi Minh was the leader of the Democratic Party of Vietnam.

Inspired by the Bolshevik Revolution in the Soviet Union, he joined the Communist party and helped found the League for the Independance of Vietnam (the Viet Minh) in 1941 to fight off the French, and later US military presence.

During WW2, his forces seized the city of Hanoi from the French colonial government and he declared a Democratic State of Vietnam.

The French armies were eventually defeated in Dien Bien Phu in 1949. And in 1973, the last US troops left Saigon (now called Ho Chi Minh city).

Affectionately know as ‘Uncle Ho’, he remains the symbol of Vietnam’s unification.

The museum is really well designed. It’s a fascinating insight into the life of one of Vietnam’s most important figures.

You can learn a lot about Ho Chi Minh. From his early life in France, where he organized a group of Vietnamese immigrants…

‌ his artistic and political inspirations‌

‌ to his involvement during the Indochina and the Vietnam wars.

But it’s not all about him.

There’s also more art and history to look at and learn from.

Not far from the museum, you can take a look at the ‘one-pillar’ pagoda.

There are street vendors everywhere around.

One of them is selling some jackfruit.

It’s quite large and tastes like bubble gum.

For lunch, we get back to Little Hanoi. This time, we order DIY spring rolls.

The waiter brings you all the stuffing and you have to roll the ingredients in the rice paper yourself.

Still a couple of hours before our train leaves.

We walk to the old city gate and visit the local market.

To avoid the crowd, we walk up some stairs‌

‌ only to find ourselves in the middle of a huge retail warehouse.

I’m sure you can find anything you want here for a really cheap price, but we don’t have enough time to look around.

Still, I manage to bargain for a nice T Shirt and a couple of souvenirs.

Instead, we walk back to the lake.

I’ve read about a coffee place nearby from which you can have a nice view of the area.

To get there, you must first enter through a silk shop and then make your way to the rooftops.

But up there, the view is really nice.

I mean, it’s really nice when it’s not foggy and raining…

Time to go back to our hostel.

The bags are packed. Gotta go soon.

But we still have enough time to get some food.

In the hotel, I find an article about the 10 best places to eat pho (noodle soup and one of Vietnam’s national dishes) in Hanoi.

One of these restaurants is only two blocks away.

Carrying all the bags in the street while avoiding traffic is not easy, but we make it.

The place is packed with tourists and locals – and for a good reason. The soup is excellent.

I can tell that the quality of the meat and the broth changes a lot from one restaurant to the next.

This is one the best I’ve tried so far.

After dinner, we get some snacks and drinks in a grocery store along the way and walk to the train station.

Our train is there.

Our next destination is Hue, in central Vietnam, where it’s gonna be much warmer and sunnier.

Bye bye Hanoi. Bye Bye rain and cold.

I mean, it’s dry season.

So, there’s no chance that it’s gonna rain in Hue too.

Right ?