Vietnam: Hanoi

With our 3AM wake up call, we rolled out of bed for our departure to the airport for Hanoi, Vietnam.  Stepping out of the taxi at the wee hours, Erik realized something just didn’t look right—we were at the wrong airport!  Thank goodness our airport wasn’t too far away—the joy of the language barrier.

Dysfunctional would be the best word to describe the visa process in Vietnam.  The process is not clearly explained—not in guidebooks, online or blogs.  So we were ready for just about anything to happen.  We did make it through and now for our next challenge….getting to our hotel!

Our first scam in Vietnam: On our way to the hotel by taxi, our driver stopped at a random hotel with a man opening our door, asking for our information, holding a brochure from our hotel which Erik had previously told the driver.  Erik reacted quickly—having heard about this scam-- and asked the man to give us our information.  They basically tell you the hotel you are in is overbooked and they put you at a different (i.e., worse hotel) losing your deposit on the hotel you booked. 

Scam #2: A girl claimed to be a student and working for the Red Cross.  She showed us some sheet, asked for money, and then couldn’t understand why wouldn’t help her.  We walked away.  We see her again two days later and Erik called her out from across the street and saved another unsuspecting tourist.

We have had to learn quickly (with all of the previous countries we visited) to be on our guard at all times! 

Onward and upward…

Traffic swarms around with people on scooters, cars, bicycles and some unusual transport concoctions with everyone obeying their own rules—none.  The rare traffic light--no one obeys it.  It is a symphony of chaos.  To cross the street, you must have nerves of steel and move slowly or you will be road kill. 

Awesome street crossing in Hanoi

They hate the sun here, so this is how the woman ride their bikes.  Mind you it is over 100-degrees, plus it is a little scary to see tons of riders looking like this

For lunch, we tested our taste buds with some snails and “vegetarian buns no vegetables” (true to their word, they were plain buns).  With our ambitious itinerary, we saw the Hoa Lo Prison Museum, Opera House, History Museum, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Dong Xuan Market all in the Old Quarter (our home base), shops and lovely Hoal Kiem Lake. 

Hanoi Opera House.  No we were not allowed in, boooo!

St. Andrew's Church.  Again, we could not enter

Sunset on Kiem Lake along with a small shrine on the lake

A necessity for us as we tend to walk over 20-km everyday it seems

Communist sign indicating the beginning of the "liberation" celebrations

A little red bridge on the left going to the temple on the lake

Erik standing guard, protecting the temple from sweaty tourists

 

Hanging out on the red bridge on the lake...the only place with a breeze.  Can you spot the dry area on Erik's shirt??

While in the Lo Prison Museum, it was obvious we were in a communist country with their interruption of their many wars and the “luxurious” treatment toward captive soldiers.

It was a great day that ended with a delicious dinner which included frog legs and some local beers.  Cheers to Hanoi!