Hanoi, Vietnam

After four relaxing days in Hoi An, we were ready to continue north to Hanoi. From Danang we caught a flight to the capital which arrived early in the a.m. We had pre-booked a hotel from Hoi An and arranged for them to pick us up from the airport. We've both grown very appreciative of airport pick-ups as it seems to be the hottest spot for scams from local drivers and taxis eager to prey on disoriented and newly arrived visitors.


The airport is 30 minutes outside the city which gave us a look at the city and a reminder that this was no sleepy beach town. Again, motos motos motos. While Hanoi is not as populous as HCMC, it is still bursting with activity at almost every hour. During our drive into town, we saw crowds in parks and in residentail streets gathered for morning Tai Chi or a game of badmitton. Matt was eager to get his game on but we stuck to the plan and headed for the hotel. Soon we arrived in the Old Quarter of town where backpackers find the most affordable accomodations. Our driver took us to the Prince I Hotel and dropped us off in the lobby. While it was nice to have a room pre-reserved, we soon realized that we had gotten a bum deal. The one time we forgot to check the room before agreeing to stay - perhaps due to the early morning hours - is the one time we ended up with a miserable room. On our way up the stairs to the fifth story we saw the signs: trash, dirty walls, large bugs both dead and alive... The room would not be much better with a broken toilet, a faucet which broke off in Jaci's hand, and gigantic hole in the wall which served no apparent purpose other than to provide a hiding place for nasty critters. We weren't pleased but backpacker pride forced us to stay. Of course, we would learn that this notion was total foolishness but only after spending a treacherous night rolled up in sleeping bags, praying against lice and trying not to look at the moving floor. A bit over dramatic perhaps but an important lesson for us none the less. The next day we switched hotels and for just a few dollars more checked-in to a comfortable, clean hotel right down the street.


Aside from dealing with our hotel, we spent our first day in Hanoi wandering the Old Quarter and making travel arrangements. There was great shopping, food and a lovely park surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake which sits in the center of the Old Quarter. Hoan Kiem was a great place to grab a seat, watch the people and enjoy the lake breeze. We walked to a small island inside the lake which holds the Ngoc Son Temple showing traditional Chinese architecture as well as a nearby statue dedicated to soldiers who faught in the Vietnam War. This area of town is also near the infamous Hoa Lo Prison nicknamed the 'Hanoi Hilton' which housed POW's (including John McCain) during the war. Fascinating history in this city and we both enjoyed walking the streets.

One of the highlights of Hanoi is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex where locals pay respect to Uncle Ho. The Complex also houses his residence from '58 - '69, his museum and a Presidential Palace constructed in the early 1900's. Everyone warned us that the Mausoleum stops accepting visitors after 11 a.m., so we decided to head over first thing the next morning. After switching hotels, we caught a taxi to the Mausoleum around 8 o'clock. We were shocked to see hundreds of Vietnamese visitors in a line winding around the full perimeter of the Complex. We realized that that it was Sunday and that we had most likely chosen THE busiest day and time to visit. We were determined for a viewing, however, so we walked to the end of the line and tried to blend in. We stood in line for three hours before we were admitted into the Mausoleum for a quick five minute walk around Uncle Ho's casket. Only more bizarre than walking around his wax figured body, was the armed guards pushing you around the casket making certain no one pays homage for too long. As many Vietnamese visit the Mausoleum as a pilgrimage, men and women who stand quietly praying to the figure are often interrupted with a sharp shove to the back. Armed guards coupled with strict rules governing visitor's behaviour made for an awkward viewing but in the end we were glad we suffered through the line and the heat. We went on to spend a 2-3 hours in the Ho Chi Minh Museum learning about his life and leadership in Vietnam. Yet another interesting perspective on history.

After finishing up with the Mausoleum Complex, we headed on foot towards the Temple of Literature. We had a hot 20 minute walk but it was nice to be on foot getting a feel for the neighborhoods. We stopped for lunch at a great spot named Kotos. Kotos provides teenagers from local villages with training in the areas of hospitality and culinary arts as well as assists students to get jobs at some of the best hotels and restaurants in Hanoi. We had a good time talking with the kids about their schooling not to mention had some great sandwiches and chocolate cake! We also found out that this was one of the spots Bill Clinton visited during his historical visit to Hanoi. We felt refuelled to keep on moving!


The Temple of Literature was another must-see on our list for Hanoi. Inside there are a series of buildings and courtyards. One of the buildings, the Van Mieu, was dedicated to Confuscius in 1070 and later became a university for mandarins. The complex is beautifully preserved and is a great showing of Vietnamese 11th century architecture (architecture is something we've both taken a liking for throughout this trip). Learning more about Confuscius was particularly interesting as there are many practicing Confuscianists throughout Vietnam. The the complex is actually so peaceful it is hard to believe there is a bustling city just outside its gates.

We continued walking around the city on foot and next headed for the Opera House via one of the largest shopping mall we've ever seen. Hanoi is mixed with French-style architecture throughout the city and the Opera House is one of the best examples of these. The rest of the afternoon we spent around the lake and having dinner in the Old Quarter. For the last few days we have both been on a vegetarian kick and we found a great veggie cafe in Hanoi for dinner. We spent one night in our new hotel before cataching our bus the next morning and heading for Ha Long Bay!