We arrived in the chaos of Hanoi after a one hour flight and a one hour taxi ride. Our hotel was located along a very narrow lane in the old quarter. The lane wasn’t wide enough for a car so we were dropped at the end of the lane and walked up to the hotel. We had to dodge the motorbikes as we walked along. A taste of what we’d have to get used to.
The Old Quarter of Hanoi is very crowded. Narrow streets with shops along each side. The goods spill out onto the pavement along with the shopkeepers who sit on the pavement boiling their kettles and soup pans. The rest of the pavement is taken up with parked motorbikes, so the pedestrians have to walk on the road along with the cars and motorbikes who whizz past tooting their horns.
We soon learned that the only way to cross the road was to just step out into the traffic and walk slowly. The cars and motorbikes will swerve around you. The newer part of Hanoi is hardly any different. If the roads are congested with traffic the motorbikes just get on the pavement and use that too.
We had arrived just before Christmas, but unlike other parts of Vietnam there wasn’t much sign of Christmas. The odd Christmas tree was about it. On Christmas Eve evening we headed to the Roman Catholic cathedral in Hanoi – St Joseph’s. It is said to be the largest Catholic cathedral in Vietnam and was decorated with lights and a nativity scene.
It certainly brought the Christmas spirit alive. Around the back of the Cathedral was a large piece of open ground where they were putting on a live music and dance show based round the Nativity.
Although we couldn’t understand much of the singing and narration it was very good. There were thousands of people there.
Just after midnight they held a mass which was lead by the Cardinal of Vietnam.
Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam so many of the country’s museums are situated there. We visited a few.
The museum of Vietnamese History where we saw the ancient artifacts from all over Vietnam.
Temple of Literature which is where the first University was set up in Vietnam using the teachings of Confucious and commemorates the scholars who succeeded in their studies and the Museum of Fine Arts where more modern day Vietnamese sculptures and paintings are displayed.
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| Evolution of man???? |
Temple of Literature which is where the first University was set up in Vietnam using the teachings of Confucious and commemorates the scholars who succeeded in their studies and the Museum of Fine Arts where more modern day Vietnamese sculptures and paintings are displayed.
Hanoi is home to the Vietnamese Water Puppet Theatre. It tells the story of Vietnamese Country life using puppets. The stage is a lake of water. It was very well done. The music is performed using typical local instruments.
Between Christmas and New Year we went on a mini cruise. Three days and two nights through HaLong Bay. The boats they use for these trips are Vietnamese Junks. The maximun guest they have at any one time is 24. We arrived with 15 others.
After checking into our cabins and having lunch while cruising through the bay, we stopped off to visit a some caves “Bong Thiem Cung”.
They are quite spectacular. Large cavern with stalagtites and stalagmites. The caves have been lit up to give a better view of the recesses of the cavern. It has been done very well. Could have spent more time there, but as we were part of a group we had to move on. We then went to a floating village where we had the option of kayaking or going on a bamboo raft tour through the village.
We opted for the second one. The village was much smaller than the one we saw in Cambodia, but it is a permanent village with a school and a bank. It was then back to the boat where we sailed through the bay while having dinner.
In the evening we had time to get to know the others over a few drinks.
After checking into our cabins and having lunch while cruising through the bay, we stopped off to visit a some caves “Bong Thiem Cung”.
They are quite spectacular. Large cavern with stalagtites and stalagmites. The caves have been lit up to give a better view of the recesses of the cavern. It has been done very well. Could have spent more time there, but as we were part of a group we had to move on. We then went to a floating village where we had the option of kayaking or going on a bamboo raft tour through the village.
We opted for the second one. The village was much smaller than the one we saw in Cambodia, but it is a permanent village with a school and a bank. It was then back to the boat where we sailed through the bay while having dinner.
In the evening we had time to get to know the others over a few drinks.
The next day we were on our own. All the others had opted for a one night cruise, so after saying our goodbyes we moved onto a smaller boat for the day for our private tour of other parts of Halong Bay. Our boat was crewed by the captain / cook and the tour guide. Because the boat was so small we managed to get to some parts that the bigger boats can’t reach.
We dropped anchor beside an island which appeared to have a small cave at the bottom of it. The tour guide readied the kayaks and we got into one. We were told to paddle to the cave and keep going through but to watch the head height. When we got through we found ourselves in a lake totally surrounded by mountains. A bit like be in the crater of a volcano. Along one side there were monkeys swinging in the trees. It was idylic. We paddled about there for a hour before heading back to the boat.
We sailed to a sheltered spot where we sunbathed while lunch was prepared. We were really spoiled. Lots of freshly prepared meats, fish and vegetables with fruit to follow. Later in the afternoon we stopped at a beach where there is a rough path which leads to the top of the mountain. On reaching the top we got a spectacular view of the bay.
After slipping and sliding our way down we headed back to the boat where we got into the kayaks and paddled about for a bit.
The sun was just beginning to set. The view was gorgeous.
Unfortunately it was then time to head back to the bigger boat for our second night. When we got onboard it was very quiet. The boat had gone in for an inspection that day and had been delayed so it hadn’t been able to collect the guests who were due to arrive. We had the big boat to ourselves that night too. Oh well dinner for two and a couple of games of chess. The cruise was great. The highlight of our time in Hanoi. It was great having the boat to ourselves but the previous night when we had company was great too.
We dropped anchor beside an island which appeared to have a small cave at the bottom of it. The tour guide readied the kayaks and we got into one. We were told to paddle to the cave and keep going through but to watch the head height. When we got through we found ourselves in a lake totally surrounded by mountains. A bit like be in the crater of a volcano. Along one side there were monkeys swinging in the trees. It was idylic. We paddled about there for a hour before heading back to the boat.
We sailed to a sheltered spot where we sunbathed while lunch was prepared. We were really spoiled. Lots of freshly prepared meats, fish and vegetables with fruit to follow. Later in the afternoon we stopped at a beach where there is a rough path which leads to the top of the mountain. On reaching the top we got a spectacular view of the bay.
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| Halong Bay a visual feast for the soul (Syd - Dec 2011) |
The sun was just beginning to set. The view was gorgeous.
Unfortunately it was then time to head back to the bigger boat for our second night. When we got onboard it was very quiet. The boat had gone in for an inspection that day and had been delayed so it hadn’t been able to collect the guests who were due to arrive. We had the big boat to ourselves that night too. Oh well dinner for two and a couple of games of chess. The cruise was great. The highlight of our time in Hanoi. It was great having the boat to ourselves but the previous night when we had company was great too.
New Year in Vietnam is not the big celebration it is at home. They have their big celebration at Chinese New Year “Tet” which this year is at the end of January.
Their small celebration for New Year consisted of a Flower Festival which took over the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake and at the Temple of Literature, and a street party on the 31st December with two stages at different points in the city centre. The one at the end of the lake was playing Rap music,but we went to the one outside the Opera House where they had various live performances from well know Vietnamese and International artists. The music was pop / rock with a touch of classical thrown in. Later on there were a couple of DJ’s who played through until midnight.
The stage was five sided with a large column in the middle. The walls of the column were TV screens where they displayed the time and some views of the crowd and performers. There are six roads that lead to the Opera House and each seemed to be packed with people.
Their small celebration for New Year consisted of a Flower Festival which took over the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake and at the Temple of Literature, and a street party on the 31st December with two stages at different points in the city centre. The one at the end of the lake was playing Rap music,but we went to the one outside the Opera House where they had various live performances from well know Vietnamese and International artists. The music was pop / rock with a touch of classical thrown in. Later on there were a couple of DJ’s who played through until midnight.
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| see if you can find us! |
The stage was five sided with a large column in the middle. The walls of the column were TV screens where they displayed the time and some views of the crowd and performers. There are six roads that lead to the Opera House and each seemed to be packed with people.
We have enjoyed our month in Vietnam. We’ve met lots of very nice people and seen lots of beautiful sights, but we’ll be glad to get out of the madness of the streets of Hanoi.
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