Thoughts of Hanoi.

After spending a few hours attempting sleep at the frigid and fancy BKK airport, we were on our 6:50am Asia Airways flight to Hanoi.

We were terrified to fly Asia Airways. It's a "budget" airline, and in our online research we found many unpleasant reports. There are rants upon rants of cancellations, unsafe conditions, unpleasant journeys, luggage hassle and... (most importantly..?) unattractive flight attendants. Who wants that.

However! I am now a huge advocate for Asia Airways. I'm sure there are issues from time to time (as there are with all airlines, post offices, etc) yet my short experience? The best. Flight. Ever. 1.) Those seats! So comfy! 2.) Safe, smooth short journey. 3.) Calming music to soothe the take-off jitters 4.) The loveliest flight attendant ladies in the cutest flight attendant outfits. So. Rants wrong on all fronts.

Stepping off the plane in Hanoi, we realized an important detail immediately. North Vietnam is COLD in January. Our sandals and fleeces were hardly sufficient. It was gray, windy, and about 50 or so degrees (F) colder than Bangkok. Ugh. 

After being hassled by the famously persistent taxi drivers and begged to pay them $35, then $25, then $20, then $15, we settled on a crammed minibus for $2 each.

Once dropped in the middle of the bustling insanity that is Hanoi, all your senses are confronted with chaos immediately (especially when you haven't slept, showered, eaten or had coffee). They drop you (as is often the case in Southeast Asia) in front of the hotel they work for/have a deal with. The hotel staff runs at you and frantically begs you to come inside. As tempting as it would be to immediately escape into a warm shower and soft bed, and even when they offer you the lowest price you've payed yet for a hotel, it just does not promote comfort when they wave their arms in your face and scream "best price!! 10 dolla! Best price!! Just look!! See now!! I no lie! No tricks! Best ever!!" in your ear. You simply want to run far, far away. So we did.

After a few minutes of walking, we quickly learned there isn't quite a place for pedestrians in this city. The sidewalks are completely taken up with parked motorbikes, which everyone (and their babies) rides. On the streets they're whizzing by hundreds at a time in all directions, miraculously not causing constant death and dismemberment. (Although, upon googling this phenomenon I discovered there are 12,000 - 24,000 motorbike related casualties a year in Hanoi.)

Therefore, as the sidewalks are fully taken by stopped motorbikes, all pedestrians are left to share the road with all the bikes that are still going. Going fast.

And the honking. Oh, the honking. I tell ya. Well. Here seems to be the rule of the road: Go where you want, when you want, however quickly you want... simply honk when you do it. "Here I am! I'm comin' atcha!" So. Everyone. Honks. All the time. It's a bit overwhelming. Especially, as afore mentioned, with a pounding lack-of-coffee headache.

 

So, I led the way to the first coffee provider, which is one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life.

 Film evidence of walking the intense streets:

Despite walking amongst mind boggling chaos, Hanoi had a fascinating hypnotism. It was the most culturally rich and different place we'd been. There is an unbelievable number of peddlers constantly attempting to sell you something, often genuinely annoyed with you if you politely decline, "Why no??" The people here were less outwardly welcoming and friendly than in Bangkok or Ko Chang, but they didn't smile and pretend we were friends either. There was an honesty in the air. It felt as if they would say, "Alright, foreigner. So you're here. You've got some money. You can give it to me. No? No you say? Then get."

Balcony at Stars Hotel

When we finally found a hotel we payed much more than we were offered by the frantic men on the street, and yet we were satisfied. Finding things on your own and making your own decision (so soon after falling for a scam) just feels better, even if you lose money on the deal. 

Stars Hotel was a nice refuge from the streets, and we enjoyed our time there -- ALTHOUGH! We payed a little more for a larger room with "breakfast included". Oy. The breakfast menu was a sheet of paper listing omelet & toast, made by a nervous boy and served to us at the one table in the staff kitchen. Uncomfortable & untasty. Woops.

We had a balcony with a great view. Simply watching life go by in Hanoi is quite a sight to a Westerner such as myself.

Our second day we took a taxi to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. This experience was one of the most memorable of the trip. They confiscate all cameras, and the terrifyingly serious and silent party members lift their arms to point the way. You walk on the red carpet towards the room in complete silence, moving along swiftly. Kevin was silently yelled at (with wild gesturing) by a guard, informing him that he must remove his hands from his pockets. When we get to the room where Uncle Ho lays in his snow white style glass chamber, he is attended by four stony faced party members. (What a job..)

We had to keep up the pace and get out as quickly as we came in. Immediately upon exiting, there is stall upon stall of souvenirs. Talking dolls, hats, toys, coke-a-cola, you name it. What a transition! I wonder what Ho would think.

 

 From the mausoleum, we went to the HCM museum.

POWs, the gate the tank drove through etc.

After the museum, we walked to where the American POWs were held. "Hanoi Hilton". Fascinating.

The prison itself mostly speaks of the French colonialists who built it and their aggression towards the Vietnamese. I was starting to suggest they got rid of the American war section, until we came to the last two small rooms, where this sign was posted at the entrance:

In the rooms, there were pictures and videos of the comforts of Hoa Lo, with many stories of how enjoyable the Americans found it. It spoke of them gardening, cooking christmas dinner, playing basketball and enjoying coffee and cigarettes daily.

No one would like to 

admit how awful that time was. On either side.

The uniform McCain was captured in

It was one of the most interesting places we visited.

After that, we went to the "Temple of Literature", which we didn't find all that exciting.

Two days in the hustle bustle and cold, gray weather seemed to be enough. I was moved and drawn to the city, but also relieved to head south and hopefully find some sunshine and peaceful streets.

No such luck. Next up... Ninh Binh. Stay tuned.