3. HANOI, CITY OF CONTRADICTION

First up, why we prefer Hanoi to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)?

The streets of Hanoi

Based on our vast experience.... 3 - 5 days in each... we find Hanoi more appealing because it feels older, French colonial older. Not that we think much of the way French colonialists treated the locals, but they did have architectural style. The first thing you notice is the age of the buildings and the fact that there seem to be many more tree-lined boulevards here than Saigon. Sadly, the French evidently didnt get involved in actual town planning as the whole layout makes Sydney look like Canberra. Many of the colonial buildings are 3 to 5 storeys high unlike the more modern Saigon.

As good as it looks...

On our second day, we were delighted to meet up with our friends from back home, Micah and Pauline. They also introduced us to there group of friends whom we loved straight away. Would love to say more but, perhaps another time... After a delicious lunch, we spent the afternoon at the the first Vietnamese National University, the Temple of Literature dedicated to the teaching of Confucius. The following day a multi cultural group of 8 (Vietnamese, French, Korean, Canadian and Australian) set off on a motorbike convoy to rideout across the Dong Bridge designed by one Gustav Eiffel, to a 600-year-old pottery village... and shock, horror, we did not buy a single teapot!!!

Temple of Literature

What have those eyes seen?

The look-in... but just what is Micah doing?

Worshiping at the Steve Jobs shrine of knowledge

Micah n Pauline in their natural environment

Alexandra in the back alleys, she loved it

The convoy

Standard issue riding footwear

Ceramic village

Kids at the local restaurant on their way to school

Stop for lunch

Now, what can we tell you about our experiences? Particularly interesting to us are some of the apparent contradictions or ironies of Hanoi, for example;

1000 YEARS OLD / VIBRANTLY YOUNG; That's right, 1000 years old... well 1002 if the 2010 millennium celebrations are anything to go by. Besides the 1070AD university (which I suspect must have been rebuilt at some point) we have not seen to many 1000 year old buildings. Most of the "old stuff" dates from the French rule (1858 to 1954) of what they called indochina. At the same time, the streets are crowded with young Hanoians, 2 per scooter, riding in every direction. We continue to hone our road crossing skills.

Gone a bit overboard with the decoration don't you think?

COMMUNIST CAPITAL / CAPITALIST CULTURE; They say Ho Chi Minh was a Nationalist who wanted to free Vietnam from the French. Problem was, every time he asked for help from the Americans, they ignored his letters.... so to plan B, enter Russia and China and communism. Since 2000 Uncle Ho has begun to trade with Uncle Sam. Now it seems to be full steam ahead buying and selling. There are cranes all over the city throwing up buildings i hate to think what. Everyone here is selling something. I cant begin to count the times I have had to reject the offer to have my scruffy sandles shined.

So much goooood food

THE OPIUM OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC; Like all good communist countries, religion is not the preferred belief system, atheism is the party preferred line. Apparently though, Ho Chi Min himself wasn't hard line against religion as... long as they were happy to promote patriotism and nationalism, which many have adapted to with ease. The temples we have seen all have a Vietnam flag and a smiling Ho picture on the wall. The average person seems to blend Buddism, ancestor worship or Catholicism with a worshipful reverence for the man fondly referred to as Uncle Ho.

A tad spooky?

THE GOOD OLD DAYS; Whilst Ho Chi Minh City has his name, Hanoi has his heart... and other bodily remains at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an enormous Leninesk style building of granite and marble. For better or for worse, we were not able to enter due to maintenance on his now 40 something year old body. So... to plan B, follow that bunch of New Zelanders into the grounds of Ho's palace. Ironically, parked in the French colonial garage was a 1960s French Peugeot 404 (many of you will recall our beloved 504). But... French car seems an unusual choice all things considered.

We also met up with a friendly bunch of fresh faced army cadets receiving a goodly dose of "good old days education".

Ho's preferred residence was a an exquisitly crafted open sided 2 room polished timber stilt house. Even the "palace" was spartanly furnished such that, we're Gandhi himself to pop over, he would have felt right at home. In stark contrast to the propaganda about the mans modest lifestyle, just around the corner is another enormous white marble edifice, the Ho Chi Minh museum laden with mid 20th century memorabilia like those vibrantly optimistic comunist silkscreen posters depicting smiling happy farmers and laborers confidently striving for a better tomorrow. Hearing about all the acheivements of the Party, you almost begin to wish you were there.... and then you remember... mid 20th century Vietnam was no tourist destination.

Ho's hat... Alexandra won't let me get one...

There was also a visit to the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" prison, the water puppet show, the night market. Yes, we are able to do everything on Alexandra's itinerary ... and more.

That's it for now until we tell you about Sapa rice terraces, or "grains in the mist" or "the slippery slope"r

Traveling light???

love-you-bye

Lloydnalex

 

"Let the reader use discernment"