We arrived in Hanoi, and checked into a lovely hotel. Across the street there was a building that looked like it had been bombed, yet there were people living in it. That is the norm in Vietnam. Hanoi is a bustling city, filled with hundreds of scooters going in every direction; no rules. Every man and woman for themselves.
We spent much time in the old quarter, where each street specializes in something different - there is a clothes street, button street, fake Rayban street, purse street, etc. The sidewalks are so full of scooters, one has to walk in the street. I tried to walk on the sidewalk and a man walking with his daughter said to me "the sidewalks are not for walking!" We were fascinated with the Hanoi street life. Hundreds of businesses in dilapidated builidings, and they all live where they work. We saw tiny alleyways alongside the businesses, and there is laundry hanging, people sleeping, children playing. People are cooking on the streets and washing their dishes there as well. It is like being in another century. We ate lunch at a Bon Mi shop that Jacob recommended, and the owner told us he remembered Jacob.
We saw the Ho Chi Minh's tomb - his body is actually been preserved, and people wait hours to see it (we only saw the outside of the building). My new friend, Maureen, took me somewhere where she had gotten a manicure, near our hotel. I will never forget it - a run down tiny shop, where children were playing with play doh on the floor. She keeps the nail clippers on floor (thank goodness, she didn't really use them on me) and when I looked upstairs, I could see where they all sleep.
We ate Pho at a tiny place with benches and guests sit down, and they bring you pho! That is the only thing they serve. There are humongous pots where they cook the stock and huge slabs of beef they use for the pho. A real experience. We also went to a famous restaurant, again very tiny (you have to walk upstairs and there are about 5 tables) and the only thing they serve is grilled fish; they actually cook it on your table, with tumeric and greens. Yum. We saw a water puppet show that was fun (except that the seats were made for Vietnamese people, not Americans with long legs! I didn't know what to do with my legs!)
We visited the"Hanoi Hilton," the prison where John McCain was during the war. It was amazing to see the section about American soldiers, with propaganda pictures of them smiling, playing checkers, decorating the Christmas tree, etc.
We had a farewell dinner, that was delicious and said goodbye to our new friends.
Above is a very typical house (for those lucky enough); they are all built up and very narrow.
This restaurant, called Cha Ca La Vong, is 1 of 1,000 places to eat before you die! One menu item!
Water puppet show
Great pho
The Vietnamese mini van! It is common to see a family of four on a scooter.
