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| Turk enjoying his chocolate croissant - French bakery! |
Hanoi was the last city in our month long trek across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. I was expecting another city like Ho Chi Minh City - Saigon. But Hanoi is very different, and changing fast. While we could wander through areas still full of buildings from the 1800s, construction is everywhere and one can speculate that these areas will be few in the future. An example is the large French-built prison in the center of town that we know as Hanoi Hilton has lost much of its size to towering high rises.
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| motorcycles are parked INSIDE the stores. We found a car in a living room. |
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| While BMWs, motorcycles and buses are on road, so are bikes, walking vendors |
We enjoyed Hanoi for many reasons. Food was both French and Vietnamese. So we ate crunchy baguettes and croissants as well as street-made bahn mi sandwiches and soups.
Crossing the street was an art that we had to be taught. Rules: walk at steady pace, do not stop, do not go backwards. The constant traffic reminded me of water that makes its way around objects - we were the objects. Traffic does not follow signals (unless the police are directing traffic), or any obvious pattern. But we never saw a traffic accident!
There were many high end stores, including a store that sold only Iranian saffron! There were also innumerable local shops on the street, in small storefronts or even on a bicycle. There is an exclusive mall downtown with designer stores as if you are in Paris. And the majority of shoppers were Asian, not European.
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| fancy saffron store - Iranian |
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| lots and lots of saffron, hundreds of dollars worth |
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| typical traffic 'pattern'. |
We visited Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum. We were told that he expressly did not want one, but it seems any communist county must put their dead leader on display. I did not realize that HCM died 6 years before the end of the 'American' war. He is considered the father of Vietnam and is referred to as 'uncle Ho' by the population. He was not running Vietnam's engagement in the American War and is remembered as a leader who wanted a united Vietnam.
One of my favorite areas of Hanoi is the Old Town which is influenced by the French occupation. Within this area is the oldest church in Hanoi, the Notre Dame (St. Joseph's Cathedral) opened in 1886. This area is bustling with vendors who cater to locals as well as the growing number of tourists.
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| St Joseph Cathedral - 1886 |
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| unique wood designs on walls |
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| impressive 1800's church |
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| beautiful stained glass |
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| HCM Mausoleum |
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| One Pillar Pagoda from 1000ad, rebuilt 1960s. |
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| one of a series of signs telling how to live a good life |
The posters warn (a sample of many warnings): Offer no defense to victims of injustice, practice dharma without creating merits, make others feel worried or unhappy, offer no help to needful victims. If you do any of these things, then bad things will happen to you, like: (you will )become a blind person, restless/unquiet mind, get rich but have no respect from others, become a mute, get a tragic and inconvenient life.
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| dont let his casualness fool you |
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| government building across street from mausoleum. Guards everywhere |
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| one of many new Western businesses- high rise |
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| random hose coming out of sidewalk in upscale neighborhood |
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| marble floored mall |
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| looking up through escalators at mall |
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flower seller by bike and fresh baguettes!
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Street scenes around Old Town Hanoi
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| barber set up shop on sidewalk |
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| old town with spiderwebs of electrical cables |
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| motorcycle 'stationwagon' |
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| one of oldest buildings in old town |
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| within cables notice speaker for government announcements |
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| at a coffee shop, he is studying his phone! |
Market pictures!!!
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| candy store |
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| fresh baguettes-turk is eyeing these in background |
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| betel leaves and areca nut arrangement - stimulant that is chewed |
The combination of areca nuts and betel leaves has been used a thousand years in Vietnam. Put this combo between the cheek and tongue for hours and even overnight. It is traditionally used when welcoming someone to your home, and even incorporated into the discussion between a groom and bride's parents when they talk about the impending marriage. According to traditional medicine, chewing the areca nut and betel leaf is a remedy for bad breath. Know that, combined with lime which breaks down the nut, it is a stimulant that lasts three to five hours.
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| rice! |
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| coffee shop (with beer) sitting 24 inches from train track! |
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| making egg coffee - whipped egg added to espresso and sweetened condensed milk |
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| Turk enjoying his egg coffee next to train tracks |
Train street, literally the street is the width of the train, is located in old town Hanoi and has been there since the train tracks were built by French colonists in the 1800's. Locals live nonchalantly with the train's 3:30pm and 7:30pm schedule when the train passes inches from their homes and businesses. Anything, anyone, near the tracks at those times will certainly die.
While we waited for the 3:30 train, we stopped at the coffee shop for egg coffee. This version of Vietnamese coffee was created when milk was scarce. Beating the egg yolks with sugar created a rich, frothy mix to espresso. Layered at the bottom of the cup was the expected sweetened condensed milk, then espresso, beaten egg yolk and a dash of cinnamon. We all tasted it and I was surprised how delicious it was. I also tried frozen coconut coffee (ice, coconut milk, sugar in blender. Pour espresso in cup and add the frozen coconut milk on top) which was delicious!
Once we had our drinks, we were ready for the train. And ready is what you have to be. It is coming full speed, inches from where we are standing. The local train woman has already closed the cross street and tried to scurry people off the tracks. But if they dont move in time - its on them.
The size, speed and sound of the diesel train hits you like an invigorating punch. It almost takes your breath away while pumping adrenaline through your body. After the train passes, everyone is super charged and jumping around. Within a minute, life along the track is back to normal with kids playing on the tracks, moms hanging laundry and people walking on the tracks!
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| the TRAIN |
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| walking the tracks with the locals - this is an especially wide section of 'road' |
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| dressed for final game |
We were lucky to be in Vietnam while the country soccer team was in the SE Asia soccer championship against Malaysia. There were 3 games, the final in Hanoi while we were in Hanoi. The night of the game, TVs were everywhere - on the streets, sidewalks, in restaurants, in stores. And everyone was watching, and partying. I dressed the part of a cheering supporter but was conservatively adorned compared with everyone downtown.
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| After the big win, streets were full of celebrations |
Vietnam won! The streets went crazy, but in a controlled way compared to the destructive celebrations we see in the US. Kids were standing outside banging sticks against kitchen pots and pans. Motorcycles carried flags and cheering riders. Interestingly, within 2 hours, by 10pm, all was quiet. A well behaved populace! And we saw almost no police, even in town center.
Next to our hotel in Hanoi was a street vendor who cooked duck on a spit every night. Every night as we'd head out to a specific restaurant, the Turk would lament that he really wanted a duck. Our last night, after packing and ready to leave, we walked down the sidewalk and purchased half a duck. We went to our hotel roof deck and ate duck overlooking the city - a proper way to say goodbye to Vietnam.
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| ducks grilling |
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| yum duck, and our bags |
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