Pretty Simply Normal: My Vietnam

Xin chao (pronounced sin jow). Its 'hello' in Kinh (Vietnamese language).

At the end of 2010, B and I went to Vietnam. We flew to Hanoi, the capital city, and stayed at the Intercontinental Hanoi Westlake. From this base we explored Hanoi and also went to the world heritage site of Halong Bay.

Doorgirls (doorwomen?) at the Intercontinental
Hanoi Westlake (CNB 2010)

Lounging around at the IHW (BB 2010)

In Hanoi, one must visit Uncle Ho. So we did. We went to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (there was a long queue to take a look at his embalmed body) and later to his humble home - a small double storey wooden house. He never married and his life seemed uncomplicated, domestically at least. But he did have the most profound effect on the Vietnamese and they proudly revere him.

In front of Uncle Ho's mausoleum (Our guide 2010)

Cadets in front of the Ho Chi Minh Museum (CNB 2010)

We went to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology to try to understand a little of the Vietnamese culture and the people. We were lucky because they had a special event where the hill tribes (the French called them collectively as Montagnards) were brought to the venue to exhibit their own cultures and lifestyle. There was also the sale of their arts and crafts.

This shy man was just outside the Museum selling his ware (CNB 2010)

B and two members of the Montagnards (CNB 2010)

With a lady & child from another tribe of the Montagnards
(BB 2010)

Another must do when in Vietnam is to watch the Water Puppets performance. We had the opportunity to watch two - one at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology at a little lake, and another, the one at the Municipal Theatre, accompanied by an impressive ensemble of musicians. No, we were not accompanied by the musicians, the puppets were, heheh!

The water puppet show at the Municipal Theatre (CNB 2010)

A bevy of water puppet beauties (CNB 2010)

Lacquer products are a must buy as souvenirs from Vietnam. Our guide took us to a factory/showroom where they made the most exquisite lacquer items - frames, boxes, pictures, vases, plates, and other decorative things. I was quite intrigued to see the technique where they used egg shells in the lacquer work. Needless to say, we came back with quite a few lacquer memorabilia.

At the lacquer showroom (CNB 2010)

Lacquerware we bought in Hanoi (CNB 2011)

Hanoi has been praised as a beautiful city, and architecturally there were many landmarks that pleased the eye. I loved the old French buildings, of which the Opera House is quite outstanding. Another building is the Presidential Palace, used for official receptions. Then there are the lakes, Hoan Kiem especially, being beautifully set in the Old Quarter. This 1000 year old commercial quarter we toured on cyclos (three-wheeled rickshaws), and in the evening returned to the night market there.

The Opera House, Hanoi (CNB 2010)

The Temple of Literature (ToL), dedicated to Confucius, was founded in 1070 by the Emperor Ly Than Tong. Here, the very first university in Vietnam was established. There are five courtyards and the well preserved buildings are fine examples of local traditional architecture. Just off the busy streets of Hanoi, the ToL provides a respite from the hustle and bustle outside.

82 stelea that are extant record students' achievements then (CNB 2011)

Pretty locals in their ao dai at the Temple of Literature (CNB 2010)

Hanoi's population of more than 3 million commute by the ususal city transport but motorcycles/scooters jam the roads, while cyclos (trishaws) and bicycles also vie for their place. But despite what a foreigner like me would consider traffic chaos, somehow everything seem to be in place. We only saw an accident once, and that, explained our guide was due to the 'southerner' (from Ho Chi Minh City) not familiar with the style of driving in Hanoi!

Stylish Vietnamese ladies, sans helmets, on a vespa (CNB 2010)

Another stylish lady with baby in tow (CNB 2010)

We saw many flower vendors on bicycles. The bouquets
were for teacher's day celebrations (CNB 2010)

A near gridlock in traffic at the Old Quarter.
That's B in the cyclo! (CNB 2010)

On getting out, I nearly tipped the cyclo over. Clumsy me!
No wonder someone in this picture is not smiling. (2010)

On the streets in the Old Quarter we noticed the locals 'alfresco dining' on footstools. The food is mainly pho (noodle soup) and the bread, French. You can buy baguettes on street corners, even along highways. The nuoc mam, made of fish sauce, and mixed with lime juice, and cut chillies makes a good dipping sauce for seafood, etc.

Alfresco dining on the streets of Hanoi (CNB 2010)

From Hanoi it takes three hours by road to get to Halong City, thence to the Unesco World Heritage site of Halong Bay. Along the way the countryside has ricefields aplenty, interspersed with small towns. The agrarian populace may be spotted, like the boys on buffaloes (BoBs), horse drawn carts, etc. And then we have the Bay.

French breads on sale along the highway to Halong Bay (CNB 2010)

A BoB and tourists in rural Vietnam (CNB 2010)

Halong Bay is quite sensational, with more than 3000 limestone islets rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Many cruise boats and tongkangs await passengers for a dreamy sojourn across these waters. Halong, 'where the the dragon descends into the sea' has a magic feel to it, but myths aside, you do really feel that a dragon just might pop its head out of the waters. Midway on our cruise we stopped at an island and visited the Caves/Dong Thien Cung. A sumptuous seafood lunch was also served on board, with nuoc mam as dipping sauce, of course. Fresh and delicious!

Trying to be local with a conical hat in Halong (BB 2010)

Cruise junks awaiting customers (CNB 2010)

B gets on board (CNB 2010)

The hauntingly beautiful Halong Bay (CNB 2010)

B and the dragon of Halong, not! (CNB 2010)

Back in Hanoi, we explored the area around the West Lake before packing our things and bid farewell to North Vietnam and the nice people who live in it. We hope that we may be able to experience Central and South Vietnam in the near future.