Saturday, February 26, 2005
Good Morning, Vietnam - Hello, Hanoi!
So, I am finally here - one of the last Communist countries in the world, a wonder of the East and a peculiar headtwister to the West. There is so much to see and do that it is almost impossible for me to describe everything here. But one thing is for sure: you have to be here to truly understand the transformation that this country is going through.
My visit to Vietnam is focused only in the North, but I am determined to make the best of it. Hanoi is the first stop.
***If anyone wants my advise or account of traveling in Hanoi, please contact me: saki_takasu1@yahoo.com - I went through some logistical ups & downs, and would love to give some tips on choosing hostels, tours, and places to shop to make your life easier. Lonely Planet is a great guide, as EVERYONE in this city is carrying one. Second opinion may supplement the guidebook that everyone is reading.
Colorful Pho Hang Chieu with Chinese New Year goods
A bustling intersection in Old Quarter Hanoi. Fusion of Chinese and French architecture - but don't dare call it either of these. It's distinctly Vietnamese.
They sure start motorcycle licensing early.
Fruit vendors are everywhere, and you can buy the familiar bananas and oranges, to the exotic starfruits and kanas.
Burning fake money is a traditional way of paying respect to your ancestors - or - it's to wish success for your business. It's supposed to be done every 10 days, especially during Tet (Chinese New Years).
New Places, New Faces
Part of the fun in traveling is meeting new people. I have already met great companions, who have made my travel much more interesting.
Believe it or not, I met another Saki. Sakuna (her nickname is Saki) is an aspiring Physician Assitant (PA) who lives in Seattle. She has been traveling on a medical mission in Laos and is heading to Bangkok before returning to the US. She has juggled a job with a newspaper, her private health massage practice, and studying to become a certified PA. Here, she models the Vietnamese brand beer, Halida.
Judith is a visual communications student from Berlin, who will be taking Vietnam by a whirlwind for the next 3 weeks. She has traveled through Cambodia and Laos, providing an interesting perspectives to our discussions (I am actually the Southeast Asia traveler novice here).
Although backpackers come and go, I was really lucky to bump into these awesome travelers here in Hanoi. During the city tour, I met some people in their 60s with all sorts of backgrounds, (Israeli, Canadian, Czech, French, German) who have done the Anapurna trek in Nepal and backpacking in Myanmar. Their tales of adventure definitely pull you into another world - leaving me a little jealous, but inspired to do more.
And of course - the faces of the Vietnamese people are warm and friendly. As tourism is increasing in Hanoi, it is not rare for the children to see foreigners.
The Touristy Part
It's definitely worth it to do the tours, but be ware of tours that just take you to places and provide zero historical background. Unfortunately, our guide ("Open Tour") spoke such poor English that it was like pulling teeth every time we tried to understand her. This is not standard, as we saw many other groups that gave you the historical significance and mythology related to the places.
You can also try to get a cyclo driver to give you a tour of the place, as he may be reading up on those guidebooks, memorizing the text. Either way, the pro of having someone show you around is the transportation and the ability to cover a lot in a single day (we covered about 8 or 9 different things). And you can always go back to your favorites.
Ho Chi Min Mausoleum - it's a very restricted area: no cameras, no bags, and definitely no hands in your pockets. The walk through the mausoleum is surreal, and you wonder what Uncle Ho is really thinking (well, he can't be rolling in his grave). One trivia is that he actually wanted to be cremated, but the Vietnamese people wanted to preserve the national hero (like the other Communist leaders). What irony.
The Presidential Palace - it's very yellow and French. I don't know what else to say about it.
Hoan Kiem Lake - The serene lake is the center of Hanoi. To the Northeast of it lies the Old Quarter, where many of the market and tourist buzz takes place.
Legend has it that Emperor Ly Thai To sailed out on this lake one day after defeating the Chinese with a magical sword he received from a god. A golden turtle then appeared and took the sword from the emperor, restoring the sword to the rightful owner. Since then, the lake has been called the Hoan Kiem Lake, or the "lake of the restored sword."
Food
Food in Hanoi has been quite a refreshing contrast from the Cantonese food I was used to in Hong Kong. So far, I have been lucky to not be sick - in fact, I am really enjoying the fresh vegetables and herbs in every meal (think basil, mint, dill, lettuce, shiso leaves, chili). In fact, I ate on the streets the first night I was here - the entire meal cost me less than US$0.15, while water was US$0.25.
The Vietnamese breakfast of champions - Pho.
Cha Ca La Vong - After Judith found out about this restaurant in not only her guidebook but also in her German shortstory book, we had to check it out. This restaurant serves only one dish: the Cha Ca (fish). Grilled on a skillet over a charcoal pot, you throw in fresh long onions and dill and then serve it over fresh vermicelli. Pour peanuts, more onion, and shrimp paste at your discretion.
Just say, "Cha Ca La Vong!"
You can easily buy fruits off the street with the fruit vendors. We 3 were drawn to the sweet smell of jackfruit and chased after the lady to grab 1/2 kg of the finger-licking good fruit (costs about US$0.60).
Mmm... jackfruit...
Local restaurants are not the cleanest establishments (some of the women in our tour group had a hissy-fit about the lettuce not being washed by purified water), but the experience is definitely fun and enjoyable.
Unfortunately, I was told by a Vietnamese woman from Houston that Saigon has much better food than Hanoi. However, she was more than delighted by the scenery and calm of Hanoi over the hub-bub of Saigon. I guess the North and the South both have their strengths and weaknesses.
I am dying to discuss the culture and the Vietnamese sentiment towards the different colonial influences and economic development. However... I must get back to the adventures as I head off to Ha Long Bay.
Until next time...
My visit to Vietnam is focused only in the North, but I am determined to make the best of it. Hanoi is the first stop.
***If anyone wants my advise or account of traveling in Hanoi, please contact me: saki_takasu1@yahoo.com - I went through some logistical ups & downs, and would love to give some tips on choosing hostels, tours, and places to shop to make your life easier. Lonely Planet is a great guide, as EVERYONE in this city is carrying one. Second opinion may supplement the guidebook that everyone is reading.
Colorful Pho Hang Chieu with Chinese New Year goods
A bustling intersection in Old Quarter Hanoi. Fusion of Chinese and French architecture - but don't dare call it either of these. It's distinctly Vietnamese.
They sure start motorcycle licensing early.
Fruit vendors are everywhere, and you can buy the familiar bananas and oranges, to the exotic starfruits and kanas.
Burning fake money is a traditional way of paying respect to your ancestors - or - it's to wish success for your business. It's supposed to be done every 10 days, especially during Tet (Chinese New Years).
New Places, New Faces
Part of the fun in traveling is meeting new people. I have already met great companions, who have made my travel much more interesting.
Believe it or not, I met another Saki. Sakuna (her nickname is Saki) is an aspiring Physician Assitant (PA) who lives in Seattle. She has been traveling on a medical mission in Laos and is heading to Bangkok before returning to the US. She has juggled a job with a newspaper, her private health massage practice, and studying to become a certified PA. Here, she models the Vietnamese brand beer, Halida.
Judith is a visual communications student from Berlin, who will be taking Vietnam by a whirlwind for the next 3 weeks. She has traveled through Cambodia and Laos, providing an interesting perspectives to our discussions (I am actually the Southeast Asia traveler novice here).
Although backpackers come and go, I was really lucky to bump into these awesome travelers here in Hanoi. During the city tour, I met some people in their 60s with all sorts of backgrounds, (Israeli, Canadian, Czech, French, German) who have done the Anapurna trek in Nepal and backpacking in Myanmar. Their tales of adventure definitely pull you into another world - leaving me a little jealous, but inspired to do more.
And of course - the faces of the Vietnamese people are warm and friendly. As tourism is increasing in Hanoi, it is not rare for the children to see foreigners.
The Touristy Part
It's definitely worth it to do the tours, but be ware of tours that just take you to places and provide zero historical background. Unfortunately, our guide ("Open Tour") spoke such poor English that it was like pulling teeth every time we tried to understand her. This is not standard, as we saw many other groups that gave you the historical significance and mythology related to the places.
You can also try to get a cyclo driver to give you a tour of the place, as he may be reading up on those guidebooks, memorizing the text. Either way, the pro of having someone show you around is the transportation and the ability to cover a lot in a single day (we covered about 8 or 9 different things). And you can always go back to your favorites.
Ho Chi Min Mausoleum - it's a very restricted area: no cameras, no bags, and definitely no hands in your pockets. The walk through the mausoleum is surreal, and you wonder what Uncle Ho is really thinking (well, he can't be rolling in his grave). One trivia is that he actually wanted to be cremated, but the Vietnamese people wanted to preserve the national hero (like the other Communist leaders). What irony.
The Presidential Palace - it's very yellow and French. I don't know what else to say about it.
Hoan Kiem Lake - The serene lake is the center of Hanoi. To the Northeast of it lies the Old Quarter, where many of the market and tourist buzz takes place.
Legend has it that Emperor Ly Thai To sailed out on this lake one day after defeating the Chinese with a magical sword he received from a god. A golden turtle then appeared and took the sword from the emperor, restoring the sword to the rightful owner. Since then, the lake has been called the Hoan Kiem Lake, or the "lake of the restored sword."
Food
Food in Hanoi has been quite a refreshing contrast from the Cantonese food I was used to in Hong Kong. So far, I have been lucky to not be sick - in fact, I am really enjoying the fresh vegetables and herbs in every meal (think basil, mint, dill, lettuce, shiso leaves, chili). In fact, I ate on the streets the first night I was here - the entire meal cost me less than US$0.15, while water was US$0.25.
The Vietnamese breakfast of champions - Pho.
Cha Ca La Vong - After Judith found out about this restaurant in not only her guidebook but also in her German shortstory book, we had to check it out. This restaurant serves only one dish: the Cha Ca (fish). Grilled on a skillet over a charcoal pot, you throw in fresh long onions and dill and then serve it over fresh vermicelli. Pour peanuts, more onion, and shrimp paste at your discretion.
Just say, "Cha Ca La Vong!"
You can easily buy fruits off the street with the fruit vendors. We 3 were drawn to the sweet smell of jackfruit and chased after the lady to grab 1/2 kg of the finger-licking good fruit (costs about US$0.60).
Mmm... jackfruit...
Local restaurants are not the cleanest establishments (some of the women in our tour group had a hissy-fit about the lettuce not being washed by purified water), but the experience is definitely fun and enjoyable.
Unfortunately, I was told by a Vietnamese woman from Houston that Saigon has much better food than Hanoi. However, she was more than delighted by the scenery and calm of Hanoi over the hub-bub of Saigon. I guess the North and the South both have their strengths and weaknesses.
I am dying to discuss the culture and the Vietnamese sentiment towards the different colonial influences and economic development. However... I must get back to the adventures as I head off to Ha Long Bay.
Until next time...
// posted by sakit @ 8:15 AM 
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