whimsically.: Travelogue: Hanoi, Vietnam

Our flight was delayed TWICE. We were set to fly off at about 9.40am, but due to control problems with the carrier we had to wait for the switch to another carrier and the flight was delayed till 11am. After we finally got through to the waiting area, it was announced that the flight would be at 11.40am instead. I was actually a little annoyed, 'cause I had to use the (free) old school public phone in the waiting area to call the tour agency twice to tell them to inform our Vietnam guide that our flight would be delayed.

snack package for every passenger

But kudos to the SIA staff for being able to deal with emergencies like this. They handed out these boxes of snacks to every passenger in the waiting area. Probably to appease annoyed and bored passengers like me. 'Cause when you're occupied with eating you're less likely to feel bored and annoyed which would lead you to think of complaining...

Hanoi!

View along the highway

Vietnamese coffee

After we checked in to the hotel, we decided to go up to check out the sky bar for its view, which was only on the tenth floor really. We ordered some vietnamese coffee to try. It has a nice aroma, and the taste is quite different from what I usually drink. Which is um, Starbucks or instant coffee.

Street peddler and group of youths sitting by the roadside

This is a very common sight along the streets of Hanoi. People have a habit of just sitting around along the streets. Some of them eat at roadside hawkers, but some of them just sit around like this bunch of youths. Others even sit on the grass on the road divider, picnicking in the middle of a busy two-way road amidst all the pollution and honking.

Children playing on the streets

Street peddler selling bananas on her bicycle

I was compulsively taking photos of just about every street peddler and interesting biker I could...I have dozens of such photos, as you will see. They really do have the most interesting things on their bicycles and bikes.

contrast

If you ask me, I would say hanoi seems like a city of contrast and all the differences seem to blend together. Everywhere you see spanking new buildings standing right next to old dilapidated ones like this. The Ba Dinh district (aka the political district) with its french-style buildings and embassies stands in contrast to the other areas. The densely-populated, almost claustrophobic city stands in contrast to the countryside towns with its rice fields.

Random bird in a bird cage hanging on a random tree on a random street

Roadside market

Cheap alcohol

For dinner, our guide brought us to this huge buffet restaurant where it was crazy. It's like this huge food court full of all kinds of food, mostly Vietnamese, but also with stuff like sushi and some chinese food. I think the restaurant caters mostly to tour groups, 'cause we were surrounded by Taiwanese, Hongkongers, Koreans and other Singaporeans. It was soo crowded and people were just snatching up all the good food as soon as it came out.

Silkworms? Its larvae or pupae or something.

I ate this omfg it took me twenty minutes to gather up the courage to put it into my mouth. It tasted...alright. Bro said it smelled really bad though, so I kinda didn't breathe when I ate it. Still can't believe I actually ate it.

Top - altered old thirtysevendegrees dress, highwaist shorts - thevelvetdolls, bag - from bro, sandals - charlesandkeith, weaved hat - Taipei

Street peddler in Vietnamese hat selling fruits

Motorbike with 3 sacks of something

Besides attempting to carry almost anything and everything, the bikes in Hanoi can carry like 4 adults on a bike. Or 3 adults and 2 children. Isn't it crazy? And according to our guide, children below 6 are not required by law to wear helmets...which is odd. But even for those who are required to wear helmets, not everyone does it. The motorcyclist in this picture is one of the few who wear the actual hard helmets like the ones we see in SG. Most people substitute caps for helmets (see kid in green cap) or they wear 'soft' helmets (which according to our guide, is made in China and sells for about USD1) that are probably of no use in accidents.

Potted plants

Roof of the temple

We visited one of four temples in Hanoi, which are built around the city in the four directions. This is the one in the north of Hanoi i think...I kinda forgot what it's called.

Pagoda

We were too lazy to get off and enter 'cause we were dressed inappropriately and to enter we'd have to dress ourselves in pants and robes provided by them...#unenthusiastictourists

Do you know the difference between pagodas and temples? Not sure if it's the same everywhere, but apparently pagodas are where buddhists go to pray, while temples are usually dedicated to famous figures, gods etc.

Stopping for a chat

Isn't this such a contrast? The dressing of the two women, the rickety old bicycle and the scooter...

Outside the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Then we were supposed to head to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, but would you just look at the queue! It was late morning and the weather was getting really hot and humid, but people were queuing determinedly to get into the mausoleum.

And the queue stretches on...

It snaked all the way and rounded a bend. I wonder how long it'd have taken to get into the mausoleum if we'd queued...which yes, means that we didn't bother queuing. Told you we were unenthusiastic tourists.

Students at the back of the queue

Our guide told us that the students are required to go on a school trip to visit the mausoleum every year, generally towards the end of a school term when holidays are about to start. Which was when we were in Hanoi. But can you imagine going on a school trip to the same place every year... (-_-")

Civilian, guard, officer

Our guide actually asked the officer to let us through, but he refused. I guess we didn't look important enough to be able to cut the queue.

Tourists in vietnamese hats

I didn't get sucked into buying touristy things! #successkid.jpg stuck to my goal of not buying useless things I'll probably never use.

Kids visiting the mausoleum

Road in the Ba Dinh district

I have not said anything yet about the roads in Hanoi and how to cross them. On the first day we were a little overwhelmed when we tried to explore the area around our hotel by ourselves. Crossing the road was a rather stressful activity, but also quite a feat. The trick is to walk nonchalantly across like you want to commit suicide, without looking either left or right, and pretending you don't see the onslaught of cars and bikes and bicycles all rushing towards you from the corners of your eyes. Do not panic and do not freeze. So long as you doggedly walk across like you own the road the bikes will slow and let you pass or go around you. I suspect it will be easier to walk across the road blindfolded than if you can see the cars and bikes barreling towards you and you panic.

We gamely crossed several roads and walked around to the front and took a photo of the mausoleum from afar...apparently to get to the square right in front of the mausoleum you have to queue as well. I guess they don't want you pretending to go to the square only to cut the queue in front. And we're not allowed to cut across the grass to get to the square. Which makes you wonder why they bothered building these paths between the patches of grass...

Bread!

Public hospital

I thought this was some kind of old hostel at first when our van passed it, but the guide said that it was a public hospital. Apparently there's a huge difference in the costs and standards of public and private hospitals.

Little kid and father waving at us from the hospital window

As we were stuck in traffic, this father somehow saw me shooting through the van window and asked his daughter to wave to us. I wonder why they're in the hospital.

The temple of literature - the first university in Hanoi?Vietnam?

Stone tablets

These stone tablets are engraved with the names of scholars who successfully passed the examinations in a particular year, one tablet for each year. Tortoises symbolize longevity (and wisdom? I think). The interesting thing is the heads of the tortoises, which are at varying degrees. The guide says tortoises with lowered heads symbolize the years when Vietnam was subjugated by foreign powers.

Dragons are a common motif like in chinese culture

This is a unicorn

Writing academic wishes on the board will make it come true

Figurines for sale

Prayers

Desperate measures

Money is thrown onto the roofs of the temple by students in hopes that they will be able to score well for examinations (-_-") People will do anything...

Joss sticks

Robes of the number one scholar in the examinations

He gets to become an administrative official. The robes are embroidered with flowers which is the symbol of the empress I think.

Robes of the number two scholar

Apparently he gets to become a military official. And note that the robes are embroidered with dragons, which is the symbol of the emperor. Looks and sounds more awe-inspiring no? I wonder if anyone back then secretly wished to be ranked second...

Giant tree

The archway is normal human size...this tree must be ancient?! Maybe even as old as the temple. Just look at its roots.

Street art

Pro ah ma who could balance the basket on her head as she peddled her wares

Hair accessories shop

One thing about the shops in Hanoi is that they are rather...excessive. Every shop sells one kind of thing, and they go all out to cover every inch of their shop with the items they're selling. I wonder why they get so much stock, and whether they can actually sell them...

Hat shop

I saw a lady, who owned a t-shirt shop I think, climbing over her goods which were piled higher than waist height to get into her shop. The amount of space left in her shop was literally like a hole, and she looked like she could be buried alive there. Imagine if a fire broke out...

Fabric shop

Chinese lanterns

The purpose of trees by the roadside

Kites and lanterns

Peddling cushions

Look at the front wheel

I wonder how the guy could even ride his bike like this? Wouldn't the bike attempt to topple backwards each time he had to stop at a traffic junction?