So I made it here to Hanoi, Vietnam. Its an interesting yet scary city. With cars and many many motorbikes heading in all directions, there are horns going off constantly. I almost wonder if its how they say hi to each other. There are no lanes and no traffic lights, almost no sidewalks. Cross walk stripes are painted on the ground at some interesections, but lets not kid ourselves- they mean nothing. It was possibly the most uncomfortable and scariest walk I've taken in a long time. After a while I developed a strtegy for crossing the street which basically consisted of, wait at the corner till a little old man came walking by and the tag along with him when he crosses. I had a couple "close calls" and little frights but I've made it back to the hotel in one piece.
Its sticky and hot outside and us tourists stand out like sore thumbs sweating in the heat. It doesn't seem to bother the locals as much. After a few blocks I managed to make it to Hoan Kiem Lake. Its a lake situated right in the center of Old Hanoi with a promenade wrapped around it. There are some beautiful temples and shrines in the middle and around the edges of it and I got some great pictures but sadly there is no USB in this old computer so you will have to wait. Once I got to the lake, the walk was much more relaxing because I didn't have to contend with any traffic for a while. There were so many people of all ages just hanging about the lake and sitting on the benches and it was only 3 or 4 in the afternoon on a thursday. I wonder what work and school are like here.
I'm staying at the Hong Ngoc (jade) Hotel in the old city and the twisting streets are lined with shops who's merchandise appears as though its spilling out on to the streets. Every street you walk down is similar and yet a bit different. There's the fashion section where you can buy everything from fabric and zippers to thread and tools. There's the higher end clothing with dresses and suits. There's sections with toys wrapped in shiny plastic and stuff animals mounded up high enough that it looks like it would be fun to jump in. Everything you could possibly be looking for, or not looking for, is somewhere to be found in this organized chaos.
I've met my current roommate for the trip, Lindad who happens to be from Toronto - go figure! I would be on the other side of the world, literally, and traveling with a Canadian. Apparently this tour was very undersold and there are only 3 or 4 of us and all women. I think it'll be really fantastic and we'll have a chance to reallly get to know each other over the next 12 days. We meet with our tour guide in about an hour and a half and I'm looking forward to getting this show on the road!
Tomorrow we fly to Vientiane, the capital city of Laos.
Its sticky and hot outside and us tourists stand out like sore thumbs sweating in the heat. It doesn't seem to bother the locals as much. After a few blocks I managed to make it to Hoan Kiem Lake. Its a lake situated right in the center of Old Hanoi with a promenade wrapped around it. There are some beautiful temples and shrines in the middle and around the edges of it and I got some great pictures but sadly there is no USB in this old computer so you will have to wait. Once I got to the lake, the walk was much more relaxing because I didn't have to contend with any traffic for a while. There were so many people of all ages just hanging about the lake and sitting on the benches and it was only 3 or 4 in the afternoon on a thursday. I wonder what work and school are like here.
I'm staying at the Hong Ngoc (jade) Hotel in the old city and the twisting streets are lined with shops who's merchandise appears as though its spilling out on to the streets. Every street you walk down is similar and yet a bit different. There's the fashion section where you can buy everything from fabric and zippers to thread and tools. There's the higher end clothing with dresses and suits. There's sections with toys wrapped in shiny plastic and stuff animals mounded up high enough that it looks like it would be fun to jump in. Everything you could possibly be looking for, or not looking for, is somewhere to be found in this organized chaos.
I've met my current roommate for the trip, Lindad who happens to be from Toronto - go figure! I would be on the other side of the world, literally, and traveling with a Canadian. Apparently this tour was very undersold and there are only 3 or 4 of us and all women. I think it'll be really fantastic and we'll have a chance to reallly get to know each other over the next 12 days. We meet with our tour guide in about an hour and a half and I'm looking forward to getting this show on the road!
Tomorrow we fly to Vientiane, the capital city of Laos.
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