My days in Hanoi pass by quietly and peacefully and are filled with a lot of work and hours of walking around. I just can't get enough of this city. I love the chaotic traffic, the friendly people, the good food and the cool weather. It is not as hot as in the first days, which makes it pleasant to stroll around for hours.
I have met several people and one of them is Van, who did her masters at the University of Portsmouth. We didn't get to know each other in Portsmouth, because she was there a few years before I started working at the university. How small the world is! Van invited me to go with her and a friend of hers to a concert on a Sunday night. The bar is called Polygon and a John Lennon Tribute Band would perform Lennon and Beatles songs. I had some trouble fining the place, because once again, it's not where Google Maps or Apple Maps tell you it is. You need to walk a little further. Thankfully, Van guided me to the right spot and I made it in time for the concert. I don't have any videos or photos of the event, because I streamed part of it on Instagram and Facebook. However, it was a fantastic night. The three singers on rotation where very good, even my dear friend Catherine who is a musician said it.
Van asked me where I would go next, but I didn't have a clue. I felt that I have stayed in Hanoi for too long and should make a move to explore the rest of the country, but since I have been very busy, I haven't had the time to think about it. Van suggested I should go to Ninh Binh for a few days. Some people in Sa Pa spoke about going there, so it is one of the places on my list. Kenneth (I am still waiting for you to tell me the frequency), from the Ha Long Bay marathon group went to Haiphong after our return and Sonja, also from the running group flew to Da Nang and drove to Hoi An from there. Da Nang and Hoi An are also on my list. Sonja was a bit unfortunate with the weather. It's rainy season in the centre of the country and it makes it difficult to explore the area. Sonja used the breaks between the showers to leave her hotel room and walk around. This is something that worries me, but then, I don't want to miss it. Who knows if I will ever come back to Vietnam?
My plan is to go south and reach Ho Chi Minh City at the end of my journey. After saying goodbye and good night to Van, I walk home and consult my Lonely Planet guide and some websites. I decide to listen to Van and go to Ninh Binh for a few days. I look for Airbnb's and hotels and ignore, after my nearly traumatic experience in Sa Pa, all the homestays that pop up. As always, it is a difficult decision and it takes ages to find something good. I decide to book a hotel room this time and book at the Friendly Home, that is praised in the Lonely Planet. Before my departure, I need to buy a new suitcase, because the one I have, won't last any longer. Three years of heavy duty have destroyed it. One of the handles has come off and the other one is about to say goodbye as well.
Problem is, that I have been looking around the shops for days to find a suitcase the size I need, but haven't found anything. All the suitcases are smaller. One merchant suggested I should buy a backpack. Nah, mate, I prefer a suitcase. So the hunt continues.
Since Julia questioned me about the Turtle Tower, I wanted to learn more about the history of Hanoi and decide to pay the Ngoc Son Temple a visit.
The name means 'Temple of the Jade Mountain' and it is Hanoi's most visited temple according to various websites. Its location on a small island in the northern bit of Hoan Kiem Lake makes it perfect for a short visit. There is an elegant scarlet bridge connecting the shore with the island and it is worth spending a bit of time to marvel at it. The temple is dedicated to the defeater of the Mongols, General Tran Hung Dao, back in the 13th century, and also to La To, who is the patron saint of physicians and the scholar Van Xuong.
I have met several people and one of them is Van, who did her masters at the University of Portsmouth. We didn't get to know each other in Portsmouth, because she was there a few years before I started working at the university. How small the world is! Van invited me to go with her and a friend of hers to a concert on a Sunday night. The bar is called Polygon and a John Lennon Tribute Band would perform Lennon and Beatles songs. I had some trouble fining the place, because once again, it's not where Google Maps or Apple Maps tell you it is. You need to walk a little further. Thankfully, Van guided me to the right spot and I made it in time for the concert. I don't have any videos or photos of the event, because I streamed part of it on Instagram and Facebook. However, it was a fantastic night. The three singers on rotation where very good, even my dear friend Catherine who is a musician said it.
Van asked me where I would go next, but I didn't have a clue. I felt that I have stayed in Hanoi for too long and should make a move to explore the rest of the country, but since I have been very busy, I haven't had the time to think about it. Van suggested I should go to Ninh Binh for a few days. Some people in Sa Pa spoke about going there, so it is one of the places on my list. Kenneth (I am still waiting for you to tell me the frequency), from the Ha Long Bay marathon group went to Haiphong after our return and Sonja, also from the running group flew to Da Nang and drove to Hoi An from there. Da Nang and Hoi An are also on my list. Sonja was a bit unfortunate with the weather. It's rainy season in the centre of the country and it makes it difficult to explore the area. Sonja used the breaks between the showers to leave her hotel room and walk around. This is something that worries me, but then, I don't want to miss it. Who knows if I will ever come back to Vietnam?
My plan is to go south and reach Ho Chi Minh City at the end of my journey. After saying goodbye and good night to Van, I walk home and consult my Lonely Planet guide and some websites. I decide to listen to Van and go to Ninh Binh for a few days. I look for Airbnb's and hotels and ignore, after my nearly traumatic experience in Sa Pa, all the homestays that pop up. As always, it is a difficult decision and it takes ages to find something good. I decide to book a hotel room this time and book at the Friendly Home, that is praised in the Lonely Planet. Before my departure, I need to buy a new suitcase, because the one I have, won't last any longer. Three years of heavy duty have destroyed it. One of the handles has come off and the other one is about to say goodbye as well.
Problem is, that I have been looking around the shops for days to find a suitcase the size I need, but haven't found anything. All the suitcases are smaller. One merchant suggested I should buy a backpack. Nah, mate, I prefer a suitcase. So the hunt continues.
Since Julia questioned me about the Turtle Tower, I wanted to learn more about the history of Hanoi and decide to pay the Ngoc Son Temple a visit.
The name means 'Temple of the Jade Mountain' and it is Hanoi's most visited temple according to various websites. Its location on a small island in the northern bit of Hoan Kiem Lake makes it perfect for a short visit. There is an elegant scarlet bridge connecting the shore with the island and it is worth spending a bit of time to marvel at it. The temple is dedicated to the defeater of the Mongols, General Tran Hung Dao, back in the 13th century, and also to La To, who is the patron saint of physicians and the scholar Van Xuong.
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