Hanoi

From the moment we stepped out of our hotel, I was captivated by Hanoi. The people, the smells, the chaos of the traffic — it was so exotic and so much fun! Armed with an old school map (in lieu of our often unreliable GPS), we set off to explore. The names of the streets often changed from block to block but they were surprisingly well-marked. People were helpful and friendly when we did get turned around.

Venturing into the streets to cross or to circumvent sidewalks obstructed by erratic parking, food carts or the ubiquitous plastic chairs, required swift, tactical maneuvers to avoid the tangled mass of cars, rickshaws and a gazillion motorcycles. Honestly, I have never seen so many motorcycles! It’s said Hanoi has 8 million people and 6 million motorcycles!

Nick had always raved about the food here so first up on our “must-do” list was a street food tour. Honestly, every dish was better than the one before. Our guide told us that tourists love the food but young people are foregoing traditional dishes for western cuisine.

He also said that the local government is trying hard to preserve Vietnamese culture by designating and segregating tourist areas. “Outside the tourist area, it is more difficult for foreigners — less hotels, less people who can speak English.” It will be interesting to see if this goal is sustainable as their young people learn English and persist in their obsession with western culture.

Meanwhile, Hanoi is incredible. I liked everything about it.  Hanoi is absolutely one of our favorite travel destinations!

Our Food Tour group

Papaya Salad. The food was fantastic! A post featuring the various food in SE Asia will debut soon!

Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi attracts tourists and locals looking to relax.

We attended Mass at St Joseph’s Cathedral. The pews were full and the congregants enthusiastic.

The ubiquitous LOW plastic chairs.

Motorcycles are the transportation mode of choice.

The dong. A 500,000 note was worth about $22!

The Women’s Museum was fascinating.

Old and young

Traditional and

modern.

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Mai Chau, Vietnam

The village of Mai Chau was exactly how I imagined Vietnam to look — rice paddies, stilt houses, etc. Frank and I took an overnight trip to the area, staying in a (somewhat) traditional bungalow.

Rewarded after a long ride. Thankful for the friendly group who were patient with the more “mature” members!

Our bungalow

Great food

Halong Bay

I have a deep-seated aversion to cruises. It began right after I saw “The Poseidon Adventure” disaster movie when I was 12. And Frank has a mantra, “Never go to a party you can’t leave.”

But…
1. Halong Bay in Vietnam is considered one of the great natural wonders of the world; and
2. The optimal way to see it is on a 3 day/2 night cruise.

So, here we are on a Halong Bay Cruise. Travel is amazing in that it takes you outside your comfort zone. Fears and inclinations are set aside to make room for unimaginable experiences and fun, new friends. This cruise was one party we never wanted to leave!

Dragon Boat 2

Fortunately, our cabin was one of two on the upper-most deck,

and not down below. Yikes!

The rooms were very comfortable.

The chef found a willing assistant.

Knowing our limitations as a couple, I kayaked with our guide, Cheung,

while Frank went solo.

Frankkkkkk, come backkkk.

Post-kayak swimming in the South China Sea.

Frank was right in there!

Floating village

Floating village

As we leave Halong Bay behind, we won’t soon forget the memories.

We had such an awesome group. The five young couples from Florida and Seattle,

Anne and Marie from Denmark,

Thomas, the actor from Berlin,

and the Serbians!

In fact, the night we returned, we came back from dinner and heard our names called from across the Church square. It was our new friends, calling us up for a drink! Such a small world.