Once upon a time, there was this movie. In this movie there was a guy who screamed a certain saying into a microphone. Something about morning. Something about it being good. Something about Vietnam. I’m not going to use that quote, because when you travel to Vietnam you hear it. A lot. Every IM, every text message, every phone conversation starts this way. We need new Vietnam related material. Seriously.
But I digress – on to my trip to Hanoi.
I found Vietnam to be a surprising place. I’m not exactly sure what I expected, but what I got was very different. I expected unsafe, dirty, and crowded. I got very little of either.
This trip was to the northern Vietnam capital city of Hanoi. In 2010, Hanoi celebrated 1000 years of being a city. 1000 years! In a little more recent history, Hanoi was the capital of the French colonies in the region during the early 1900s. This French influence can be seen throughout the city. The buildings have a distinct French flair that reminded me of the outskirts of Paris.
Getting to Hanoi was not an easy task. After a full 24 hours of traveling we arrived in Hanoi and jumped in a cab and arrived at our hotel, The Intercontinental Hanoi Westlake. This hotel was absolutely gorgeous. It is set, as the name suggests, on Westlake in the Hanoi city center. Most of the hotel is built on pilings and actually sits over the lake.
Upon arrival, I was lucky enough to be upgraded to a deluxe room. It was very nice, with a balcony that overlooked the lake. The room was in one of the buildings out over the lake, so it was a bit of a walk (in the rain). Overall – Very nice hotel, that I recommend if you find yourself in Hanoi.
The next day started some of our work adventures. The office where we worked for the week was across the Red River and required a fairly long cab ride everyday. One of the most distinguishing features of Hanoi is the number of motorbikes. Motorbikes are everywhere. They zip in and out of traffic like flies. But, amazingly, it all has a sense of order to it. The drivers in cars are used to motorbikes and look out for them. They allow the swarm of bikes to buzz on around them and it seems like most everyone stays safe. During our ten days in Hanoi, I didn’t see a single motorbike accident. We learned (although didn’t verify) that there is a law in Vietnam that stipulates a car driver must pay all the bills for a motorbike driver in an accident, regardless of who was at fault. This seemed to make drivers cautious and the motorbike riders a bit safer.
We didn’t have a ton of free time during this trip. In fact, I only made it out into the city one afternoon. During this afternoon excursion, we visited the Hanoi Old Quarter. This section of Hanoi is dedicated to shopping of all forms. This is not your average shopping mall, it’s block after block of small cramped shops selling everything from original oil paintings to bottles of rice wine with snakes in them. It was hectic, hot, and crowded. But the experience was like none other. The shopping was great, but the people watching was even better. This is not just where the tourists shop, the locals use these shops as well. The streets are very organized. You come up on a street full of shoes, then the next block is art galleries, then the next block is stainless steel kitchen equipment. It was a great experience and the overwhelming thing that I took away from was just how safe I felt the entire time. In other cities (I’m looking at you Manila) when I have been out and about I have always felt like I needed to keep an eye out. Not in Hanoi, I always felt safe. In other shopping districts of big cities I have been pushed, pulled, and tugged while shopping. Not in Hanoi, the shopping was pleasant and not rushed. The only person who was pushy was a shoe repair guy who insisted that super glue would solve my beat up flip flops problem…move along buddy.
After the shopping experience – the next best thing in Hanoi was the food. I was traveling with a couple of coworkers with varying levels of comfort with the local cuisine. I am a fairly adventurous eater. Ill try pretty much anything. This trait has led me into some very interesting situation and is honestly one of my favorite parts about traveling. I like to eat locally and try some of everything that the locals are having. Sometimes my travel companions disagree, Hanoi was one of those times. The seafood in Hanoi was amazing, but it’s not typical seafood that we get at home.
Some of my favorite meals were had at the company cafeteria of the airline we were in Hanoi supporting. They had interesting dishes (think fried fish and pigs ears) and it was amazingly cheap. We fed 6-8 people for under $40. Amazing.
Hanoi has been a favorite destination of mine. Despite the crazy traffic and crowded city, there is a real charm to the city and the people. They really were some of the nicest people I have ever met. The French influence is everywhere, but it’s just that, an influence. It doesn’t take over the city. It is still very clearly Vietnamese and unlike any place I have ever been before.
Up and Adam 