We landed in Hanoi a few days ago for a family vacation and spent some time exploring the Old Quarter and the area around Hoan Kiem Lake. There is a lot to see and, even with the sidewalks blocked by thousands of parked mopeds, the city is walkable as long as you keep your wits about you every time you cross the street.
Having croissants and Vietnamese coffee by the lake, Hanoi
Hanoi will celebrate its 1,000-year anniversary in October. Despite the major tourist areas, where nearly every storefront seems to be a travel agency selling tours, you can get a real sense of what the historic area used to be like when each street specialized in a trade. And with the exception of two KFC’s, we have not spotted a single Starbucks or other Western fast food restaurants. Imagine.
We spent most of our first two days either sitting by the lake in a cafe eating croissants or watching the people walk by. Often they watched us. I think Citrus has said hello to every single person we have passed and many of them reach out to touch her cheek. One mother pushed her daughter together with Citrus for a photo together, then yanked her daughter away for just a picture of our daughter. Nice.
Our daughter, a tourist attraction in Hanoi
The only downside so far has been the number of touts in the tourist area and they are quite aggressive. Young men constantly telling me that my shoes are falling apart and then they try to apply crazy glue to seal any cracks before you can stop them. You stop moving and you become a target. It is relentless. We also suspect that prices are grossly inflated but, as in Bangkok, haggling is often impossible. You can offer a lower price and even walk away but no one will budge even when something costs the same as it would in the States.
Cabs, too, are tricky. In Singapore you are given exact change, down to the penny and we have never been scammed. Here many of the meters run fast. It cost us 84,000 Vietnamese Dong (US$4.30) to get to the Museum of Ethnography and 196,000 to get back (US$10.20). “Rush hour.” On the weekend.
Still, despite the annoyances or cost of being tourists, this is an amazing place to visit.
[We have had intermittant Internet access but Wifi is everywhere. Facebook access, however, is blocked by the government.]
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Sorry I missed your quick hello…I’m glad to see you’re all having fun on vacation. We DO need a few more pictures of Elysia’s front and side views.