Guards approaching Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum for the changing of the guards. Hanoi, Vietnam.

Our first impression of Vietnam–thanks to the airport–was that we were walking into some sort of police state. Any sort of official in Hanoi is dressed in a military-style outfit. Traffic police, officials checking parking and so on are all made to appear like authority figures.

It’s most visible in places like the Ho Chi Minh park, where his mausoleum is located. Barriers herd visitors while guards stand watch, stern eyes follow your every move and smiles are hidden behind closed doors.

These were our first impressions of Vietnam. I will move on to our later impressions in later updates but if you want to spoil the surprise, let’s just say they were very different indeed.

A typical Hanoi street, somewhere between the Temple of Literature and Hoa Lo Prison (which are not particularly close together).

Note that some of the floors above street level look quite nice and recently built or renovated.

Yet another typical streetscape for Hanoi. This one seems to have it all: a mess of powerlines, skinny buildings with newly constructed housing high above, motorbikes all over the pavement, a crowd of people, a shop cluttered with goods, strange English signs and a thin layer of filth.

Walking through Hanoi–and I assume many south eastern Asian cities–is like this. It’s an intense experience, and though you become accustomed to it, to me it still has an amazing quality where you always have something to look at, always someone to watch.

A typical street scene, easily visible while crossing the road. Hanoi, Vietnam.

I’d seen pictures of scenes like this before — mostly in India — but never expected to not only see one first hand but be virtually in the thick of it. I don’t know whether trains frequent these tracks but given that they aren’t totally covered I am lead to believe they travel along the tracks at somewhat regular intervals.

The people here obviously know the schedules, as they don’t appear in any way to be bothered by the chance of an incoming train. Coupled with the probable low speed of trains in such a dense and busy area, and the “free” land available, it makes perfect sense to use land in this way.

I like how everyone in this shot is going about their business: People riding bikes along the tracks, someone walking, another rummaging and one even sitting atop the pile of what I assume is garbage. It certainly didn’t smell bad.

A street seller hawking her wares wanders the streets of Hanoi, Vietnam.

All over Hanoi — and presumably other large cities in Vietnam — are street sellers such as this. They wander from door to door, many sing or announce their wares in a lyrical voice and as you walk on the road, in between them and the speeding traffic, it’s amazing to see another way of life that has barely changed for decades — or longer.

In the tourist hotspots, the sellers are more forceful and chase after tourists in an effort for an easy buck. But, as you wander away from these areas you see the sellers going about their daily business. I enjoyed watching their interactions with other locals on the street; the seller would put down their basket, rummage through and emerge victorious with the desired product.

Still, my favourite trait is the singing or other advertising of their product. Fascinating.

The Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam. This is as close as most of us will ever get.

After almost (actually, probably over) of wandering, we finally managed to make it into the area of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex where all of the most interesting buildings are located.

This French Colonial building, built in 1901 is only different to other examples littered around Hanoi in that it is kept in magnificent condition. Otherwise, one can see many buildings this age all over the city.

Although I wrote that Hanoi feels like Paris on our first morning there, I neglected to add that it would only feel like Paris if all the French people moved out, Vietnamese people moved in, neglected to clean it for a century and forgot every road rule they ever knew.

So yes, it does look decidedly French, except for the bits that aren’t. But back to the photo: The angles in this area were very limited so this is about as front-on as one can get without being arrested. I like the red carpet on the stairs, and the way it’s directly under the third window at the top. The lamps on the left hand side I tried to crop, as well as the leaves at the very top but in the end I preferred them in frame.

The repetition of the giant tree (on the right and on very left) makes it feel as though you’ve walked around the corner, so it’s a very matter-of-fact shot. But I still like it.

Chaotic morning traffic in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Two things I expected to see in Vietnam were crazy traffic, and crazy powerlines. This shot captures both.

The powerlines in this shot are by no means unique; they’re like this all over the country. Some, above the footpaths, are so low you can easily reach up and touch them.

I think that this shot gives a real “I’m there” feeling, mostly due to the people on the motorbikes at the bottom-right hand corner of the frame. It just seems like you could imagine being right behind them, buzzing along.

Day Five – Nov 5th 2008
Ha Noi
23:01

A long day today. We woke at a reasonable time in order to make the pilgramage to see “Uncle Ho”.

The walk to his mausoleum was eye-opening. Although Ha Noi feels like Paris, with it’s tree-lined wide streets, it feels unique as well.

When finally we made it to the public square where we were headed, we noticed uniformed guards swarming all over. I gestured to one, then another trying to have them show me the way, they were useless. Using our phrasebook I tried to find out how to get in. That didn’t work either.

After wrong turns number almost in the dozens we entered the complex. It was no easier to navigate. We and numerous other non-tour visitors tried to figure out how to enter. Instead we ended up following a large group to see where they went. They went to the mausoleum! But it was closed for maintenance until after we leave the country. Bugger.

The complex offers more to see so we still saw Ho Chi Minh’s multiple houses, and also the famous “One-Pillar Pagoda” and the “Stilt House”.

We bought some bean curd sweets flavoured with lotus flowers, almost buying cigarettes by mistake. I had an ice cream which tasted like a biscuit. Justine had an ice green tea with ants on the lid.

A bit annoyed, we left for the Temple of Literature.

Crossing the street in Ha Noi is an experience. We’ve done it in Paris, Rome and Cambodia, but here is another league altogether. Traffic whizzes by at insane speeds and is clustered so tightly they’re almost touching. The few cars that are on the roads are constantly using the horn. To cross, one has to turn off their brain, but keep instinct on. You walk out, and watch as traffic envelops you. Watching others, it’s like watching a raging river washing around a rock.

The Temple of Literature is decidedly Chinese in design, tranquil and lifted our spirits a great deal.

Lunch was at “KOTO”, a Jamie Oliver-style restaurant which aids disadvantaged kids. The food was OK—definitely Vietnamese—but the place feels a bit overpriced. Compared to Australia it’s still a steal.

From here, we walked to the Hoa Lo Prison (aka “Hanoi Hilton”), via a number of insanely busy back streets. Half of the time we walked on the road as the skinny paths are filled by shops or parked motorbikes. Having hundreds of vehicles loses it’s impact eventually and you become numb to it.

The prison was built in French Colonial times and used up to and including the Vietnam War (called the American War here). Although the conditions displayed were atrocious, the whole place feels like Vietnamese propaganda.

Leaving the prison we were treated to more propaganda in the form of a tiny van with massive speakers.

More back streets lead us to the Ha Noi Cathedral, which looks like a plain (i.e. no carved decorations) Notre Dame, except it’s filthy. Bit of a letdown.

Sinc e our hotel was nearby we rested for a few moments before venturing into the Old Quarter. Unlike the wide open French Quarter, here it’s narrow houses and streets that rule. The same traffic as elsewhere is squished in here and is even more insane.

Walking in virtually the middle of the street we ended up at Bach Ma temple, the oldest in Ha Noi. Quite pretty but undergoing some renovation. Of note were cans of soft drink left as offerings.

Down a nearby alley is a man who carves custom stamps. We sat in his tiny shop and I ordered a few custom ones. Our phrasebook was amazing here but when the guy replied with streams of Vietnamese I had to hope we were on the same wavelength.

Still in the Old Quarter, we visited a famous restored house—“87 Ma May”—which is about the size of a 2-bedroom flat and in the 19th century housed five families!

We bought tickets for a Water Puppet show and checked out the Ngoc San Temple on the lake, but it was closed.

Dinner was at “iBox”, which despite the name is a funky bar/café with large lounge seats. I had a seafood hot pot slash fried rice. They wouldn’t accept a slightly torn 100,000 dong note. Dessert was at “Fanny”, it was crap.

Later, we saw the Water Puppet theatre. It’s both creepy and hilarious. We couldn’t stop laughing at the silliness of the whole thing but most of the audience just looked bored.

A bamboo sheet hides the performers who wiggle the puppets with their slasher movie eyes and grins. There are also dragons and “spit” fireworks from underwater. Cool but short lived.

Early to bed, as we’re off to Ha Long Bay tomorrow.

Photos taken today: 527
Photos taken to date: 1740