Hanoi, Vietnam
Sunday September 28, 2003

Capitol City, 3 million people
just over 15,000 dong = $1 USD

We got on the train in Nanning to come down to Hanoi. The trip was relatively painless. In fact, the tickets we purchased were actually for Soft sleepers, so it was a bit of unexpected luxury. I guess that's all they sell for this route, and would explain why the tickets were so expensive (about $40 US each after exchange rate). The train left the station in Nanning at 7:20, but didn't start loading until just after 7. The waiting room for this train is separated from the main station and is to the west, up by the little elevated parking lot. Soft sleeper has its perqs: soft seats in the waiting room, air conditioning, and announcements of when the train arrives.

The train goes directly to the border crossing, and arrives there at about 10:30 pm. We didn't leave until after 2 am, and had to switch trains. First, we had to go through Chinese immigration to make sure that we got our exit stamps properly. Then we had to get off the train, fill out entry forms for Vietnam at one window, take our passports to another window with the entry forms, take another SARS form to another window, pay a fee to have our temperature taken (we paid 10 元 each, the Swedes we were traveling with paid 1元 each: Whatever...), go back to the second window with our SARS form, wait for 3 guys to stamp our paperwork, go back to the first window, wait for a stamp there... blah, blah, blah... like I said, it was past 2 am by the time our second train left the border.

So the hawkers actually started IN the immigration building last night with the 'Change Money' shtick. Literally sitting next to the window where we had to go to deal with our passports. Probably the only person behind a desk in the place that spoke English. All business was conducted in grunts and points. When we got on the new train, the pitch for the hotel started. Even the ticket taker offered to change money.

The Hawking has been particularly a shock to me because of my previous experience with leaving China when I entered into Lao. In Lao not a soul approached me, no one wanted to change money, no one wanted to sell me postcards or t-shirts or anything else. I guess it's not really that odd or difficult to find it here, just shocking because I hadn't expected it. Away from the busy streets, away from the tourist hotspots, everyone is really quite friendly.

Hanoi has a quite French Quarter, where we're staying at the Lotus Guest House ($7 US for a single with private bath that easily sleeps double: an easy walk from the train station), and an Old Quarter with narrower, busier roads. Like so...

Today we walked around and went to the local War Museum. There are artifacts there from the 1800's documenting resistance wars, including captured ordnance and parts from shot down planes in the American War. The Communist Propaganda machine was obviously hard at work here, and the bias was a bit disconcerting (not just with the American War, but with all the details). The celebration of 'resistance' when displaying a Vietnamese weapon, and the descriptions of brutality when displaying the enemy's weapon seemed in stark contrast to me. To me, I think that war is brutal and inhumane by nature, and that 'loyalists', 'cadres' and 'patriots' alike are manipulated intellectually, financially and emotionally by the political engines of the states involved in conflict. That said, and with all sensitivity to my several friends who were involved in the Vietnamese conflict, I believe that the U.S.A.'s policy of containment following WWII was arrogant, narrow minded, and at times equivalent to a modern day Crusade in terms of both stupidity and barbarism. I think the late 60's and early 70's were particularly brutal and stupid. Obviously, others will disagree....

I hear stories of Vet's who find it difficult to return to Vietnam, and for others returning is a way to make peace with their experience here. Many American's talk about traveling through Vietnam apologetically, some travel arrogantly and defiantly. It is not such a personal issue for me as I wasn't involved in either side of the conflict, but in traveling I am always aware of my role as a personal 'ambassador' for the United States: a representative of our country to people with preconceived beliefs, and as a representative implicitly sharing in the responsibility. It will be interesting to see how I find a balance between personal and political responsibility: acknowledging what happened and addressing current issues, particularly re the Middle East, trade and modernization. It is not enough to just 'move on'.

After, we went to the Hang Da Market. Great market, very colorful with butchery stands, fish, poultry, bags of dry goods, produce and a 'food court' where we ate. It was actually quite wonderful. After we ate we went to a coffee shop for a cool refreshment. It was on the second floor balcony, above the bustle and motorcycles. Across the street were a couple of musical instrument stores. I wanted to get a picture of a small child playing a recorder, but missed the shot. A couple of tourists ended up buying a drum, and while they were negotiating how to pack it for the flight home, a different kid was enjoying the sounds of the taught skin.

The Old and French Quarters meet at the North end of Hoan Kiem lake. In the middle of the lake is a very small island with Tortoise Tower on it.

We had the pleasure of seeing a very fine performance of a traditional Vietnamese art form: Water Puppets. Set to live music with classical instruments and singing, the puppeteers stand waist deep in water behind some screens and manipulate marionettes on the end of long bamboo poles to enact stories of life: from fishing and plating crops, to religion and mythology, to a successful college graduate coming home and honoring his ancestors. The music is loud, upbeat, and fun, and the puppets are colorful and lively. Fireworks are creatively employed to liven up the scene with fountains of sparks from Dragon mouths (one of the screens hiding the puppet masters briefly caught fire!) and submersed fireworks bubbling thick smoke which hangs on the water for a fog like affect. Dragons, tortoises, phoenix's (I think), sea monsters, and people are portrayed with an amazing range of movement and grace, and elicit emotions from laughter, to empathy, to rejoicing.

The Water Puppet troupe here is the foremost in the world and travels regularly. First class tickets were 40,000 dong, second class were 20,000d with the difference being how far back your row was. Interestingly, and a completely segue-less interruption, our first class tickets were in row 'G', with 'A' being the first row. But the rows skipped 'F'. I don't know if the Romanized Vietnamese alphabet doesn't include the 'F' or if it is bad luck or what.... There was an additional fee of 50,000d if you want to use a video camera, or 10,000d to use a regular camera. A cassette tape was included as part of the ticket price for first class seats.

Just to the right of the previous photo is a red bridge going out to the other, larger island that you can see to the right of Tortoise Tower. We stopped at that bridge for a bit before going to the Water Puppet show....

Near the bridge is a monument to the revolutionary soldiers:

A relatively quiet side street on the east side of the Hoan Kiem lake on our way to the water puppet show:

Monday September 29, 2003

Today we discovered that many things are closed in Hanoi on Mondays. We tried to go to a "Women's Museum" so that we could discover what that meant exactly, but they were closed. We then went to Chua Quan Su, a Buddhist pagoda where there was a ceremony going on. The ceremony was interesting, very fast chanting, lots of incense. We were surprised at how many of the monks were women...

On the way to the pagoda, we happened across a group of people congregated on the sidewalk. Several were crouching around a bag on the ground, and a few recently emptied bottles of liquor were on the sidewalk. A group on onlookers circled around and made suggestions to the young woman apparently in charge. Nearby sat a yoke with a couple of similar bags on each end. On closer inspection we figured out that the bags each had a type of paper wasp nest and wasps. Every so occasionally one of the group would shake the bag and run off quickly, I assume to encourage more wasps out of their hive and get drowned. The young woman was knocking the wasps into a plastic bucket with liquor in it and drowning them. I guess this adds an interesting kick to the booze....
   

Continuing to the south, we went to Lenin Park and Bay Mau Lake. It was quite beautiful and pleasant. The entry fee was 2000d per person, so for the most part we were free from the buskers and hustlers. The peace in the middle of the chaos was an interesting study in contrasts...

A cool flower with some ants on it...

We enjoyed the Very Serious Mid-Day Interlude from 11:30 to 2... these guys know how to take a lunch break:

Notice the snoozers on top of the shed...

And some things are just universal.

Tuesday September 30, 2003

WoW! We went and saw a dead guy today, Ol' Uncle Ho. They've got his body preserved and on display in a glass case at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum here in Hanoi. We were not allowed to take pictures of the Great Man himself. Uncle Ho, according to Anthony Bourdain, aside from a charismatic leader who saw his country through a devastating war, was also a great chef trained under Escoffier himself, so he has a bit of my respect just for that. Anyway, we were not allowed to take pictures of the body, but were given our cameras back to take pictures of his estate.

Here is the House on Stilts that was Ho's residence and study from '54 through his death in '69:
   

The Fish Pond just outside had some trees at the edge pushing up these interesting roots:
   

And the surrounding trees were ancient, tall, immense and beautiful. I'm not sure which tropical hardwood this is, but I'm sure the street value would be rather high:

Kath outside the Ho Chi Minh museum:

We walked through a nearby market. This time I tried to get some images of the market, but I'm still too shy to just start snapping peoples' pictures without their permission, so I got what I could:
   

We stopped for lunch just across the street from the Temple of Literature (which was, of course, closed for lunch):

The typical Pho house around here would NOT fly on Aurora.

Some interesting Propaganda. Your guess is as good as mine about what it means. Perhaps we can have a little contest, eh? The best story for the meaning of the propaganda emailed to me, and subjectively judged by me of course, will be posted on a special page by itself with the author credited or not as they see fit. Please email me your submissions and whether or not you want your name published, and I'll put it up if you win. Deadline End of October, and I'll post shortly after pending internet access. HAVE FUN!!! Big points for humor, but also for believability.

Our travel book had a brief spot about why Hanoi has tall and narrow buildings and doorways. Something to do with taxation based on street front.

We passed a school at recess time, and these guys asked me to take their picture. They were very excited about it.

We have gotten our Lao visas together, and tomorrow we will pick up our Cambodian visas. Next stop will be to Ha Long bay and Cat Ba island. Finally, the Beach calls. I believe we will probably depart Hanoi on Thursday. In the meanwhile we'll wander...

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