Vietnam: Hanoi

First day in Hanoi. I got here last night from Luang Prabang. I felt Laos was not as rich as I expected. I obviously miss the south yet I was ready to move on. Vietnam sounded as far richer and worth spending time for what I had learned from other travelers. I had prearranged a hotel in the Old Town as it seems the busiest and most exciting part of Hanoi. The hotel offered a car to pick me up and I did not oppose as the price sounded sensible given the city is about 30km from the airport.
Upon arrival and clearing immigration, always escorted by some military person. Waiting for the luggage took some good 50min. Taxi was not awaiting. I looked for internet and sent an email to the hotel. Then I got a regular taxi which was at the same cost I had agreed with the hotel at a “discounted” rate. Things do not always follow as planned.
I got to the hotel and checked in. To my surprise all went fine, but I would learn later I was actually paying almost double the price in other hotels. The hotel was the Hanoi Plaza.
Internet was via cable and I must admit it flew!! I could upload quite a few pics and videos but I would not have much time for writing.
I had dinner at a local restaurant nearby, some wonderlicious grilled shrimp and vegetables after a plague of some bigger insects left the restaurant. In a matter of minutes they took over the restaurant and were filling it up. Disgusted I left the restaurant only to come back after 10minutes when they realised that light was attracting them and by turning them off the insects would just go back to the street.
Exhausted as I was I went to bed and decided against trying to leave the next day for Ha Long Bay ; instead I would explore a bit of a Hanoi.
I got up, had a poor breakfast included in the hotel rate and left to wonder around the laberynth if streets and madness of shops in the Old Town. I took a motorcycle to drop me at the Ho Chi Ming Complex. The mausoleum had already closed, for its opening hours are 08:00-11:00. I visited the Museum though where I was asked to have may pictures taken with some locals. It is nice to be able to make these people happy with so little. It was Sunday and it was packed with Vietnamese.
I took another motorcycle to take me this time to the Ethnic Museum. I had read some very good things of it on other travelers' blogs so I thought it would not hurt.
Indeed it was worthwhile as it contains a very visual display of all the peoples living in Vietnam. Also, they have reproduced in the garden a number of houses of these peoples with examples in the pictures further down.
The day continued returning to the hotel. On the way, and close to the Hanoi Plaza Hotel I spotted a travel agency that for some reason gave me a good vibe. I wnet there and asked for prices of the two trips I was interested in doing: Ha Long Bay and Sapa in the mountains. The prices were significantly better and with the right amount of basic-ness combined with some comforts. So I closed the deals with her. She offered me a good room, spacious, with a very large bed, and ncie bathroom and air-con for just $10. I went to the other hotel and told him I was actually leaving on the night train to Sapa, which was not true in order to pay for just one night instead of the two I had agreed over the phone. I got away with it and changed hotel. Here the wi-fi was free too and almost as fast as the cable.
I would finish the day visiting an art gallery, the famous lake and some other shops around.
Also, following the piece of advice of my friend Stuart, I had an “aperitif” and a light supper on the terrace of the famous “Hotel Metropole” which follows the colonial luxury style of the Raffles in Singapore and the The Strand in Yangon. The service impeccable, the setting could not be better and the prices European.














The museum of etnograhy. This is a wonderful museum Hanoi can be proud of. A small building displaying in a visual way and very accessible to children, what makes the different peoples in Vietnam.