Hanoi

Hanoi

Saturday, April 16

We have now arrived in Hanoi to 5.30 in the morning. We got a taxi to the hotel Camelia 4th It is the most central location in Hanoi. We can only get at our hotel. 10.00. There is a great folk here. 100 meters from the hotel at the corner meet many backpackers from all nations. You can get beer for £ 1 We did a little tour "walk" before breakfast. The trick is to quickly learn our neighborhood to know. We walked along the narrow streets down to Hoan Kien Lake. This is a good central point for Hanoi. On the way back was ordered bicycles. We've got bicycles and this time Eric happy with his bike. The traffic is enormous in Hanoi.
Video with Hanoi trafic
Today we visited Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. After seeing Ho Chi Minh we walked through the park where there are always many people. All Vietnamese people must see mausoleum least once in their lives. This time we had to stand in line like all the other Vietnamese. We were through security control, so it would be revealed if we had bombs. People come from all parts of the country. It is also used to visit schools mausoleum. We walked slowly through mausoleum in icy coldness, you have to go all the time and no talk. It is very formal writing. When we came out and had been handed our cameras, we continued. The first thing we encountered was a large yellow building. It's the old governor building and later government building. Now, the guest house by fine visit. We are now arrived at Ho Chi Minh's official residence, now museum. At the edge of the park we see the very famous One legged pagoda. The one-legged pagoda was built 1049 by Emperor Ly Thai Tong. Pagoda resembles a lotus flower and a thank you for he had one son.
Den a bony pagode

one legged pagoda

Further on is Ho Chi Minh museum, which is also very well kept. Next place we visited was Literature Museum as Hanoi's old university. Again, there were many people. In the Literature Museum, there are many stone tortoises to run along with them and touch them. But it can suddenly no more. There had been blocked up so you could not reach them. We ate lunch at Little Hanoi, which is undergoing major redevelopment.

Inside the park at Ho Chi Minh mausuleet

Inside the Ho Chi Minh's residence

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Video Flag dismantling in Hanoi.

Ho Chi Minh Museum
More about Ho Chi Minh

Little Hanoi

Literature museum with turtles

Sunday, April 17
Today Sunday we were picked to Thuy and one of her students (Sang) on the motorcycle. It was his own exciting to sit at the back of a motorcycle and swerve out into traffic and a little exhausting. We drove a total of 72 km. (Forerunner 205). First we drove to the modern Hanoi.

We did then break in Thuys apartment where we had some refreshments. Then along small roads to Sai Temple which is a very old temple / pagoda approx. 2000-3000 years old. It is as old as the Cheops pyramid in Egypt and vitnameserne it a Day trip, which has great historical significance. Sai temple is very exciting. There is a living temple, and there will be many because of its history. Thuy had sacrificial gifts. She showed us how to do when you have the victim gifts. Thuy had many things to sacrifice. Many incense sticks. Before we drove away total Thuy sacrifices in again. Only incense sticks and paper were burned in a furnace. We drove to Thuy and Hihns appartment. We ate lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant where Thuy had made a reservation. We were picked up at. 19.00 of Thuy and drove the taxi to Thus appartment where we should eat. Thu is Thuys sister. We got a very nice meal and later tea in another room, hvar also watching TV. Present were Thu and Thuys parents Thus husband and her 2 daughters, a cousin of her husband and daughter Thuys Linh, Thuy and 2 Danes. They live in a big house with many floors and a nice view from the topmost floor, which is in the open.

Song and Thuy

Erik and Thuy

Thuy and nieces and nivų

Thuy, Henning and Hien

Sai temple 3000 years old

Giang is predicted
Sai temple around with Google Earth. possibly right-click

Thu and Daughter

Thuys daughter Linh in the foreground

Dinner at Sun

Thuy and Linh

Giang

Thuys apartment

Thus 2 children in prinsese dresses sewn by Danes

Thu and Thuy

Monday, April 18
We biked west around the lake. It was approx. 25 km. It is a very good ride, where we get quite the lake around. If we had thought that it was a peaceful walk along the water where only walking and cycling may move, so it was disappointed. We were again out in the massive traffic, especially motorcycles. Of course there is also many cars, but not in relation to a European city. However, we found the rhythm of cycling fishing, found our place in line, keep extra closely at the large intersection, where we left and where there are no traffic lights. Mon marvel at how traffic flows, for there is almost no no more waiting. It happens only in the traffic light intersection, and there is a constant countdown to green or red. The trip gave many times look to the lake, and we visited a pagoda that was beautiful, right next to the lake. Another place we stopped at a small cafe where we took a drink. Along the way we went through different neighborhoods, but it's not like home, there along the water's all nice and expensive houses. The city is a jumble of lanes with the characteristic narrow houses, and ahead of most is a small business or a small kitchen, and then there are the wide, beautiful boulevards with 4 tracks and stately buildings. We tried to get tickets for Water puppet theater, but was sold out today. We have to try later. We had lunch at Little Hanoi which is under restoration. It is very confusing that there is more than one Little Hanoi in the near field. In the evening we ate in near field for a good restaurant on the first floor and this time overlooking the bustling street life. We got vestern food.

View to the east of West Lake in Hanoi in the background
West Lake around with Google Earth. possibly right-click

Tuesday, April 19
This day was used for museum visits. First we cycled a long long walk to the Ethnic Museum which was interesting to visit. We biked a little wrong. Fortunately, there are not as hot as in Hoi An. Then we had lunch at a restaurant started by a French lady, where she originally trained street children in catering. After forkost we visited art museum nearby. Then it was a Armymuseum which sparkled by telling about Dien Bien Phu battle and the fall of Saigon in 1975. In the evening we celebrated the birthday party at Little Hanoi, where the half came incl Khoa Hanoi, which we have needed here in Hanoi. The following attended the birthday: Hanoi: Khoa, Man, Minh Chau, Thuy, Thuys cousin, Thue, Thang, Kieu Anh + 2 children, Trang Son, Thang, Hong, Thue, Kien cousin, Mai Chau: Thue, Hoa, Phu Cu: Huy Hang, Huys sun Anh, Hien, Hien man, Sao do: Oanh, Hang, Hang sister and 1 child, Denmark: Erik and Henning Henning got a lot of flowers and gifts. Large bouquets. Oanh unfortunately had to go home early because of stomach. There was sung birthday song many times. Finally got a birthday cake.