Turns out Hanoi's flooding has considerably subsided. We had to get off the train a stop early when arriving tho as there was still flooding on the tracks and get a rail replacement bus service. That was an experience with all the pushy Vietnamese trying to get their suitcases on the bus before you in the pouring rain!
Hanoi is Vietnam's capital city. Its divided into 3 main quarters:
1. the old quarter which looks exactly the same as Phnom Phen - Cambodia's capital - but without the stinking rubbish
2. French Quarter - looks very colonial and quite posh
3. Ba Dinh District - with all the state buildings and memorials in it.
The first afternoon we looked around the Ba Dinh District. The most interesting section of which was the musoleum Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body is housed in (closed in November for re-embalming!). Behind that was his two houses he used to live in. To look like he was one of the people, he lived in a stilt house (but inside a compound). Was very cute looking.
Friday 7 November 2008
Monday 3 November 2008
Hue Citadel
This morning I took a look round the actual citidel. Most of the royal palaces have been ruined by the war against the French in 1945 when North Vietnam seperated from South Vietnam and became Communist and then the American War in the '60s. But it was quite interesting tp picture what the palaces would have looked like and the government have recieved funding from North Korea to rebuild sections of the palace.
They also had loads of photo displays up which showed how the court was held and it was strange to see that these really ancient traditions were still being upheld in the 1930s.
Nearly got done over by a moped driver this morning who claimed that we'd agreed a higher return price to the Citadel than we actually had. Amazing how you can have an argument with someone even though you don't speak a word of each other's language. I won of course! Although feel a bit guilty now as he probably has a family to feed.
Been really sunny, sticky and hot all the time we've been here but now just starting to rain.
At 3pm we leave Hue to get an overnight train to Hanoi, the capital city. Concerned as Hanoi is currently flooded under a metre and a half of water. This has been going on for a week and the water still hasn't drained so the city is quite inaccessible. Going to Halong Bay on Wednesday but when we return from there, I'm in Hanoi for a whole week when this tour finishes so not sure what to do about the situation yet!
They also had loads of photo displays up which showed how the court was held and it was strange to see that these really ancient traditions were still being upheld in the 1930s.
Nearly got done over by a moped driver this morning who claimed that we'd agreed a higher return price to the Citadel than we actually had. Amazing how you can have an argument with someone even though you don't speak a word of each other's language. I won of course! Although feel a bit guilty now as he probably has a family to feed.
Been really sunny, sticky and hot all the time we've been here but now just starting to rain.
At 3pm we leave Hue to get an overnight train to Hanoi, the capital city. Concerned as Hanoi is currently flooded under a metre and a half of water. This has been going on for a week and the water still hasn't drained so the city is quite inaccessible. Going to Halong Bay on Wednesday but when we return from there, I'm in Hanoi for a whole week when this tour finishes so not sure what to do about the situation yet!
Journey down the perfume river
The main attractions in Hue are the ruins of the old Vietnamese court. There's a citadel containing the forbidden city where only the monarchy could enter and then several tomb complexes and pagodas along the river that flows through the city - each dedicated to a former emperor.
I went on a boat trip all day Sunday which went down the perfume River - taking in all the tomb complexes on the way. The best thing about the whole trip was actually watching life on the river - barges going past transporting goods, gravel from pits along the river being transported up and down and people in thier traditional conical straw hats fishing.
Each of the tomb complexes were quite impressive. The Vietnamese Monarchy based themselves on the Chinese emperors so each complexe was like a mini terracota army-type tomb. One complexe had a huge lake in it and was like walking around park land.
I've learnt that the Vietnamese are alot more tourist savvy than the Cambodians and are willing to rip you off at every opportunity. When I booked on the trip, they told me lunch was included. When I got on the boat, they informed me this only meant rice and spicy fried cabbage - tasty!! If you wanted anythign else, nothing on the rest of the menu was under 70,000 VND ($4.50) per dish. Total rip off!! Grrrrr!!!
I've done alot of riding on the back of moped taxis here as motorbikes and bicycles are the main form of transport. You can get a ride on the back of a moped for about 50 pence one way- although its a pretty hairy experience as they seriously do not keep to any sort of traffic rule what-so-ever - including choosing a side of the road todrive on - so you're contiually driving at traffic coming the opporsite direction to you and then swerving away from it at the last minute!!
I went on a boat trip all day Sunday which went down the perfume River - taking in all the tomb complexes on the way. The best thing about the whole trip was actually watching life on the river - barges going past transporting goods, gravel from pits along the river being transported up and down and people in thier traditional conical straw hats fishing.
Each of the tomb complexes were quite impressive. The Vietnamese Monarchy based themselves on the Chinese emperors so each complexe was like a mini terracota army-type tomb. One complexe had a huge lake in it and was like walking around park land.
I've learnt that the Vietnamese are alot more tourist savvy than the Cambodians and are willing to rip you off at every opportunity. When I booked on the trip, they told me lunch was included. When I got on the boat, they informed me this only meant rice and spicy fried cabbage - tasty!! If you wanted anythign else, nothing on the rest of the menu was under 70,000 VND ($4.50) per dish. Total rip off!! Grrrrr!!!
I've done alot of riding on the back of moped taxis here as motorbikes and bicycles are the main form of transport. You can get a ride on the back of a moped for about 50 pence one way- although its a pretty hairy experience as they seriously do not keep to any sort of traffic rule what-so-ever - including choosing a side of the road todrive on - so you're contiually driving at traffic coming the opporsite direction to you and then swerving away from it at the last minute!!
Hoi An to Hue
Saturday morning was spent cycling down to the river front in Hue, sitting outside a cafe and reading my book (read the Kite Runner last week adn enjoyed it so much I'm now reading the follow up - can't remember authors name.)
Saturday afternoon we left Hoi An to travel to Hue - which is just south of the Demilitarized Zone (17th paralell which used to divide North and South Vietnam).
We travelled by bus - the scenery on the journey was spectacular as we travelled through a mountinous pass. Journey took about 4 hours and we stoppped at the beach briefly on the way.
Hue was the centre of the Vietnamese monarchy from 1803 to 1945 (when the Communists took over). The emperor decided to build his court here (moving it from Hanoi) as its well protected by all the mountains. Saturday night we just went out for dinner and then drinks at a bar called DMZ (they're never very creative with their bar names round here - say it as you see it!!)
Saturday afternoon we left Hoi An to travel to Hue - which is just south of the Demilitarized Zone (17th paralell which used to divide North and South Vietnam).
We travelled by bus - the scenery on the journey was spectacular as we travelled through a mountinous pass. Journey took about 4 hours and we stoppped at the beach briefly on the way.
Hue was the centre of the Vietnamese monarchy from 1803 to 1945 (when the Communists took over). The emperor decided to build his court here (moving it from Hanoi) as its well protected by all the mountains. Saturday night we just went out for dinner and then drinks at a bar called DMZ (they're never very creative with their bar names round here - say it as you see it!!)
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