Hanoi-Vinh

Back in Hanoi again after the trip to Halong, we checked into Hotel Mangor close to the train station and started our last day in Hanoi. Have we seen it all? No - far from it, as it requires more time than we have. However, we agree that we have captured the mood, life, and pulse of the city. We would rather prioritize that than the 'must-see' highlighted by tourist brochures.

So we inhaled the last traffic, answered all those who ask where we come from, and walked our soles warm on the messy sidewalks. I would like to say: we will come back! But that's probably not realistic with our age and all the other places in the world we want to experience. So it was a bit bittersweet to board the (very) early morning train to Vinh. Hanoi has been a great experience 😊

The train journey to Vinh lasts about 6 hours - but what does it matter when you have soft seats that can recline. The hardest part was getting to decide the position of my seat - it seemed to have a little life of its own 😜

It was exciting to see how the landscape changed - rice fields as far as the eye could see interrupted by small towns. It seemed like prosperity increased the further south we traveled. Nice and well-maintained houses - still mixed with more modest homes.

The train had a dining car, but we discovered it so late that we were almost there. Fortunately, small carts came around where we could buy long, thin bread with beef jerky inside and water/soda. There was also chicken and rice served, which according to my travel companions tasted really good.

We arrived in Vinh in the middle of the afternoon, and it felt like a completely different world. Sure, there had been some glances at us in Hanoi, but here it was a bit zoo-like 😂

We quickly realized that Vinh is not a big tourist city for Europeans, while there were large groups of shouting and generally loud Chinese people, who also had issues with regular good behavior. We had experienced something similar in Halong, so we were a bit prepared. We had to leave a restaurant as it was completely impossible to hear anything over a table of 10 Chinese men. There were no other people there. Understandable, but a shame for the restaurant owner.

We had dinner at a street restaurant where the menu was in Vietnamese without translation. We were helped by a sweet guest who could speak a little English. So we got delicious fried tofu with mint leaves and spring rolls - along with beer by the jug. A very tasty meal for the princely sum of 15kr/person all inclusive.

Back to the hotel through a neighborhood that seemed authentic with family homes, dogs, and daily life in general.

The next day it was hot - as in very hot and humid. We heroically defied the weather and set off on a hike to another part of the city to see a park and a statue of Ho Chi Minh. We found it easily only to discover that it was one of those parks with no access!! Well, it makes so much sense to close off green areas in a sweltering hot city - sigh!

We found our way into a center with some air conditioning and cold Hanoi beer, after which we ventured out again - probably the only ones walking in the whole city, but we had also hit the time when we were not casting shadows of ourselves. It was really hard - and probably a bit silly to insist on steps on the counter in such heat. Noted for later.

A cool bath and something cool to drink along with a little relaxation restored the balance in the body.

We spent a couple of hours in the hotel café enjoying some comfort and card games before we had to think about dinner. It gradually dawned on us why it had been so unbearably humid - the sluices opened and it thundered/lightning violently. After a little contemplation, we hired a taxi, which took us to a restaurant through streets that mostly looked like rivers. I've never been in so much water before.

We ended the day with pizza/pasta - the first of its kind on the trip. It was a nice place where many celebrated their birthdays with flower bouquets, cake, and countless selfies. I thought we at home were bad about mobile addiction, but here it was a whole new level! Four young people - two couples - sat together at a table, and the only thing they did besides eating was taking pictures of each other and themselves. It was quite something!

Home through rain-soaked streets.