Day 7 - Farewell to Hanoi

On my last day in Hanoi, I wanted to fully immerse myself in the city. After breakfast and check-out, I took the bus to the Ho Tay Lake to visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda. The pagoda and its annex are located on an embankment of the Thanh Nien Dam, which separates the Ho Tay Lake from the much smaller Truc Bach Lake.

I took the opportunity to use the restroom. This can be a challenge for us Central Europeans. Often, there is no toilet paper in the stalls, but you have to get it from a large dispenser in the hallway or directly from the restroom staff. It is helpful to know beforehand whether it will be a big or small business. As I already knew from my trips to Bali, toilet paper in Vietnam is not disposed of in the sewer system but in a trash bin. The more adventurous among us can also completely do without toilet paper and use the water hose instead. Although it may be an unusual feeling, it is not unpleasant. However, when it comes to public restrooms, I still have a certain hesitation. When I had finished my business and wanted to leave the stall, two elegantly dressed middle-aged Vietnamese women were squatting right outside my door, doing their business over a drain in the floor for everyone to see - fortunately only a small one. One of the women turned her face to me as I opened the door and motioned with her finger to her lips, indicating that I should keep her escapade a secret. No problem, most of the time, nobody here understands me anyway. To avoid any misunderstandings: the restrooms were not crowded at all. You didn't have to wait long for relief. Understandably, I did not document this experience for my readership. However, the image is burned into my mind forever.

Heading back towards the Old Quarter, I let myself wander through small alleyways. This way, I discovered some hidden gems and finally found out where the residents of Hanoi buy their groceries. In one alley, there was a small shop at the entrance of each house, selling vegetables, eggs, bread, meat, and various other items.

I spent the rest of the day eating, reading, and enjoying the sun - often a combination of all three. At 5:00pm, the taxi picked me up for the overnight bus to Hue. Since I don't know if I will have Wi-Fi on the night bus, I will end my travel report for today and will check in again from Hue tomorrow.