VIP Tour in Hanoi

Today, we said goodbye to our dream island Cat Ba, after another super delicious breakfast (Stefan enjoyed his omelette) 🙋🏻

We took the Super-Speedboat back to Hai Phong. Now we are experienced and know how to order a taxi at the harbor without bargaining for too long and have it take us to the bus station. We wanted to see if we could take an earlier bus than our tickets allowed, so we could have more time in Hanoi (our night train departs from here at 7:30 PM). The taxi driver doesn't take us on a detour today and takes us straight to the Hai Phong bus station. Once we arrive there, we show our pre-booked tickets and try to exchange them for an earlier ride. Our online tickets are regarded with skepticism, but when I also present my paper proof, the nice lady makes a phone call and finally agrees to an earlier ride 👍😀

However, the bus driver doesn't let us board because our original ticket (we didn't receive a new one) was issued for an hour later 😳 well, rules are rules, anyone could come!!!

We go back to the counter again, asking them to confirm the validity of our tickets - then we can board - phew!!!

Surprise in the bus - a very loud action movie is playing on a huge screen up front - the Vietnamese love it loud 😲

But other than that, the bus is comfortable and after almost 2 hours, we arrive in Hanoi. Along the way, we see many rice fields and banana plantations. Only the water buffaloes weren't being used - they were lazily lying around in the rice fields 😄

Upon arrival in Hanoi, we are immediately surrounded by taxi dealers again, but we let a trustworthy older gentleman arrange one for us. He drives us confidently and whistling through the traffic chaos of Hanoi to the main train station. There, we leave our backpacks and stroll to the Temple of Literature -Van Mieu. For over 800 years, this was Vietnam's center of Confucian education. So, it's the right temple for us - after all, our family's educational motto is: Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, let me do it and I understand! one of Confucius' wisdoms 😀

When we arrive at the temple, we find ourselves in the midst of the joyous celebration of many high school graduates who are celebrating their degree here today - there couldn't be a better place for it 😀

It's funny that I'm in contact with students again here, just like on the Camino de Santiago with the students from Hamburg - well, maybe there's an invisible something playing here too 😀😀😀

The temple is very beautiful and consists of 5 courtyards. It must have been a great place to study.

1306 doctors passed their exams here, and their names are engraved on 82 stone tablets carried by 82 turtles.

The gates that separate the courtyards have such great names like: Gate of Acquired Talent or Gate of Youthful Achievement 😀

In the shop, I look for the family motto - but unfortunately, I don't speak Vietnamese 😒

From the Temple of Literature, we go to the government district - the Potsdamer Platz of Hanoi, so to speak. And behold, there are architectural similarities - huge buildings and a gigantic square in front of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. In front of the Mausoleum, two officers dressed in white stand guard - what does that remind me of 🤔

We can't see much more - we have to go back to the train station. On the way there, we cross the crowded streets filled with cars and mopeds in a daring Vietnamese manner - I almost broke Stefan's hand in the process - and eventually find ourselves in a long line of night train-traveling tourists at the train station.

We share our sleeper compartment with two Vietnamese people who have already climbed into their bunks and are sleeping.

The train is rumbling along, and we will probably be lullabied to sleep. After a 13-hour journey, we will arrive in Hue tomorrow morning, reaching roughly the halfway point of Vietnam.

Good night

Kerstin