4.3 - 8.3.18 Hanoi

We arrived in Hanoi by night train from Cao Lai. We had only slept for two or three hours during the night. The journey was very bumpy and the beds were very hard. However, the early morning in the train was very interesting. We looked out the window and witnessed the city coming alive. In such a big city, there are a lot of early risers. Some are doing sports, others are on their way to work. Some are washing their clothes, others are washing their motorcycles by the roadside. And as expected, taxi drivers were waiting at the train station for new customers. We were surrounded as soon as we set foot on the street. Finally, we negotiated a price with one of them and he drove us through the city to the 'Old Quarter'.

The Rising Dragon Hotel was completely dark. Only when we made ourselves noticed with a flashlight and knocking on the door, the door was opened for us. Despite announcing our early arrival at the hotel, an early check-in was not possible. I can't say it any other way, but my mood was more than bad now. Unfortunately, Chris was the one suffering in that moment. We waited until breakfast at 6:00 am, drank coffee, and decided to spend the time until check-in at the lake. At 7:00 am, we were already sitting on a bench near the lake, observing the hustle and bustle around us. So, we also witnessed an action that surprised us a lot and that we didn't expect in such a big city. A woman stood in front of us and distributed paper bags, rubber gloves, and metal tongs to complete strangers who collected rubbish with them. Among the volunteers were families with their children and also tourists. The whole action lasted an hour. Afterwards, everyone met again at the same place, disposed of what they had collected in a large container, and took a group photo together. Then everyone went their separate ways. It was over as quickly as it had started.

Suddenly, we were approached by two students. They asked us if we could speak a little English with them, as they needed practical practice. Of course, we agreed. The conversation lasted almost two hours. Both sides benefited. We learned more about the city and about Vietnam in general, and they could imagine Switzerland a little better. It was already 10:00 am and we decided to go back to the hotel. I was overjoyed when we were told that we could check into our room. I just managed to take off my shoes and clothes before falling into a dreamless sleep. Five hours later, I woke up again. Rested but hungry. We found a small restaurant in our neighborhood and went to bed early.

The next day, the first thing we did was to visit the post office to send another package home. After that, we visited the Women's Museum. It explains the status of women in Vietnam and how it has changed over the years. Unfortunately, our concentration was more than questionable and the English audio guide was very tiring as a result. We ended the tour after halftime and instead sat in the café opposite the museum. We decided not to plan anything from now on and just go with the flow. And that's exactly what we did. We walked several kilometers on foot in Hanoi over the four days. At an intersection, we spontaneously decided on the next direction. It was fun and we discovered many beautiful alleyways, nice shops, and a really good hairdresser. We pampered ourselves and not only got a massage.

Hanoi is beautiful and definitely worth a visit. Especially the Old Quarter is highly recommended. It is very centrally located and you don't need to rent a motorbike as everything is easily accessible on foot. However, after four days, it was time to leave the country and move on to a new one. The backpacks were packed and we were ready for Hong Kong.