Hanoi - Capital and Crazy

Our two-day stay in Hanoi began with a broken baggage conveyor belt. It was our third unplanned flight. The infrastructure for high-speed trains in China seems to be incomplete. Especially connections to foreign countries seem to be difficult. So we opted for the much faster option. Originally, we only wanted to take three flights to see and get to know the countries constantly from the ground. From Japan, from Japan to China, and from Singapore back to Germany. But these three additional flight connections didn't ruin our original plan either. We agree that we have seen a lot from China. And these were also the last flights.

But now back to Hanoi. After arriving by bus in the city center, we had a twenty-minute walk to the hotel ahead of us. And we have never seen so many scooters. The streets are filled with these vehicles. There are no traffic laws. The saying "He who brakes loses" takes on a completely new meaning here.

After dropping off our backpacks at the hotel, we went to the hairdresser in the evening. Both of us needed it.

We quickly realized that prices in Vietnam are a joke compared to those in China, especially in Japan. We had heard similar things before the trip from various sources. And anyone who loves seafood (like Max) is well catered for in Southeast Asia regardless of the extremely cheap price.

We only had 1.5 days in Hanoi, but that was absolutely enough. The sights of Vietnam's capital are all located in the city center. Since our hotel was centrally located, we could reach everything on foot.

We would like to highlight two highlights: One must imagine it like this: A train track runs right through Hanoi. And it's not like the adjacent houses have a lot of distance from the tracks. No, they are built directly on the tracks. And if you don't find a suitable place or niche along the row of houses, you will be involuntarily "taken along" by the train. However, this is always announced very early. We were sitting in a café right next to the tracks when we "experienced" the first train. The people on site have recognized the circumstances and made a business out of it. Almost every house in the section where we were is also a trendy place. Shortly before the train came, we had to move our table and chairs to the back so that they wouldn't be cleared away by the train. To illustrate the situation and give a clear idea, the following pictures are very helpful:

Until the train comes...

Regardless of the sights we visited during the day, the second highlight was the city itself. The houses are often beautiful, although usually run-down. And almost every household also serves as a sales stand or shop. It doesn't seem to matter that everyone offers the same thing. The architecture, the crowded streets, countless scooters, various smells on every corner, and of course the people shape this city to be what it is: Crazy, chaotic, and interesting at the same time.

And here are the main experiences in a picture overview:

Next stop after Hanoi is the most important attraction in Vietnam: Ha Long Bay. Probably one of the most impressive natural paradises of our journey.