VIETNAM: Bustling Hanoi

Hanoi, the capital and second most populous city in Vietnam, was founded along the Red River over 1000 years ago. Hanoi was named Thang Long (soaring dragon) by Emperor Ly Thai To in 1010.

Over a thousand years of various wars, occupation, natural disasters and new administrations the city grew from swamplands into the modern capital it is today. 

The streets date back to the 14th century and there are more than 600 temples and pagodas beside French colonial buildings, communist buildings and modern buildings.

Hanoi is described as a multicultural community with touches of Chinese, French, and Russian influences.

The people of Hanoi call the city the “cultural heartbeat of Vietnam”. 

By most people's standards, traffic in Hanoi is chaotic. The majority of the traffic is scooters or motorcycles.

I have to admit, I was pretty rattled at first with the fast, noisy, seemingly unpredictable traffic. I was not comfortable crossing the streets and sometimes took a deep breath, closed my eyes, grabbed someone beside me and tried not to whimper too loudly. Trust me, its not a good look. Fortunately, I have no photographic evidence of it. 

I also don't have any photos of the really bad traffic because I was always too scared to stop and pull out my phone for photos.

But there is a trick to the traffic and crossing the street. It sounds counterintuitive, but, just walk s-l-o-w-l-y into the traffic. Miraculously, the traffic parts and moves around you. It is unnerving, but, it works. 

So far.

On our first day in Hanoi our guide thought it was a great idea to book us motorcycle taxis to get an overview of the city. 

John was thrilled.

On the other hand, I was not. 

However, as I have said before, sometimes "no choice" is a "good choice". I don't have any pictures once I got on the bike because I was too busy clenching my hands around my driver’s jacket. 

John had free hands for selfies. 

 

Another way to get around Hanoi is by cyclos. 

After a day I was getting used to the traffic and quite enjoyed trusting my driver to know what he was doing.

It was a great way to slowly take in the sights of the city. 

The Ho Chi Ming Masaleoum was built from 1973 to 1975 to house the embalmed body of Vietnam’s former political leader, Hồ Chí Minh. 

Visitors and Vietnamese queue for hours every morning to pay their respects to the cadaver, dressed in a khaki wardrobe and encased in a glass sarcophagus. We did not brave the lineups to confirm this was indeed the case. 

Hanoi’s historic Old Quarter is a single square kilometre comprised of 36 streets. This is the only remaining original gate to the old city.

Since the 15th century, each street has been home to artisans and craftsmen who traded in the specific merchandise for which their street was named. 

Hanoi's Opera House was constructed at the turn of the 20th century. The French colonial building is the largest theater in Vietnam. After nearly 100 years of operation, the Opera House was refurbished in 1997.  

The Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu in Vietnamese) was built by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong during the Ly dynasty, and was erected in honour of the philosopher Confucius and his disciples in 1070.

In 1076, it became home to Hanoi’s first university, Quốc Tử Giám. It is close to 1,000 years old, making it one of Southeast Asia’s oldest universities. 

Some random scenes as we wandered around the city. 

Milk delivered on a moped

Winter moped outfits for the ladies 

Spices by the bulk

Scales to weigh the bulk dry goods

I love pictures of the people.

Garlic seller

A friendly lady in a playground full of exercise machines

Delivering goods

Florist delivery

Moving goods the old fashioned way

I'm wondering if we stand out and look like tourists.