Hanoi was not at all what we expected. I had thought Vietnam would be quite overbearing due to the number of tourists that have flooded the country in recent years, but the people have been immensely friendly, quick to smile, and much easier to communicate with due to the relatively high level of basic English spoken. There are touts, and people trying to sell you stuff, but even they can be playful and seem to bear no grudges.
It was certainly chaotic though, and we witnessed a scooter crash within 2 days of arriving. Luckily, it was at slow speed, and the scooter was merely scratched whilst the driver drove away uninjured. It was endearing to see people stop and rush to help, though it must be a very frequent occurrence in the city.
To see so many drivers on the road at once, some on the wrong side of the road, and none obeying standard road rules was mind boggling. It is amazing that more crashes do not happen, though people seem to expect anything, and therefore drive in a graceful kind of anarchy.
Beyond the chaos, Hanoi also had some very picturesque spots. There was a surprising number of photo-shoots occurring in various locations around the city, presumably for advertising and magazines.
As the presence of other images would indicate though, I managed to find a replacement - a Canon 60D, so that I am still using the same lenses. The new camera is particularly good at taking fast-speed night shots, which allowed me to capture some of the strange exercises that go on at night next to Hoan Kiem lake, such as this massage-chain.
Hanoi had many alluring features, not least of which was the availability of excellent coffee - inherited from French occupation I presume. I ordered one the first morning, and was rewarded with this brew, so rich and full of flavour it faintly tasted of liquor. I switched to iced coffees thereafter though, as the flavour was just as good, but also quenching and rejuvenating.
Other culinary triumphs abounded - especially from street vendors, which always seem to offer the most local of food, catering almost exclusively to residents rather than tourists. Hanoi will always remind me of delicious noodle soups, with self-serve limes, chilli, soy and vinegar. Delicious to the last slurp.
It was certainly chaotic though, and we witnessed a scooter crash within 2 days of arriving. Luckily, it was at slow speed, and the scooter was merely scratched whilst the driver drove away uninjured. It was endearing to see people stop and rush to help, though it must be a very frequent occurrence in the city.
To see so many drivers on the road at once, some on the wrong side of the road, and none obeying standard road rules was mind boggling. It is amazing that more crashes do not happen, though people seem to expect anything, and therefore drive in a graceful kind of anarchy.
Beyond the chaos, Hanoi also had some very picturesque spots. There was a surprising number of photo-shoots occurring in various locations around the city, presumably for advertising and magazines.
Some people may spot that the first three photos are of a different quality and colour than the last. This is because my faithful old DSLR - a Canon 30D, finally decided to croak. This is the last photo I was able to capture: the view from the building of our couchsurfing host.
Hanoi had many alluring features, not least of which was the availability of excellent coffee - inherited from French occupation I presume. I ordered one the first morning, and was rewarded with this brew, so rich and full of flavour it faintly tasted of liquor. I switched to iced coffees thereafter though, as the flavour was just as good, but also quenching and rejuvenating.
Other culinary triumphs abounded - especially from street vendors, which always seem to offer the most local of food, catering almost exclusively to residents rather than tourists. Hanoi will always remind me of delicious noodle soups, with self-serve limes, chilli, soy and vinegar. Delicious to the last slurp.
