Some must-see places in Hanoi, Vietnam

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Thanks Hanoikids - yes, I am very satisfied with your reply, it is really good! :)

"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian."

16

Van de la o cho, khi dua ra nhung thong tin mot chieu thi nhieu nguoi khi den noi se co cam giac that vong vi su thuc co the khong giong nhu nhung loi quang cao. Hanoi cung co nhung van de rieng cua mot do thi dang phat trien, chu khong chi co toan ve dep va lang man. O nhiem moi truong, giao thong lon xon, cung co the bi giat do nua, nguoi ban hang rong hay lai xe taxi co the ban dat cho khach. Vi vay, nen co gang huong cho nguoi den tham nhieu thong tin can thiet. Ho la nhung nguoi da tung den nhieu nuoc va thanh pho, nen de ho biet ca dieu tot va khong tot de ho khong bat ngo.

My travel blog and Ao Dai photos

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To #16: yeah, thanks for your detailed explanations. We'll try to add more information as you reminded in our next post!!!

hanoikidsvn@gmail.com - We would like to help tourists to discover Hanoi- the city for peace in Vietnam!

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... getting the number 14 bus out there gives tourists the experience of the great local bus network in Hanoi. ...

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I wish I'd done that. I never really took a local bus - like, around Hanoi - in Vietanam. And I've heard there's practically door-to-door service to the Ethnology Museum and many places in the OQ. Might be a very fun sub-dollar experience.

Just for those who came in late with the ethnology museum: they've got little sections for a lot of the many, many little sub-ethnic groups around Vietnam: models of houses, traditional costumes, current and historical photos. Even if you are doing the 3d/2n tour of Sapa, it really gives you a good way to go just a little bit beyond "Ooooh, look, funny hats!" thing. They sell a good catalog which is good to carry with you if you are going into the minority areas: all the stuff you should need to be able to identify all the different people you see and learn a bit more about who they are. I've got to say, I never really did use it to identify accurately the ethnic group of even one person I saw in any of the markets or anywhere else - I always ending up just asking a local "What group's she from?" - but just by getting in wrong all the time, I read some interesting stuff.

HanoiKids, no disrespect meant to the Old Man - it's just all a bit strange for people coming from outside to see it all. Believe me, I just can't imagine any Australian I know queuing up to see the embalmed remains of our former Prime Ministers. It's a bit strange - interesting, but strange - for us to go to a country where some people do feel their way about a former leader. We can't bury and forget ours soon enough.

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To Jakartaboy2: thank you very much for your insight perspective of the Museum of Ethnology as well as Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, it is always refreshing to learn of what foreigners thought about our country's tourist sites/culture. I guess people from different country and culture just have different way of showing their affection. I can't imagine how it would be like when Vietnamese prime minister's pictures being printed on T-shirt either (no offense, we find it very interesting instead).If you come back to Hanoi someday in the future, contact us and we will help you to try out the local bus!

hanoikidsvn@gmail.com - We would like to help tourists to discover Hanoi- the city for peace in Vietnam!

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we have never gone to that section behind the water puppet theatre...

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Lots of great exploring for you to do back there, Celest, including an enormous Czech/Viet brewpub at 198 Tran Quang Khai (the road running along the river dyke, behind the Metropole actually), and lots of other places. Highway 4 Restaurant is back there, as is R&R Tavern on Lo Su Street (known for great burgers and live 60s rock a few nights a week), and loads of smaller bia hois and cafes.

Palin 2012

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we have never gone to that section behind the water puppet theatre...

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Lots of great exploring for you to do back there, Celest, including an enormous Czech/Viet brewpub - GammerBeer - at 198 Tran Quang Khai (the road running along the river dyke), and lots of other places. Highway 4 Restaurant is back there, as is R&R Tavern on Lo Su Street (known for great burgers and live 60s rock a few nights a week), and loads of smaller bia hois and cafes.

Palin 2012

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quote:

"I just can't imagine any Australian I know queuing up to see the embalmed remains of our former Prime Ministers."

I don't know JB.... there is a certain blackness to the Aus sense of humour that mightenjoy it..... on a selective basis

Keating the musical won some very impressive awards today ..... we

I'm the big redhead....with a sketchbook

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as is R&R Tavern on Lo Su Street

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Darn, why'd you spill the beans mooks?

"Time is never wasted when you're wasted all the time."
Catherine Zandonella.
Check out Birding in SE Asia for traveling and birding in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Bhutan, Mongolia, Malaisia, Taiwan, and India.

24

I'm a big fan of General Giap myself. What's with him? Not that prominent in Vietnamese political life for one of the last living war heroes.

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Agree with HenningWessel. Last month an American asked me who is the Vietnamese hero that I admired. I said "General Giap". He liked Tran Hung Dao as the street where he lived in Sai Gon was Tran Hung Dao st. Funny idea.

Btw, it's not easy to meet with General Giap, you must make an appointment with his office in Hanoi. Two Japanese men at my office wanted to meet with him and we had to send a letter to his office. Before meeting him, they also checked all the souvenirs our boss brought for him from Japan. They seemed very happy to have a photo with him and the signature on the book he presented them.

My travel blog and Ao Dai photos

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Oh Hongha. That makes me want to come back at once. I would love to meet General Giap. Anyway I am reading about him, so I will know more next time i come and will certainly put that on my list.

Jakartaboy, it's easy to catch buses in Hanoi. The number 2 bus is great for getting to the temple of literature. you can buy a bus map at the top of the lake and go all over the place very easily for 3000vnd per ride. I've found that they're mostly not crowded and when they are i usually get a seat (grey hair is very helpful in Vietnam).