Blogs we like

IMG_0032

Originally uploaded by littlesaint_uk

After nine months traveling around English speaking (apart from a brief Quebecquois interlude) countries, we were long overdue some culture shock. We reckoned Vietnam would provide this, and it did to some extent.

We’d been warned about how crazy the roads were, and yes, everyone seems to have a scooter and drives it everywhere (including tiny little alleyways). But it wasn’t the complete chaos you’d be led to believe. It is still possible to cross the road, which is a relief. You do, however, have to abandon the Green Cross Code and stride out slowly into the road and the traffic drives around you.

Having visited India, I imagined that Vietnam would be similarly chaotic. But it’s not. In fact, I was surprised how European Hanoi felt, with its French colonial architecture and cafe culture. It even has pavements you can walk on (unlike many parts of India), although you normally have to dodge a line of mopeds in the process.

There were some reminders that we were in Asia, though. Stalls selling street food were everywhere and you couldn’t go five minutes without meeting a hawker, very often women wearing traditional gear who sold bananas and pineapples. The culture of the far east was also very evident, elderly ladies doing Tai Chi by the main lake in Hanoi’s old quarter.

Vietnamese food in Hanoi was very different to the type we have in the UK. I was impressed with the freshness of the ingredients and the simplicity of the dishes, most of which used just a few seasonings. In Hanoi, the speciality dishes includes Bo Pho, a noodle soup with beef, and pork cooked on a charcoal stove.

We were captivated by Hanoi and ended up spending six nights there in total, far more than we had imagined. This was partly because we liked the place, but also due to Kieron having the flu, which delayed our journey down south.

Whist in the north we took a trip to Ha Long bay, which featured predominantly in the French film Indochine and scores of travel brochures advertising Vietnam. The bay is made up of hundreds of rocky islands that rise hundreds of metres out of the sea and has proved a useful hiding place for the Vietnamese in a number of wars over the years.

Our tour included a night on a “junk”, on which we explored the bay during the day. Highlights of the trip included a visit to the surprising cave and a kayaking trip into a secret lagoon. I also took a dip in Ha Long bay, jumping off the middle deck of our junk, but on entry the sea water went straight up my nose so I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone!