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Bookmark & shareA Top Day in Hanoi
There's something about Hanoi that encourages early rising. It might be that most Vietnamese seem pathologically incapable of sleeping beyond about , no matter how much bia hoi (fresh beer) and rice wine they put away the night before. And so I try (OK, yes, only a couple of times a week) to prise myself out of bed, shoulder my camera and wander down to Hoan Kiem Lake as early as possible. The benefits are soon apparent; traffic in the Old Quarter is quiet, a ghostly blue-grey mist hovers above the lake and elderly Hanoians practice their distinctive floppy t'ai chi in slow rotation around its perimeter. As the sun rises I'll wander through the Old Quarter, watching the city wake up along streets lined with trees and crumbling buildings of yellow stucco, eventually stopping for breakfast of pho and a fresh, fluffy baguette. Suitably fortified, I'll engage a xe om (motorbike taxi) and head out to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum before the crowds arrive. I've seen Bac Ho before, but with rumours he might be about to get his wish and be buried, I figure it's time for one last peek. I love the romance and history of Hanoi and few places encompass it quite like the Temple of Literature, an easy walk away. Sitting here with a book is the perfect respite from the buzz of the city, and eating lunch at nearby KOTO satisfies both my hunger and my desire to aid the less fortunate of the city. In the afternoon I might check out another museum or just wander down to Pho Nha Tho for some shopping, and a drink while watching the shadows of St Joseph's Cathedral grow longer, before heading back into the Old Quarter for bia hoi with friends. Dinner at the Culi Cafe (40 Luong Ngoc Quyen) makes a tasty change from Vietnamese food, and a stroll down to Highway 4 for rice wine on the roof (get there before about and hustle upstairs) will ensure I won't be up early tomorrow.
Author: Andrew Burke
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