Hanoi, Vietnam
Yes, I did go back to Vietnam even after my (almost) kidnapping. However, this experience was much different. While Ho Chi Minh City is big and relatively modern, while Hanoi is more quaint and, for lack of a better term, “old-timey”. For example, Ho Chi Minh has several highways and many of Hanoi’s streets are barely wide enough for a motorcycle. Even though it is considerably smaller than your typical city, this place is as lively as it gets.
The atmosphere was generally happier in this fun little place. There were pretty parks, big lakes and colorful plants to add to the naturally gorgeous scenery. Clothes on lines blew in the wind up above and ladies drove around all day with carts full of flowers and fruit. Although it was nice during the day, it didn’t compare to the night life.
As soon as the sun went down, it was time to party! Main streets were closed off and the cars that were there earlier in the day were replaced by hundreds of motorized toy vehicles with small children in them. Bubbles blew across he sky, street vendors lined the sidewalks and music was played everywhere. As if this wasn’t enough already. there was a circus in the middle of town, which lasted around two hours and was COMPLETELY free!
Not only was the city awesome in itself, but the adventures were even better! First off, the water puppet show was great. This is a practice that literally includes putting puppets…in water. They ranged from huge dragons to tiny fish; whatever characters they needed to tell the story. The show that we went to see was about fishing. Live singers serenaded the audience to “narrate” the story. Don’t get me wrong, it was a fantastic time, but let me tell you about the kid that screamed the entire time. Wow! That kid definitely had some impressively strong vocal chords! Speaking of impressive things, Halong Bay was definitely an impressive sight.
We took a day cruise through Halong Bay and were able to see some beautiful places along the way. The boat made several stops throughout the journey. These included exploring a cave, hiking, and riding a traditional Vietnamese raft through some gorgeous rock formations. Exploring caves never ceases to entertain me. Each shape and structure is different in its own way. This specific cave was extra special because at the end, there was a huge lookout over the bay. One of the stops had a beach and an optional hike, but unfortunately, the rain put a bit of a damper on that. However, it was still pretty to look at. Yes, all of the places that we went to on the cruise were amazing, but the real highlight of it all was the raft ride. A guide rowed us through several unique rock formations. Throughout the trip, monkeys gathered around and we were able to see them up close and get some pretty cool pictures.
A few more things that we did were go to some temples, explore local sights, walk to a couple museums, and, of course, I got plenty of Starbucks coffee! Oh, and speaking of food, their delicacies were a little out there. Markets were full of weird things like cow noses, lamb heads, hooves and just all sorts of crazy stuff. I know it’s hard to believe, but people actually ate it! Again, there are some really interesting and weird things around the world.
Our visit to Hanoi was not very lengthy, but it was enough to show that this city was a good one. I will never forget its pleasant environment and wild night parties. There was so much to see and do, I really wish we could have spent a little bit more time in Hanoi. The capital of Vietnam was one of the most unique places that I have ever been to and I would definitely go back someday.
