Woke up to weather like at home damp and drisserly, but boy is it a different city. Impossible to get your bearings as we are in the old quarter. Narrow streets with small doorways, but long at the back and all the shops covered from head to toe in red lanterns or soft toys or local art.
We have breakfast then go exploring the water puppet show is apparently a must. We also book our tours, the perfume pagoda and ha long bay. Apparently you haven't seen vietname if you haven't seen ha long bay.
My viatemese attempts at currency and speaking are now completely confused, but I am now a milionaire... well with the amount of dong I am carrying which is about $50.
Today was chilled, walking round the lake and going to a restaurant with a view of the city and lake. Tried spring rolls (Brenda and I are connosiurs of spring rolls in every coiuntry in south east asia so far).
Next we go back to the hotel to meet the group we arrived with on the bus. It's a Canadian guy's birthday that day, so we decide to go for beers after we already start drinking in the hotel. I hear a few Laos scare stories which I will leave for another day when my parents aren't reading this.
After a while of drinking we leave to go to a place called freaky monkey. Of course its after 9 so all local western bars with cheap beer are shut, so we end up in this local bar where Dan is bought this rice wine drink. It's from a giant bottle full of rice wine, and with as many snakes in it that you can fit. looks revolting, but he says tastes smokey.
There is also a ritual (WHICH I AM NOT GOING TO DO) where you pick a live snake (including cobras) they cut it up and give you the warm beating heart to eat and drink the liquid, then cook up the rest of the snake in various ways for dinner. Makes me feel sick just trying that... go on michael palin that's one for you I chicken out on that.
Following that after a few drinks brenda indicates we have to go... I mean we really have to go, she's a few bears ahead and I am on my way and everyone knows what I'm like then. One of us to stay soberish.
When we walk out Hanoi streets are deserted (it's now 12). Its cold damp and neither of us can remeber the way back to the hotel so we flag down a sikathew (guy on bike with chairs in front that we sit in). I show him the business card of the hotel, but the guy has the thickest bottle neck glasses I have ever seen.
The beers now kicking in we cant stop laughing as it would be faster to walk I am sure. Plus the breaks are not that great on this thing.
Eventually after going through some very pokey alleys we get to the hotel, only its not our hotel. I have to say this to bottle neck, but Brenda at full speed has recognised a road, so I pay the driver and go running after her back to the hotel and we wake everyone up there to let usd in. Still giggleling of course.
Posted by alexd at March 31, 2004 12:23 PM