The Mean Streets of Hanoi

Hanoi has been a shock to the system after Laos. The entire population of Laos is only half the population of this city.

Thank goddess we're of the Atari-generation. Our Frogger skills have come in handy for crossing the streets. Below is a typical street scene. I've had to adopt the mindset of stepping off the curb blindly and trusting the cycles not to run me over.

And sidewalks are not just for hoofing it. They serve many purposes - vending cigarettes, beetles, fruit, handicrafts, parking motorbikes, and urinating. All of this renders walking on the sidewalks impossible. And it doesn't stop the cars and motorcycles for laying on the horns when everyone is walking in the street.

Day four has led us to our first proper veg meal. Someone needs to write a restaurant guide just for vegetarian tourists. The Rough Guide has let us down time and again. They only list one veg place, and it was a bit of a let-down. It's challenging to find a place even when you have the address. The streets change names every couple of blocks and buildings are stacked on and tucked behind each other.

We did happen upon a great little bar - the Half Man, Half Noodle. We were drawn in by the sounds of our hometown boy, Kurt Cobain. Oh Nirvana! Music to our ears after countless evenings of being subjected to The Eagles, Clapton, and Nora Jones. Francis was also a fan of the bar's art (see top right photo), and I was bemused by the menu (black puppy for only 70,000 dong or roughly $5) .

We attempted to pay homage to Ho Chi Minh today. I even roused myself at 6:30 AM and donned my Sunday best. Unfortunately, the lines were far too long - wrapping around several city blocks. Today was the last day to see Uncle Ho before he's shipped off to Russia for his annual maintenance. I was unable to bear the heat (a balmy 97 degrees) and wait in line, so we settled for a quick visit to Lenin's statue.

We're finding Hanoi to be very different from the other places we've haunted in SE Asia. They're a cuddly lot - lots of groping and necking in the park along the lake - sights you'd NEVER see in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia. We've encountered more Americans here than any other SE Asian nation. You can spot them a mile away. We've only seen 3 Buddhist monks, no spirit houses, and no wats (Buddhist temples). The people in Hanoi are also a loud lot. Maybe you get used to shouting to be heard over the sounds of the car and motorcycle horns and dance clubs. And apparently the Vietnamese don't sweat or shave. Francis and I have scoured the city looking for those necessary health and beauty aids. If we're unsuccessful within the next 2 days, Francis will be wearing my deodorant, and I will be using his shaving cream. Dogs do not roam the streets here. Perhaps that's because they're farmed for food and not seen so much as pets...