15 December 2012
OH.
MY.
GOD.
What I am experiencing is incredible: nothing in the 9 kg of books, films and documentaries, nor even the accounts of those who have already been there, could have prepared me for such a shock. It is, on the other side of the world, another world.
The outskirts of the city: scooters, fields, activity
Once the airport behind, our taxi takes a highway, lined with Samsung advertisements, leading to a huge intersection. A real dive into everything I imagined an emerging country to be: military agents at every corner, no road signs, a swarm of scooters going in all directions but not stopping, horns honking on all sides… And yet, we passed! Not a single jolt of braking or accelerating. In the middle of chaos: fluidity… A language that escapes me.
Scooters
Scooters and motorcycles are emerging countries’ favourite means of transport. Today I got to understand the reason behind this choice. Why would hinder oneself with four wheels when only two is enough to carry any imaginable goods in any possible quantities ? I got to see entire families (the father, the mother and the two little ones having their breakfast between their parents’ legs), students texting while driving, and girls in high heels and mini skirts.
Tube houses
Further afield, I could see the famous four-storey ‘tube houses’ named this way because of their slender outline. One could not find a pair looking alike : their original fronts vary in lively colours, ornaments and roofs. They are topped with either a French roof (pointing up) or a Chinese one in the shape of a moustache.
Then appeared the fields: what amazement to see coconut and mango trees with some rice paddies at the back. There were even some wild banana trees on the side of the road, just as we would come across blackberry bushes in Europe. All of these trees are full of ripe fruits that farmers with pointed hats are collecting, then staked at the back of the motorcycles driving alongside us. We could even see workers pushing coulters pulled by white beefs.
Hanoians wake up early
That is what touched me the most: it was only seven in the morning, yet every Vietnamese appeared to already be working. I could see stalls everywhere, in particular with women cooking for passers-by, sometimes for entire families breakfasting in the dust. Gardeners, growers, builders are already at work while people at home are sweeping their landing door. Meanwhile, the rest of the population is on a scooter aiming for the capital.
As opposed to our occidental world where most of what we do is secluded into impenetrable towers; in Vietnam all activity is essential and in everyone’s view.
Entering Hanoi
I started spotting these picturesque women carrying the twin baskets on their shoulders, and a pointed hat on their head, as in my photography books. These baskets turn out not to only be pretty; they must be convenient given the amount of goods these little women manage to carry around.
Hanoï Elegance Hotel, right in the middle of the old quarter
Our tiny and lovely hotel is particularly well located : in a pedestrian street (it was full of scooters – obviously!), filled with small stalls and boutiques. Vendors must account for the largest part of the people in the streets of Hanoi: few passers-by nor tourists, mainly people being active by moving goods from one part of town to the other.
Everywhere, constantly, I could witness overloaded scooters, bicycles and baskets. Very few tourists, only locals. The streets are full of effervescence, its rhythm is relentless. A few stools, a table, a portable BBQ and that’s a boutique! Hanoi is bubbling with life; here a few street scenes :
Re-learning to cross streets
Crossing the streets “is very simple” had informed us the guide : “All you have to do is walk slowly but at a constant pace and scooters will circumvent you.” He left out the fact that they absolutely never stop, which is quite impressive, and when they horn it means that they don’t want to bypass you, that is, roughly, all the time. In that case, you do have to stop in order not to get crushed.
In comparison, locals seem pretty peaceful.
The commercial streets of old Hanoi
The streets of Old Hanoi are named after the commodity to which they are dedicated. Here, the (plastic) flower street:
Hanoi’s little shops
Trees at every corner
At every corner, there is a bird singing from its cage. Electric cables are interlaced with the branches of multi-century-old paletuviers.
The wedding photo season
An incongruous scene: as the temperatures are mild in winter, it’s the wedding season in Vietnam.To take advantage of the cooler temperatures, wedding pictures are shot well ahead of the official wedding date, in winter. A fact we are made aware of when bumping into a particularly popular fountain covered in fluffy white dresses. The married couple wears an occidental outfit for the party and a traditional one for the official ceremony which is attended by a smaller gathering.
Remains of French colonisation
A sad-looking cathedral, an opera in a lower-end version of London’s Chelsea quarter, a huge monument celebrating their independence against the Americans with a downward B52 (looking in the opposite direction as what we are used to!), and a rusted old bridge. One positive thing, though : the bread! It tastes nice though much lighter than in France.
Walk on the Long Bien (“dragon” or “Paul Doumer”) bridge :
Made by the French, this uninviting rusted bridge is actually a fantastic walk and quite an architectural achievement : with its 1,7km long it was the longest in Asia when built, and managed to survive the war bombings.
It is still in use : by walkers who may use a see-through sidewalk (if they dare!) and by the scooters which make the bridge wobble. You have to imagine the whirring of the engines, the horns, and your feet trembling all the way up to your head ; it is quite an experience.
The railway is obviously disused apart from being an interesting setting for taking pictures:
At the edge of the city, the lush nature reclaims its rights. Floating villages live on the river:
Disused? Not at all! I look at the train, bewildered …on the outskirt of the city, the luxurious vegetation retakes its toll… …On the way back…
The walk back leads us to the train station where we learn, slightly confused, that we are going to take the train running over the bridge when going to Sapa in three weeks. I must admit, I was not feeling particularly reassured!
Tasty meal
Meal at ‘Little Hanoi’, a real bouquet of flavours and freshness, which is logic given that we followed the route of our food this morning, from harvesting to our plates. I had actually joked with the guide that in the UK, we eat precisely the same fruits and vegetables, except they will have travelled in containers for a couple of days. That made him laugh.
I realise that the street food must be equally delicious given our fresh everything is. Nature is particularly generous in this country.
Would you like to walk with me to the hotel along the Phö Yen Thai Phö Yen Thaï on video? If not, here are some pictures:
Hanoi early morning – tai chi around the lake
Getting up early the following morning to observe the locals practising tai chi around the central lake. It is quite energising.
Then we take the plane in the direction of Hoi An. Despite having been profoundly mesmerised by the energy of Hanoi, I am looking forward to getting away from all this bustling and retrieving some peace in a small seaside town.
