Hanoi was cold. Cold was what I had experienced last time I was here, but it is still a shock! It got down to 8 degrees. Needless to say I bought an extra jacket and wore a lot of layers!
Just my opinion, but you can really tell the difference between the north & south – primarily Ho Chi Minh & Hanoi. Two cities, roughly equal in size, yet totally different. Ho Chi Minh, while not quite cosmopolitan, is definitely more western than Hanoi. Hanoi is more stark, grey & comes across as much more socialist. But nestled amongst the grey are amazing pockets of vibrant neighbourhoods. The Old Quarter, The French Quarter & the lake district each have their own personalities. From narrow winding busy streets with street vendors packed onto what little pavement there is, to wide boulevards with shops like Gucci & Louis Vuitton on them.
With 3-4 days here – and a trip to Halong Bay thrown in the middle – it was time for me to rediscover the city. I think I liked it more this time around. Again, the beauty of looking at something a different way. I found the Old Quarter more charming instead of hectic and the street food delicious instead of thinking it may kill me. We spent a lot of time wandering as I had done most of the tourist attractions last time. We did visit the Vietnamese Women's Museum, which was great. Gave a lot of insight into the culture & history of women here.
I also got to have some much needed down time. Spending time in coffee shops to escape the cold. Coffee shops filled with locals, talking, eating, smoking – unfortunately! I'd curl up in a red lounge chair and just watching the show. A Wednesday afternoon and it is packed – what is everyone doing?! Don't they have jobs? Or are they on holidays like me.
Our last night in Hanoi, we found ourselves beside the lake for 'sunset' drinks. I say sunset loosely as we had barely seen the sun at all! The clouds & haze make it hard for the poor sun to shine through. The restaurant was very French and we sat in a courtyard overlooking the water.
