Hanging out in Hanoi

I'm from Bombay (now Mumbai) and it can be a pretty extreme city. Traffic, crowds, summers all connive to drive you crazy.

Hanoi was like Bombay on steroids. It can be an overwhelming city - the first thing that hits you is the sheer number of bikes and scooters on the streets. Unlike here, all the bikers wear helmets. And thank God for that, because traffic sense isn't really Hanoi's strong point. And then there was the gloomy weather - grey skies and no sun in all the days we were there, plus lots of pollution (many bikers wear pollution masks). And then the hawkers who want to make a quick buck off you knowing that you don't know the language.

All that and I still loved it. Hanoi is a tough city, but something about it that draws you in. And it's hard to put a finger on what that is. Is it the long and violent history, which stays with you no matter where you are - be it a museum or pagoda or church? Is it the great food? Maybe the famous ca phe sua dac? It's all of that and one important feeling you get that Hanoians love Hanoi. Hanoians don't treat Hanoi like it's just a place to work and make money - they make it come alive with a character that is utterly unique.

Can I convey the essence of a city that blew me away through words and pictures? I don't know, but I sure will try.

We had taken a shuttle bus from the airport (the bus conductor was very cute, I must say). Like many cities, the airport was pragmatically located in the outskirts of the city. We passed some fields and suburban areas not unlike something you'd find in Rajkot or Bhopal. I was staying in a hostel, while the friend had chosen an AirBnB place, both in the Old Quarter. The Old Quarter was full of houses and buildings built very close to each other, often sharing a wall and many of them still retaining a French touch in their facade. We were pretty hungry by the time we got to our stop, so we had some phở. Phở is a noodle soup with either beef or chicken and lot of herbs, including coriander.

Phở, pronounced PH-uh.

We checked in and then headed out. My friend found the bikes and traffic a little crazy, but I felt at home weaving through it. The Old Quarter is one of the more touristy areas, thanks to all the museums and famous buildings all being concentrated here, but the streets still have a local-ness to them. At every corner, there's a makeshift stall selling bia, banh mi, tea or pho. All of these places have small stools and tables. And when I say small, I mean really small. They're often just a foot high, and everyone sits on them, young or old. And I found this throughout Vietnam.

It was too late to go to any museums, so we headed to St. Joseph's Cathedral. It is an imposing structure built by the French, and said to be modelled after the Notre Dame in Paris. It was lit up beautifully at night, although we couldn't go in because of our casual clothes. I found out that the church had been built on the site of an 11th century pagoda, which was demolished because it was unsafe.

Religious structures have a lot to do with politics. Just like the building of a church on the site of a Buddhist temple signified the ascension of the French in Vietnam, the church was closed for services for decades after the Việt Minh came to power in Vietnam. Despite Vietnam officially being an atheist state, it was common to see an altar with joss sticks (agarbattis) lit in front of it at many shops and restaurants.

We went to the Hoan Kiem lake after that. The lake itself is not stunning, but the area around it has a lot of stuff going on. Unlike KL where I was hard-pressed to find locals just walking around, Hanoi is full of people hanging out. There were couples hanging out (but no overt PDA) near the lake. There were kids hanging out and roller-skating. There were friends hanging out and drinking bia hoi on the pavement. And friends drinking the same iced coffee for more than an hour at Highlands Coffee (a local coffee shop chain). There was even a guy hanging out on the street who was selling photographs he clicked on his world tour, so that he could afford a flight back home to Russia.

Dmitry from Russia (right) and his plan to get back home (left)

We walked around the lake for a long time and then went to Highlands Coffee to try the famous cà phê sữa đặc - Vietnamese iced coffee which is basically made of drip filtered coffee to which condensed milk is added and then the whole thing is loaded with ice. The sweetness of the milk, the robust flavour of coffee and the ice to balance it out - all this combines to make an utterly addictive drink. I had at least one every single day that I was in Vietnam.

The next day, unfortunately, most of the museums were closed. Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum too was closed for the public to pay their respects, but we decided to go and see it from outside. The mausoleum is a stark, severe building in grey. The only ornamental touch was the roof which sloped just a hint upwards. Two guards stood at attention in front of the doors, while people clicked selfies in front. The weather was grey and cloudy, which seemed fitting while we payed our respects to the leader who orchestrated the victory of the Vietnamese against the US. 

We went to the Temple of Literature after that. The Temple was a centre of learning for several centuries. After the French occupied Indochina, it  was briefly used as a detention centre for people suspected of having infectious diseases. It has now been restored to its original state. There are statues of the kings and inscriptions listing the names of illustrious disciples who studied there. I was also lucky enough to hear a musical performance at the temple where local instruments were played. I even tried out the dàn t’rung, which is a sort of xylophone made of bamboo.

Next on the agenda was the Hanoi museum. The museum has two wings that are actually across the road from each other. One has artefacts from Vietnam's ancient and medieval times, and the other is about the country's recent history. A little-known fact about Vietnam is that it was home to a thriving Hindu people known as the Cham. The Champa kings had several Hindu temples built at Mỹ Sơn between the 4th and 14th century, but they fell into disuse after most of Chams converted to Buddhism. The tragedy is that many of the surviving temples were ruined even further during the carpet bombing of Vietnam by the US.

A Shivling - one of the artifacts from the Champa civilization

Vietnam has been invaded by the Chinese, the Mongols and even the Japanese after the French occupation of Indochina. And then there is the US-Vietnam war, of course. The second museum had a detailed history of the US-Vietnam war from the Vietnamese perspective, of course. Time has passed since then, and there are American chains like KFC and Burger King in Vietnam thanks to globalisation. But many Vietnamese who were active during the war, or were children during the war are still around. This is a country that has bounced back a good deal after some major wars, but the history never leaves you when you're in Hanoi.

On a lighter note, bia hơi has probably contributed to the good spirits of the Vietnamese. Bia hơi is a locally brewed fresh beer, with very low alcohol content. What makes it unique is that it is brewed fresh daily in small batches. This gives it a really refreshing, light taste. And it is very cheap. It usually costs less than 9000 VND (<Rs. 30) and can be found at practically every street corner. From the street corners, you can also observe the baffling sight of Vietnam's traffic.

When the signal at a crossroads turns green, the traffic on opposite sides of the road start moving at the same time. 

We went to the night market at the aptly named Night Market Street. It was quite touristy, with the usual souvenir and magnet stalls. But I also found some really good clothes for a steal. The Vietnamese - at least in the area we stayed at - have a very keen and distinct sense of fashion, which I would describe as a mix of classy and cute.

I was craving food with a bit of masala, so I must shamefully admit that I ate from KFC that night. We headed to Halong Bay for our tour early the next day (you can read about it here). We came back the day after that, with only a few hours to spend in Hanoi before we caught the train to Da Nang. It was probably the best few hours I spent in Hanoi.

I've already told you about how Hanoi was full of people hanging out. On Sunday, the hanging out is given some official encouragement and support. The roads surrounding the lake are shut off for traffic. Even several in the Old Town become pedestrian only. Grab an iced coffee and just walk around. There were musical performances, beeboppers, temporary tattoos and even traditional games around the lake - all on the road. The best part of this that none of it feels commercial. And then there are all the cute Vietnamese kids running amok in all of this. Pure delight.

Hanoi, there is no other like you.

(Coming up next is the journey to Da Nang from Hoi An, arguably one of the most beautiful train journeys I've taken, and the best in Vietnam)