Well it’s the last day of our amazing Vietnamese adventure. We have had a ball travelling through the northern part of this fantastic country and have had no traumas or crisis at any point of our journey. We have travelled by plane, train, bus, car ferry, speedboat, scooter taxi and bicycle to some beautiful and incredible places. We have met some really cool people and only a few wankers. That ones for you Eric Vitoff.
LynNZ, like Crispy, is the perfect travelling companion. Never moaning or complaining and able to put up with what some people would find overwhelming but most of all enthusiastic about every unique place we have visited. Travelling is hard, tiring and at times uncomfortable. It is a world of adventure that comes at a cost. LynNZ paid the price and expected no change. Hats off to you Lynn your an absolute star.
Today we had a free day in Hanoi. I wanted to see the military museum as it is only 30 minutes walk from our digs. The girls are not really enthused by such things so decided on a pamper morning. The old quarter is teeming with nail bars, spa’s and massage parlours. We decided that the girls would go pamper and I would have a stroll around the military museum.
I got there at 10:45 and as it closes for lunch at 11:30 the young lady allowed me free admission. It’s only a small museum so there was more than enough time to see the collection of aircraft and tanks from the Vietnamese war.
They say history is written by the victor and this is certainly the case here. All the information boards mention the American aggressors or the South Vietnamese puppet governments. Nothing talks of the communist Viet Cong trying to invade the south and remove a democratic government.
The star attractions are a marine helicopter ( I had to get a grip as I found myself singing the theme from M.A.S.H ) a couple of sky raider fighter bombers and several downed American aircraft parts. Some US and soviet tanks, howitzers AA guns make up the rest of the exhibits.
The two national treasures here are a mig fighter and a soviet built T 38. A small but very interesting collection. On returning to the digs the girls were still being pedicured, manicured, smoke cured and everything else that goes with the beauty industry. Suitably beautified we set off for our final sightseeing of Hanoi. We made our way to train street to see the world famous residential street that at certain times of the day huge express trains rumble down with only inches to spare from the ramshackle houses.
Up until 3 months ago you could sit outside these houses drinking beer whilst the trains rumbled past inches away from you. No one has ever been injured by a train on train street. Several months ago a female tourist eager to get the perfect photo caused a train to apply its emergency brakes and so delay the entire rail network. At this point the railways and government said enough is enough and closed the street to all tourists. Over the years the area has seen these houses transform into small bars and cafes. Now you have to be invited in to have a drink here but spaces are limited. There is only enough room outside each bar for a maximum of six people. We were invited in and it was rather special even if no trains came.
From there we went to see Ho Chi Minh in his mausoleum. He lies in state in a glass box protected by numerous soldiers and at certain times of the year the people are allowed to walk around his “coffin” and pay their respects to the father of a united Vietnam. Unfortunately today wasn’t a special day and the doors to his crypt were kept tightly locked and barred.
The preparation for Tet, the Chinese New Year 🧧 is progressing a pace so we had a stroll around the Vietnamese equivalent of a Christmas market. Cherry blossom trees, lime trees and multicoloured decorations are everywhere. We noticed a stall selling roasted animals and had to take a look. At first we assumed that they were small pig but on closer inspection it was obvious that they were roasted dog. A very sad sight. I thought that the practice of eating our furry four legged companions was now uncommon here but from the number of stalls and the number of roasted dog on each it was obvious this was not the case. It is still a popular meat and is supposed to be an aphrodisiac. I hope we have not unknowingly eaten it on our way around. The woman on the stall would not let me take pictures so I found one as close as I could get on the interweb. Don’t look if it’s going to upset you.
After this we went for dinner and had a few drinks to celebrate the trip and say our goodbyes.
In the morning we are off to Kuala Lumpar for more adventuring and LynNZ jets off back to New Zealand. It’s not so bad as we will be in NZ next January for Katy Wombles wedding and we are already planning 2022’ s adventure together.
So for the last time
Bare, Crispy and Windy LynNZ signing off from Hanoi, Vietnam 🇻🇳
LynNZ, like Crispy, is the perfect travelling companion. Never moaning or complaining and able to put up with what some people would find overwhelming but most of all enthusiastic about every unique place we have visited. Travelling is hard, tiring and at times uncomfortable. It is a world of adventure that comes at a cost. LynNZ paid the price and expected no change. Hats off to you Lynn your an absolute star.
Today we had a free day in Hanoi. I wanted to see the military museum as it is only 30 minutes walk from our digs. The girls are not really enthused by such things so decided on a pamper morning. The old quarter is teeming with nail bars, spa’s and massage parlours. We decided that the girls would go pamper and I would have a stroll around the military museum.
I got there at 10:45 and as it closes for lunch at 11:30 the young lady allowed me free admission. It’s only a small museum so there was more than enough time to see the collection of aircraft and tanks from the Vietnamese war.
They say history is written by the victor and this is certainly the case here. All the information boards mention the American aggressors or the South Vietnamese puppet governments. Nothing talks of the communist Viet Cong trying to invade the south and remove a democratic government.
The star attractions are a marine helicopter ( I had to get a grip as I found myself singing the theme from M.A.S.H ) a couple of sky raider fighter bombers and several downed American aircraft parts. Some US and soviet tanks, howitzers AA guns make up the rest of the exhibits.
The two national treasures here are a mig fighter and a soviet built T 38. A small but very interesting collection. On returning to the digs the girls were still being pedicured, manicured, smoke cured and everything else that goes with the beauty industry. Suitably beautified we set off for our final sightseeing of Hanoi. We made our way to train street to see the world famous residential street that at certain times of the day huge express trains rumble down with only inches to spare from the ramshackle houses.
Up until 3 months ago you could sit outside these houses drinking beer whilst the trains rumbled past inches away from you. No one has ever been injured by a train on train street. Several months ago a female tourist eager to get the perfect photo caused a train to apply its emergency brakes and so delay the entire rail network. At this point the railways and government said enough is enough and closed the street to all tourists. Over the years the area has seen these houses transform into small bars and cafes. Now you have to be invited in to have a drink here but spaces are limited. There is only enough room outside each bar for a maximum of six people. We were invited in and it was rather special even if no trains came.
From there we went to see Ho Chi Minh in his mausoleum. He lies in state in a glass box protected by numerous soldiers and at certain times of the year the people are allowed to walk around his “coffin” and pay their respects to the father of a united Vietnam. Unfortunately today wasn’t a special day and the doors to his crypt were kept tightly locked and barred.
The preparation for Tet, the Chinese New Year 🧧 is progressing a pace so we had a stroll around the Vietnamese equivalent of a Christmas market. Cherry blossom trees, lime trees and multicoloured decorations are everywhere. We noticed a stall selling roasted animals and had to take a look. At first we assumed that they were small pig but on closer inspection it was obvious that they were roasted dog. A very sad sight. I thought that the practice of eating our furry four legged companions was now uncommon here but from the number of stalls and the number of roasted dog on each it was obvious this was not the case. It is still a popular meat and is supposed to be an aphrodisiac. I hope we have not unknowingly eaten it on our way around. The woman on the stall would not let me take pictures so I found one as close as I could get on the interweb. Don’t look if it’s going to upset you.
After this we went for dinner and had a few drinks to celebrate the trip and say our goodbyes.
In the morning we are off to Kuala Lumpar for more adventuring and LynNZ jets off back to New Zealand. It’s not so bad as we will be in NZ next January for Katy Wombles wedding and we are already planning 2022’ s adventure together.
So for the last time
Bare, Crispy and Windy LynNZ signing off from Hanoi, Vietnam 🇻🇳
What a brilliant record of our epic trip. You've captured every moment. I will enjoy re-reading this often and reliving it again. Thanks for inviting me, you are both excellent traveling companions. Until next time...xxxx
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