In the first 1-2 days I had my problems with Hanoi and Vietnam. From the downright luxurious Hong Kong, which I liked very well, we went back in a poorer area plus the extreme capitalism to communism (though not so extreme). Since my desire was briefly passed. Many opinions on the Internet have played their part: Hardly a travelogue that does not tells of aggressive Vietnamese and cheaters methods (at the airport, I have that too experienced the same). Then there is the crazy traffic that has worked overwhelmingly at the beginning and for the first time on this trip two of my credit cards were blocked, which is not cool if you just need a larger amount. Not least, it was incomprehensible to me how I can move here. Original (gross) plans I had the same cast back on the pile.
Meanwhile, all this is clarified. In traffic, I resign myself to read the ATMs spit back the millions from, since the airport I am no longer been ripped off (at least not intentionally) and me is becoming clear how things are going here. And then Hanoi’s actually quite pleasant. The capital of Vietnam has 6.5 million inhabitants and is correspondingly large, but as a tourist you limited to a fairly small area in the center. There around it not have been around not much to see, but even more so.
The tourist attractions of Hanoi are manageable. A museum here, a pagoda there, in between times, a lake and that was it already. Much can be seen in passing (Ho Chi Mien Mausoleum, Hao Kiem Lake) or unclaimed much time (Hoa Lo Prison, Women’s Museum, Military History Muesum). The rest of the time you can just stroll through the confusing streets or in cafés watching people. Strolling you just go talk to a goat over, which is tied up somewhere on the tree or a few chickens that walk on the sidewalk. At the lakes you could relax a bit from traffic stress and breathe deeply times. But I can not recommend, because often stinks just unpleasant 🙂
In the center there are a number of cafes and restaurants that are situated higher and feature large balconies or roof terraces. From up there can be in a pleasant lounge atmosphere observe well the crowds, especially in the dark and dark it is here temporarily.
Hanoi is otherwise a good basis for tours of the area. So almost all leave from here to Ha Long Bay and many also in the mountain village of Sapa or to Perfume Pagoda. From the specific objectives of it is always best to get back to Hanoi. Tomorrow it’s time for me to bid farewell to Hanoi, it is rural.