Greetings blog reader. A few days have past since my arrival in Hanoi, and I've been making it my business to have a good look around.
I've visited a lot of the main sights now: Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, Thap Rua (the Tortoise Tower), Memorial House, Bach Ma Temple, St Joseph's Cathedral, Lenin Park, Ho Chi Minh Museum, the Temple of Literature, the Women's Museum, Hoa Lo Prison Museum, and the History Museum. I've been to see all of these on foot, and feel like I've been over every inch of the city. My legs really ache now, but it is the ache of achievement.
I've also been to the Vietnamese Water Puppet Theatre to see their show, and thought it was marvellous. This art originated in Northern Vietnam and the wooden puppets are very pretty. It was amazing how the puppet masters brought them to life with great skill and precision movement. The show wasn't a play as such: it consisted of a series of re-enactments (about twenty) of different scenes in traditional Vietnamese life. It was easy to follow and entrancing to watch.
Turning to international news, I understand there has been a military coup in Thailand. This may cause me some minor difficulties as I am planning to return there in a month or so as a means of getting into Myanmar, and then on to Malaysia. I hope things settle down so I can carry on as planned, but I'll just have to re-assess things at the end of October. My plans can be altered if necessary. Naturally for the moment I'm perfectly safe in Vietnam which does not even border with Thailand.
So what next in Vietnam? I met up again with my Australian friends this morning, and we're all leaving Hanoi tomorrow morning to go on a three day cruise to Halong Bay. I'm really looking forward to this. Halong Bay is reputed to be one of Vietnam's greatest natural wonders, and - as long as the weather is good - should be amazing. I won't be able to blog again until I return on Sunday or Monday, I'll be 'at sea,' but will give you a full update when I return.
2 comments:
Have you cried at all on this holiday? Perhaps with homesickness. I am entering my 11th month living in Birmingham, away from pretty much all my friends and family, and also my southern england roots. I've found that it's hard when you go away and everybody else stays put.
No, but I have felt homesick and down on a number of occasions. This has been caused normally by extreme tiredness, and has not so far lasted for more than a couple of hours.
My eyes watered a bit the other night when I ate some chilli's by accident.
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