Vietnam 2023

Merry Christmas

Up bright and early to find ..another delicious accident for breakfast. I have given up trying to remember what they are. Just smile point 1 finger and yes please.
Then sit back and enjoy the show. This morning I was entertained by a gaggle of giggling grannies as breakfast was put together.

To the Temple of Literature finally, no bus loads of kids to contend with this morning and then as I was walking to the meeting point for the “Street Food Tour”, decided I could swing past the Hanoi Hilton - Ha Lo prison as it was on the way. I could have easily wandered a bit longer there, the audio tour was very good. Not much of the original structure left there unfortunately but enough to see the horrific conditions they endured or survived. The cement slabs they were shackled too, slanted away from their feet, so they couldn’t lay down for long as the blood would go to their heads and they’d get all swollen with fluid. Also meant they were wet most of the time in urine - theirs and others. The horrific treatment of the prisoners only galvanised the revolution. They said that the prison was the training ground and head quarters for it.

Google maps takes all the fun out of travelling … no maps, now getting lost, no wrong turns. Just every couple of blocks check your still walking in the right direction, and in my case when starting out, turning in a full circle to make sure I’m facing the right way first 😆

Only one other in the group a tall New Yorker who lays ass-fault for 8 months of the year from 7pm-5am in downtown Manhattan and then travels for the other 4. He was a pretty typical American tourist, new his life story and the 91 countries he’s visited but not one question was directed at me. He kept stopping our guide, Chip, so she could check on the cost of a kg of cinnamon and we heard repeatedly about why he needed to take a kg of cinnamon home with him.

He was genuinely surprised every time I countered one of his travel stories with one of my own. He stays at backpackers and went on about how inconsiderate some are, I shared my opinion about the 3 worst nationalities … South African, Israeli and Americans. He agreed! I said most Americans don’t know how to be out in the world. He agree, all I could do to not laugh. From here he goes back to New York for 4 days and then goes to India, bit stupid if you ask me, considering he’s almost there.

We did agree on how shite Trip Advisor is these days, not about advice at all, just selling and kick backs. Eg. The Street Food Tour.

If it had been called “Hip Vietnamese Eats” it would have been more accurate. Our guide a Uni student took us to funky eating places - really good Banh Mi at her favourite place. Dry Pho and fresh spring rolls wrapped in noodle at another family owned restaurant where we sat on the balcony of the second floor, from there we sent to another cool spot near the lake climbed up some skinny stairs and made our own fresh spring rolls. They don’t wet the wrappers, so they’re not the same as the ones we can get.

Desert next - I was already about to explode - coconut yogurt, coconut bubbles and beetle leaf jelly with a coffee.

Chip & Patrick went off to get cinnamon and left me then, and I just happened to google up a spa, a few meters away where I spent the next to hours with a torturous reflexology on my feet, massage and facial for $50. Oh and that included lunch, she then tells me, so I’ve come home with dinner.

I was in the Old Quarter so, figured I would visit one of the sights The Huc Bridge on Hoan Kiem Lake. Gave mum a guided tour and pointed out some sights to be seen through the traffic on the way.

This is where it went to shit…

I was doing all the things, fending off a couple of determined hawkers, trying to figure out where the ticket booth was and looking into the sun and I tripped up the step, that was 2 inches higher than I expected and down I went. Don’t know how I managed it but I have a corked right quad and a massive big bruise coming up on my left shin … there was only 1 step. I was swamped by assistance, one guard declaring “Be Careful”, in very good English, I may not have been the first to get caught by that step. I bounced up declaring there was a “Trace Trap” there and all was well.

By the time I got the ticket and got back to the guard, I was feeling it, hobbled around the pagoda, lit some incense and jumped in the first rickshaw home….paid an exorbitant amount for the ride, don’t even want to do the the math, but I guarantee he’ll be taking the rest of the year off. It would have been a 30 min walk.

Fun ride home through crazy peak hour traffic, I’ve seen more tourists and tourists junk today than I have in the previous 3 days put together. Glad I’m not staying in the old quarter.

So I’m back at the tea house. Leg is up, drinking white tea and eating Banh Cha Dua. I haven’t looked at it yet, I’ll save that for the shower later.
Perfect timing for the trekking day after tomorrow!

Still full from the lunch time tour, so I doubt that I will even venture out tonight, nothing to do and nowhere I need to be - just repack and be ready to go early tomorrow morning to Sapa and sleep.

I had a look at the damage and ended up going down to the tea house girls and asking for ice. When I showed them, one rushed off to the chemist and brought back a patch to help with the swelling and some pain killers.
Not going to be a restful sleep tonight 😞Read more