Exams have finished and my semester at the University of Melbourne is over, but I’m not going home yet! I am traveling for the whole month of July around SE Asia and some of Australia. My first stop: Vietnam.
I flew from Melbourne to Hanoi, Vietnam (with a stop in Hong Kong for two hours), which was a surprisingly long journey. I figured that SE Asia would be a much shorter flight because Australia is nearby, but the whole journey including the layover was fourteen hours! Anyway, I made it through the flight then I caught a taxi to my Airbnb in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. I stayed there from a recommendation of a mutual friend who lives in Hanoi, as she recommended it was a fun area with lots to do. I would agree with her on that! The Old Quarter was full of activity, like shopping and food and cultural sites.
On the first day me and my friend, Linds, walked to Hoan Kiem Lake. We had a beautiful stroll around the lake once there, and looked out on the Turtle Tower, a tiny building on a tiny island in the lake.
We went to a street food location our friend recommended which was amazing, but difficult to navigate. Nothing was in English and none of the owner spoke English, which of course is completely fair since we were in their country. So we just sort of nodded and let her bring us whatever it was they were making. Turns out we got some noodles, pork, and tofu, all with this Vietnamese dipping sauce which every food location seemed to offer. Seeing as I was trying to hold on to my vegan diet for a little longer, I had the tofu and Linds had the pork. It was a great meal and very cheap! Later that evening we went out to a hotel with a restaurant and rooftop bar for a beautiful view and high quality food, still for an amazingly cheap price.
For the next few days we took a detour to Halong Bay, but more on that soon.
Once back in Hanoi, it was time to go shopping. We found a street which was full of stores with fake designer clothing, bags, and shoes. I could buy a Chanel dress for $50! It was so interesting to see all the fakes and Asian fashion, which I love. They are very much into simplicity, long and flowy clothing, and great shoes. One thing I noticed about the Vietnamese women is that many of them had really cool shoes on, something which I can definitely get on board with.
Next stop was the spa. Now this was one a highlight of the trip. Linds and I got a traditional Vietnamese massage, and it felt so good! The masseuse got all the knots out of my back and cracked my joints in all the right places. it was 90 minutes of pure heaven and relaxation. There were so many spas around Hanoi, I would definitely recommend visiting one if you are ever in the area.
One of Linds’ goals for the trip was to buy a tailored suit. We found a place called Veston Hu’ong and Linds got measured for a navy blue silk suit, which we were to pick up in a few days. The suit overall cost about $300, which according to Linds was an amazing deal for the quality. So for all the men out there, go get a suit in Vietnam!
Lastly we saw a Water Puppet show, which is a traditional Vietnamese art form where artists portray scenes through puppets which seem to be floating on water. We saw stories about Vietnamese legends and myths, what life was like for Vietnamese farmers, and dances of the four sacred animals: phoenix, dragon, unicorn, and turtle. The puppets were beautifully crafted and the musicians on stage were incredibly talented. Definitely a must-see when in Vietnam.
Finally, my favorite part about Hanoi was the nightlife. Walking around the alleys and streets in the Old Quarter at night, we were exposed to the bustling and busy nightlife Hanoi has to offer. Certain streets were closed off to cars and motorbikes, so restaurants had set up tables on to the street, leaving only a tiny path for people to walk by. There were bars, clubs, restaurants, all offering a social space to have a great night out with a large group of friends. I could imagine myself going out and having a fun night, then ending up at one of these restaurants eating some good food with friends to wind down the night. Everyone and anyone was there: tourists, locals, vendors, and my favorite were these beautiful women who must have been hired to wear these small dresses with logos of beers or other brands on them. That is some slick walking advertising there!
We had to leave Hanoi behind, but now on to the next stop, Bangkok, Thailand!
