We began the main leg of our Vietnam tour with a three day stay in Hanoi.  Seven more travelers were added to our group and we met our new guide, An. 

An loves ice cream.

If any one thing epitomizes modern day life in Vietnam’s urban areas, it is the motorbike. In Hanoi the population is 8 million people and there are 5 million registered motorbikes.  In Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) there are almost 8 million motorbikes in a population of 13 million. Almost everyone we met strives to own one, including in the rural areas. 

Vietnamese drive and park on the sidewalks. Older Vietnamese still ride bikes, but they are far outnumbered by the young motorbikers.

Everything, from the popular pet song bird delivery to refrigerators, are transported on motorbikes. 

In the evening, families go shopping on their motorbikes. Vietnam is a young country with 60% of the population under the age of 30.

Hanoi was excited about hosting the meeting between Trump and Kim Jung Un. We got there on the first day of their meeting which ended abruptly with both world leaders leaving in a huff. We got stuck in a big traffic jam when we crossed paths with Kim Jung Un’s motorcade.

Was Kim Jung Un in this van on its way to the train station? He chose to take a 36 hour train ride rather than fly back to North Korea.

The body of Ho Chi Minh, father of Vietnam independence, lies in state in this mausoleum.

This monument is dedicated to John McCain whose plane was shot down and crashed into the Truc Bach Lake where he was captured and held in the Hanoi Hilton prison for five years. Over the years since then McCain established a connection with the Vietnamese people and today is an honored symbol of reconciliation. (Photo by Deena Atlas)

Mary and Pat joined us for a performance of “Lang Toi” (My Village) at the beautiful Hanoi Opera House which was built by the French Colonial Administration from 1901 to 1911.

The interior of the Hanoi Opera House is modeled after the Paris Opera House.

Peasant life is dramatized in the show “My Village” featuring dance, music and acrobatics. 

The Vietnamese Women’s Museum is a wonderful space, offering in-depth insights into Vietnamese women’s roles in family life, history, fashion, and especially the vital and heroic roles played by individual women in the the French and American Wars. 

 

 Much of daily life, including personal grooming, often takes place on the street.

Alleyways are vibrant, with interesting displays that often include a pet songbird or a rooster.

The best way to see the “Old City”.

 The year of the pig in the park on Hoan Keim Lake.

The Pagoda on Hoan Keim Lake. 

Het Pho, a great Pho Bo spot, has been in business for more than                                             40 years. The beef bones are cooked in huge vats.

Dishing out our Pho (pronounce fahh with an upswing).

Fellow travelers Kieran and Pat enjoying their Pho. We sat on tiny plastic chairs in a narrow public alley a short distance from Het Pho, which bring the pho to you along with very delicious rice crisps and hot peppers.

We got to see a water puppet show at the puppet master’s workshop. This involves hand made puppets held by bamboo poles under the surface of the water, managed by the puppet master who sits in the water behind a screen. The tradition of water puppetry originated with peasant stories in the Red River Delta at least 1,000 years ago. The performances traditionally took place when the rice fields were flooded, to the delight of the farmers and their families.

Third generation puppet master: Phan Thanh Liem

Bat Trang, a small village outside of Hanoi, is well known for its high quality ceramics. Huge ceramic mosaics such as this can be found in the more upscale Hanoi restaurants and hotels.

The workshop owner’s granddaughter is practicing the trade she will one day work at. 

Dong Trieu village in the Red River Delta is about 60 miles northwest of Hanoi. On our way to Halong Bay we stopped there. This is the home of Mr. and Ms. Hien and their extended family.

Nguyen Duc Hien, now in his late 80’s, is the last surviving member of General Giap’s security detail. Giap was the Supreme Commander of the North Vietnamese Army through the French and American Wars. Captain Hien served with him through both. Like most Vietnamese he is grateful for the peaceful relations that now exists with the U.S.

The Hiens’ granddaughter.

Mr. Hien is now the local moonshiner, brewing rice wine in his still and distributing it to his neighbors.

Mr. Hien’s neighbor processes rice brought to him by local farmers, separating the rice from the husks and breaking it down into edible kernels and rice flower.

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Next Stop: Halong Bay