Month: December 2024

Hanoi – Vietnam

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I’m not going to be coy, I absolutely loved Hanoi.

I didn’t know a huge amount about Hanoi or Vietnam so wasn’t sure what to expect (which is probably the best way to visit a place).

That being said Hanoi has a serious smog problem, so if you have serious respiratory issues, definitely wear a mask and keep an inhaler handy.  The city is home to more than 8 million people and has at least 6 million mopeds.  The country is working on building their own electric vehicles but the cost makes these inaccessible to most people. 

If you want to learn more about the food or culture of the city I would definitely recommend  getting in touch with Hanoi Kids, http://www.hanoikidsorg  This is a non profit organization where college students meet up with you and can show you around based on what your interests are (and also gives the students a chance to practice their already excellent English).  We met up with 2 fantastic students Tom and Noonn who were great company.  I wanted to know more about the city’s food scene and they took us to places we would never have ventured (I’m talking up back alleys to eat delicious Pho at the back of someone’s house).  There is no formal charge for this, but you should tip your guides well as they do an excellent job and this goes back into the club.

They also introduced me to Vietnamese egg coffee.  The thought of egg and coffee in the same cup didn’t sound too appealing, but it’s definitely worth trying (and doesn’t taste eggy).  It was invented after the war when dairy was scarce.  The coffee is almost a mousse and would remind you of tiramisu and the cup is served in a bowl of hot water to keep it warm.  Coffee with condensed milk is also popular and Vietnam grows and produces excellent coffee.

The city is full of history, and the Hao Lo prison should definitely be on your itinerary.  The prison was formally known as the Maison Centrale, and was a large foreboding prison expanded by French colonial forces when they invaded the country in the late 19th century.  Needless to say the French did some very bad shit and the Vietnamese people were treated appallingly while fighting for independence.  Being able to stand in the cells, see the guillotine used and hearing first hand accounts from prisoners brings a very dark period to light and shows the bravery and resilience of the people.  The prison was also known as the Hanoi Hilton and was home to captured US military pilots in the 1960s and early 1970s.  The exhibition showed some of the military personnel from both countries working together since the war to help identify and repatriate those who died in an attempt to reconcile the past.  This was a very moving place to visit and gave a good background on Vietnam ‘s more recent history.

If you feel like a slightly lighter visit, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel is also worth a visit.   Located in central Hanoi, the citadel dates back to the 10th century and was home to different dynastic royal families and imperial administration.  Historically, doctorates and laureates were awarded at the citadel, so when we visited a lot of high school kids were graduating and it’s traditional to visit the site.  There were also several school field trips with younger kids visiting who were exceptionally sweet and well behaved, shouting hello and waving to us.  Education and literacy are extremely important to the Vietnamese and you will see book shops everywhere.

While the city is large, if you base yourself in either the old or French quarter you will probably be within walking distance of most of the sites worth visiting.  The area around the Thang Long lake is pedestrianised at the weekends and you’ll find families out with young kids enjoying street entertainment and night markets and it is a great way to kick back and enjoy the city.

 If you’ve had enough walking but aren’t going to far, you can also take one of the bicycle rickshaws you’ll see across to the city.   I’m still going to recommend using the ride service GRAB (not sponsored by them, but open to it).  You can use this to book a taxi, or hop on the back of a moped at a cheaper rate (no amount of money would pay me to do this, as traffic signals seem to be little more than a suggestion).

No visit to Hanoi would be complete without a visit to Train Street.  It is literally a narrow street lined with bars and cafes where you can watch a train cut right through the middle of the street.  It’s great fun and worth dropping by when a train is due and the surrounding streets also have great places to eat and drink.  Small low seats and tables right on the street are normal, but you can also find higher seats easily enough.

Hanoi is excellent value for money if you’re on a budget and you’ll enjoyed meeting the people who were warm, funny and friendly.

Bangkok – Thailand

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I had never been to Bangkok before and the adjectives for it are enormous, crazy and scorching hot.

It’s a city of massive contradictions.  The traffic is like nowhere I’ve ever seen.  Apparently it has the second most congested traffic in the world, with more than 4.5 million people living in the city.  We spent over 2 hours trying to go 4 kms in rush hour.

There is public transport including an MRT train line, buses and the ever present tuktuks.  If you haven’t been on one before they are great fun on a night out, with bright neon bands and music pumping.  They are also slightly terrifying as the drivers also have a blatant disregard for the rules of the road, and I swear one went up on two wheels when we were going around a corner.  Like with taxis, a good tip is to agree a price before you set off.

You can also get to where you need to go along the water, with ferries and river taxis being cheap and frequent.

You’ll be surrounded by food wherever you go, and you can’t walk more than a couple of metres without finding a food stall providing cheap and tasty food of every description or cold drinks that you will definitely need.  The food from the food stalls was great and cheap, as always look for stalls where the locals are eating and have a good turnover, and don’t get cocky with the chillies they are wickedly hot.  I guarantee you’ll become addicted to the mango and coconut sticky rice sold everywhere.

I was staying near the ICON SIAM Mall and if you want to enjoy a variety of Thai food with some air con it has one of the best and prettiest food courts I have ever seen, with sections offering food from each region of Thailand, as well as food from other Asian countries. You can also pick up pretty cool food related gifts here too.

As a keen cook I treated myself to a morning learning to cook Thai dishes and included a visit to a local food market and tuktuk ride back to the cookery school.  Ping, at the Sabeing cookery school was our guide/instructor and gave lots of really is interesting information about Thai cuisine and ingredients and if you get a chance to visit Bangkok I would definitely recommend it.

As a kid I was enthralled by the movie, ‘The King and I’  (I only learned recently that the Thai people are not fans of the film, and in hindsight I can understand why it is problematic) but still wanted to see the royal palace, which did not disappoint.  Richly decorated and full of history, it was everything I hoped it would be.  I also walked another 10 minutes along the river to Wat Pho, the temple is the site of the giant reclining Buddha.  (Quick traveller tip, on the way to Wat Pho you may be approached by tour guides telling you the site is closed today, but they can show you other sites, this is usually a scam)

 Like most sacred sites and in the palace you’ll be expected to cover up if you’re showing too much skin, and behave respectfully.    Within the grounds of the temple there is a massage school, and if you’re tired from site seeing, this is a perfect chance to rest and have an exceptional massage for around £10.

I would recommend everyone to treat yourself to an authentic Thai massage if you’re visiting, and prices seemed to range from £6-£10.  If you’ve never had an authentic Thai massage before you’ll probably be asked to change into loose pyjamas and you’ll lie on a low platform often in the same room as other patrons.   Then a very sweet smiley lady about the size of a nine year old boy will twist you like a pretzel and work you over like you owed her money, using her hands, elbows, knees and feet.  Don’t be surprised if they kneel on you, digging both their knees into your butt cheeks. However, stick with it because you’ll feel like a million dollars after it.

Bangkok is famous for its night life, and if you’ve ever watched The Hangover 2, it’s totally within the realms of possibility that some people could go totally wild.   I didn’t get a chance to visit Kaoh San Road (which by all accounts is the place to go if you’re interested in hard-core partying). I did visit the Pat Pong night market which was good for knock off clothes and tourist tat.  It also has a pretty vibrant bar scene.  Some hostess bars had worrying young looking girls enticing customers in (I’m trying not to be judgmental, as I was talking to a young Thai woman at my hotel who looked about 11 but was actually 22).  Street touts will also try to encourage you into drag shows  and “ping pong” shows (and we’re not table tennis!)

Bangkok is pretty hectic, but you should definitely be able to find something you’ll love whether it’s food, shopping, nightlife or history and culture.