Our return to Hanoi has proven just what sort of jet-lagged neophytes we were on our initial arrival in Vietnam. The city no longer seems so chaotic and untidy. And we discovered a great restaurant and five bakeries within three blocks of our hotel which once we perceived to be located in a bit of a foodie wasteland. We have returned to the same wonderful hotel that we stayed in on our last visit and were greeted by the kind and friendly staff who made our last stay so enjoyable.
We dawdled about Saigon on our final day before departing for Hanoi - locating a larger duffel bag for the trip home so that more of our riding gear could be packed into our checked luggage than on the flight over. The market stalls are awash with counterfeit labels, primarily North Face, but most of the major brands are represented. We suspect much of the "gore-tex" to be fake and wouldn't trust the performance of the sportswear so haven't been in the least tempted to shop for outerwear, but the new duffel only has to get us home and as such cheap was the order of the day.
The country is beginning to prepare for the Lunar New Year. Fresh orchids decorate the streets of Saigon. We have seen small orange trees and flowering cherry branches being delivered on the backs of motorbikes. The candy counter at the bakery was swarmed last evening as customers stocked up on treats for the holiday. And countless coolers of fruit accompanied our fellow travelers on the flight from Saigon to Hanoi. The park employees were out en force today sprucing up the garden beds and planting a sea of pink azaleas.
Adam is revelling in the cooler temperatures of Hanoi. When earnestly entreated by the concierge to put on a warmer jacket, sir, Adam just chuckled and went about his day in long-sleeve flannel. Despite initially finding the weather in the south to be oppressive, I quickly adapted once I was free of my riding gear. Accordingly, I have spent the day in Hanoi shivering despite wearing my fleece sweater and long johns. I've also asked for a spare blanket so I can keep my half of the bed warm enough tonight. Raising the thermostat only makes our room stuffy.
We went in search of Hanoi's famous egg coffee this morning. Adam prefers the hot version while I'll take it over ice. Legend has it that the inventor, having run out of the more traditional sweetened condensed milk additive, whipped an egg yolk with sugar until fluffy and mixed this with coffee instead. I'm quite sure that these are not the healthiest coffee habits to be importing into our daily routine at home...
We followed up coffee with a visit to the Vietnamese Women's Museum. It was a stop recommended by a lovely Korean woman on our flight over, but one that I didn't have the energy to follow up on during our first stay in the city. There were fascinating analyses of women's roles in the family and of the indigenous textile industries. Each if the exhibits at the museum was incredibly well sign-posted (a failing at other museums we have visited) and all of the signs were translated fully in French and English, making this museum the most accessible of any visited to date. Perhaps because the subject-matter was less geo-political in nature, I found the tone to be more neutral than any of the historical sites we have seen. Adam was less engaged than I, but then he doesn't share my enthusiasm for sewing, knitting or needlework either and there were rather a lot of exhibits dealing with those particular subject matters.
