Wanderlust: Dare I say it...

I actually had a great time in Hanoi today! Although I was lazy and spent the most of it watching movies, I decided that I should give Hanoi one more chance with the time I had left. In the afternoon I set out walking to the Literature temple, a place that is considered to be Vietnam's first university. Getting there was fun in itself, as I passed through the "normal" parts of the city where everyday life and commerce takes place, such as tire stores (gotta keep those motorbikes on the road!) and paint shops. I love seeing people going about their everyday lives. The women selling food, walking with huge baskets balanced on their heads. The men lounging on their motor bikes. The children walking hand in hand with grand or perhaps great grandparents. I like the fact that, while I'm obviously noticed, they allow me to blend in with the rest of the city, giving me the opportunity to step away from "tourist" and just be me again. I get a feel for the real Hanoi this way.

The museum itself was beautiful. This is the Asia I've always admired, with red lanterns and banners, dark woods, and beautiful architecture. Vietnam draws much of its influence down from China, so all of this is noticeably different from Laos and Thailand. Though official Vietnamese no longer uses a kanji type script, this older language is still visible at the temples, adding even more to the charm. I very much enjoyed what I saw there, if for no other reason than it was nice to see some age and history in this very modern city.

The walk home was perhaps my favorite part of the day. In places the stores have expanded past the sidewalks, forcing you to walk in the street with the motorbikes and cars for a bit. It was as I was walking there, becoming part of the crazy street traffic, that I realized that the insanity of Hanoi had somehow drawn me in and was actually becoming fun! I noticed that the horns honking were becoming background noise (still a loud, annoying background noise) and that somehow you instinctively hear only the horns that are actually directed at you. I found myself laughing as I stopped short, narrowly avoiding colliding with a motorbike that came flying out of an invisible alleyway. Crossing the street has become a bit of a dance which begins the moment I step off the curb. The bikes and cars become my dance partners; we whirl and twirled carefully and complexly around each other until I am safely on the other side. Around me, others are also participating in this dance, and I have yet to see anyone miss a step.

To top off the night, I stopped into a small Italian style Gelateria and Cafe for dinner before catching my bus to Ninh Binh. I had delicious seafood cream soup with french baguette and an iced Vietnamese coffee. The food was delicious, the service so incredibly polite. I couldn't help but grin my entire way home, often prompting smiles in return from those around me. I was undeniably happy.

So Hanoi, perhaps I was hasty in my judgment of you. You've redeemed yourself a bit today. Good for you. Still, I look forward to what the smaller towns have to offer. No offense.

Flower vendor's bicycle