Hue to Hanoi
As far as I remember I left you last in sunny Hoi An, well to continue this tale let us resume from Hue. Surrounding Hue, is the DMZ and site of famous conflicts such as Hamburger Hill, where the only real consequence of the battle was a lot of filling for cannable hamburgers. The Demilitarised Zone, or DMZ, was a stretch of land 5km of each side of the Ben Hai River which marked the barrier between North and South Vietnam under the terms of the 1954 Geneva Accords.
In Hue, we met up this this mad woman named Thu, she is 31 and not yet married, almost unheard of in Vietnam. She told us that if she did not marry soon she would "become a nun and live in a Pagoda". Anyway she has 10 bothers who she employs as motorcycle guides round Hue. She very swiftly talked us into going on one of her tours, and proceeded to entertain us with her command of the English language which for the most part she had learnt from foreigners...She was able to swear better than both of us!
The tour itself was for just a day and we went hurtling down little country ally ways, passing through the hearts of little villages and seeing the temples and monuments, and into the DMZ. The highlight of hue however was mad Thu, and her brothers. If you are ever in Hue and and a loose end, then pay this lady a visit.
From Hue wolf and myself decided to make our own ways up to Hanoi about 700 km north. Wolf opted for the bus, which was a bit of an 18 hour ordeal. Dealing with self centered isralies and too little leg room. I opted for a little more luxury, and traveled up on the train.
The train to Hanoi, was an experience, on the surface very similar to any train in the world, however just below the surface gloss, you started to see the differences. To begin with getting on the train, it was necessary to talk to around eight people, to shout at the driver and get him to unlock the carriage, my ticket was examined so many times, that by the time I got to my bed it was looking fairly travel worn. The train stopped in Hue for the best part of an hour, before creeping off before hitting its top speed of about 50km an hour. I looked out the window, and became the official entertainment of the carriage as various people stopped by the carriage and tried out their English on me. It was very nice and was great to be the center of attention. Some food arrived in due course, which had been pickled in a mix of viniger and bleach. 10 or 15 minutes after dinner the consensus was that everybody went of bed. So though it was just past 7pm, I obliged as much to hide from the mossies as anything else. A couple of hours later, the compartment was stormed by 6 guys brandishing rice wine, and would not leave until we had worked though all they had. I think the reason they insisted I dank everytie they did, what that they loved to watch me sufferer every time I had a sip. Once the petrol/ rice wine was finished I was allowed to try and get a little sleep.
On most trains if it starts to rain, you shut the window, and in theory you stay nice and dry. Not so here, the window was just a steel mesh, and the glass was long since missing.So I woke up at one point in the evening fairly soaked as rain lashed in through the window. Turning round meant that only my feet got wet, a better option. Traveling by train, was great fun, and I still got a hell of a lot more sleep than wolf.
Hanoi, is a relaxed city, filled with French colonial style buildings, the pace of life is much more relaxed when compared to the rest of Asia, and the street vendors do not give you as much hassle. We are staying in the old quarter, and overlooking what we affectionately call the intestines market. Every morning at around 6 it seems as if half the wildlife in Vietnam is executed and prepared for the days market. About this time the market has a wonderful aroma, of blood and rotting vegetables.
Asides from these delights, we were in Hanoi for business. We had to track down visas for Lao. Ideally without being completely fleeced in the process. We found the Lao embassy, after a bit of work, as it had moved twice in the last two years, and it looked as though is would be moving again shortly. With a big sime on his face he told us that we could have the visas for $50 and $55 for wolf as he carries an american passport.
This was about the best price we had been quoted and so were fairly happy just to have this arranged. On our way back, we met a couple of girls we had bumped into easrlier in thier trip, and said they had just got thier for $30 at the very same embassy. Such is life, even government it pays to be a woman.
We have spent a few nice days in Hanoi now seeing the sights and playing in paddle boats on the lake,and sampleing the local specialities.
Yesterday we sampled some rice wine, inculding one that was titled "one night, five times" which according to the label was a harmonious blend of herbs and rare animal testicals. I have to say that it tasted as bad as it sounds. It amazes me that is was the drink of coice for the emporors of old. Addmitidly some of them had as many as 300 wives and concubines, so mabe it was usefull for them!
Anyway tonight was leave for Savanakhet in Lao, on a journy by bus that is suppoed to take 24 hours, but we have herd reports that it has taked as long as 104 hours! We are not looking forward to it! We have plenty of supplies so it should be a laugh.
