20.03 Day 65 Trang An to Hanoi
Wednesday 20th March - Trang An - Hanoi (Day 65)
As might be expected the persistent drizzle is persisting, though is due to finish at lunchtime ahead of a week of clear skies, coinciding perfectly with our departure from Trang An Village Homestay and this area. It was always going to be wet in some places of our travels even as we’d hoped to follow the emergence of Spring as we travelled North.
Again we were grateful for the slow travel to pick our time to climb Mua Cave and go on the boat trip at Trang An - we’d seen others come and go whilst we were there with only one night, forced to “do” the attractions in the heavier rain. And we stayed in two nice homestays with friendly staff and outdoor (covered) space to spread out in.
After a hearty breakfast by the pool and some school work, the bags are packed and we wait for our limousine bus to collect us. We’re all suitably impressed by the 9 comfy seats, although I’m disappointed I was only told with 5 minutes left in the journey that the chairs had inbuilt massage functions (Sienna and I were on the back row, Seb and Kate at the front as other travellers had filled the two rows in the middle).
We zip along up the dual carriage, clearly not the only bus or minivan plying this route. The countryside continues to be rice fields, noticeable just how many people there are working in them, throwing out insecticides or food or pulling out weeds, often wearing the stereotypical cone shaped hats which have been a common sight throughout the countryside. (Kate typing here - note traditionally only women wear cone shaped hats - it’s all women working in the fields, working the market stalls, working the shop fronts, running the restaurants).
The density of buildings and scooters tells us we’ve reached Hanoi and after 40 minutes for the last several kilometres, we’re dropped outside the front of Classy Holiday Hotel & Spa. Each time I say or think it, I turn into Ron Burgundy - You Stay Classy.
Despite my denials Seb asks several times if this place has a pool, but that’s forgotten when we get to the room and the kids spy 3 beds, meaning they get a break from sharing. Our first action is the mundane but crucial laundry - the hotel wants 50k VND / kg - washed and dried, but our loads are often 6+ kgs, and so a nearby laundrette is found where all 6 kg is washed for 60k vnd and then we create a zig zag washing line in the room from wall lights to curtain rails and anything else that feel robust.
After withdrawal symptoms through lack of Banh Mi’s over the last few days, it’s Banh Mi overload here in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. We find one in an alleyway surrounded by mostly locals on small plastic stools. It’s one Seb won’t forget as his 3rd tooth fell out whilst he was eating it.
We stroll down past St Joseph Cathedral and to the lake from where a Mixue Ice Cream shop jumps out at us and we willingly oblige in the late 20 degree temperature. After the kids are in bed the tooth fairy needs to source something which comes in the form of half a dozen Pokemon card sets.
Around the corner from Classy Holiday Hotel & Spa is a street filled with small toy shops, plastic toys flowing onto the street. This clumping of shop types seems common - on the walk to dinner we found ourselves surrounded by metal - from sieves to cabinets. The hardware moves onto handle shops, then padlock shops. And our hotel is in the middle of herb and spice street, so when you step out you’re hit with tasty aromas.
The narrow streets have become even more alive after dark with more food carts rolled in front of closed shops. There’s a lot of hustle and bustle, not to mention traffic, but coming into the last two weeks of our eleven or so weeks in Thailand and Vietnam, it seems somewhat easy and comfortable now.