31.03 - Day 76 - Hanoi
Sunday 31st March - Hanoi (Day 76)
This morning, before we had to move 10 minutes from the Keypad Hotel to Little Hanoi Deluxe, we walked slowly in the warmth (getting up to 34 degrees today) to the Temple of Literature. As ever the pavements are merely considered parking spots for scooters or an opportunity for shops to spill out onto the street so we’re walking on the edge of the road, almost comfortable now single file as bikes zip past.
There is a boost from a smoothie on the way, the trip almost already justified because the small cafe has two dogs, one of them soon up on Sienna’s lap.
As soon as we arrive at the temple it’s apparent it’s not a normal day. There are hundreds of children dressed in black gowns and mortarboards. As we edge past them in the near 1,000 year old temple walking through some of the 6 (?) courtyards with a mixture of immaculate bonsai trees and spiralling large trees, a young school kid appears with a clipboard wanting to practise her English with questions on our name, country, favourite colour, occupation, favourite food, how many brothers and sisters and final question of ‘Do you like Vietnam’.
One child becomes two, becomes five, becomes ten. By now Seb and Kate have been separated from Sienna and I. I've decided that occupation being Unemployed isn’t going to work, so try Marketing first. After slowly spelling it out to the first kid, I switched to Teacher to nodding approval thereafter.
It’s like the time Kate and I got swamped in Nara, Japan. Except it’s much hotter here. And many more kids, then more kids from another language school. In the end we make a break for it, sitting behind the temple and avoiding photobombing the graduation photos. Even hiding in the aircon of the souvenir shop only brings two minutes respite before another class appears. We make a hasty retreat to the Exit - the occasional young teenager saying hello nervously, egged on by friends, whilst the younger ones just march up to us.
It’s a slow walk back to Keypad Hotel, past Train Street (the photo you’ve seen of the train passing very close to the cafes either side) to pack up and walk down to Little Hanoi Deluxe. After cooling off in our room, lunch is taken in a very narrow alley just 100 metres away in the form of two beef and one chicken Pho. It’s cheap, it’s clean, it’s simple, everyone is happy (aircon would have been a nice addition, but at least there were a couple of fans moving the hot air around).
I try my second egg coffee - realising that as it’s whisked egg yolk on top of an espresso, it’s basically just like coffee and custard, which is just fine by me. More card games precede a trip to Circle Bar - down a lantern lit alley to a calm french style bar playing gentle jazz. Sienna and Seb are just happy they have an inhouse dog. It’s an early Banh Mi dinner on the walk back because Seb and I are leaving Sienna and Kate watching a movie to head to a local football game.
Just 2 km away, holding a very central location is Hang Day stadium, home to three clubs in the V league. We’re here to watch FC Hanoi (6th) take on Nim Dinh (1st). I ask a security guard in front of one of the gates where to buy tickets - you can't, is the reply.
As we walked along the buzzing closed off road in front of the stadium ticket touts were waving their tickets in the air. As soon as we stood still by the gate, one descended on us, ticket in hand. Transpires Seb is free to get in. I’m having a three way conversation with the tout and security guard. I agree to buy, but only pay her once we’re past the guard and like that we’re in.
Seating is a free for all in each bay, Seb and I settle near the front, the lines of an athletic track between us and the pitch. Patrolling the track are policemen casually waving the truncheons - it feels like streaking will get you more than just kicked out the ground.
Opposite us are the “real” fans, a wall of purple on the right for FC Hanoi complete with twelve large orange drums. But to the left, much greater in number and noise are the Nam Dinh fans blaring out noise and chants from a brass band. Seb confidently tells me they’re from a school in Nam Dinh.
There are various formal presentations before the game and the national anthem and finally we’re underway. Nam Dinh dominated the first half taking a 1-0 lead into half time. FC Hanoi start brightly after the break rewarded with an equaliser before one of their forwards has a yellow card upgraded to red after a VAR intervention, much to the delight of the Nam Dinh supporters. Backs to the wall, FC Hanoi almost stole a winner in the 94th minute, only for Nim Dinh to march down the other end and break Hanoi’s hearts with a winner with almost the last kick of the game.
Seb flagged a little at the start of the second half but otherwise was very much engaged - an improvement on the Women’s World Cup quarter final and final where he seriously flagged (and slept) by half time. A Grab taxi gets us home easily enough. Two taxis, some popcorn for sustenance and one ticket for about 200k vnd ($13). We’re now on the look out for a Nim Dinh shirt for Seb.