Days 7-9, May 31 st-June 2nd: Hanoi

The idea was to hti the Halong bay over the weekend but we were a bit late with the reservation and it turned out that there needs to be a reservation well in advance. well, something to do on some other weekend!

Friday was kicked off with a normal set of breakfast at the aprtment and the normal  morning cartoons/email check. The idea was to go to the Long Bien bridge to drive over to the other side of the Red river. The Lonely planet book says that it would be a nice experience to drive over the bridge that was bombed down several times by the US groups. To drive over with a moped rikshaw to be exact. When we got to the Long Bien we started to look for the right spot to hire someone to drive us over and back. This was the point where I learned one of the biggest problems faced in Vietnam: the language barrier. With no mutual language and the locals not understanding my international sign-gesture language it was impossible to find the ride. The closest we got was someone trying to rent us a moped but I told him that I'm not crazy. Driving with 4 yo, in Hanoi traffic, without helmet...? U must be mad to think of something like that! Sure I would've done it if I were by myself. Also the heat started to kick in by the mid day time, making me sweat like a pig again. We decided to move to the shadows of the Old town district.

Enni at the Long Bien bridge

Almost the only thing I'd be willing to drive in the traffic here...

After thevisit to old part of Vietnam we came back to the apartment with a rikshaw and went for a swim and some more sun bathing. I usually am not the dude lying in the sun but as it's basically the only thing I can, I'm not saying no.

At the end of the day we went to eat in a local brewery restaurant Gambrinus. The palce is combinig Czech and Vietnamese cuisine. I must say that the beers served there were a bit different from the ones they sell everywhere else. I would like to say I loved the beers... I really do but the fact is that it's only possible if you consider them in the local context. Otherwise there wasn't too much stories to be told about them. 3 different beers: the Gold, Golden and Black. In the black there was a bit of trying already but I still would palce it in the category of light and watery. And who the heck would drink dark and strong beers here you might ask? Well, that's true as well, but I like my beer with a bit more taste than these. It still is fun to go and try them out. :)

 The different darkness settings of the brews at Gambrinus

 Yet another beer with the food...

And the food... or a part of it that I left uneaten ;) Earlier the same day I got goose on my plate and now it was time for some pigeon.

Saturday we decided to spend at the hotel Intercontinental area strolling around, walking the neighborhoods and checking the sites at the West lake. Found a nice little café where we saw the biggest butterfly of the trip so far and it was bigger than the birds flying over there. It was a size of a mans palm. Getting one of those flying to your face while driving on a scooter... talking about a facepalm, right? ;)

"The ice driver" brought his delivery. I suppose some people are envying this dude as his job is so cool... having 3 giant packs of ice on his lap, 2 more on the handels and a grate load full behind his back.

Enni at the café, enjoying the small fruit drink. :)

 A guy that I think deserves a mentioning. I was feeling sweaty on my shorts but not this guy. This guy was wearing black long sleeves and a helmet, inside which he had folded a banana leaf or similar to act as a visor in the front and back! Respect! :D

 The best advert so far: "Here nao! BeerLao! Wao!" :D

 Toilet times toilet is toilet squared! Up yours FourSquare!

I think that I've seen the logo of the soap somewhere... Cheevs I just can't figure out where.

After the Intercon area had been walked through we moved to the Bach Thao park to see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and other sights with Laura as well. This time we were allowed to go a bit closer to take pictures as last time we were stopped 100 meters from it.

 Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the flag

 Enni being photographed once again...

For the people from Rauma/Pori area: Toi... toi-noi vesha!

I was also trying to get used to the traffic here by joining it on Saturday. Yes, I started by going to the Big C supermarket, that is about the size of the Halikko's Prisma back home but there were about 1 million peolpe inside. You can only think how it feels like to pull your grocery basket within the masses like that... well, no one died or even got hurt... too bad. Here are some findings from the market:

 "Yes, we hava Yakult!"

I'm fine here! No need to bring any while visiting Vietnam...

Sunday was started by a gym session after the fruit breakfast on the balcony. After that I got to swim with Enni, and she really was swimming by herself with the new set of small floaters of course. They were bought on Saturday as Enni went to the deep end of the pool and jumped off the stairs without parent holding her hand. Well, that was a wake-up call for all of us and a smll shocker for Enni as well. Now she would not do that again without her floaters. With them she has no fear of water at all. Just some humble respect.

After the pool session we made some fish noodle-mix up thingie at our apartment and had a Skype call back to Finland for the second time on the trip. After the lunch we moved out to walk the streets of the French square & Hai Ba Trung district. The area is filled with shops, restaurants, cafés and Bia Hoi places. Oh, and cockroaches! This was actually the first time I got to try the Bia hoi, a beer style unique to Vietnam, and Hanoi being the capital of Bia Hoi in Vietnam. It's a fresh beer, beer meant to be drunk that day. No preservatives or additives. Just find the closest plastic stool place and sit down to enjoy! This might be something I'd be writing about in some point on my other blog: My Wonderful World of Beers.

Bia Hoi, o-hoy! Served with some snack and something yet unidentified rolled into green leafs.

Also starting the Bikes of Hanoi section in this blog: here are some samples!

 On top of speakers B&O apparently is manufacturing Fixies as well! :)

A nice looking carbon fiber roadie but why the hell does it have the BMW and M-sport logos on it...? :S

 Found something to bring back as souvenir for Enni: a helmet with a visor and of course Hello(f a) Kitty pictures. ;)

The local pharmacy. Finns will get this... :D

 La Cucaracha! ...jsut one of them!

So the first week is almost done. My tan is on the good go and there's still lots and lots to see in Hanoi, so keep it up people! Read the blog and you'll know just what we will still find! ;)