Hanoi Day 4

Today we explored decided to get some money from one of the many ATMs in the city and check out how the floral picture had turned out.  We were amazed that Hanoi was celebrating my life- 1954 to 2014.  

Then, we thought about it seriously and realised that 1954 really is the date that the French left Vietnam and the country was divided into north and south.  Whatever, the finished effect is worth examining.

We headed for the area round the Cathedral and encountered some rather nice gift, art and craft shops which were aimed at a higher market than the tourist shops nearer to our hotel.  We were interested to find that the Japanese are involved in two of these- one as a charitable organisation supporting ethnic minorities,  Chie, and one  where owners use Japanese design and materials to make the articles in Vietnam (Nagu : www.zantoc.com).  Interesting, since Indigo Store is also the result of a collaboration between a Japanese and. Vietnamese.  We put a bit of Christmas shopping under our belts, then, as my extremities decided to swell up with the heat and the humidity, and I felt like I was wearing large salamis instead of fingers and toes, we decided to take a break and I refreshed my understanding of Vietnamese history while I put my feet up, drank copious amounts of water and stayed cool, and Bob worked.

Later on, we went out for a bit more exploring and people watching.  I love the way the Vietnamese manage to look relaxed in what, for me, would be the most uncomfortable situation.

   

We strolled down the more upmarket, business and government side of the lake, passing couples posing for photos in their wedding clothes, people walking dogs or just exercising and children playing in the skate park.  We admired the plantings as we walked.  There is something about having lots of water, humidity and heat that makes a place look very fertile and lush.

 

Since I was trying to show Bob that Vietnam isn't just about cheap goods, but that that there are many classes and sides to this complex country, I took Bob to Trang Tien, which used to be like a middle class department store. We discovered that like so many things since my last trip, it has  transformed itself.  It is now mega luxurious,  full of very expensive foreign shops and doormen who look like they are there to deter the hoi poloi.  They certainly detered us. 

After wandering over to Madame Hien's for dinner ( see my food blog, Patapanfood, for more on this) we strolled home and came across more people burning paper money in the street.....This time a bonfire!

Hanoi: Day 3

Today, we decided to visit the Temple of Literature.   Bob surprised me by wearing a short sleeved shirt,  as it was much hotter today. I couldn't believe he was wearing a long sleeved shirt yesterday, but apparently, even he thought 33 degrees today was a trifle warm. We stepped into the street, Gia Ngu , which, by Aussie standards is very grotty,

but by the standard of the Old Quarter, is quite acceptable, and certainly a step up from the location of my previous hotel, which was a great place to stay but was in a little alley.

 Anyway, we made our way along Hang Gai, which turns into Hang Bong, navigated the incredible intersection crossings to  get into Cua Nam, crossed the railway track that also serves as a road, clothes drying area, cupboard and thoroughfare into Nguyen Khuyen, and then into Van Mien.  Bob was quite excited about the very industrial nature of the goods being sold the further we got away from the hotel.  I fancy he thinks a few knives, mincers, power voltage regulators would be an asset to his expanding collection of tools back home.  He also loves the houses that look like they were watered too much and grew and grew:

 

I love the little vignettes of life you get when you walk. Today, a couple were burning paper money outside their shop.

 It would never happen in Melbourne. Neither would this:

 

Or this:

This little kid was trying out a motorbike for style.  That would happen in Melbourne!

The Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first national university and a temple of Confucious, showed that it has not lost its past links with academia  by hosting the graduation ceremonies of lots of beautifully dressed youngsters.

 My, those girls know how to pose!  I think I need to practice my own skills at posing in the mirror. 

Some younger students were participating in a religious celebration, so we were witness to lots of bell gonging, prayers, and incense. It wasn't as peaceful therefore as we would have hoped.  There were also a few professional photographers focussing on very glamorous models and the crowds kept interfering with their shots.. ....okay, it was mainly me and my vagueness interfering.

We enjoyed switching our attention between the architecture,

 the gardening

 the details

 the merchandising

  the behind scenes

 the religion

 the rooftops

 

 thewoodwork:

 

and the statues:

Then, it was off to look into some shops on the way back.  Climbing up to the workshop on the top floor, we discovered that Indigo Store offers classes in indigo dyeing and I am trying to talk Bob into giving it a go with me.  Don't you think he'd find this fascinating?

He seemed more interested in smooching up to a mangy looking kitten, in spite of all the warnings about rabies, but maybe he'll change!

 We were also fortunate enough to discover Mai Huy Ding in the nearby Nguyen Art Gallery.  Both Bob and I love his style.  Check him out on www.maihuydung.com .  The manager at the gallery kindly gave us one of his brochures, so now we can browse through his other works at our leisure.

On the way home, I searched for colour and pattern ad discovered this wonderful bat

this floral wreath

These mask baskets

 This doorway

Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Hanoi Day 2.

I decided to drop Bob in the deep end by taking him on a wander round the Old Quarter.  It reminded me why I like travelling with him.  He quickly mastered the art of politely ignoring the touts, crossing roads calmly and resolutely without panicking at the non-stop stream of traffic coming at you from all directions, and accepting the presence of tangled spaghetti knots of electrical wires,

 

 broken paving stones, chickens free-ranging in the streets, tiny birds in tiny bamboo cages with porcelain food bowls, women having manicures and grey hairs removed on the footpaths, air pollution, footpaths being devoted to pop-up kitchens and motor-bike parking.  We both adored the fact that streets are devoted to certain artisans, a bit like medieval guilds in England.  So, we found jewellery street, metal street,

clothing street, brass street,

 bamboo street,

gold-fish street, art street, plastic flower street,

 
lantern street

 musical drum street

real flower street

etc etc.

We also explored the market area, with its hillocks of clothing and accessories, and the surrounding butchers' shops, fish shops (yum!  peeled frogs and live terrapins),  mushrooms shops

and dried fruit, rice, bean and spice shops.  I am fascinated, after living in Australia, the land of rules and regulations, with the juxtaposition of a pet shop stall ( with lots of little finches, kittens eating rice and Indian ring-knecked doves) and a stall selling dried shrimps and squid.  Bob couldn't get over the fact that people are always cleaning.  It looks like it should smell but it doesn't!

My favourite street, naturally, was silk street, with its silks, bright scarves, indigo shops, and the divine "Tanmy Design" - heaven  if you love good design in homewares, clothing, accessories, jewellery and a beautiful, restful little cafe.  They were kind enough to let them photograph some of their wares, and meet one of their designers.

I'll be back!

It is an incredibly busy city, yet there are little pockets of calm and peace and beauty too.   These women sorting artificial flowers

while another creates a floral banner

 

was incredibly peaceful for us, the watchers!  This  monument to the memory of King Le Thai Tho was also an incredibly quiet and serene oasis.

(I wasn't allowed into the temple because of my uncovered arms).  This man was transporting bougainvilia in pots opposite our hotel.

There are arts and crafts everywhere you look, at each end of the economic scale, if you are in the buying mood. People are creating everywhere you look - at the back of one cafe two women were completing a beautiful needlework piece.  And, there is also inspiration for future works.  I found it in
buildings:

 fruit:

 patterns:

 displays of food:

 

shop displays:

 

 doorways:

 

the abandoned:

After a "nanna nap", we were out at the night market and then ate dinner overlooking the city.  How organic the traffic flow is from above.  It is almost like a dance.

What a wonderful first day!