I can't tell you all that happened last week, but here are three interesting first time Hanoi experiences. I was invited to the "Christmas Tree Lighting" at the most expensive hotel in Hanoi. Very impressive. I won't hazard a guess at the height of the tree since it was situated on roof of a courtyard restaurant - but it is huge and decorated nicely. Flying across the courtyard above our heads, just at the edge of the swimming pool, was an almost life size (er, human size) Santa in his sleigh, pulled by four reindeer. White lights lit up windows, railings, etc. Even in 20 degree weather if "felt like Christmas".
As one of its charities, the hotel supports a local Hanoi orphanage that serves mostly children with disabilities. They were treated to Christmas snacks, a juggler, clowns, etc. A Vietnamese choir of visually impaired young adults sang 5 or 6 songs, in English. Most were familiar Christmas carols. Finally the resident professional singer (from Manhattan) entertaining this winter at the hotel, sang Silent Night. It was wonderful.
The next evening, Jan and I were to meet a friend from Canada for dinner. Jan caught a taxi from our apartment. I tried to catch a taxi from our church office but they either already had passengers or were going in the wrong direction. It was rush hour in this city of 4 - 6 million people. After ten minutes, I was a little concerned. When a Xe Om (hug taxi) stopped, I hopped on, hoping I'd arrive at the restaurant for dinner safely. Quite a ride!
I've had a number of rides in Hanoi traffic on a motor bike, usually with a friend driving. However this was rush hour, with an experienced Vietnamese driver, who was not wasting any time. It is hard to describe the ride through narrow streets in the old downtown area, filled with cars and hundreds of motor bikes. I can tell you that it was so traffic-clogged, no lines and no rules, that I could have made contact with many people on that ride; So close that if I had not kept my knees and elbows in tight, I might have experienced more than incidental contact. An exciting ride - not soon to be repeated, I hope. But, other than a friendly argument about how much I should pay him at the end of the ride - and oh yes, his getting lost several times, it ended well.
Our friend who has visited the city many times, had invited us to meet him at a popular Italian restaurant. He had been eating Vietnamese food for the previous three days. The lasagna (Jan) and fettucinni (Nelson) we ordered was perhaps the best of both we've ever eaten. We will return [ but not riding on a Xe Om.
As one of its charities, the hotel supports a local Hanoi orphanage that serves mostly children with disabilities. They were treated to Christmas snacks, a juggler, clowns, etc. A Vietnamese choir of visually impaired young adults sang 5 or 6 songs, in English. Most were familiar Christmas carols. Finally the resident professional singer (from Manhattan) entertaining this winter at the hotel, sang Silent Night. It was wonderful.
The next evening, Jan and I were to meet a friend from Canada for dinner. Jan caught a taxi from our apartment. I tried to catch a taxi from our church office but they either already had passengers or were going in the wrong direction. It was rush hour in this city of 4 - 6 million people. After ten minutes, I was a little concerned. When a Xe Om (hug taxi) stopped, I hopped on, hoping I'd arrive at the restaurant for dinner safely. Quite a ride!
I've had a number of rides in Hanoi traffic on a motor bike, usually with a friend driving. However this was rush hour, with an experienced Vietnamese driver, who was not wasting any time. It is hard to describe the ride through narrow streets in the old downtown area, filled with cars and hundreds of motor bikes. I can tell you that it was so traffic-clogged, no lines and no rules, that I could have made contact with many people on that ride; So close that if I had not kept my knees and elbows in tight, I might have experienced more than incidental contact. An exciting ride - not soon to be repeated, I hope. But, other than a friendly argument about how much I should pay him at the end of the ride - and oh yes, his getting lost several times, it ended well.
Our friend who has visited the city many times, had invited us to meet him at a popular Italian restaurant. He had been eating Vietnamese food for the previous three days. The lasagna (Jan) and fettucinni (Nelson) we ordered was perhaps the best of both we've ever eaten. We will return [ but not riding on a Xe Om.
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