Tapp's Travels

Wednesday 8 January.  The first manoevre of the day involved raising our anchor and sailing off under the Nhat Tan Bridge …

… and the Long Bein Bridge.

This was opened in 1903 and at 2.4 km in length was, at the time, one of the longest bridges in SE Asia.  Bombed heavily during the Vietnam War, it was put out of action at least four times between 1967 and 1972.  Today only trains, mopeds, bicycles and pedestrians are permitted to use the dilapidated bridge, while all other traffic is diverted to alternative nearby bridges.

Angkor Pandaw moored more or less opposite the French Quarter for our excursion into Hanoi City.  First stop was at the site of the First National University of Hanoi.  Oh no! It’s also known as the Temple of Literature!  We just can’t get away from these religious buildings!

But this one was a bit different.  After a pleasant meander through the gardens immediately behind this magnificent archway, we met a small crowd of young visitors …

Blooming millions of the little blighters.  Some sort of school prize giving, I think.  Continuous high fives as we walked past their serried ranks!  But the place did still have the requisite statues and offerings.

Back on the bus for the trip to the Hanoi Hilton, we passed Train Street again – but still no actual train.  Very disappointing!

The Hanoi Hilton is a euphemism for the Hoa Lo Prison.  Not really a place for photographs – but here is one of the huge locked gates.

It saw massive service under French colonial rule and again during the Civil War and the American War.  Not a nice place.  The museum only covers a small fraction of the jail’s original footprint.  The rest of the property was redeveloped for high-rise residential living.  However, the residents found the place to be haunted by seriously unhappy ghosts and spirits of tortured prisoners.  They all refused to live there and moved out!  The tower block has subsequently been re-purposed as office space!

Before heading back to the ship, we had a private tour of the Hanoi Opera House.  It’s celebrating It’s 115th anniversary and is about to close for two years for renovation.  We were able visit the rooms where VIP guests were entertained while waiting for the show to start.

After a hands-on demonstration of raising scenery “curtains”, we were treated to a 15 minute “son et lumière” show.  We were all sat on the stage as a fantastic laser powered display was beamed all over the features of the auditorium … to loud and moving orchestral music …

Absolutely fabulous and, dare I say, equally entertaining as any operatic show seen from the other side of the stage.  And an interesting remote selfie from the garden.

Our afternoon in Hanoi was a walking tour of the old town.  It started as a “group walk”, ending with a pre-arranged visit to a coffee shop – the Hanoi Coffee Culture.  (On that single block of ten shops, there were six coffee emporia!)  The place is apparently famous for its Vietnamese Egg coffee.  This is a perfect blend of strong black coffee and egg yolk whipped with sugar and condensed milk!  Sounds terribly risky … but tasted far better than expected!

Enjoyed with Anders and Elizabeth from Stockholm!

From there we wandered around the back streets of the old Quarter.  We stumbled on “China Town” (from both ends!) …

… and a rather interesting art gallery with lots of leaf-based 3D pictures.

And back to the pick-up point by the water puppet theatre where we met with Greg and Tina (my local IT consultant who sorted my e-SIM.  Thanks Greg!

The village of Bát Tràng is renowned for it’s pottery.  Indeed, the four kilometre mosaic in the city was constructed using coloured tiles made here.  We visited two of the production units where they were making lots of useful things like piggy banks and model birds!

Here the mounds are being filled with clay suspension.  And, after firing, being hand painted.  Every one slightly different in pattern!

Design consultants, Glenda and Elizabeth are seen instructing the local ladies on the colour schemes!

But I have a feeling that the intricate designs on the large vases were applied in a more “industrial” manner.

We spent ages in the market area, but limited ourselves to the purchase of six egg cups!

As we walked back to the boat, we saw lots of stenciled signs on the village walls …

I thought it might be young ladies advertising their availability.  “Ring this number and ask for Angela!”  Research later has revealed a much more prosaic message.  “Call this number and we will come and knock down your house!”  These advertisements are indeed for khoan cắt bê tông (KCBT), or demolition services.

Hanoi’s municipal government outlawed KCBT adverts a few years back, but freelance contractors continue to tag their phone numbers on walls across the capital.  Local residents can call to report the numbers and have them painted over, however the tags usually return shortly after their disappearance.

Returning to the boat, we were met on the quay by a man in fancy dress bashing a drum!

Him, his band and a couple of dragons!

There’s always an amateur who wants to get in on the action!

All aboard and we are off downstream!  And as dinner was served, the sun went down.

… and that’s a great place to stop this episode!