No sooner have I unpacked my well battered suitcase from one trip, then I’m re-packing it and I find myself back on the road again, this time for another visit out to Hanoi, not that I’m complaining one bit.
One thing you need to do before visiting Vietnam is to apply for an entry visa. This can be done in a number of ways, through an agent, on-line is really easy, but when I booked my room at my favourite Hanoi hotel, the Essence Hanoi, this service was offered to me. Pop a few details in an email and a few days later you get an attachment back allowing you in to the country. On arrival in to Vietnam, whether a port or airport, you then queue up at the Visa Counter hand over your paperwork along with $45 and after a short wait they stamp your Passport and you’re on your way!
Once again I’m back in Hanoi to teach and back in the delightful Essence Hanoi hotel. Last trip when I got home I wrote to the Essence thanking them for such a great stay and saying how much I had enjoyed it. Swiftly they replied thanking me, asking if I would mind posting a review on TripAdvisor and offering me some perks should I ever returned. When I booked through their website, I received an email offering free airport pick-up and drop off, daily laundry service and my entry Visa too, all of this on top of all the other perks that come with that room. What a start to my trip!
Again I was teaching at the A45 base, but this time with different students. The base itself is about 20 minutes away to the East of Hanoi, across the Red River, but depending on the chaotic traffic, this journey time varied wildly. Some of my previous class popped in which was nice, and again, they looked after me really well. I feel honoured to have been made so welcome.
Again this trip to Hanoi was for two weeks and once again I was invited out during the middle weekend, this time by my most generous host Nghiem and his delightful family who took me to visit one of Hanoi’s popular tourist sites.
We visited the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, first calling in at an archeological dig of a long since buried palace. Very interesting too. Lot’s of ruined buildings, crumbled paths, water wells and artifacts to ponder over.
Then it was across the road to the actual Imperial Citadel, the site itself is really old, but it also has some very modern history too. There is a bunker on the site, some 9 meters underground, that was used during the America War of the 60’s, or the Vietnam War as we know it. This bunker, officially called Building D67, housed the meeting room of the Politburo and the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam between 1954 and 1975. Really interesting to see this bunker pretty much intact and left just as it was with maps on the walls, chairs around tables, just like the Politburo members had all stepped outside for a break. Intriguing. The site also houses the flag tower at one end, I saw this on my very first visit. It was built way back in 1812 and is still intact and proudly flies the red flag of Vietnam.
It was a very hot and steamy afternoon and all of us needed something really cooling after our sweaty sightseeing around the Citadel. Nghiem managed to find us a nice ‘cool’ restaurant so that we could refuel with a cold beer and some very tasty snacks. It was lovely to be able to share the afternoon with Nghiem and his delightful family.
Once again, my second week of teaching in Hanoi slipped by quickly and once again I found myself back at Noi Bai and headed back home, And again, Hanoi was simply charming, elegant and has somehow worked its way deeper in to my heart. I really love Hanoi.
mrandmrsyoung 