When we landed in Ha Noi, we got into the airport's arrival hall and started filling out all the paper work for the visa-on-arrival. 15 minutes later we then proceeded to the visa application desk and was told that since we were Danish we did not need a visa. Why did they not tell us earlier, fools.
Walked through customs, got our luggage and left the terminal to meet with the driver we had ordered from the hotel - who was not around. Hmm, stood there looking stupid for a few minutes, then Klaus came back and told me he had a solution for all problems - he was now a millionaire. The Vietnamese currency, Dong, has a lot of 0's on the bill, 1 US dollar is around 22000 Dong.
At the same moment, a guy comes up with a sign that matches our name and we were on our way to the hotel. At the hotel we met with Hyunju and her friend Somin, two ex-Nokia also out spending their hard earned money. It will be interesting to see how people are getting along when things get a little tense, haha
The first I noticed about Hanoi, is that it seems to be infested with mopeds. They are everywhere and polluting quite a bit. There are hardly any bicycles on the streets, just a lot of mopeds mixed with some cars here and there. Huge contrast compared to Beijing where there are so many electrical bicycles and mopeds that do not pollute.
Looking at traffic at some of the small streets is very interesting, seeing when people are crossing from 4 directions, hardly nobody has to stop to put the food down. It is truly an art to drive here, I am little discouraged to try now
The weather was not too great the first day, I actually thought Hanoi was a really boring place. The next morning it was a totally different, the sun was shining and the streets were full of life, even though it was a Sunday. We lived close to a lake in the city that was very popular this sunny Sunday, it was packed with people. They were all out to get a beer and a cake, like me, something you can do in Vietnam without almost paying for it.
It is super cheap here, some things are ridiculously cheap. Beer at the hotel mini bar was $1, at that price I don't even want to bother going to get my own beer in the store. Restaurant visits are also a joy, food is very cheap and for most parts good too.
It is still the rainy season here, that means that sometimes there will be a small shower. I was buying some battery to the phone from a store and had my wallet open, about to pay. I feel a few drops on my head, then I looked up and the same moment, it felt like a bucket of water had been thrown on top of me. My wallet was full of water and I got a little wet. It is not a slight drizzle, that's a real shower. Half an hour later it can be over and the weather is dry again.
There are strict rules to when bars can be open and closed, and at night a group of policemen walk the streets to be sure everyone is closed. 2 min before the close, the bars remove all signs of serving is still going on, doors shut, front facades close the bars. 2 min after they are gone, they open again, probably leaving with their pockets full of money to look the other way
Walked through customs, got our luggage and left the terminal to meet with the driver we had ordered from the hotel - who was not around. Hmm, stood there looking stupid for a few minutes, then Klaus came back and told me he had a solution for all problems - he was now a millionaire. The Vietnamese currency, Dong, has a lot of 0's on the bill, 1 US dollar is around 22000 Dong.
At the same moment, a guy comes up with a sign that matches our name and we were on our way to the hotel. At the hotel we met with Hyunju and her friend Somin, two ex-Nokia also out spending their hard earned money. It will be interesting to see how people are getting along when things get a little tense, haha
The first I noticed about Hanoi, is that it seems to be infested with mopeds. They are everywhere and polluting quite a bit. There are hardly any bicycles on the streets, just a lot of mopeds mixed with some cars here and there. Huge contrast compared to Beijing where there are so many electrical bicycles and mopeds that do not pollute.
Looking at traffic at some of the small streets is very interesting, seeing when people are crossing from 4 directions, hardly nobody has to stop to put the food down. It is truly an art to drive here, I am little discouraged to try now
The weather was not too great the first day, I actually thought Hanoi was a really boring place. The next morning it was a totally different, the sun was shining and the streets were full of life, even though it was a Sunday. We lived close to a lake in the city that was very popular this sunny Sunday, it was packed with people. They were all out to get a beer and a cake, like me, something you can do in Vietnam without almost paying for it.
It is super cheap here, some things are ridiculously cheap. Beer at the hotel mini bar was $1, at that price I don't even want to bother going to get my own beer in the store. Restaurant visits are also a joy, food is very cheap and for most parts good too.
It is still the rainy season here, that means that sometimes there will be a small shower. I was buying some battery to the phone from a store and had my wallet open, about to pay. I feel a few drops on my head, then I looked up and the same moment, it felt like a bucket of water had been thrown on top of me. My wallet was full of water and I got a little wet. It is not a slight drizzle, that's a real shower. Half an hour later it can be over and the weather is dry again.
There are strict rules to when bars can be open and closed, and at night a group of policemen walk the streets to be sure everyone is closed. 2 min before the close, the bars remove all signs of serving is still going on, doors shut, front facades close the bars. 2 min after they are gone, they open again, probably leaving with their pockets full of money to look the other way
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