First of all, crossing the street is scary...way scarier than steven makes it out to be. Hundreds of scooters and cars coming at you. No one stops. They just go and so do you. ..as if you are strolling down a quiet lane...don't rush. ..don't stop..they buzz by you inches, even less...honking...always honking..but no one is at all phased by each other or pedestrians or cars or horns. Sometimes there are traffic lights or cross walks with walk/don't walk lights, but no one pays attention to these. You just go.
Scooters are everywhere. Streets are narrow so they park on the sidewalk so there is no where to walk. Apparently, some people have to park their scooters inside their homes in the middle do the kitchen or living room at night and then move them onto the street in the morning so there is room for the family.
There are apparently no laws regarding scooters. Sometimes whole families are sitting on them or they are piled high with everything from fruit to mattresses. They drive on the road and on the sidewalk.
Women in stilettos, men in suits and everything in between. There is a whole fashion industry based around scooters. Masks covering mouth and nose are common and these come in every colour, pattern, and designer print. Women wear jackets with sleeves that completely cover their hands and hoods that shield their hair. Some scooters have oven mitt-type covers on the handlebars to protect hands.
Tried very hard to push ourselves last night. Decided to take a 'nap' around 6:00 before dinner and slept until 5:30 this morning. Had breakfast at a little hole in the wall cafe made famous because Catherine Duneuve had coffee there every morning while she was filming a movie here. The coffee and croissants were excellent, as was the fresh-made yogurt.
Began the day at the military museum. The courtyard was filled with downed American helicopters, airplanes, tanks, (restored) as well as a jumble of wreckage. It felt eerie, like a graveyard. Inside was filled with photos, memorabilia and captured weapons, including Items belonging to captured US soldiers. Everything was aimed at showing how the north prevailed over the aggressors and the puppet government of the south. There was even a section showing the crude weapons and booby traps made by villagers to defend themselves against the aggressors.
A group of Vietnamese soldiers was there getting a tour and it felt weird crossing paths with them.
Walked down to the presidential palace and the Ho Chi Min mausoleum, where his body is on display. Unfortunately, he was out 'for maintenance' so we did not see him. You can just imagine what the grand plaza in front of the mausoleum must look like during national events with the soldiers on parade and the crowds do people. It reminded me of the grand plaza in Havana where Castro would greet the Cuban people.
Had an amazing traditional Vietnamese lunch at a sidewalk cafe that steven read about on trip advisor. Soup with noodles and roast pork, 4 excellent spring rolls, 2 beers and 2 bottles of water = $5.00. Beer was 75 a bottle. In broken English, the young kids sitting beside us told steven that he looks like Albert Einstein.
Still having a little trouble with currency conversion. 20,000 dong = $1.00 Easy to remember, you think, until you see a price that has so many zeros that it's tough to think fast!!
Next stop was the 'Hanoi Hilton', the prison where captured American pilots were held. You learn that it was built originally by the French who imprisoned enemies of the state there in horrific conditions, tortured them (torture implements on display), shackled them in their cells (you can look into the actual cells and see recreations of shackled prisoners) and beheaded them (guillotine on display). From there you go to the section showing and talking about the US prisoners and how well they were treated - photos of them playing volleyball,basketball, laughing, decorating a Christmas tree.
Also on display is the gear worn by John McCain when he was captured and a photo of him being rescued by villagers when he was shot down over the water. Belongings of other captured US soldiers are throughout as well as a sample bed and linens, and photos of doctors treating sick and wounded prisoners.. The clothes given to prisoners when they were released are proudly displayed along with several photos documenting their release.
Quite an eye-opening day.
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