South East Asia Adventure | A day in Hanoi with Ron and Glenda

It's a few days ago now (I don't actually know how many after crossing back over the dateline) that we arrived back in Hanoi. After being greeted by our driver and guide, we dropped our bags at the now familiar Ruby Emerald Hotel (we felt like old friends coming back to a favourite haunt), grabbed a taxi, and headed for the Sofitel Metropole, a grand colonial style upscale hotel, where we met  long-ago colleague Ron Cammaert and his wife Glenda for drinks. We agreed to meet for breakfast at their apartment (Ron works in Hanoi) in the 'expat' district in the morning and then decide from there where to go and what to do.

Hanoi looks very different from the fifth floor of one of those tall, skinny houses. The apartment, which occupies the whole floor, is modern, so this was not a typical arrangement. Two bedrooms, two baths, a combined kitchen, eating area and living room, and a view. Right below was Truc Bach lake and beyond, West Lake, and we could see highrise apartments above, and small coffee clatches of kids playing board games along the lakeside below. After breakfast we strolled the lakeside walkway and took in first, Glenda's local market. In addition to the usual though, we caught the zumba hour, quite a fun moment when most of the women were shakin' it up to loud music. Of course, we had to join in! Margaret will have to post her video for you to see this! It's really quite hilarious.

Marking the shooting down of John McCain during the American War

Truc Bach lake is, famously, where John McCain was shot down during the "American War" and there is a memorial to this event to celebrate it. He's looking a lot better now.

WE also had a chance to watch this woman SET FREE about 20 small birds into the air as a memorial to her ancestors. There were three women in all, and each one had done something different, but all quietly prayed to the ancestors as they did so. It was quite touching, a serene moment, a bit of Vietnamese tradition that we were able to witness.




We stopped by the neighborhood pagoda, one of two, and took these shots of our hosts for the day.

THEN we were off to the Fine Arts museum where we focused on the second floor where much of the work emphasized the war years. But there were also some wonderful pieces reflecting life and work in Vietnam. Lunch was in a small cafe, operated as a not-profit to help street kids learn skills and gain employment. The food was great, the atmosphere filled with optimism, and Margaret perfected her (fresh) spring roll-ing technique. I think she's got it!

WE taxied over to an old tube house where we could see first hand what was inside those long tubular homes, and how they managed to house all the necessities of living. And finally en route to "silk street", we climbed our way up, and down to the top of the Lake View Cafe, where we witnessed this man showing a typical Vietnamese cut-paper card. I'm sure they have a special name, but I don't know it. They are amazing!

Margaret and I finished off with some more shopping and dinner at the Gecko (great food!) and then headed to the airport. It was a great day--being with old friends and making new ones, an easy amble amid the (relative) quiet of the lakes and the hustle of the downtown, and good food to start and end it all. Thank you Ron and Glenda again for showing us a side of Hanoi we would not otherwise have seen.