From ancient to modern Vietnamese capital

The three of us, Jessica, Jasmine and I, ventured out of our resort in Ninh Binh today and went to do some sightseeing in the region. We were transported by a Mailinh taxi driver whose distinguishing feature was a disgustingly long fingernail on his right thumb. It was grown out to about an inch and a half long, yellowy-brown and beginning to curl.  Many Vietnamese men grow out their fingernails, but I have never seen anything like this claw of his. Throughout the journey I couldn’t keep my eyes off his hand on the steering wheel.

Firstly we visited Hoa Lu, once the ancient capital of a Vietnamese kingdom called Dai Co Viet. The site served as a capital for only forty-one years between 968 and 1009, after King Dinh Tien Hoang defeated twelve other autonomous provinces within the country. The site was chosen for its safe location, guarded by the limestone mountains which today provide a beautiful backdrop to the remains of the capital, used today as a temple. We walked around the two almost-identical temples within the citadel. Both were crumbling and very Chinese in style; it was a picturesque spot.

Next, we did what most visitors to Hoa Lu did and we went for a boat ride at nearby Tan Coc (Three Caves), a place where limestone peaks dashed with black and pink tower over rice paddies. It was a similar setting to the Van Long reserve we were at yesterday, but here there was much more tourism, and we didn’t have yesterday’s privilege of solitude. From the riverside in the small town, tin boats laden with tourists were setting off every minute to file along the river, passing through three caves under the huge rocks. When we set off a wedding was in full swing in one of the buildings on the bank; hideous dance music blared out and I could see silhouetted heads bobbing in the party inside. It was just after one o’clock in the afternoon, but then, this is Vietnam.

Most of the returning boats that were passing us on the other side were filled with Vietnamese school children, who always waved and shouted ‘hello’ at us. Jessica said that this was just because we were foreigners; but as her and Jasmine are Asian and so could have be Vietnamese, it was me that made us stand out. This certainly made me feel self-conscious! Luckily as we went further along it quietened down and became more peaceful. The boat rowers seemed relaxed; they used their feet to control the oars.

In the evening we took a taxi back to Hanoi. My two friends are flying back to Saigon tonight but I will be spending three nights in Hanoi by myself as I don’t have work commitments like them, and to give me a chance to see the capital city properly for the first time. By Wednesday, after two weeks away, I will be fully ready to go back to Saigon myself.

We went to the airport first of all as Jessica and Jasmine didn’t have much time to spare, although this meant a longer journey for me. After saying goodbye I headed to arrivals to take a minibus downtown. Jasmine had told me it would cost 40,000 dong, significantly cheaper than an hour’s taxi journey. When I found a departing minibus I was told it would be 100,000, but that they could take me directly to the hotel. I climbed on board amongst foreigners with backpacks reading their Kindles (and by foreigners I mean people who look like me). We were packed in with luggage piled in every space.

 After a long journey mostly heading the way I had just come from, we arrived in the busy old quarter. Most of the other passengers had been dropped off already when I was told we had arrived at my hotel. I looked around. As I had booked the hotel in person when I had been in Hanoi last week, I knew what I was looking for, and it was not here. The bus guide insisted that this was the right place and made some vague comments about ‘around the corner’. A man with a clipboard sheet with the correct name and address of the hotel climbed onto the bus from the pavement. I wasn’t certain but was too embarrassed to argue in front of the other passengers, who were waiting to be taken to their own hotels. Sure enough, I was taken to a shoddy hostel pretending to be my hotel, I was very angry. I went into the street and waited for a Mailinh taxi, which took me to the real hotel. The driver was even kind enough to let me off the 10,000 dong fare without complaint when I didn’t have small enough change.

 A young woman I recognised from the desk really bounded up to me and took my bags when I arrived. She said “You must be Amy, a single room for three nights?” and started asking me about where I was from, and talking about English football. Still smiling, she then said “So, I’m sorry but we don’t have a room for you”. What?! After some hassle the manager explained to me that they had made a mistake and double-booked my room, and suggested that they would put me up in their sister hotel across the road instead, for just one night, or the full three nights, if I preferred. So, here I am. I’m glad to have a room for the night after the slight scare. It seems that I’m staying in the last room available in this hotel, so really I'm lucky to have a room at all. I would like to have a nice rest now, and tomorrow I will go out to explore Hanoi.