The City Gate Hotel aka The Hanoi Hilton
After a few question here and there I finally tracked down the location of the travel company who were organising the first leg of my trip down to South Vietnam. It turned out to be the 'building site' that I first came to. They have borrowed the name 'Hanoi View hotel' which, according to the web is a really nice boutique hotel, I had been looking forward to it instead I ended up in the City Gate hotel which is a typical backpacker dive, clean but very little else. The modus operandi appears to ship you out to somewhere cheap and pocked the difference. Robbing, gypsy bastards....
I clarified that I was to be at their office for five o'clock and the would take me to the bus station (probably on the back of a motor bike) for the 15 hour overnight drive to Hoi An, this is about a third of the way down the coast to Saigon. I did confirm that this was the sleeper and not the much cheaper 'local bus', I got an affirmative, we shall see. I'm not going to hold my breath. My philosophy is quickly becoming 'expect the worst and you won't be disappointed' that said, it's all part of the experience of backpacking I guess. Another story to tell!
My experience booking the tour in Bangkok would be DON'T DO IT!!. You are much better to organise yourself as you go along. Tempting as it is to have pick ups and transfers, they just don't happen as they should. If you are responsible for yourself at least you have only yourself to blame if you fuck up.
I need to check out of the Hotel at 11.00. Mr Angry from Hanoi has begrudgingly agreed to let me leave my back pack at the hotel till my departure, he will no doubt want money for the privilege. I will spend my time doing a few of the sights of Hanoi and getting some photos. In a way it has worked out ok. My itinerary had suggested I was out of here and to the bus at 7.00am. Given I was in Ha Long bay all day yesterday I would have seen very little of the city, and it is fast approaching it's 1000th Birthday!
Now I have an extra 8 hours or so.... Bring it on!
One of the many 'City' Gates
I checked out at 11.00, left my backpack in the lobby and headed into town. It was still manic, the area near the river was pedestrianised during the evening bit during the day the traffic was mad. Motor cycles, millions of them, every one hooting their horn. After a wander around the lake I headed back to the big roundabout for a spot of lunch at the city view cafe. It is 5 floors above the city looking over the lake to one side and the roundabout to the other. I was there for about an hour and despite the bedlam of traffic was very surprised not to see a single accident. Save a couple of sights like the mausoleum of Ho Chi Min, the Presidential Palace and a few museums there is very little to see. The charm is actually the hub bub of everyday life in the old quarter. The lake area is just like any other city.
Street vendors in the old quarter of Hanoi
It is five days to the celebration of 1000 years for Hanoi, I can't imagine what it will be like, the three days I have been here have been chaos. Lots of rehearsals are taking place all over the lakeside area. It promises to be a hell of a party. Part of me wishes I was going to be there as it is a significant piece of Vietnamese history. Another part of me thinks it will be good to get away to the relative quiet of Hoi An.
Wedding photo by the lake
Thang Long - a thousand years old on the 10th October
And only 5 days to go
No idea what this was all about!
The weather today is pretty much the same as it was yesterday. Very cloudy but none of the humidity of Laos and Thailand. That will change the further south I go.
Famous last words......
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Location:Cầu Gỗ,Hanoi,Vietnam
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