Haggling and street food in historic Hanoi
For AAP and published by the NZ Herald and other publications in March 2016
Hanoi’s old quarter is brimming with life.
A steady stream of motorcycles whizz by as we weave through the crowds along Hang Dao, one of the city’s famed shopping streets.
Balconies packed with plants poke out above the narrow street, which is lined with cramped clothing stores. On the footpath an enthusiastic shopkeeper is spruiking his wares and I stop to take a look.
“T-shirt?” he asks.
“Yes please - how much for the Tintin one?”
An exchange of frowns and prices takes place before we settle on a figure not much lower than the original.
Hanoi’s old quarter has 36 of these streets and each is devoted to a particular trade. There is a street just for shoes, one for flowers, another for jewellery and one for dried fish.
A man works on a fan in Hanoi’s old quarter
Hang Bo is a haberdasher’s dream: we see rolls of colourful fabrics and every kind of lace, trim, zipper and button imaginable.
As we turn down Hang Thiec, the clang of hammers fills the air as tinsmiths work busily on letterboxes, kettles and other shiny items.
The walking makes us hungry, which is a good thing — Vietnamese cuisine, particularly the street food, is alone a reason to visit.
For lunch we opt for pho: a fragrant rice-noodle soup with beef or chicken and fresh basil, lime and chillies.
And for dinner we try cha ca — a Hanoian dish — at the bustling Cha Ca Thang Long restaurant, where it’s the only thing on the menu.
The waiter brings turmeric-covered fish and dill, and puts it on a hot pan at our table. We serve it up ourselves with vermicelli noodles, peanuts and a shrimp sauce. Like most Vietnamese dishes, it’s fresh, delicious and somewhat interactive.
After dinner, we head back out to the street in search of another local speciality known as bia hoi, which is draught beer served in a plastic cup on the footpath. The lager is brewed fresh every day and sold for about 20c a cup at street bars and corner stores (seemingly anyone with a keg).
Cha ca is a classic Hanoi dish of fish, turmeric and dill
Huddled on our small plastic chairs, we mingle with locals and travellers for a while before our hotel beckons.
From the rooftop pool and bar of the Apricot Hotel we look out over the nearby Hoan Kiem Lake and take in the city lights.
The next morning we stroll across the road — slowly, to allow the motorbikes to veer around us — to the calm lake we saw the night before. Around the water’s edge people eat ice-cream under the leafy trees. But we learn there is more to Hoan Kiem than just eating ice-cream.
Local legend suggests a golden turtle emerged from the lake about 600 years ago to give Vietnamese emperor Le Loi a magic sword. The emperor took the worst and grew strong, driving away the invading Ming army.
Giant turtles are believed to live in Hoan Kiem Lake
Rare giant turtles are believed to be living in the water today, and a two-metre specimen is on display in a temple by the lake.
We stick with the aquatic theme and head to the nearby Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, where the lively wooden puppets splash across the stage.
The skilled puppeteers perform songs like 'Buffalo boy playing the flute’ and ‘Chasing the fox that tries to catch ducks’ in an impressive show.
Other highlights include the neo-Gothic, French-colonial St Joseph’s Cathedral, and the Temple of Literature, the nations first university, which dates back to 1076.
Vietnam’s oldest city boasts a wealth of history and culture. The old-world charm and architectural heritage of the city has been maintained, almost like a museum display, as development is restricted in the old quarter. But in other ways Hanoi is nothing like a museum — it’s loud, lively and a great deal of fun.