Bienvenue a Hanoi!

Llegar a Hanoi es como poner el pie en un planeta desconocido. Los códigos, comportamientos, ruidos, olores todo te resulta extraño. La ciudad, tras pasar un día y unas horas en ella se puede decir que es caótica y con una vitalidad impresionante. Se vive en la calle. Uno en la calle trabaja, come, duerme, se asea.

No obstante, lo primero que a un occidental (virgen en este rincón del planeta) sorprende es el ruido del claxon de las miles de motos y algún que otro coche que como una marea a dos o cuatro ruedas inundan la cuidad. Sí, uno puede llegar a pensar que el primer mandamiento del budismo en este país es “HIJOS MIOS, TOCAR EL PITO Y ASÍ CONSEGUIRÉIS EL CIELO”. Es impresionante, se toca el pito para adelantar, saludar, buscar clientes, pedir paso….PARA ABSOLUTAMENTE TODO. Claro, que teniendo presente que la única norma de circulación es “SALVESE QUIEN PUEDA” uno puede llegar a entenderlo y en cierta manera apreciarlo. Todo esto, a su vez nos lleva a decir que el único peligro existente en esta ciudad consiste en cruzar la calle, especialmente si esta tiene más de 5 metros de ancho. Creo que el total de semáforos en la cuidad es 4 y el muñequito en verde del paso de cebra tan solo te previene para que te lances a la carretera y casi cerrando los ojos, avances pasito a pasito jurando y perjurando para que el conductor de la moto te vea y en el último momento te esquive.

Ah se olvidaba, para aquellos que tienen un doctorado…(Juanma y el resto de físicos) hoy visitamos el Templo de la Literatura. En él, lo más sagrado son unas lápidas que montadas a lomos de unas tortugas de piedra, recogen los nombres de aquellos que en ese templo (primera universidad de Vietnam, fundada en 1070) se examinaron para del doctorado entre 1442 y 1778.

Bueno, esto es todo por hoy….a ver si pongo alguna foto..…Buenas noches y un beso a todos.

We made it, the honeymoon has officially started. Brilliant! The long flight from Madrid was interrupted by a 12 hour transfer in Bangkok, which sounds horrific except that we had the great idea of getting a (very cheap) room in a very nice hotel right next to the airport. Earliest check in of my life: 6am. they were nice enough to give us a room already so we were able to sleep a bit in a fabulous bed, eat a yummy buffet breakfast and get a 2 hour massage each... hmmm. let me tell you that is DEFINITELY the remedy for a nasty jet lag. And the thai style massages are unique in the world (harini, it reminded me of when we were in Chiang Mai together) Before you know it, the ladies have jumped on the bed and they are using legs and arms to massage muscles in your body you didn´t even know you had!! it´s great!

Upon arrival to Hanoi, we were met with a wonderful room in the friendliest of hotels, right in the Old Quarter. We were so tired that we just grabbed a quick bite to eat, and strolled along the night market (which was filled with stand upon stand of absolutely nothing useful).

This morning we had a late start (thanks to the jet lag and the sleeping pill.. thanks mom!) but when we set off to explore there is something about this city I immediately liked. The chaos makes me smile. At times I feel like I ´m walking the alleyways of Varanasi where at every door you get a tiny glimpse of the local life. But it´s much less intense, as far as smells and sights are concerned. Hanoi is surprisingly clean, that´s one thing that caught my attention. There is no trash piled on the side of the streets. All is manually picked up by a garbage gent or lady, bag my bag, and any garbage not in a bag, is sweeped piece by piece. (thus the lack of pungent smells)

Sounds however are a whole different story. The horn. Aaaahhh, i love the horn. It´s used for absofuckinglutely everything- hello, good morning, i´m coming up on your right, i´m moving forward and you´re stopping, hey hong, how are you? did you not hear me, i´m RIGHT behind you, i´m turning left... who knew you could get so much usage out of one little sucker?

Aitor and I are convinced there´s even a horn code, one quick beep is a turn, one long beep is move the hell out of the way. I think after a month here we´ll decipher it and let you all know our findings...

But in general, my first impression, is of nostalgia and happiness. There´s something familiar about the chaos that makes me realize how much I miss these sort of streets, there´s an energy about them that I just don´t get in madrid.. or san fran for that matter. And it also makes me realize how the simplest things can be so damn amusing. I mean literally crossing the street is a hell of an adventure, particularly if it´s a wide street. I´m not kidding, there are no street lights and nobody fricken stops... so you feel like a pink panther episode, you put your foot down, off the pavement and you have dozens upon dozens of motorbikes zoomming past you and NOBODY has any intention of stopping so that your little butt can cross the street. so at some point you just start walking, pretending that 8 bikes are not going straight for you.. i keep thinking of the BMW commercial "Be like water my friend" let it flow, don´t stop, god bless.

Okay, off to din din. And tomorrow to Halong Bay. Definetely this type of backpacking travel, makes me a better person. I´m convinced of it. Good night beautiful people (though for most it´s good morning)