Hello again from Hanoi,

Postscript: I have learned tours of North Korea for foreigners are being arranged out of Beijing! I definitely plan to check into the possibility of visiting the Hermit Kingdom. While there are no doubt hazards like travel to any foreign place not frequented by Americans, it would appear the "dangers" are exaggerated by official information channels. I'll know more after reaching Beijing and contacting the officially sanctioned Koryo tour company. My biggest concern is managing my mind in the face of behavior compromises I will be required to make in order to be allowed a peek inside this forbidden mystery. Holding my tongue until well after the visit will provide plenty of time to reflect on what ever I might have been able to "read between the lines."

Since the first postcard from Hanoi I have continued to enjoy this hectic, exotic capital city. Always on the lookout for great hotel values I eventually discovered the $50 Larosa Hotel, a recently built four star house with fast and reliable Internet access a couple blocks from the main railway station and within walking distance of "Embassy Row." A quick look at the breakfast buffet offerings following an inspection of the rooms, convinced me to plan a hotel switch as soon as practicable. With everything except problematic Internet access great at the Sky Hotel and my Vietnam visa extension being handled by hotel staff there, I hesitated moving a couple days even though the Larosa clearly would be a better arrangement for whatever time it took to complete the Chinese visa process.

The Larosa Hotel turned out to be an ideal choice. The general manager, Mr. Duong Phu Nam took a liking to me and must have instructed his staff to treat me like a VIP! At breakfast I never had an empty coffee cup for long and the staff repeatedly insisted I try various Vietnamese specialties. One of the waitresses with a serious interest in improving her English encouraged me to be her impromptu language teacher including an invitation to join her and a friend for a walk around the picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake one afternoon. My protracted stay resulted in a fresh fruit plate everyday and eventually a 10% room rate reduction. Every time I (or any guest) walked into a room all present staff jumped to attention beaming, ready to show respect and an eagerness to be of service.

The food and beverage operation in the Larosa Hotel is excellent and the dining room staff has performed like they work in a five star establishment! The selection of fruits and real juices is unmatched by any of the hotels I've used on this trip so far. The Chef's Salad I had one day delighted all my senses. Vietnamese cooking uses a lot of rice prepared in ways which obscures the natural characteristics of the grain. A variety of glutinous substances start out as grains of rice, but end up in all sorts of tasty food preparations combined with vegetables, meats, fruits, sweeteners, nuts, etc.

After submitting my visa application to the Chinese consulate Friday I received a telephone message that they had some questions for me and that I should come in Monday for an interview. With some trepidation I returned on the assigned day and waited to be called for my interrogation. The fiftyish consular and her interpreter grilled me for ten minutes about my plans, after first asking if I spoke Chinese. "Bu shi." I replied in Chinese for "not yes" and then adding in English, "only a little."  She smiled and continued with the questioning through the interpreter.

"Why do you want to enter the DPRK? Where exactly do you plan to travel in the PRC? etc. etc." Finally satisfied  I had no intention of starting a new revolution she indicated she was approving my request for the double entry visa... and that I could pick up my passport after the standard five day processing delay. I'd expected a multiple entry visa so only two entries meant a return to Beijing after the DPRK visit would be the last entry on this visa. Tentative plans to visit Mongolia with a possible return to Beijing for a flight home now must be rethought, but that is a problem for another day.

Walking the four blocks to the Chinese Embassy took me by an old yellow French colonial style mansion which turned out to be the North Korean Embassy!  A display case hanging on the wall surrounding the embassy contained about twenty photographs of people and places, some of which I recognized as being North Korean. As the "Supreme Leader" of North Korea, Kim Jong-un has not been seen for over a month I wondered if the photo display with captions might have any official information about his current whereabouts. A few steps further along the wall stood one of the Vietnamese military personnel assigned to guard the embassy and I gingerly approached him to confirm I had indeed stumbled on the North Korean Embassy.

Unfortunately, he spoke no English and only through persistent charade-talk with frequent verbalization of "Korean" and "Korea" did I finally get what I took for a confirmation. While "talking" with the security officer the big iron gate into the embassy grounds screeched open and three men in very casual attire came out. Two of the guys continued immediately to a waiting car as they finished an obviously important discussion. The third guy hung back until I turned and noticed him. At that point he stepped toward me and asked: "Do you need something?" in perfectly articulated, though slightly accented English.

"Thank you." I replied, then continued: "Is this the North Korean Embassy?"

He nodded with a puzzled expression.

"Do you work here?" I added, then continued: "Are you a Vietnamese employee of the embassy?"

"Yes I do work here!" he replied emphatically, adding: "I'm a deepee areKAY citizen." emphasizing the corrected national designation. "What do you need?" he repeated.

"I'm planning to visit your country next month and wondered if there might be anything I could do in advance here in this embassy before reaching Beijing." then, adding incredulously as an afterthought: "Are you the ambassador?"

"Oh, no. I'm merely on the diplomatic staff." he responded with a smile and chuckle, adding: "You will have a great time in our country. Everything you need will be available from your tour company. The Koryo Tours company is approved by the DPRK government and has arranged thousands of trips for foreign guests. Check with them when you get to Beijing."

Our chat continued amiably for another few minutes until I thanked him for the information and prepared to continue my walk toward the Chinese Embassy... taking my time waiting for a clear break in the unbelievably chaotic motor scooter traffic as he got into his car parked at the curb and drove away. After he'd gone I turned again the the Vietnamese military guard and gestured taking a picture of the embassy building, finishing with a thumbs up-thumbs down gesture. The guard smiled, nodded and lifted his index finger which I interpreted as "O.K. one photo."

Crossing the street to evaluate shooting angles I settled on what seemed to be the best possibility and took my single photograph with the phone camera. Almost immediately, another uniformed Vietnamese officer dashed across the street from his tiny guard shack and pointing at the several bars on his epaulette and reached for my camera. Misunderstanding his intention to see the single photo I'd taken, I pulled it up and handed the camera to him. Before I could react one way or the other, he deftly erased the offending picture and handed the now legal device back to me with a good natured grimace. Apparently the junior officer had erred in authorizing the photo and the senior officer corrected that promptly so as not to create an international incident.

Friday, 10 September is the Vietnamese Independence  celebration like our Fourth of July. Everyone in the hotel urged me to watch the fireworks from the 11th floor of the building where no fewer than six separate major displays delighted spectators for more than fifteen minutes.

I have seen many grandmothers (and grandfathers) babysitting. One of the things they do for their charges is help them stay cool by creating a breeze with Chinese paper fans. A majority of the old colonial style buildings are painted a standard dull yellow color making me wonder if there is some French tradition behind it or if someone got a good deal on yellow paint. I have seen no coins being used in sales transactions, although there are several denomination still legal tender. Also, the smaller denomination of plastic paper currency, now practically worthless is rarely used, though I got a 500 dong note in change yesterday (worth about 2 cents).

During rush hours I have been reluctant to board full buses knowing someone, usually some young kid who has been on their feet all day will be forced to give up their seat immediately for any oldster boarding. Some buses are packed literally like sardines during rush hours. Not far from the Larosa Hotel is a small sidewalk juice bar which serves a delicious avocado-mango smoothie for about $1.50. The conical hats worn by women are called Non La and have a history going back into ancient times. Quality varies and depends of the evenness of the stitching, how well knots are hidden, invisible writing embedded in the palm leaf layers of covering, etc.

The Ho Chi Minh Museum is odd. the atmosphere is surreal with "funeral music." On display are artifacts and memorabilia of course, but the interior decorating and "haunted house" music creates an eerie effect which I presume is meant to be somber and respectful. To me, it is just very strange and unsettling.

Walking towards the Quan An Ngon Restaurant last evening a pair of youthful denizens dashed quietly behind my body with suspicious movements characteristic of pickpockets. The restaurant is a popular venue with deluxe tour groups, so it is not surprising miscreants would target foreigners around the area. Hanoi has a reputation for being a very safe city, but petty crime, like thefts of opportunity and pick pocketing still occur on occasion I am assured. With half of the people of the city wearing masks I would think that might complicate identification in a lineup.

The tiled sidewalks are in poor repair leaving many raised ridges over which to trip. I should know as I've tripped several times myself! Then, twice in the KFC restaurant near my hotels I have stumbled and spilt Pepsi trying to climb the stairs to the second floor where I enjoy people watching through the big elevated picture windows. No doubt about it, my sense of balance with multiple distractions has deteriorated! Damn...

As I write these words the Ebola epidemic continues to grow, with two cases so far in the continental United States. This is really serious. The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 killed 50 million people, but only had a death rate of somewhere between 1% and 20%. Imagine if the virus had been Ebola with mortality rates between 70% and 80%! While it would not have immediately wiped out the human race, civilization as we know it almost certainly would have been dramatically altered.

I have never been a fan of the Apocalypse films genera, but writers have been speculating about what the world might be like following some worldwide catastrophe for a long time. If the current Ebola epidemic threatens to get out of hand, those film might suddenly become acutely relevant! Right now, avoiding shaking hands and hand washing are being promoted by governments in the most badly affected African nations... and I continus to avoid shaking hands myself as I have done anyway for the past three decades.

For the past week a fierce battle has raged around the Turkish border town of Kobani in Syria not far  from Urfa in Turkey where I spent so much time in 2012. The radical Islamic ISIS/IS military juggernaut has been advancing on vast regions of Iraq and Syria. In Hong Kong, which I have visited many times, pro-democracy rioters have been demanding the Beijing government rescind new restrictions on who may run for office in the Chinese enclave. International news broadcasts have been dominated for long periods by live coverage of the riots. Such protests are not new, but take on more interesting dimensions as I prepare to again enter China for an extended period.

My enthusiasm for the Propet brand, formal looking, comfortable and washable walking shoes I have been wearing during my two decades of world wandering came to the attention of the manufacturer. They called to ask for my size and color preference so they could send me a couple pair free!

The adventure continues. The next focus in Vietnam on the way into southeastern China is Sa Pa near the frontier town of Lào Cai, my jumping off place into China. More reports when something noteworthy happens.

 

Peace,

Fred L Bellomy

 

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Reception desk staff at the great value Larosa Hotel where I stayed during the long wait for my Chinese visa. From left to right we have: Tony, Jay, Cuong and Nam. They all went out of their way to be helpful and friendly during my entire stay.

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: View of the surrounding city from the eighth floor of the Larosa Hotel where I stayed after obtaining my Vietnam visa extension and while waiting for a Chinese visa.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: A few more balloons in this guy's inventory and he might become airborne.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Evening arrives and the invisible green army appears to make evidence of chaotic human carelessness disappear, thus allowing everyone to awaken to a crisp clean city once again at the next sunrise.

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Gazebo in the park adjacent to the Temple of Literature.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Immediately below Nguyen Khuyen Street on which the recently built Larosa Hotel sits is a residential neighborhood surrounding several clusters of street markets like this one, colorful and busy.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Immediately below Nguyen Khuyen Street on which the recently built Larosa Hotel sits is a residential neighborhood contained within a complex maze of streets and alleys. One morning I explored the area, getting thoroughly lost at one point. Traffic of all kinds dash around the roads like they know where they are going. With hardly enough width for motor scooters to pass one another, this truck makes its way into some tight quarters.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Immediately below Nguyen Khuyen Street on which the recently built Larosa Hotel sits is a residential neighborhood contained within a complex maze of streets and alleys. One morning I explored the area, getting thoroughly lost at one point. Traffic of all kinds dash around the roads like they know where they are going.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Immediately below Nguyen Khuyen Street on which the recently built Larosa Hotel sits is a residential neighborhood contained within a complex maze of streets and alleys. One morning I explored the area, getting thoroughly lost at one point. Traffic of all kinds dash around the roads like they know where they are going.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Monument dedicated to the father of Ho Chi Minh is in the foreground.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum may not be approached except during official open hours.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Entrance to the Ho Chi Minh Museum. Admission fee is about $1.25. Displays of documents, memorabilia, public records of the leaders life events surrounding the war years and... some very strange "interior decorations" and sound effects which create both a solemn and eerie atmosphere for visitors. This is not like most museums around the world.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Visitors must climb a flight of stairs to reach the main exhibit floor at the Ho Chi Minh Museum. This monumental sculpture of Ho Chi Minh welcomes everyone as they climb.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Sculpture of the leader during his military years in the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Sculpture of Ho Chi Minh during his military campaign on display in the Museum.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Explanation of the large tablets on display at the Temple of Literature.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Decorations around the base of a potted tree seen at the Temple of Literature.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Relationship of Confucius to the student's tablets seen at the Temple of Literature... a little hard to read... sorry.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: More information about the background of the student's tablets seen at the Temple of Literature... a little hard to read... sorry.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: These darling preschoolers and their teachers practiced their "victory chants" in unison with the prodding of their teachers... What it lacked in timing, it made up for in enthusiasm! This small city green currently serves as the venue for a remarkable photographic art show which the kids have been brought to see.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: This is the travel agent location for Nanning bus tickets and bus boarding. It is about half way up the 4km long display of mosaic art on the dyke walls.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Knowing Vietnam is still officially a Communist country, I found this sign peculiar.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Map posted along the walkway around the Lake Hoan Kiem is good for staying oriented.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Oriental bridge to a small island on Lake Hoan Kiem.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Hedge sculpture on display in the landscaping around the southern end of Lake Hoan Kiem.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: This is at the northern end of the four kilometer long mosaic wall created to commemorate  the anniversary of the thousand years since the founding of the city of Hanoi.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: This is the last panel at the northern end of the four kilometer long mosaic wall created to commemorate  the anniversary of the thousand years since the founding of the city of Hanoi.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Part of the four kilometer long mosaic wall created to commemorate  the anniversary of the thousand years since the founding of the city of Hanoi.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Part of the four kilometer long mosaic wall created to commemorate  the anniversary of the thousand years since the founding of the city of Hanoi.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Part of the four kilometer long mosaic wall created to commemorate  the anniversary of the thousand years since the founding of the city of Hanoi.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: These plaques are embedded in this part of the four kilometer long mosaic wall created to commemorate the anniversary of the thousand years since the founding of the city of Hanoi.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: I spotted this group walking toward the park where I sat and grabbed the chance to capture a good example of the traditional dress worn by women of Vietnam.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: I spotted this group walking toward the park where I sat and grabbed the chance to capture a good example of the traditional dress worn by women of Vietnam.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Most street food is cooked on charcoal. These are the spent fuel elements. I wonder if they have any use after giving up their cooking energy.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: One of the many little shops specializing in cutlery next to the Larosa Hotel where I stayed so long. According to one store keeper, stores selling similar wares are restricted by law to be found in the same blocks.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: One of the many little shops specializing in cutlery next to the Larosa Hotel where I stayed so long. According to one store keeper, stores selling similar wares are restricted by law to be found in the same blocks.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: One of the many little shops specializing in cutlery next to the Larosa Hotel where I stayed so long. According to one store keeper, stores selling similar wares are restricted by law to be found in the same blocks.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: View from one of the eleventh floor breakfast dining rooms at the delightful Larosa Hotel where I stayed 2 weeks while waiting for my Chinese visa and catching up with my writing. Each morning I would study the previous days work on the tablet while sipping endless cups of coffee kept filled by alert staff.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: View from the eleventh floor of the Larosa Hotel where I stayed 2 weeks.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: View from one of the eleventh floor breakfast dining rooms at the Larosa Hotel.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: One of the many little shops specializing in cutlery next to the Larosa Hotel where I stayed so long. According to one store keeper, stores selling similar wares are restricted by law to be found in the same blocks.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: A different angle view from one of the eleventh floor breakfast dining rooms at the Larosa Hotel.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Another view from the eleventh floor of the Larosa Hotel where I stayed 2 weeks.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Another view from the eleventh floor breakfast dining rooms at the Larosa Hotel.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Looking down from my eighth floor room in the Larosa Hotel where I stayed 2 weeks in October 2014.

 

Hanoi Vietnam 2014: Another of the dining room staff members at the Larosa Hotel passing the fresh fruit and real juice selections. The portable air conditioner behind her cools the lone diner when the room A/C is not justified.

 

 

Click here for the rest of the Great Wall of Hanoi photos.