HANOI 2005 Part 3

Hi, everyone!! There're a lot of things in this Hanoi trip. I'm trying to describe them as much as I can. Also, there're funny things along the trip as well...In this part, it's the combination of my Tuesday and Wednesday...

Click here to read part 1 and part 2 of this trip.

**TUESDAY ON THE BUS**

After a fruitful 2 days with Hanoi's Taxi, I and my colleagues found that Taxi fare in Hanoi is vary by the Taxi's company and size of car. At that time we found that small cars of the company named 'VIC' had the cheapest rate. However, finding a VIC taxi wasn't that easy because less than 1 in 100 Taxis are VIC's. Therefore, we all agreed to find the alternative way to travel in Hanoi. Since Hanoi have no Underground/ sky train/ tram, we'd to do the unusual thing...using the bus....Fortunately, our Hanoi map had bus numbers near the Roads' name. We, then, crossed the busy road and found a bus stop. Oh YES! There was a larger Hanoi map there with detailed bus numbers. We're looking for a bus that we can catch to the Hang Kai market (I's not sure with this name. it's the name we called it because of my colleague called it) located near the Hoan Kiem Lake. We checked the map and discussed many things but we couldn't find a bus that took us directly to the lake. So, we selected a bus that went to the Red River's side; the backside of the market.

++I've checked the market name, thanks to TravelWIKI, it's called 'the Old Quarter'. Hang Kai is the name of a Street in that area.++

We waited for approx. 30 minutes for the bus we need because it was just passed us when we're discussing. It's an air-conditioned bus and the fare was 3000 VND per one person (Cheap, right!?).

The bus brought us through the centre of Hanoi. We can see the Temple of Literature and the Flag Tower, including Thai Embassy. I sat patiently until I saw the Red River, then, I knew that it's near our destination.

The bus stopped at a big station and many people went on and off the bus. I's so sure that we'd to goo off now!!

'I think it's this station we need to get off the bus', I said. No one response (- -") 'Err...' I's about to start again. 'If we don't get off now, this bus will bring us to the other side the river and we can't get to the market'

'Don't worry lad, we can take this bus back...we've just got our seat. It's better to rest our legs a while', said Mr. Sombat and the other two nodded his head.

'OH MY GOSH!! Why they agreed with that so easily!! We're going to the market not the other side of the river, aren't we?', I thought. 'But there's useless to argue, let's go wherever you all want!'

As I thought, that station was the last stop on this river side. The bus then climbed up the bridge and crossed the Red River (What's Red River?...see my part 1 here). I sat, trying to be impatiently and at last, the bus stopped at a parking lot in front of a train station. It was some minutes past 6 when we reached the desert station, there were only few people there. We got into the station and saw nothing that interest me. After a minute or two, we decided suddenly to get back to the same bus we caught because we didn't know when the new bus will come.

I and my colleagues reached the Fortuna Hotel around 8 o'clock. I slept with a little disappointment because I thought we didn't reached the target we firstly intended.

**WEDNESDAY, @ THE FINE ART MUSEUM**

The yesterday experiment paid its result on the next day. Understanding the public transportation system means we depended less on Taxi. We firstly planned to take the same bus as of yesterday to the famous Temple of Literature.

++ OH, did I show you the picture of FORTUNA hotel? ++

We jumped off the bus when we saw the temple. But I firstly saw an interesting place, located next to the temple. There's only one phrase in English we could find, 'the fine art museum'.

Since I and my colleagues had A LOT OF passion in art, we decided the get in a bit and took some pictures before went southward to the Temple of Literature (WHAT A GREAT PASSION!!! ^_^)

After some pictures were taken, Mr. Sombat went to the guard at the post to see how much for the entrance fee and he found out that there's a board showing the rate; 30.000 VND for 1 person, 100.000 for 1 camera...It's not cheap, I never pay 130.000 for a museum entrance in Hanoi, I thought. At that time, the guard said to Mr. Sombat in an unrecognisable English language;

'!@#$% &*^_+', He said. ++Oh my gosh, I can't catch even one word++ Mr. Sombat hurried back and brought Mr. Aphichai with him. I was behind with Mr. Suteep, cheering. After a while, they came back and dragged us in.... (T_T)

'!@#$% &*^_+', He said. I still couldn't catch a word but I thought that he might ask us to pay the fee if we're about to get in. So, the cut out my annoying and to proved, I picked up my wallet and opened it, looking for the money...

'NO....NO....', said the guard. Oh my Gosh, it's his first word I recognised so far...he crossed his arm when he's talking.

'NO?... Is it already closed?' I replied. 'NO....NO....FREE....FREE....'

That was strange. The word 'FREE' didn't make us feel good, I's starting to aware of the dangers. We looked at each others suspiciously. 'Why is it free?' I continued asking but couldn't caught any of his explanation until he point out his finger to the canvas hanged above our head. Then we understand why...

++It's the museum 30 year ANNIVERSARY. Only on that day at the time after 5 p.m., visitors can enter the museum FREE OF CHARGE!!++

'What a luck!!', I said to my colleagues. We, then, agreed instantly that we should get in first ^0^. The museum was okay. There're many fine arts inside but it wasn't organised well. Many items have no label and many of labels are not in English. By the way, it's worth for a free trip ^o^.

We tried to find the significant interesting art but we found only a few...as I firstly said...it's free...so, GOOD to see those things. We spent too much time inside the museum so we didn't have enough time left for the Temple of Literature visit... So, I and my colleagues decided to postponed it to the next day.

Sorry that this part has not much picture because I couldn't find them...See you in the NEXT PART!!