After a very long night at KL airport (where they are now renovating the McDonald's 24 hours a day so no one was sleeping) I caught a 3hr flight to Hanoi this morning and caught a bus into the city centre. I've found a great hostel in the Old Quarter which has linen, a window and a hot shower; incredible! The weather is almost cool, probably only about 20C, a massive drop from the sweltering heat of Borneo and a very welcome change.
Despite a lack of sleep I hit the streets and attempted to orientate myself, which wasn't too hard given that I stayed in the same area when I came to Vietnam in 2003. The city has changed considerably since then, its definitely more tourist friendly and easier to get around. The Old Quarter is where most of the backpackers stay in the nation's capital so I don't think I've had no trouble finding anyone to have a beer with :)
Hoan Kiem lake is in the middle of the Quarter and despite the fact the water is a very questionable shade of green, the clouds and mist about today gave it a slightly ethereal appearance with the Ngoc Son Temple that is on an island in the middle seeming to appear from nowhere. From the lake I wandered to the Hoa La Prison Museum and Memorial House and St Josephs Cathedral.
Tonight I plan to fianlly have the beers I couldn't afford in Malaysia!
Hoa Lo Prison was originally a torture and imprisonment centre for revolutionaries under the French regime in the 19th century. In 1954 it became a regular state prison before becoming a centre for captured American prisoners of war during 1964-1973. A lot of the original torture equipment was still there and the ghostly mannequins that appeared out of nowhere being 'tortured' in hidden chambers were quite unnerving!
