Through Argentinian Eyes: travel

Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts

Friday, May 22, 2009

Hanoi 4

While in Hanoi, I met up with fellow Argentinians for pizza (and tried to convince the restaurant manager that Argentinian mozzarella is better than the one they were serving!). Thanks, Oscar & Stella, for a wonderful time!

Hanoi 3

Hanoi is a city of a million motorbikes and no visible traffic rules...traffic lights seem to be mainly decorative. The never ending stream of bikes, honking cars and motorbikes mysteriously parts as you set foot on the street without looking to the left or right...an experience in faith...faith that the local person you are following will guide you safely across, faith that the cars and motorbikes will actually swerve to avoid you...faith that the sidewalk on the other side is attainable. At one point, I found myself letting out a shriek as I stood petrified in the middle of the street, with a car mere centimeters away from my belly, another one almost touching my behind, and a horde of motorbikes about to engulf me...not for the faint-hearted pedestrians like me.

The city also has quite a few quaint little lakes around which people gather to exercise, gossip, walk, take their wedding pictures, and watch the world go by.

Hanoi 2

While strolling through Vietnam's oldest university grounds, I noticed a large group of elementary school students on a field trip. One of them broke away and skipped through the ancient rooms...kids will be kids...What else would you do? :)

Hanoi 1

I just got back from a short little trip to Hanoi, Vietnam. I was there for work, but snuck in a little bit extra. These pictures show Vietnam's oldest university, dating back to almost a thousand years ago, based on a Confucian style of teaching. Quite pleasant, really...mostly a nice little park with plenty of mango trees, ponds, walkways and a Chinese looking temple-like structure. The slabs of stone on the turtle statues are engraved with the names and achievements of oustanding students ("doctors") who graduated with high honors.