After the Resistance

By John Keeble

If I were a cat, I am sure I would have lost eight of my lives having fun in Hanoi, a city I became reacquainted with after 20 or so years.  When I first visited, it was a city of grim-faced people still suspicious of Westerners after half a century of French colonial domination and the Kháng chiến chống Mỹ (Resistance War against America).This time Hanoi was filled with bright, welcoming people, sophisticated restaurants and the eagerness to give every visitor a good time. Even the soldiers, armed with automatic rifles as they guarded the big military base in the city, had a friendly smile and salute for me.But it was more than seeing a city serving the tourists. The Hanoi people looked like they were enjoying life in their beautiful city of greenery and lakes, fascinating shopping streets and elegant architecture. For me, the city was so relaxing, so much good fun, that I did not get round to visiting the tourist landmarks like the Temple of Literature and Uncle Ho's mausoleum.However, I did meet a man, who looked quite sane and reasonable, who offered to take me on his motorbike to a particular market. I did not realise that, on his motorbike, he would have been regarded as too reckless for suicide missions. Maybe that's a little harsh... he was on the right side of the road for at least a few hundred metres of the 4km journey there - to the wrong place - and 4km back. And he did show me some fighting cocks, which I really did not want to see.

A couple of years ago, I popped into Hanoi for work for two days and felt a change then. But this trip, with time and leisure, I could see the difference and enjoy it. The welcome began on arrival at Hanoi's super new international airport. I was staying for only a week, so I did not need a visa. The pretty girl at immigration just stamped my passport, smiled and waved me through.

After a couple of days in Hanoi, a tour organiser tailormade my Halong Bay cruise with one night on board and a two-night stop on Cat Bar island for a very good price. It even included meals and return transport from Hanoi to the boat.I cannot remember ever being more impressed with the efficiency of any operation. Everything worked in an easy-going style that masked the complexities of treating every passenger as an individual… different lengths of cruise, different islands to spend time on, different meals (my table of six included one celiac, one vegan and one vegetarian).Cruising in Halong Bay – a less eroded stretch of the same karst formation much loved by everyone visiting southern Thailand – is a peaceful, engaging experience that includes opportunities to jump overboard and swim, kayak, visit a pearl-cultivating farm, wander through a spectacular cave system turned into an art gallery with imaginative lighting and see communities who live on the water.Throw in some good beaches for those who like them… beautiful night skies… and an atmosphere of Asia. Oh yes, and a cold beer at the right time.  It was a great mix.•

First Published in VISA 124 (December 2015)