It is lightly raining as we leave our hotel in Hanoi for Duang Lan Village. For one hour we drive through the traffic of Hanoi and it’s suburbs before we see our first farmer’s field. The additional 30 minutes of driving to reach the village gives the skies time to clear our the rain.
The people in this ancient village mostly grow rice, and we are greeted by the scene of a man and his wife planting one of their rice paddies. All the bending and hard work would cause me to be grumpy, but the couple seems to delight in teasing with our tour guide and with us. The village charges an admission fee, and if I hadn’t seen other farmers along the drive using the same techniques I would have thought they were putting on a bit of a show.
We walk through the narrow streets of the village and notice all the children. Kim explains that they are not in school because the government has decided to close schools for two weeks as a precaution against the Coronavirus.
We walk through the narrow streets of the village and notice all the children. Kim explains that they are not in school because the government has decided to close schools for two weeks as a precaution against the Coronavirus.
Kim takes us into one of the houses and an older woman greets us. Jim sits down when she offers tea and sweets, and soon we have all joined in. Like most villages and cities Duang Lan has a pagoda and a temple. We visit both. Then we walk to an old home that has been converted into a restaurant catering to the tour groups. The food is brought out and served family style and there is a small bottle of local rice wine at each table. I understand why the cups are so small - this stuff is like fire water! We drive back to Hanoi, arriving in late afternoon.
In the evening we walk in the rain to the famous bar and restaurant area of Hanoi (which our guide calls bar street), popping into the Cyclo Bar for a beverage. While there the rain lets up. Yeah! For dinner we find a French restaurant and chat a little with the owner while awaiting our food. He speaks with a French accent and tells us he has been here for 13 years.
We meander back toward our hotel walking by Hoàn Kiém Lake. In the middle is Tháp Rùa, or Turtle Tower. Continuing along we stop at a cafe on the edge of the lake for coffee and a piece of cake.
A wonderful day and evening!
In the evening we walk in the rain to the famous bar and restaurant area of Hanoi (which our guide calls bar street), popping into the Cyclo Bar for a beverage. While there the rain lets up. Yeah! For dinner we find a French restaurant and chat a little with the owner while awaiting our food. He speaks with a French accent and tells us he has been here for 13 years.
We meander back toward our hotel walking by Hoàn Kiém Lake. In the middle is Tháp Rùa, or Turtle Tower. Continuing along we stop at a cafe on the edge of the lake for coffee and a piece of cake.
A wonderful day and evening!
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