Haiphong Hotels
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Hai Phong Bound
Entry 5 of 26 | show all | print this entry |
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Leaving Ha Noi I caught a bus with a friend to the port city of Hai Phong, which is Vietnam's third largest city and holds a very important position militarily, historically and economically, and will be my home for the next ten months. I stayed the first night at my friend's mother's house and was treated to the best of Vietnamese cuisine and hospitality. In the evening I went to view my new accomodation; a room in a small guesthouse, located on a small back street behind one of Hai Phong's largest hotels. The room is very nice with large windows, a small balcony overlooking a small lake and school courtyard, and a spacious bathroom. Due to its proximity to the much more expensive hotel, the room also boasts cable tv (including 5 sports channels :)) and wireless internet.
The lady who owns the guesthouse is an English teacher at a local school, which is very helpful as the level of English in Hai Phong is very low generally (as is my level of Vietnamese). The cleaner is also very friendly, and has been bringing me a thermos of hot water every afternoon for my tea.
On Thursday and Friday I went about trying to find a 50cc scooter to buy for my stay in Hai Phong. The law states that a license is not needed to ride a scooter of less than 50cc, and that anything over that capacity requires a Vietnamese license (international licenses are not recognised here). After unsuccessfully looking for a 50cc scooter (most are 100cc or 125cc), my friend rode me out to the licensing authority, where I was told that it would not be possible to sit the license in Hai Phong, only in Ha Noi. Feeling very frustrated, I continued my search and eventually found a shop selling 50cc scooters. I was then frustrated as I was informed that it was not possible for me to have ownership papers, despite my permission to remain in Vietnam for one year. In the end, I purchased the bike in my friend's name, and returned to collect it the following day (after initially being told it would take a week to get the license plate).
I was amused and slightly disturbed to watch four men dismantle my 'new' scooter in front of my eyes in order to get the registration numbers and to tighten and add various parts. At one point my scooter looked like an expensive broken shell. Within five minutes of driving my 'new' scooter, it began to make a horrendous noise, forcing me to take it to a mechanic where I was reassured that it was normal for brand new bikes. I had to return later in the day to collect my bike, so I went to a local cafe to get a meal. This was easier said than done, as place after place said that they only served drinks (more exploring is needed obviously!). Having faced a large deal of frustration in terms of starting my fieldwork and in getting my scooter, I was reminded of how helpful and friendly people are here, when the waitress of one of the bars offered me some food from the kitchen next door (I had no idea what it would be other than that it would be a form of food), and returned with a plate of seafood fried rice! In the evening I returned to a nice sushi restaurant my friend had taken me to, where I sat on the floor, had a beer, read some more of my book, and gorged myself on sushi.
Today I went to a restaurant/bar that I remembered from my last visit and sat and did some work on my laptop. I was surprised when one of the waiters said my name; I had met him last time I was there and thankfully also remembered his name. I have now arranged to meet him on Friday to go and get a beer. I went and did some grocery shopping before getting hideously lost on my way back to my guesthouse. I always enjoy getting lost in Vietnam, as it usually means seeing areas that I may not otherwise have chanced upon. Today was no different, as I found myself down near the harbour and riding around what looked to be a very impoverished area of the city.
Eventually I had to stop and ask a xe om (cuddle bike) driver the way home, while looking worryingly at the fuel gauge. The benefits of living behind a large hotel appear numerous, as he knew the hotel by name and could point me in the right direction. Finally returning to my guesthouse, I was greeted by a friendly guy from New Caledonia who is staying at the same place for the next four months. He visits every year, so it will be interesting talking to him about the city.
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