my views on Vietnam changed. Changed for the better! I am now a firm believer that the energy you put out there is exactly the energy you shall receive. Go around nervous and you will only see the scary, go around smiling you will draw in those who are happy. Today was such a wonderful day, I cannot believe that it happened to me, really...and to believe that I had in a way given up in Vietnam.
This morning I woke up cold and tired in a not-so-great hotel, only to have a small baguette and a banana for breakfast with a heaping serving of horrible customer service. I did get a second cup of tea out of the mean reception lady/breakfast server; there is a silver lining in everything it seems! Then I had a wonderful and charming bus ride with my new friend from Barcelona, Fredi. He told me that Barcelona had beat Manchester United 2-0 yesterday, whoop whoop! He recently graduated from med school and is traveling with 9 of his friends. Sadly we were separated during our boat rides back to Halong harbor, but now I have new friends in Barcelona I am definitely planning on visiting.
After a 3.5 hour bus ride back to Hanoi from Halong Harbor dreaming about studying spanish in Spain and getting down on North Vietnam (excited that my bus out of here would leave tonight), I arrived in Hanoi back to the travel agency. I ditched all my stuff for two hours at the agency and went to walk around one final time in Old Quarter. Within 20 minutes I found a place to eat Che and found the doughnut lady. These doughnuts have become my new obsession because they are so delicious. I cannot seem to get enough of them! Che is a warm sweet treat that you can buy for less than a $1 a bowl. There are so many different options I am not sure how to describe them all. My two favorites are the black bean warm soupy one, and the one with the big white glutenous rice balls. After getting my sweet fix, I decided to go for some peaceful time by the lake right next to old quarter.
Here I was just sitting down enjoying the blue sky (I was so amazed that I could actually see the sky, it was bitter cold and really cloudy last time I was in Hanoi) when two boys my age came up and asked if they could talk to me. They were Vietnamese, and to be honest at first I was a little sketched out because I had already affirmed in my mind that I did not really like the northerners. Boy was I wrong! These two boys really did just want to talk with me, only to improve their english. Within 10 minutes of walking we also met up with Tan's cousins (one of the boys) who was also very friendly. I immediately felt more comfortable because she was a girl, and spoke english quite well. Tam and his cousin Quynh told me how they practice speaking english as often as they can because in order to get a good job here in Vietnam you have to speak english. We talked about our families, interests, what we have studied, and of course why I am traveling alone. I think the only place I was not constantly asked if I had a companion was in Bali. I guess more people travel alone in Bali. We chatted all the way back to Old Quarter where we all sat down for some dinner. I asked them to take me to a place that served their favorite food, and we ate some really really delicious rice and chicken. If I could remember what it was called I would tell you, but I do not know any of the names of food here except Pho Bo (noodles and beef), Pho Ga (Noodles and chicken), and Pho Ca (noodles and fish). The language is pretty difficult for me to retain.
After dinner they walked me back to the street to tour agency was on, where I was picked up by a motor taxi to grab my bus to Dong Hoa. I am so glad Tan and his friend came up to me by the lake and asked to have a chat, because it really made my day! If I did not have the chance to meet them I would have probably left northern Vietnam not very impressed with its people, and probably would have never come back. Now my whole perception has changed, and Quynh even invited me to come to her family's house and celebrate the next Tet (Vietnamese New Year) with her! I feel so lucky that I was able to leave Hanoi on a happy note, and I know that I will have to return one day to see my new friends.
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