Hanoi

Great People
Yesterday I started my tour in Hanoi by searching for a hospital. For the last couple of days after the flight, my right ear was blocked but I didn't pay attention to it. Well, it got really bad, I couldn't sleep all night and completely lost hearing in right ear. I got really scared and first thing in the morning took a motorbike taxi to the hospital. I asked the driver to take me to the international Vietnam hospital (which was advised in the lonely planet), but I guess he only understood the hospital part and took me to local hospital. It was a challenge to find somebody who speaks English, eventually I did, and he kindly refereed me to a different hospital which specialize in ears problems.
I cannot describe to you how the hospital looks like, I prefer not to think about it. But the people were fantastic!!! The motorbike driver stayed with me the all time so I won't get lost and he could take me back when I finish. Without understanding one word in English he did his best to help me.
A local doctor checked my ear, explained me in a very poor English that I have a bad infections. She performed a cleaning procedure (sorry for the details) and prescribed me a "horse amount" of antibiotics, drops, etc'. For the next 7 days, no Bia Hoi for me :-).

Yes, they hassle you on the streets trying to make some money, but all you need is just look a bit deeper. They are amazing people!!!

This unpleasant experience really changed my attitude, I spent the rest of my day by the lake, answering with a smile to every offer for motorbike or any other sales campaign and getting a smile back! In some point a young Vietnamese man approached me and asked to talk with me to practice his English (yes, I know he made the wrong choose :-), but my English still was better than his), I gladly agreed and we had a nice conversation! (if he would approached me the day before I would probably be very suspicious and wouldn't agree to his company).

Don't worry, I will be fine, I am taking my medicine and most importantly I am surrounded by carrying people.

Sights
Today I started my day in the Ho Chi Mihn Mausoleum Complex, then continued to the Temple of Literature

then, Ngoc Son Temple

and finished my day in the Water Puppet Theatre. It was a magical show accompanied by Vietnamese traditional music.


Tomorrow I will pay a visit to some museums and catch a night train to Sapa.

I love Hanoi!

Be well!

P.S uploading pictures is a challenging mission, since the connection is very slow, I still uploaded a few http://www.flickr.com/photos/oksana-s/ and the rest with stories when I get back :-)