R&R in Hanoi

Ok, I suppose you can't really claim to be taking R&R when you're already living in an R&R world. Be that as it may, I'm running errands and enjoying my last day or two in the capitol city before heading south on the next leg of my journey: faxing absentee-ballot paperwork back to the States - planning (hoping!) to vote at the American consulate in Saigon; getting some serious Dong....at the bank (whew, that joke never gets old); and arranging a ticket on the "Reunification Express," the train that runs from Hanoi to Saigon and points in-between.

The last afternoon on my trusty motorbike was spent getting completely lost in the maze of old streets that make up downtown Hanoi - and to be quite honest, I'm still not sure how I managed to find my way back home at the end of the day. The one site on my list that I had missed on my first Hanoi go-around was the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. It's a little out of the way and off the beaten path, but according to reports shouldn't be missed, so off I went. Eventually found my way there and was pleasantly surprised by the museum (I think the fact it is "guided" by Paris' Musee de l'Homme helps alot). Great exhibits about the majority of Vietnam's ethnic groups, including the montagnard (hill tribe) people I had come in contact with during my motorbike trip. The grounds surrounding the museum were covered in replicas of traditional tribal homes and, bizarrely, seemed to be the hottest location in town for wedding photos. Couples, done up in their finest wedding duds (for some, straight out of a late 1970's highschool prom) were wandering the grounds with their gear-laden photographers. Wistful (lustfull?) gazes between couples as they posed in front of a thatched-roofed H'mong home seemed to be the most popular photo op. The second most popular location - for all museum visitors - was a replica funeral hut surrounded on all sides by carved wooden figures....about to get some serious "conjugal action." As you might expect, all the guys wanted their photos taken next to the fertility statues, all the girls feigned shock and embarrassment. Typical. Yeah, I got a photo or two.

The motorbike was due back at the shop first thing this morning. Slightly delayed by a lost set of keys - by the hostel security guard, not me - I pulled in to "OffRoad Vietnam" just a few minutes late. The owner, a guy named Ahn, came out to meet me with a cup of tea and was anxious to hear about my trip. Turns out the same storm that had caused me so many problems in Son La had actually (literally) sunk one his motorcycles on a guided trip he was leading. He was in the process of disassembling and drying out the bike in his shop when I arrived. I guess, in comparison, the damageI did to my bike was pretty mellow and he let me off with a $4 bill for the stolen mirror. Didn't even charge me for the electric starter I had fried by attempting to cross a flooded road. A very nice guy - I'd recommend his outfit to anyone. And with that, my motorbike tour of northern Vietnam officially came to an end. Having the bike for two weeks was amazing and I can't imagine having seen the country any other way. That being said, returning the bike safely to Ahn was a like finally kicking an overweight monkey off my back. Throughout the trip, I had been nagged by concerns of potentional theft or annihilation by water buffalo (and the resulting financial hit). It was a bittersweet parting as I gave one final, misty-eyed, wave to my trusty steed.