This morning we leisurely awoke from our slumber, ready to receive our last full day of our paramount adventure. Once our steady fast was once again broken we dusted the sleep out of our eyes and boarded the bus of four wheels to Hoa Lo Prison. Here we heard tales of how the prison was used and stories about the prisoners that were incarcerated there. We saw how the political prisoners were treated and what their lives were like during both the French rule and the Vietnam War.
After this we drove back to the hotel and then set off on foot for the nearby market where were given free time to have a peek around the various stalls. We covered our noses and dove into the sea that was an abundance of shops, where we were given the chance to purchase an item or two. The market here was interesting compared to the other major one in Ho Chi Minh City and was much more organised. We walked back to the centre of Hanoi by the lake, and had some more free time to enjoy some lunch and look around the city.
In the afternoon we paid a visit to the Australian Embassy in Vietnam which gave us a tiny sense of home. It was interesting to see how an Australian embassy functions within a country of such a different culture. We learnt a lot about the relationship between Vietnam and Australia. We visited the embassy with the Vietnam Orange group, so we were able to say hello to our friends and share a laugh and catch up quickly. During our time at the embassy, we learnt about a day in the life of the staff that work there, their jobs and how they deal with certain issues and/or situations between the countries, such as human rights, education and development. We discussed Vietnam’s political system and how it compares to our own. Following the visit, we bussed back to our central meeting spot in Hanoi where we awaited our cyclos. We then set off for a relaxing cyclo tour of the old quarter of Hanoi. At this time of day the streets were bustling and it was good to rest our legs while watching the world of Hanoi go by. Luckily there was a little more free time after this for some more free time and shopping. We spent about 45 minutes picking up any last minute items before heading out for our last evening meal together on the trip.
Be home soon families,
Juliette, Lewis and Tom.
