Vietnam 2016

Since there is not much to cycle at the moment, I have now landed in the archive and will take my visitors on a trip to Vietnam, with a stopover in Singapore. Flight Zurich - Singapore with A380 on 30.03.2016

Singapore Flyer a landmark of this city The Singapore Flyer with a height of 165 metres is considered to be the second highest Ferris wheel in the world. The Flyer was built by the Great Wheel Corporation, the construction is based on the London Eye, the construction costs of about 135 million euros and were raised by German investors. On 11 February 2008, guests were transported on the Ferris Wheel for the first time. The wheel turns slowly but steadily and is not stopped to get on. One turn takes about 30 minutes. The Giant Ferris Wheel has 28 gondolas, each of which can hold up to 28 people, giving a total capacity of 784 people.

Singapore The name, Singapore, comes from Sanskrit and consists of the words Singha (lion) and Pura (city), the lion city. Singapore, an island and city-state south of Malaysia, is a global financial centre with a tropical climate and multicultural population. PiP: Building of UBS Group AG is a major Swiss bank with headquarters in Zurich. It is one of the world's largest asset managers.

Helix Bridge with view to Marina Bay Sands Resort The Helix Bridge, a very special pedestrian bridge, crosses the Marina Canal and connects the Marina Centre with Marina South/Marina Bay. The bridge has four viewing platforms that offer an impressive view of the city skyline of Singapore.

Marina Bay Sands a resort on Marina Bay , consists of a casino, a hotel, a conference and exhibition centre, a shopping centre, an art and science museum, two theatre halls, various catering facilities, bars and nightclubs and two floating pavilions.

View from a platform of the Helix Bridge On the left hand side is the Museum of Art which is integrated into the Marina Bay Sands Resort. It was opened in 2011 and shows large exhibitions that combine art, science, culture and technology. On the right you can see the buildings of the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, a cultural centre consisting of a concert hall with about 1600 seats and a theatre with about 2000 seats. Located at the mouth of the Singapore River into the Marina Bay, it is a tourist attraction not only because of its central location but also because of its shape.

Gardens by the Bay is a 101 hectare park area that was created on artificially raised land. Gardens by the Bay is part of a government strategy to transform the garden city into a city within the garden, with the aim of improving the quality of life of its inhabitants by creating huge green spaces. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Singapore which has seen over 50 million visitors by 2018.

Flower Dome The Flower Dome, the larger greenhouse covering 1.28 hectares, is considered one of the largest glass greenhouses in the world. In it mild, dry climate conditions created. Here the typical plants of the Mediterranean or semi-dry climate zones are growing. Cloud Forest Cloud Forest a 0.8 hectare glass house in which the vegetation zones of the tropics are simulated at altitudes of about 1,000 to 3,000 meters above sea level.

Super Trees The Super Trees, are plant-covered steel structures between 25 and 50 meters high. Rare plants are raised and cultivated on them. Photovoltaics generate electricity for lighting and cooling systems, rainfall is used to irrigate the plants and some trees are also cooling towers for the cooling systems of the greenhouses. At a lofty height you can take a walk on a skyway between the trees.

our short stay in Singapore is over and on a flight of 3,5 hours we reach Hanoi

Vietnam Officially Socialist Republic of Vietnam, an elongated coastal state bordering China, Laos, Cambodia, the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea. The first documented evidence of a kingdom on the territory of present-day Vietnam dates back to the 1st millennium B.C. The dynasty came under the control of the Han Chinese in 111 B.C. and remained so until 938 A.D., when they regained their independence in the Battle of the River Dang. A cultural, social, economic and political upswing followed and Vietnam expanded south. In the 19th century, as part of French Indochina, the area gradually came under French colonial rule. Japan occupied the region during the Second World War. From 1946 to 1954, France tried unsuccessfully to restore colonial rule in the first Indochina war, but after the French defeat, Vietnam was divided in 1954 into socialist North Vietnam (capital Hanoi) and South Vietnam (capital Saigon), which was supported by the West. In the years 1964 to 1973 the USA did not succeed in defeating North Vietnam in the Vietnam War. In 1976 the two states were reunited under communist leadership. Hanoi became the capital of reunited Vietnam in 1976. The largest city is Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon); the cities of Haiphong, Can Tho and Danang are also important metropolises of the country.

A first impression of Hanoi, wonderful panoramic view from our room in the Hanoi Club Hotel. Who is perfectly located on the shore of the West Lake.

Tranquoc Pagoda It is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, built in the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De, on a small island in the West Lake. The Buddhist shrine has undergone some changes over time. The pagoda, surrounded by a lot of greenery, was a popular place for festivities with kings and royal families. PiP 1: The 15-metre high main pagoda consists of eleven storeys. In 1639, artistically carved statues were erected on all storeys and in each bay, each of which has unique facial features. PiP 2: The Gifts Shrine, packed with edible offerings from visitors for the monks It is a place of worship, visitors should dress conservatively out of respect for the monks and locals.

Hanoi The city between the rivers is the capital and with 8 million inhabitants the second largest city in Vietnam. From 1940 to 1945 Hanoi was occupied by the Japanese. In 1945 Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). From 1946 to 1954 bitter fighting between the French and the Vietminh took place here (Indochina war). During the Vietnam War Hanoi was bombed by the Americans; the first attacks took place in 1966, the last one in 1972. 24.12.1972 an enormous amount of bombs hit the city and destroyed 25% of it.

The loud bustle on the streets, the unpredictable traffic, is very unusual, but you get used to this "chaos" relatively quickly and nothing stands in the way of a tour through Hanoi.

Early in the morning they are out and about in the city streets, the so-called flying flower, fruit or vegetable vendors.

Street vendors Here you can buy almost everything Street trading is an essential part of city life. There are three types of street vendors: those who move around constantly either by bicycle or on foot, those who offer their goods in a stable or stationary location and those who own a shop and offer their products on the pavement. One of the functions of the street vendors is to offer a wide range of food around the clock, all year round. The type and range of food on offer can change according to the rhythm of the season.

There are 36 shopping streets in the old town of Hanoi, each one dedicated to a different trade or craft. Take the big purse with which there is some shopping to do :-) The alleys of the Old Town are a feast for the eyes and also a tasteful experience, there is a lot to discover in the maze of alleys, mopeds and power lines. The reason for these streets goes back to 1010, when many merchants founded guilds to protect their interests. Each guild claimed a different alleyway from its own, thus the central district of Hanoi was created. Over the years, many things have changed in Hanoi, many craftsmen have remained true to their original profession.