HANOI 2007 | Books and Cafe

This is sort of an update - but not quite - on what books I will be bringing to Hanoi. The truth is, I can't tell what will eventually end up in my backpack until the minute before I step out for the airport.

Confirmed:

1. Lonely Planet: Vietnam
   But of course. I use the map inside to get around.

2. Sodom and Gomorrah Marcel Proust
   I am determined to finish this volume (at least) before the start of 2008.

3. The Man Who Was Thursday G.K. Chesterton
   Chesterton’s espionage thriller – featuring many characters with red-hair. The frequent out-crop of red-hair contributes greatly a lot to my interest. ;)

Shortlisted but still undecided:

1. The Dud Avocado Elaine Dundy
   One of my books for the Armchair Traveler Challenge
   The French colonial influence in Vietnam is like a striking dash of colour on a rich canvas – it's so entrenched into its culture and it only makes it more interesting. It's because of this French colour that I alway associate it as "Paris in Vietnam". The Dud Avocado - where a girl goes to Paris, alone.

2. Journal of a Solitude May Sarton
   An excuse to catch up with my Outmoded Authors reading. I also like the idea of it as a companion to my solitude. Yes, I will be in a city surrounded by a lot of people – but solitude is a state of mind. Much like loneliness. But solitude and loneliness are not the same.

3. The City in Crimson Cloak Asli Erdogan
   [Translated by Amy Spangler]
   I found out about this title (via Softskull Press) earlier this year when I was pulling together a Turkish reading list for my March trip to Turkey.

4. The Comedians Graham Greene
   Another for the Armchair Traveler Challenge. Like the start of a bad punchline, the characters – Mr Brown, Major Jones and Mr and Mrs Smith are on a boat headed for Haiti.

5. Of Human Bondage W. Somerset Maugham
   Will 2007 be the year of Maugham for me?

6. First Love Ivan Turgenev & 7. The Kreutzer Sonata Leo Tolstoy
   The slim, pocket-sized novellas from the Penguin Great Loves series are so handy to carry around. I thought I do a little warm-up to the 2008 Russian Reading Challenge.

I was also hoping to unwrap a new Moleskine journal for this trip – but it seems the bookstore is out of stock for the Large Plain Notebooks. Ruled and Squared are still available but I always prefer a blank page. This is what happens when I don't stock up.

As I plan to do a bit of reading, I have also been checking out the addresses of some Hanoi cafes where I can just "hang out" with a book, coffee and my all black ensemble.

Hanoi Cafes I Would Like to Check Out

1. Au Lac, 57 Ly Thai To.
   This upmarket cafe claims to brew Hanoi's best coffee and is a relaxing spot to sip your cappuccino while watching the fitness freaks work out in the Metropole's gym opposite.
2. Cafe Lac Viet, 46 Le Thai To.
   A quiet and comfy spot for coffees. Head for the sofas on the second floor, browse the bookshelves or catch one of the regular film screenings.
3. Cafe Lam, 60 Nguyen Huu Huan.
   This musty but atmospheric one-room cafe made its name as a place for artists and young intellectuals to hang out. A few paid their bills with paintings, some of which still adorn the walls.
4. Caf Quynh, 46b Bat Dan.
   Another traditional haunt of artists and movie buffs hoping to spot the actress owner, Nhu Quynh, star of Cyclo.
5. Kinh Do Cafe, 252 Hang Bong.
   This so-called cafe 252 became famous after Catherine Deneuve complimented the patron on his yoghurts. The cafe still trades on this anecdote today.
6. Moca, 14­16 Nha Tho.
   Moca has become something of a favourite for travellers and ex-pats because of its colonial-style decor and western-friendly menu.