Cultural Exchange Center — Attraction in Hà Nội

I walked in after hours because it was full of people and was told that the center was actually closed and that everyone was there to prepare for an event to take place the next evening. Something moved me to inquire about tickets and I was informed that the showing was very limited due to space constraints and only 7 tickets remained available for purchase. That being obviously the truth, the fancy invitation style envelopes being clearly and sparsely visible, I acted on a whim and asked to buy one which seemed to delight everyone as the funds would support the center. I arrived to a pre-performance wine and tea tasting and was immediately provided conversational companionship of 2 very intelligent and English-fluent young ladies who explained the set decor and spoke of other pleasantries in a very charming and hospitable manner. The show consisted of masterful guitar pieces interspersed with very well costumed and choreographed dance numbers. I loved it! It was an awesome cultural fusion of Asian and south American sounds and sights and it was completely new and absolutely unique.

Now I couldn't for the life of me tell you what normally transpires here but the preceding is my experience at the establishment. As Kurt Vonnegut Jr. wrote many years ago, "Peculiar traveling suggestions are dancing lessons from God. ". Sometimes opportunity comes as a hunch, which is you suggesting to yourself to...

Worth a look if your in the area. Free entry, free parking, free temporary exhibitions sometimes. Go up one floor to see the permanent exhibition on HaNoi architecture, housing styles and history of the area. Does a good job of explaining why HaNoi looks like it does today or at least the "old quarter" area of market and tube houses. Building is new with development money from France but is already looking a bit run down and dirty, many lights don't work anymore, however the content is still good. Worth a look if your in the area. Also go visit the Ho Chi Minh Memorial house which is very closeby and...

I thought this place was closed when I arrived, dark and empty on the ground floor, one guy asleep in a chair. I think, reading other reviews, that this is only partially open. I wandered upstairs to find some interesting black & white photos taken in the late 1800's of early Hanoi. There is also information on the progression of the French colonisation of IndoChina. I guess the guy downstairs woke up whilst I was upstairs as he put...