The Goden Lodge Resort Hanoi

... saw you sneaking into the barn late at night with Mary’s little lamb, you sick puppies. There is some way to get around the block I just haven’t figured out what it is yet.

I just wanted to put up a short posting to let you know I’m alive and doing well.

By the way, hello to the Cors-Bassett people that are joining our program, already in progress.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, in the U.S.!

... I did learn how to cross the streets without becoming a pancake so hey, that's progress!

In Hanoi I really loved the cobble stoned and extremely narrow streets lined with shops and vendors inside every nook. It certainly didn't stop motorbikes from merging with the foot passengers though!

Well, I have nothing else to add so bye for now! :)

... the "Hanoi Hilton" which was used as a POW camp during the Vietnam Revolution (freedom from France) and also during the American/Vietnam War. It was where Sen. John McCain was held captive after he had been shot down there, and amongst the artifacts were his jumpsuit he was wearing at the time. From there we headed off to find Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, only to find it was closed when we got there, as his body (which has laid embalmed since his ...

... just won't. If you see any sort of gap, you just have to go for it. Of course, every 30 seconds or so, someone will be offering you a motorbike taxi or a ride on a cyclo, but I tell you what, the street traders here are in a world apart, they're actually really smily, happy people - I feel genuinely guilty about not buying from some of them (I did give in to one postcard seller with no legs).

The food here is amazing! So many wonderful places to ...

... time for an attitude adjustment.

Touchdown occurred late Sunday morning. We'd passed through 14 time zones. The airport itself was clean and really deserted. Passing through customs was a breeze. Our driver was waiting to meet us for the half hour transfer to our hotel in the historic district. It was an interesting but bleary-eyed ride through the hustle and bustle. However, hurtling pell-mell through crazy traffic and ...

... strong and we ended up drunk after one each! We had one more (as they were so delicious!) and headed home.. On the way, we stumbled across the night market! It was huge... It was a single row of market stalls and it ran for streets and streets.

The best part of Hanoi, though, has been the food. We've been adventurous with the food, mostly opting for food stalls where they don't speak English so we have no idea what we're ordering! Drew had frog at one ...

... together begins!

Met some girls in reception, Julia and Laura, who are also from the UK, got chatting and decided we'd all book our Ha Long Bay trip together. Found a good deal at the Elizabeth hotel - about 60 quid each for a 3 day trip - one night on a junk boat and the other in a hotel on Cat Ba island.

Met up witn the intrepid gang to see the Water puppet show and then drinks afterwards for Gen's birthday.

... cờ “Phá cường địch báo hoàng ân”, thậm chí sẵn sàng “Phá cường địch báo Hồng ân”, nhưng các cấm vệ lại cấm ngặt không cho phép, rồi bắt giải tán. Sao Đoàn Thanh niên Cộng sản tuổi trẻ Hồ Chí Minh lại thiếu ý chí, thua kém cả Đoàn Thanh niên Quốc xã tuổi trẻ Adolf Hitler đã chiến đấu trên từng đường phố Bá Linh, cho đến phút cuối cùng, cho đến vi ...

... and had two bbqed burgers because they were so good. Went to sleep nice and early to compensate for the night before and because today (Tuesday) we had sightseeing plans! We woke at 7.30am and had the free breakfast then jumped in a taxi to go and see Uncle Ho. Ho Chi Minh, the 3rd and final man on our dead communist leader tour. We were indeed very excited. At Mao and Lenin bags were definatley not allowed, but somehow they were happy just for cameras to be ...

... I had spent some time talking to Lam, and her friend Lam, teaching English in the drizzle and chatting beside the lake. "Bracelet for lucky!" after a little under 2 hours of chatting beneath the trees, they had spotted the embroidered bands I had purchased of the ethnics in Sapa, they cost 8p each and I had been charitable and bought 9 in the time I was there, relinquishing 2 of these for these girls that had been as patient and pleasant with ...