Hanoi Hotels
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Happy in Hanoi
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Happy in Hanoi
It was great getting to Hanoi. The army personel in loud green uniforms, as well as the dull communist (sorry, socialist) architecture straight away told you you were somewhere different.
After the stink and heat of Bangkok, Hanoi was a dream. Lush paddy fields lined our taxi ride in, the people were friendly, and remarkably, it was cold. Well, jumper cold. Not Edinburgh cold.
It's not very hard to see the French influence in the city (and all of Vietnam by all accounts), every house is a narrow tall building with French styled balconies and shuttered windows. We took to Hanoi straight away. The little narrow streets of the old town, with little motorbikes flying in every direction (how there isn't a 100 crashes at every corner is a miracle) honking their horns.
Puppet power
We went all cultural and took in a Vietnamese water puppet show. Surreal. Had no idea what was going on, with wooden puppets thrashing around in a tank of water with a lavish set behind. A dressed up band played traditional instruments and two girls sang along with a mysterious male voice who we never saw. But it was good, well different.
The food in Vietnam is tremendous so far. We've been eating mainly fish and have yet to have a bad meal in Vietnam. The Hanoi Spring Rolls are a real favourite.
Writing Museum
Another day in Hanoi and we were off to The Museum of Literature (dodging a million randomly driving motorbikes on every corner). This sounds incredibly dull but it was beautiful. The building itself is a thousand years old and has a great history of learning. There are 82 tombs topped with giant stone turtles (rub all their heads for exam success!) and gravestones honouring the first great scholars of the school.
Next stop is Ha Long bay for a ride in a Chinese Junk ship among the thousands of islands and a bit of a kayak thrown in too... Can't wait!
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