Hanoi

I’m a millionaire!

Well in Vietnamese Dong, basically £1 equals VD33,000, talk about confusing.  We arrived at the airport and used the ATM to get some cash for the taxi.  We’d pre-booked a hotel on the internet but the lady at the tourist info desk said she would have got it much cheaper – lesson to learn there.  Anyway the hotel is great, excellent wifi too.

Hanoi is just amazing, clean, organised but in a chaotic sort of way, very efficient.  I was told that 50% of the population are under 25 and it feels about right.  The Vietnamese are all small, slim, neat, good looking, and seem to smile a lot.  There are not a lot of old buildings even though we are in the old quarter but the streets are narrow and full of fascination.

We went to the night market after we arrived, good to see that markets the world over are full of mobile phone cases and other tat! At the end of the market was a series of stall called the “Night Kitchen” here they sort out a bowl of stock and give you various bits to cook yourself at the table in the stock.

Bob and Jan’s tenner went out for a drink too

Slept late the following morning a combination of jet lag and Carole has a stinking cold to boot.  Got out just for wander, pictures below of the city and some of the snacks we tried.

We fell across the national water pupet theatre and had to go and see it.  Sort of weird and beguiling at the same time, definitely something see if you come here, the pupets are operated by rods under the water and the traditional musicians play along.  Apparently it started in the flooded paddy fields centuries ago and is now recognised by UNESCO as a cultural highlight.

As a coffee nerd I had to try the Vietnamese coffee – pictured below, tastes of wood and something else I can’t describe with a hint of coffee and if you ask for it with milk they put a dollop of condensed milk in the bottom which comes as a bit of a surprise to say the least.  Luckily the trendy bars have Illy coffee.

Off to Ha Long bay tomorrow – the bay with all the vertically sided islands, apparently on of the natural wonders of the world.  We’ve arranged to stop on a boat for a night at an island.

Unlikely to be wifi but will catch up later.