Vietnam: Hanoi Part One

Old building, new wires

We're back in Hanoi for a few days, no real reason except Ruth is visiting a Dentist while we are here (she may be developing an abscess) and it's also nice just to leave Phong Nha for a while.

Another old French colonial building

With nothing planned, we are just wandering the streets, looking around, shopping and visiting cafes.

Slight trip hazard here, so watch out

There is plenty to see if you look closely enough, many of the buildings are old French colonial ones, although the lower levels are more modern shop fronts, the upper levels can still show what Hanoi old town must have looked like years ago.

There's a flower seller around here somewhere

The streets are jam packed with cars, motorbikes and bicycles. Utter chaos, or at least it seems like it although the traffic is continually moving so the system works somehow.

Street seller with a heavy load

Most of the pavements are fully parked up with motorbikes so you have to walk on the edge of the road, risking life and limb. Crossing the road is fun.......

If I get just one more balloon I can fly

Street sellers are everywhere, trying to sell all sorts of things like fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, ready sliced pineapple, cakes, pop up cards, balloons and anything else they can think of.

Fruity

Sometimes it's nice to just sit in a cafe and watch the world go by, you can also play games like "how many people can you see on one bike?". Eight is the mythical record but so far the best we've got is five, see if you can spot them in the collage below.

Is six on one motorbike really possible?

Another good game is "spot the most ridiculous load on a motorbike (or bike)", there are so many possibilities for this one that it is very difficult to judge the winner, Here are some of the entrants so far (there may be more to follow!)