Putt putt beep beep - the language of the streets of Hanoi

Water puppet stage
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I experienced The ups and downs of travel today.  I realized early that I had left my debit card in a machine at the Hanoi airport.  My backup credit card refused to function in any of the myriad ATMs.  I ended up calling from the post office which actually dials the number for you.  Dealt with the missing card.  Changed my pin on the other - to no avail and then discovered that the only open bank in town would give me cash through the card.  2,000,000 dong or 128 dollars with their 3% commission.

water puppets in action
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I met a woman named Jane from China via Canada here this morning and spent much of the day hanging with her.  She had lost some vital stuff too and so we commiserated over a pho lunch.

One of more interesting ways to see this town is by bicycle rickshaw.  As Jane went back for a nap I took one of these contraptions to the temple of Literature.  The experience of being in one of these was like being the very slowest fish in a very rapid stream of traffic.  The traffic here is mostly motorbikes.   Tons of them many rented by the hour or more by locals.  The streets get so dense with them.  And everyone loves their horn here.  I cannot quite tell if they honk as communication or just for the joy of making a sound.

traffic
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Dinner was Duck in tangerine sauce and the company of a Finnish couple who had nothing kind to say about Vietnam.  They had been the victims of a scam - dropped off from a bus nowhere and forced to deal with a extortionist hotel manager.  They did point out a good place to get cheap beers.

Jane and I met back up and took in the water puppet show.  Water puppets are big cultural thing here in Vietnam.  One of the premier shows is here in Hanoi.  Then a wander through the night market which made Hong Kongs seem so organized and clean.  I got lots of pics of eels, fish and other food on the street.  No dogs so far.

Tomorrow I leave for Halong bay and will be on a boat tomorrow night so you will have to sit tight for the next chapter