Hanoi

Don't you just love street food...we think it is fish eggs in the womb! YUMMY!
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Throughout my time in Vietnam I spent several days passing through the city of Hanoi.  Hanoi has a bad reputation with backpackers and I was considering not stopping but luckily I gave the city a chance.  Many backpackers have told me stories of the locals being rude and aggresive, one girl told me a story of a moto driver pestering her for 6 hours!  But I found Hanoi to be friendly and I met some great people there.  One little old lady took me under her wing (she owned a pho street stall) and her son ended up showing me the sights on the back of his motorbike.

A night out at the theatre - the Water Puppets
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I spent several days going to the museums and walking around the Old Quarter.  I queued with the Vietnamese who had made a pilgramage to see Uncle Ho Chi Minh.  I was also lucky enough to be in Hanoi for Uncle Ho's birthday so attended the free concerts around the lake.

Cindy and Ella spent several days with me in Hanoi and we frequently ate street food.  One memorable meal was eating a fish dish, well we thought it would be normal fish when we ordered it! Unfortunately it turned out to be fish eggs in some kind of veiny sack.  Not entirely appetising! It will be snake next time girls...i promise!

The puppet show
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We also enjoyed a performance of the city's famed water puppets.  The show was amazing and it was great to see the mesmerised look on the childrens faces.  The theatre seemed to be the best way to spend your evening in Hanoi.  The police had put a 12 o'clock curfew on the whole city and after a whistle blowing and gun weilding experience we didn't stay out passed the deadline. We only wanted to sing some kareoke!

Just like in Saigon I seemed to be a magnet for Vietnamese students wanting to practice their English.  I spent a few afternoons by the lake talking about life in England and helping the students pronounce certain words.  Some of the students took me to the circus.  Rach/Dan - I am looking forward to starting those trapeze lessons when I return!