A Day in Hanoi

Here is a picture from the boat. It's about 3 hours from Hanoi

Today we started out on a walking tour around Hanoi. We called for a taxi and went down to get it. However, since the maid (yup, our host has a maid) called for the taxi, we had no idea which type of taxi they called. So we got in the taxi that was waiting down there. Little did we know it was a tourist taxi which means they charge double for a ride. All well, it got us where we wanted to go.

I was the tour guide. We walked around the lake, then went to explore the old parts. Not sure if you have tried walking tours from books, but they are not always easy to follow. This one... was ok! I got us around the winding streets and all the way to the end. It's quite interesting to walk in the streets. The sidewalks are full of parked motor bikes so we have to walk on the street, which is also packed with motor bikes!

Here is part of the "meat market". Notice the picture frames in the background... so unique...

Here you see all of the motor bikes on the sidewalk. So... we have to walk on the street. Do you see a good dominoes opportunity?

We are here just before Tet which is the big Chinese New Year celebration. For some reason orange trees have a big part during this celebration. Motor bikes often carry these small trees throughout the streets.

We stopped for lunch and ate some Pho, which is just like Chicken noodle soup from America. Also similar to Beef noodles from China.

After touring our host's (Coral) school, we walked to a museum and then jumped in another overpriced tourist taxi home! Now we are waiting for supper... Tomorrow we fly out early for Ho Chi Minh.