Hanoi Day 2

Hi all, another early start this morning, this group don't believe in sleep in days. Today's schedule was sightseeing in Hanoi.

First stop was Ho Chi Minh's Tomb. The queue which you can see here stretched about another Km t get in to see him, We skipped  that option.

Yes I was there

It is bigger than Lenin's tomb in Moscow, although he gets sent off to Moscow every few years for a service.

Presidential palace but Ho Chi Minh would not live there, too grandiose.

Asian girls love me, I kept getting asked if they could have photo with me, in this case, I got a photo too.

Near Presidential Palace gardens

Fish traps on a bicycle, Ethnological museum.

Weaving, Ethnological Museum

Hao Lo Prison or "Hanoi Hilton"

For those that got the Chop, French Culture at work.

We all had a Cyclio ride, but idiot Mark insisted on riding and having the cycle guy sit in the seat.

Family sedan

Light Commercial vehicle

Video of traffic from Cyclio,  all seems to work somehow.

Afterwards, we went to the Water Puppet show (no Pics) and that was nice, a bit of colour and sound.

Tomorrow, it is a 7.30am start for a 4.5 hr bus ride to Ha Long Bay, then onto a Boat, have lunch and then a big long bus ride home, the next day, most of the others fly back to Melb or Syd. My friends Chris, Greg and Lisa also go to Ha Long Bay tomorrow, but they are not back to May 2 so I will wait for them in Hanoi. The 30th is a big day here as it is the 40th anniversary of fall of Saigon or Reunification day. Should be impressive fireworks here on Thursday night and Friday is Mayday, another public holiday. It is looking increasingly likely that I will need to come back to Hanoi from Sapa and fly to Luang Prabang in Laos as everything I read says going overland by Bus from Sapa is 2.5 days and very uncomfortable. Forever the tough adventurer, I will take the easy option. I am waiting for some info from the local travel agent.