Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam

Yesterday we spent the day sightseeing in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam.





The key challenge was basically not to be run over by all the motorbikes that create a sea of permanent (honking and engine) noise. It's a bit like an anthill where you wonder how they all get past each other and don't run into each other. Especially considering that one hand of the person riding the motorbike is bound to be on a mobile phone while navigating the traffic. Also there seems to be no limit in terms of how many passengers and/or how much stuff they carry.



We spent quite a bit of time in the Ho Chi Minh district of Hanoi. The main attraction is the man himself. Or rather what's left of him (NB: He died in 1969).



In his mausoleum we saw his mortal remains presented in a glass casket. The body looks like an extra from Madame Tussauds. The awe-inspiring building, the long wait in line, the intimidating guards etc. etc. - it's all rather reminiscient of the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow and the Mao one in Beijing. Perhaps there was a "3 for 1"offer going on in terms of mausoleum constructions back then...



There was also the house where Ho Chi Minh lived on display. He was portrayed as a very humble man of the people. No sure how this all sits with the big deal they make about him now (after his death), but I'd rather not got drawn into a discussion with our very "committed" guide on this point.



Apart from some pagodas, a few temples, the old town, the French quarter and the central lake we saw the infamous Hoa Lo Prison which was nicknamed "Hanoi Hilton" during the Vietnam War, where amongst others also John McCain "checked in" after he was shot down during the war. The prison is a museum these days.



One of the highlights for the kids was that we attended a Water Puppet Show in the afternoon:



It was a bit like a Punch & Judy Show meets Japanese Kabuki Theater. The kids loved it (and it was a welcome break from the crazy traffic, too).



To round things off we then did the touristy thing and went on a cyclo ride through the old town, where you are basically sitting comfortably and get pedalled through the streets. Again, miracleously we all got through the traffic unharmed. Fiona, who shared the ride with me, even took the chance to get a quick sleep in while on the cycloe ride - which is something that in this kind of traffic is probably rather unique...



After a busy day we headed off to the Hanoi Central Train station where we saw some familiar faces* on the posters in the station restaurant, advertising a German beer.



With such pleasant company around us, we proved that advertising really does work (and ordered some of this beer) together with our dinner before we boarded our overnight sleeper train to Hue.


(* In case you haven't recognised these good-looking gentlemen, they are the German National football team.)