Hanoi

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30.3.2012

We arrived in Hanoi quite late and decided to get a bus to our hotel. It was in the old quarter. We were stuffed into a mini bus with more people in seats and gave the adress to the driver. We had no idea where we would end up, but after an hour and a half we somehow ended up at our hotel. We checked in and Skyped Laura and Pete and got to speak to baby Erin Grace.

31.3.2012

We booked a trip to Halong Bay this morning. We went round a few places but decided on the boat that the guy in the hotel was offering, which turned out to be a big mistake! We walked around the Old Quarter of the city and it is very nice. There is a big lake a cathedral and of course thousands of motorbikes! You have to cross the roads slowly so that they have chance to go around you. All the buildings have character - colonial legacy, old asia mixed with new modern buildings. On every street corner there is hawkers wearing conical hats selling noodles and soups. Everyone from business men to old people to tourists sit on these small stools on the side of the road eating. We were going to join them but we looked on the menu and saw dog, pigeon and frogs so we decided against it! We decided to go to a restaurant high up out of the way so we could look down on the hustle and bustle below. M x

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