Day 16: Hanoi

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Hanoi comes alive at night. They know how to put on a show for young tourists. There are a couple of streets heaving with lit up clubs blasting out Asian house. We didn’t get home until 2am and subsequently slept through the morning. We spent the afternoon aimlessly wondering the streets of Hanoi with it being a cooler 19 degrees. There was a crowd of people outside a building carrying stretchers and extinguishers, but laughing like they’re having a hilarious time. Turns out it was just a fire drill... I wish ours were as fun as that. We then saw a few police vans and 20+ officers literally taking civilians’ bikes off the street. Next thing we know, bikes are quickly being driven off and hidden behind shutters left right and centre, the Vietnamese were in panic mode when they showed up. We’re still unaware of the situation, but it no doubt reinforces the corruption this country faces. Despite all the drama we came across some beautiful buildings, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
We went to New Day restaurant for food which was recommended to us for an authentic Vietnamese meal. We sat on cushions on the floor, surrounded by jars containing dead reptiles in water. It was a really cool place and the food was delicious. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Hanoi!

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