Vietnam Travelogues: Hanoi

Ok, the uploading process is such a pain in the arse that I'm doing them city by city. Besides, I had to put something up here so that YOU CAN STOP HOUNDING ME FOR PHOTOS, AMANDA ENG. (Teeheehee, still love you, ok?) Ok, yes, I'm damn pek chek but being the exhibitionist I am, damn gratifying once it's up. So anyway, presenting... Hanoi.

Bye bye, Singapore! (Budget Terminal is really quite boring!)

(1) + (2) Our super tiny, but clean room at Hanoi Guesthouse. (3) The very, very friendly and helpful staff. (4) Yup, ate barguette nearly every single freaking day.

(1) The moto obsession. (2) Old school selling.

(1) + (2) Communist Posters are a common sight. (3) The busy streets of Hanoi.

The magnificant St. Joseph Cathedral

Hoa Lo Prison, or "Hanoi Hilton". Used by the French to detain Vietnamese prisoners.

Hoan Kiem Lake, The Tortoise Tower and Jade Hill Temple

The majestic Halong Bay, its wonderous formations and us

Musuem of Ethnology; charting the beginnings of the different ethnic groups in Vietnam

War Remnant Musuem. Good for war junkies and the viewing of war relics. I was bored, but hey, that's me.

There's definitely a lot to see in Hanoi, coupled with it's wonderful Old World Charm. The Hanoi Opera House, boat ladies at Halong Bay, Presidential Palace, HCM's Stilt House, HCM Mausoluem (the waxed figure of HCM was horrifyingly fascinating - he's sent to Russia for 3 months every year to be rewaxed and maintained in frozen perfection)... countless of monuments and musuems.

But some of the best times I had in Vietnam was simply sitting at a cafe and chilling out at the city centre, overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake. Hanoi has a great vibe to it, but you need to get over the honking traffic and crazy touts first.