Hanoi is in the middle of a major heat wave. Temps are expected to reach 38 degrees today! So clearly the key to success will be a slow pace & lots of water.
Our tour guide from Hanoi Free Walking Tours, Jayz . He taught us the basics on street crossings which is an art all onto itself. With over 3 million scooters in Hanoi alone (that's one for every 2 people), just getting across the street is an adventure. Apparently the government wants to limit the number of cars on the road (aside from taxis we don't see too many) so they have imposed a 200% tax on car purchases!
We toured the French Quarter (architecture leftover from France's occupation), The Hoan Kiem lake (the heart of the city) and the Old Quarter.
A class of graduating university students were posing for their class picture in front of the Ly Thai To Statue (famous emperor who moved capital to Hanoi). Although most young people attend state sponsored universities, many graduates will not work in field of study but rather in the hospitality field. The kids were excited to see us & wanted their picture with us so that they would get hundreds of "likes" on their Facebook post!
Our coffee break was a chance to try the famous Vietnamese "egg coffee". Delish!
Hao Lo prison was an interesting experience. Their version of incarceration of Vietnamese under the French very heavily favored. The American POWs experience under the Vietnamese downplayed, hence the nickname "Hanoi Hilton".
Super at Co Yen for some local dishes. Bun Cha - signature dish of Hanoi. Grilled pork with noodles & sweet sour sauce.
Last stop of day was the Water Puppets Show which was amazing! Flaming dragons, dancing rice farmers & sparkly fish.