Good Morning Vietnam!

Travelling by Lao Air in a twin prop we weren't sure we'd ever make it to Vietnam. 

After a somewhat sideways landing we made it to Hanoi, the Northern capital city. It's so different to Laos. Fast paced, rude, and everyone's trying to fleece us. But its a lot of fun at the same time. Especially when Matt has to eat dinner in the smallest chairs imaginable. Hilarious. For some reason all the chair in the city are this big and the locals seem to think its normal!

Eating on the street

Cheap and tasty food

We only had one full day in Hanoi so we mapped out the sights and got an early start. First stop, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. This was quite traumatic - two hours in the sunshine with Matt getting into fights with little kids in the queue with us who kept standing on his toes. Vietnamese pushing in constantly. Bananas being confiscated (but having to queue to have them confiscated). But being allowed to take Matt's pocket knife in. All a bit odd. But strangely worth it to see Uncle Ho in the (somewhat pale) flesh.

Bananas confiscated. Camera detained.
This is the best photo we've got.

Next was a walk around the Ho Chi Minh complex, complete with white suited guards.

The guards were the tallest Vietnamese we''ve seen

We then headed over to the Temple of Literature, one of the earliest Universities in the world. The University was for Confucian study, tested by the King of the country before a standard qualification was attained.

Inside the temple

It was a such a hot day!

These little guys found some shade

On such a hot day the best way is to cool off like the locals do... With some Bia Hoi! Draught beer on children's plastic picnic chairs (again) for 25p a glass! Accompanied by unidentified meaty thing steamed in banana leaves. We're pretty sure it wasn't dog (we hope).

We had a few!

And later on a quick Jaeger Bomb before we set off on our Halong Bay cruise (courtesy of Al and Anna). We thought you guys would approve of this as a way to mark the start of our excursion!!

Excited!

Our eagle-eyed readers may spot a brace on Matt's arm. After "dropping the hammer" during our 40km kayak trip in Laos, he pulled a muscle in his arm. Pretty much back to his normal annoying self now though!