Hanoi

Setting up for a wedding

they will carry anything on the back of a scooter, this is a watertank

lady selling artifical flowers from her bike

selling vegetable on the side of the road in Hanoi

We have spent several days in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.  It is a busy city, not as crazy as Saigon, but still noisy with lots of traffic, mostly scooters, which seem to follow their own rules.  There is a much stronger police presence here as it is the capital.  We saw several police checks daily, often though, they were not stopping anyone.  They had 4 of the 5 lanes blocked on the new bridge to airport though, we think for a photo op as they were not checking traffic.  They did manage to slow traffic down quite a bit as everyone had to crowd into one lane.
We started with a cyclo ( a bicycle with a seat in the from) tour of the old quarter, which is quite an adventure as their are cars, many scooters and pedestrians all vying for the same space on the narrow streets and you are in the front with the driver safe in the back.  It is amazing that no one gets hit.  They honk their horns when they are coming up behind you or passing you, it's quite noisy but it works.  There are food stalls and "restaurants" everywhere.  People have narrow storefronts which they live in and put their goods and seats out front on the sidewalk and road which adds to the traffic congestion.  Tet is fast approaching and people are buying candy, clothes, booze and flowers like crazy.  Today was like "Black Friday".
We found a little corner "store" that sold ice cold draft beer for 70 cents where we could watch all the craziness, have food delivered (freshly made potato

School kids, they are so friendly and welcoming, and love to have their pictures taken

Special guards guarding Uncle Ho

Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, he wanted to be cremated, but the Russians took his body to Moscow to have in embalmed by their expert.  His body has to return to Moscow for 1 month every year for a "top up"

Soldiers getting a lesson on Ho Chi Minh, notice that they are taking notes!

Hanoi Hilton

chips, bahn my, french fries, whatever they sell on the streets and have your shoes polished!  You could also shop for just about anything as the street vendors load their bicycles and carts with anything and everything-clothes, toiletries, shoes, flowers, sunglasses, hair accessories, etc.
We visited the sites in Hanoi including Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body in a huge mausoleum  built just for his body and guarded by a special branch of the army, kind of creepy.  You have to line up and keep moving at a steady pace,  No picture, hats or laughing.  The line is very long and you have to walk about half a km before you reach his body.  They also have a whole museum dedicated to him, we gave that a pass.  We did see his house, under 200 sq m which is quite large for Vietnamese.  Usually several generations all live in one house under 100 sq m..  The top floor is for the altar to worship their ancestors and the elders have the floor under that.
We also visited the Hanoi Hilton or Maison Centrale where they first imprisoned Vietnamese political prisoners in appalling conditions.  They executed them by guillotine.  The American pilots were then imprisoned there, the display makes it look like a summer camp.  We were surprised they wanted to leave!  The propaganda is so blatant, but that is the Communists for you.  They show picture of them getting presents at Christmas and decorating a Christmas tree and getting lots of food (more than the Vietnamese).
We are now in the International airport that was just finished, it is huge and empty but has great wifi!
Off to Laos now.