Arrival North

Arrived in Hanoi and the differences between it and HCM were quite prominant.  It had more of a small town feel - noticable less people, less motorbikes, less noise.  We set out on foot from the hotel and checked out Hoan Kiem Lake and its Pagoda.  Then, being quite touristy, went to get tickets to the puppet show, but unfortunately had to wait to see the show until Wednesday, due to the high demand. 

Lunch was next on the agenda, and I used my ability to read Vietnamese to order from a roadside stall one of the better meals I've had in Vietnam - snails and bananas in a sauce that would, well, lets not go there.  The price was a tad high, and I would notice this trend throughout my time in Hanoi.  Also, the Vietnamese used there is totally different.  Some adjectives that I've used eroused strange looks, and half the time I spoke in Vietnamese, I got the response, "Don't speak English". 

We bartered, and headed to Temple of Literature, because all the HCM Mausoleum Complex Sights are closed on Mondays.  The Temple was nice, but I never saw so many people taking photographs in my life.  There were spots of beauty, and definilty worth seeing, but brocures paint a better picture in this man's humble opinion. 

On the way back into town, stopped for a coffee and fruit shake, and those were different in the north too.  I was starting to get homesick - not of America.  We had a hotpot for dinner.