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The capital, formerly of North Vietnam, now of the whole country. A mixture of thrusting new businesses and traditional trades, modern hotels and the Old Quarter, lakes and trees on the one hand and frantic traffic on the other.

40 photographs - click any one to see an enlargement (Please see the note on the home page about popup blockers).

Typical Hanoi street, with motorbikes, a woman carrying her wares on her shoulder and magnificent tree roots
Typical Hanoi street, with motorbikes, a woman...
Lenin
Lenin
The military complex that's (surprise!) closed to visitors
The military complex that's (surprise!) closed to...
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex
[ Uncle Ho ]
No, it's not McDonald's, and it's as close as we came to one on the whole trip. It won't last.
No, it's not McDonald's, and it's as close as we came...
A statue getting a clean-up - or perhaps being finished
A statue getting a clean-up - or perhaps being finished
Typical statue by a small garden and moto-park
Typical statue by a small garden and moto-park
Being nosey: a pleasant private courtyard
Being nosey: a pleasant private courtyard
The Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple in Hoan Kiem Lake
The Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple in Hoan Kiem Lake
Hoan Kiem Lake
Hoan Kiem Lake
[ Hoan Kiem Lake ]
A woman selling her produce in the Old Quarter
A woman selling her produce in the...
[ Old Quarter ]
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
[ Water Puppets ]
Bras and knickers!
Bras and knickers!
Cha Ca: fish, leaves, spring onions, etc. which all goes on cooking on the table - delicious!
Cha Ca: fish, leaves, spring onions, etc. which all...
Shop full of lamps, Buddhas and bowls
Shop full of lamps, Buddhas and bowls
Cheap watches and booze for the tourists
Cheap watches and booze for the tourists
...and what booze! The notorious snake wine, which we declined to sample
...and what booze! The notorious snake wine, which we...
St Joseph's Cathedral, to the west of Hoan Kiem Lake
St Joseph's Cathedral, to the west of Hoan Kiem Lake
West Lake (Ho Tay)
West Lake (Ho Tay)
The tower of Tran Quoc Pagoda (we think), by West Lake
The tower of Tran Quoc Pagoda (we think), by West Lake
The top of the tower
The top of the tower
The base of the tower
The base of the tower
The modest approach to the Pagoda, one of the oldest in Vietnam
The modest approach to the Pagoda, one of the oldest...
One of the altars
One of the altars
Another altar
Another altar
And another...
And another...
...with a large sign in Chinese (and a ceiling fan) above
...with a large sign in Chinese (and a ceiling fan) above
The Museum of Ethnology
The Museum of Ethnology
Examples of long houses in the museum grounds
Examples of long houses in the museum grounds
An exquisitely carved carrot for lunch
An exquisitely carved carrot for lunch
The Temple of Literature
The Temple of Literature
[ Temple of Literature ]
A sign on our hotel window
A sign on our hotel window
Thang Long Song Music & Dance Theatre, from our hotel floor
Thang Long Song Music & Dance Theatre, from our...
Statue of a scholar
Statue of a scholar
The Opera - note the cyclos lined up outside. The evening's performance was The Nutcracker.
The Opera - note the cyclos lined up outside. The...
Stern instruction to Opera patrons
Stern instruction to Opera patrons
They have an intellectual version of The Archers in Vietnam, evidently.
They have an intellectual version of The Archers in...
Minh's Jazz Club: the house band, led by Minh's son Dac (alto sax) - amazingly good too
Minh's Jazz Club: the house band, led by Minh's son...
A quick visit to Dong Xuan Market on our very last morning
A quick visit to Dong Xuan Market on our very last...
Some of the goods on sale
Some of the goods on sale

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